Jump to content

Computer won't turn on

perseides
By perseides
in Troubleshooting
 Share
Posted

I need help with my dad's computer. It is a self build simple work computer, gigabyte GA75M motherboard, with pentium G CPU, slotted with 8gb of kingston DDR3 ram.

The problem was that I could not switch on the computer at all. Pushing the on button does not switch on anything, no fan, no light, no error sound, nothing at all.

So far I tried:
1. Use a screwdriver to try switch it on manually from the motherboard power pins but its the same.

2. Take the whole thing out, and switching it to my own working power supply. (Connected only to the motherboard, 1 ram stick and cpu) 

NADA.

How do i proceed? Is the motherboard dead?

Btw previously there had been same problems as the computer not switching on. Initially I thought it was the casing's on power switch. The computer just turned on after a while without any hardware changes.
 

Link to comment
https://linustechtips.com/topic/557020-computer-wont-turn-on/
Share on other sites
Link to post
Share on other sites
Posted

I've generally found the power supply to be the least common denominator when nothing works, but there are two really basic, potentially insulting questions that I have to ask anyway:

 

1. Are you sure the computer is plugged in?

2. Are you sure the outlet that the computer is plugged into hasn't been shorted out, breaker blown, switched off at the wall, etc.? I've sat there scratching my head about why an outlet just randomly stopped working before, only to realize that it was an outlet controlled from the wall that hadn't been installed correctly.

I enjoy buying junk and sinking more money than it's worth into it to make it less junk.

Link to comment
https://linustechtips.com/topic/557020-computer-wont-turn-on/#findComment-7335029
Share on other sites
Link to post
Share on other sites
Posted
  • Author
Just now, aisle9 said:

1. Are you sure the computer is plugged in?

2. Are you sure the outlet that the computer is plugged into hasn't been shorted out, breaker blown, switched off at the wall, etc.? I've sat there scratching my head about why an outlet just randomly stopped working before, only to realize that it was an outlet controlled from the wall that hadn't been installed correctly.

Read:

7 minutes ago, perseides said:

 

2. Take the whole thing out, and switching it to my own working power supply. (Connected only to the motherboard, 1 ram stick and cpu) 

NADA.


 

To clarify. I took out my dad's motherboard, along with its CPU and Ram, and connect them to MY OWN power supply. NADA.

 

 

Link to comment
https://linustechtips.com/topic/557020-computer-wont-turn-on/#findComment-7335039
Share on other sites
Link to post
Share on other sites
Posted
1 minute ago, perseides said:

Read:

To clarify. I took out my dad's motherboard, along with its CPU and Ram, and connect them to MY OWN power supply. NADA.

Sorry, it's 1:35 AM here and I misunderstood your post. Thought you meant that was something you were considering.

 

Have you tried a different outlet yet? I'm trying to eliminate the easy stuff before we consider the possibility of a dead motherboard.

I enjoy buying junk and sinking more money than it's worth into it to make it less junk.

Link to comment
https://linustechtips.com/topic/557020-computer-wont-turn-on/#findComment-7335045
Share on other sites
Link to post
Share on other sites
Posted
4 minutes ago, perseides said:

Would a ram cause the whole thing not to turn on? I have my own ram but I'm wary of risking my ram to test it out.

Yes, a bad RAM stick is entirely capable of preventing the whole system from booting up. I can't tell from your posts if you have 1x8GB or 2x4GB RAM. If the former, you'll need to either use your own RAM or find a compatible stick on the cheap to test with. Deciding whether to try using your own RAM on what could be a faulty mobo is up to you.

 

If you have two sticks, just take one in the second slot out and try to boot up the PC. If it still doesn't boot, switch the two RAM sticks out and try again. If it still doesn't boot, then it probably is your mobo imo.

I enjoy buying junk and sinking more money than it's worth into it to make it less junk.

Link to comment
https://linustechtips.com/topic/557020-computer-wont-turn-on/#findComment-7335108
Share on other sites
Link to post
Share on other sites
Posted
1 hour ago, aisle9 said:

Yes, a bad RAM stick is entirely capable of preventing the whole system from booting up. I can't tell from your posts if you have 1x8GB or 2x4GB RAM. If the former, you'll need to either use your own RAM or find a compatible stick on the cheap to test with. Deciding whether to try using your own RAM on what could be a faulty mobo is up to you.

 

If you have two sticks, just take one in the second slot out and try to boot up the PC. If it still doesn't boot, switch the two RAM sticks out and try again. If it still doesn't boot, then it probably is your mobo imo.

Bad RAM may prevent from system to boot, but according to him, the problem is that the computer completely not seeing power signs. From my experience, bad RAM does not prevent from fans to start spinning or seeing some sort of life in the machine (lights for example). I would be very surprised to see computer completely dead with just a bad RAM stick(s).

 

I think your motherboard may be faulty, or power connection to it.

Link to comment
https://linustechtips.com/topic/557020-computer-wont-turn-on/#findComment-7335334
Share on other sites
Link to post
Share on other sites
Posted
6 minutes ago, bigneo said:

Bad RAM may prevent from system to boot, but according to him, the problem is that the computer completely not seeing power signs. From my experience, bad RAM does not prevent from fans to start spinning or seeing some sort of life in the machine (lights for example). I would be very surprised to see computer completely dead with just a bad RAM stick(s).

 

I think your motherboard may be faulty, or power connection to it.

The motherboard is the likely conclusion, but it's worth checking the RAM. If the OP only has one stick and that one stick is bad, then it could stop the whole thing from booting. I've seen a laptop with a bad stick of RAM (and a good one alongside it) fail to show any signs of life when the power button was pressed. Not beyond the realm of possibility that it could happen in a desktop, or that the signs of power might be concealed by what's probably an opaque workstation case.

 

Just saw the OP's reply. Sorry @perseides, I'm in agreement that it's your mobo.

I enjoy buying junk and sinking more money than it's worth into it to make it less junk.

Link to comment
https://linustechtips.com/topic/557020-computer-wont-turn-on/#findComment-7335363
Share on other sites
Link to post
Share on other sites
Posted
1 minute ago, aisle9 said:

The motherboard is the likely conclusion, but it's worth checking the RAM. If the OP only has one stick and that one stick is bad, then it would stop the whole thing from booting.

 

Just saw the OP's reply. Sorry @perseides, I'm in agreement that it's your mobo.

I was just curious if faulty RAM can prevent power to flow into the rest of the machine, I just thought maybe you had such situation which caught my interest :)

Link to comment
https://linustechtips.com/topic/557020-computer-wont-turn-on/#findComment-7335375
Share on other sites
Link to post
Share on other sites
Posted
Just now, bigneo said:

I was just curious if faulty RAM can prevent power to flow into the rest of the machine, I just thought maybe you had such situation which caught my interest :)

In a Dell laptop, yep, seen it. In a desktop, no, but I can't put it outside the realm of possibility based upon my experience with the Dell. ;)

I enjoy buying junk and sinking more money than it's worth into it to make it less junk.

Link to comment
https://linustechtips.com/topic/557020-computer-wont-turn-on/#findComment-7335382
Share on other sites
Link to post
Share on other sites
Posted
  • Author

Looks like I need to find a new Mobo.
Anyhow I'll be salvaging parts from this build, any suggestion on how to make sure the other parts are functioning properly? (I still not sure what cause the whole Mobo to fail without any reason).


Stress test needed -

Ram - running memtest will do? or any suggestion

CPU - Prime 95??

 

I'll be looking to find a PSU since I never trust the 'icute" PSU residing in my dad's comp.

Link to comment
https://linustechtips.com/topic/557020-computer-wont-turn-on/#findComment-7335499
Share on other sites
Link to post
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
 Share
Go to topic listing Troubleshooting

×