Trying not to Cry, just fried mobo #3, no one on any other forum can identify the problem. . . please. . . .help.

[MrKitty]

Guys. . . . .It is going to kill me to explain this story for a 5th time. I've tried reddit, tomshardware, pcpartpicker, and various tech bloggers. I just don't understand. Please know that my PC knowledge is minimal, but this is plug and play for the most part.

 

http://www.tomshardware.com/answers/id-3419749/build-mobo-whats-wrong-troubleshooting.html#19724552

This link is my most recent attempt at help from another forum, you will be able to see the help people have previously, though frankly, I think its relevant. I will post what I feel is most relevant below to streamline any help that can be provided.

 

The parts:

NZXT s340 Elite

Ryzen 1800x

MSI Gaming Titanium x370

Kraken x52

Trident G Skill 3200mhz

Corsair HX750i PSU

Aer RGB 120mm fans

Samsung 960 Pro m.2 512gb

Ensourced Sleeved cables

 

The problem;

This is my 3rd fried build. My first attempt, with my first motherboard, having half the knowledge I have now was successful. Odd right? It powered up, I got everything installed, and it was beautiful. I then powered it down, and rearranged my cable management. PSU cables remained the same, just added some zipties and shoved cables in places is pretty much all that took place. When I went to power on again, upon hitting the power button there was a flash of all the motherboard LED/s and then complete power down.

I assumed it failed thanks to ESD, because when I redid all the cables it was over carpet with no grounding. I purchased a grounding mat and re did everything on sunday. Upon initial power sequence, the EXACT SAME THING Happened. This time, I came to the conclusion, as well as everyone on other forums that the problem lied within my standoffs. My NZST S340 Elite case came with a weird standoff in the center that I suppose should have been replaced or removed. I did neither, so a standoff was left touching the motherboard. It was a standoff with exterior threading and could not receive a screw like the other 8, therefore I thought it was intention and left it.

 

For my 3rd attempt, I removed the center stand off and replaced it using the included traditional stand off and stand off wrench. Rebuilt the PC. powered on and the SAME F**KING THING HAPPENED, so I am now 3 motherboards down, WITH NO FUNCTIONAL PC. I have attached a video of what EXACTLY is happening on boot. Additionally, I do smell a slight burnt smell after my mobo is fried. That being said NOTHING is visibly wrong. Even when I attempted to RMA the first one, MSI just stated offered a partial refund but didn't specify what was wrong. Which I would like to know so I know not to repeat it. If i can, ill attach the video I have of the build during the 2nd attempt. I am currently rendering a high quality video of my ENTIRE disassembly of the 2nd fried build. Additionally, I have will upload tomorrow a video of my ENTIRE  3rd attempt, with very particular camera attention to everything I felt warranted it with audio explanation of what i was doing and why. This video should provide answers. I am literally so broken over this. I really want to have built this myself, but at this point I am $1000 in debt with no working PC and rendering my daily surveillance video per my job is so slow on my laptop. My 45min video I'm rendering of my disassembly took 1h 10m for first pass and 2h 20m for 2nd pass. Absurrrrddd

 

Below are some actions taken throughout the course of the 3 builds that made no difference to the end result:

New PSU

New chassis

CMOS Jump via battery removal

CPU RMA

 

 

If someone is kind enough to spend the 45 minutes to watch it, I will literally pay them 40$ if they can find the solution. Please, somebody, help. ;(

 

The video CURRENTLY uploaded is what happens when it fries. ;(

Video.MOV

 

This is the link for the disassembly of the 2nd fried mobo. Pay special attention to the end where I note the standoffs. Video wont be available for a few hours, youtube upload speed is sluggish.  https://youtu.be/aJqDMybVZZ0    

 

This is the link for the complete assembly from start to finish of the 3rd fried motherboard, including the frying part at the end.  . . . again link wont be available for a few hours. posting now so people who see this in the morning have access. https://youtu.be/qzLFP8n03gQ

pay special attention to the end, where it frys. also, pardon my French,

[Damascus]

Have you been returning the fried mobo? 

[MrKitty]

MSI only offered partial refund, I had to purchase the 2nd and 3rd

 

[Anghammarad]

Hi there,

 

just a thought, perhaps the PSU is faulty? Or some of the cables coming form the PSU that when they get bundled tightly they are shorting out somewhere?

[MrKitty]

Had the PSU tested first time, and even got a new one for 2nd and 3rd, so not the PSU. I started with the HX850i ;(

[MrKitty]

Not sure about them being bunched up causing shorts, is that an actual problem? I feel like its a grounding issue somewhere, I just don't know how.

 

[TheRedViper]

Looks like there is a ground issue to me. Did you drop a screw or something while doing the installation?

[Anghammarad]

Just do a lab test is not showing faulty wires. 

 

You said before cramming in the cables and zipping them all was fine, afterwards nuclear meltdown. (slightly dramatized) 

 

For me that screams modular cable fault. 

 

I have build  a lot of machines in my life but never had one die on my due to static electricity. So as long as your clothes in combination with your cat and the carpet wont generate a few "jiggawatts" I don't think the problem is there to find. 

[Rune]

Build outside of the case first to assure there are no weird ass shorts going on. Make sure none of the PSU cables are pinched or broken.

[johnny5c]

Do you have a different standoff in the wrong hole that's causing a short?

[MrKitty]

Well it sure is nice to be getting some responses, should have started with this forum.

I will add a video showing the cable set up, my 2nd attempt was sunday and 3rd attempt was tonight, I left the wiring the exact same because I was so prestine with it and was so sure it was a standoff. That being said, if my cables are at fault, sense. Perhaps I keep situating them in such a manner that is recreating the problem? I just didn't know that was even a concern. As you all can see from my video of it shorting, when I flip the switch on the PSU the light on the mobo shows ready to boot. The short happens the second I push the power button.

 

My youtube video of the entire disassembly is uploading now, ill post the link shortly.

[MrKitty]

2 minutes ago, johnny5c said:

Do you have a different standoff in the wrong hole that's causing a short?

I did, for build 1 and 2.. . . . I rectified it for the 3rd build, which is why I felt confident enough to make yet another attempt.

[Gaussen]

and which part you burnt?

u know its smell and you must find the source

[MrKitty]

3 minutes ago, johnny5c said:

Do you have a different standoff in the wrong hole that's causing a short?

Because I was so sure, if you fast forward to the end of the Dissasembly video of which ill be posting a link for shortly, you can tell what exactly was wrong with the center standoff.

[Gaussen]

Just now, Necrodor21 said:

and which part you burnt?

u know its smell and you must find the source

i meant which part of your mobo burnt

[MrKitty]

Just now, Necrodor21 said:

and which part you burnt?

u know its smell and you must find the source

Unfortunately no part of the motherboard is visibly damage, if something is burnt, such as a capacitator it is hidden under the cap/shroud and not visibly to the human eye.

[Gaussen]

Just now, Necrodor21 said:

and which part you burnt?

u know its smell and you must find the source

i meant which part of your mobo burnt

[Gaussen]

3 minutes ago, MrKitty said:

Unfortunately no part of the motherboard is visibly damage, if something is burnt, such as a capacitator it is hidden under the cap/shroud and not visibly to the human eye.

since you have 3 mobo try open it all up or just 1

if it doesnt have a burnt part then your prob not the mobo maybe the io front panel or joint cable

[Anghammarad]

I watched your attached .mov, my question, after that initial boot attempt, after removing the power cable form the PSU, plugging it back in, the motherboard stays shut down? Or is it lighting up to the state from before pushing the power button?

[MrKitty]

2 minutes ago, Anghammarad said:

I watched your attached .mov, my question, after that initial boot attempt, after removing the power cable form the PSU, plugging it back in, the motherboard stays shut down? Or is it lighting up to the state from before pushing the power button?

After the initial boot attempt, removing the power cable, even jumping CMOS/removing battery and replugging in, the light -never comes back on. Absolutely fried.

[MrKitty]

The complete disassembly of the 2nd fried attempt will be here https://youtu.be/aJqDMybVZZ0              but not for approximately 1h 20m. Damn 4k videos.

 

[Gaussen]

1 minute ago, MrKitty said:

The complete disassembly of the 2nd fried attempt will be here https://youtu.be/aJqDMybVZZ0              but not for approximately 1h 20m. Damn 4k videos.

 

This video is unavailable.

Sorry about that.

[MrKitty]

This is the link for the complete assembly from start to finish of the 3rd fried motherboard, including the frying part at the end.  . . . again link wont be available for a few hours. posting now so people who see this in the morning have access. https://youtu.be/qzLFP8n03gQ

[MrKitty]

37 minutes ago, TheRedViper said:

Looks like there is a ground issue to me. Did you drop a screw or something while doing the installation?

I did no such thing, but I am almost certain it is a grounding issue as well.

[matt91195]

This may sound silly, but try disconnecting the front power button connector and jumping your computer to turn it on with a screwdriver.

Edit: To rule out a short in the front I/O connections.