Motherboards Dead? Why

[Milanotje]

Hello everyone ,

I recently purchased a used motherboard for my NAS build, but I'm facing an issue. Initially, the motherboard wouldn't detect one of my SSDs, so I decided to update the BIOS. The update was successful, and the system booted fine afterward. However, when I reconnected the SATA cable to the SSD and powered the system back on, the fans started spinning, but I got no POST (Power-On Self Test). The USB devices showed no activity (no lights), and the system just seemed dead.

Interestingly, I had a similar issue with my old motherboard. Back then, I managed to fix it by deep-cleaning the board and then using alcohol for a final clean. But since this current motherboard is much newer and more expensive, I'm hesitant to try the same method again.

Here’s what I’ve done so far to troubleshoot:

• I checked for any physical damage, such as popped capacitors or damaged resistors, but found none.
• I tested with different RAM, a different PSU, and confirmed that the CPU works in my personal PC.
• I also cleared the CMOS.
• When I tried booting without RAM, I connected an internal speaker to listen for beeps, and it did give me 3 beeps, which usually signals a memory issue.

Next, I decided to test the graphics card. I borrowed my little brother's GPU (since mine is too large for the build), but the system still didn’t POST. Here's where things got strange: when I returned his GPU to his own PC, his system exhibited the exact same problem—spinning fans, no power to USB devices, and no POST. His motherboard also stopped working, even after trying different RAM and a different CPU, which makes me suspect there might be a bigger issue.

At this point, I feel like I’ve ruined two motherboards that were working perfectly before. As a tech enthusiast, it’s been a humbling experience. I’m wondering if anyone has encountered similar issues or might know what the root cause could be and how to fix it?

My NAS build specs:

• Ryzen 5 1600
• 16GB 3200MHz DDR4 RAM
• GTX 960
• Biostar X470NH Mini-ITX motherboard

My little brother's PC specs:

• Intel i5 4590
• 16GB DDR3 RAM
• MSI Armor RX580 4G
• Gigabyte B85M motherboard

[ki8aras]

are there any error beeps when the ram is installed?

[Milanotje]

37 minutes ago, ki8aras said:

are there any error beeps when the ram is installed?

Nope no beeps without

[ki8aras]

18 minutes ago, Milanotje said:

Nope no beeps without

have you tried the 960 on your brother's pc to see if that fixes anything?

[Sawa Takahashi]

12 hours ago, Milanotje said:

Intel i5 4590

I'm sure that one has integrated graphics. Did you try plugging the monitor into the motherboard and booting without a GPU card ?