Computer Will Not Boot

[ScotchGuy]

So, in an effort to make my system almost silent I bought a new case that could fit my brand new, and huge silent heat sink. I moved all my hardware into the new case, and now it suddenly doesn't work...

I've tried a bare bones boot with the motherboard outside of the case, so the mobo touching metal isn't a possible problem. I also touched the PWR SW pins together, to see if it was a button issue or whatever, and I had the exact same problem.

The fans will spin for about a second, and this seems to be a fairly common problem that can be fixed the ways I've already tried, so I don't really know what to do now.

Could it be a processor problem? That would be awful.

Thanks in advance for your response.

[morganlefay]

Sorry I am not too clear...

Have you tried another power supply???

MLF

[ScotchGuy]

No, but considering the only thing I've changed in the setup is the case, I don't see how the power supply could be the problem. I'll try it anyway and report back though.

[The Duck]

Aside from the possible PSU issue, I hope you remembered to put spacers in the case, to seperate the mobo from the metal in the case!! The fans will still spin even if the CPU is bad, so I wouldn't worry about a damaged CPU...

[ScotchGuy]

Wouldn't that be a reason to be worried about a damaged CPU? My fans start to spin, and then quit...

As for the spacers, yes, I'm not that dumb, I even took the motherboard out of the case and set it on cardboard and tried booting like that, to no avail, same exact problem as when it was in the case.

I really doubt it's the power supply, as it worked fine right up until I switched cases, and it turns out I don't even have an extra to test it out with.

Any other possibilities here?

[The Duck]

Wouldn't that be a reason to be worried about a damaged CPU? My fans start to spin, and then quit...

No, fans that start and then quit usually indicates a power problem. You don't need the cpu to run fans do you? No, so if a problem was with the CPU, the fans would still be spinning...

What kind of fans do you have? Are they case fans or CPU and GPU heatsink and fans? Or both? What are the specs of the PSU?

As of now it sounds like static electricity is the culprit

[ScotchGuy]

Well, then the fact that they spin doesn't seem to reveal anything at all about the CPU.

I have a few case fans, those are the ones spinning, I no longer have a CPU fan, but I plugged my old one back in to see if it would do the same as the case fans, it did.

The PSU is an Antec 350W power supply, I bought it about a year ago, it was working fine just before I switched cases.

I even removed the memory to see if that could be a problem somehow, still wouldn't boot, so basically I have my motherboard sitting outside of the case, completely away from metal on a piece of cardboard, and the power supply is connected to the motherboard. It still will not boot.

So based on my personal experience with this, I'd rate the three possibilities in the following way in order of likelihood.

1. Processor
2. Power Supply
3. Static

Hopefully I can eventually find out what is going on, I'm glad I've narrowed it down to these three though.

[The Duck]

Well, then the fact that they spin doesn't seem to reveal anything at all about the CPU.

Well... I guess you know everything

I even removed the memory to see if that could be a problem somehow, still wouldn't boot

On second thought, I guess you don't know much after all ...


Ok, since it seems you know more then I do in terms of computer troubleshooting, why don't you tell me why you think it's the processor and why on god's green earth were you trying to boot without a fan on the CPU in the first place??

I'm very interested in knowing why fans that spin and then turn off a second later after trying to boot equals a CPU problem...

[nihil]

Hey ScotchGuy , I do hope that you have a sense of humour mate!

So, in an effort to make my system almost silent

I think that you have exceeded your project's "critical success factors"

OK // serious now //

1. Your system powers up for a few seconds then dies? You have done the right thing in testing outside the case and the I/O button. That alone tells me that you are no novice, so we have a tough one here?

2. You introduced a new heatsink...........I guess that has a fan as well?

3. You introduced a new case.

Apart from the I/O button, I do not see how the case could be a problem. Anyways you have done the standard tests of powering up outside the case and "hot wiring" the I/O button. I would suggest that this means that we can rule the case out of the equation?

Now, you have moved stuff around, and you were concerned about noise. That suggests powerful fans which means a lot of dust and lint flying around?

First move would be to clean all the slots and the contacts with isopropyl or proprietary contact cleaner.

Use compressed air to clean out the slots and especially the PSU.

I would certainly want to try another PSU.
I would also wonder about the RAM, as this can have weird effects depending on your setup.
Is it possible that you flexed the MoBo when you removed it?

TheDuck has a good point about static, but it is quite rare in my experience, and from what you are saying, I think that you know enough to avoid that

That leaves us with the new heatsink/fan? I am not sure exactly how long your kit powers on for, but modern processors heat up very quickly, so if that installation is not perfect, you might have a problem there?..............it will shut itself down before the boot even gets to start.

Just a few thoughts

[The Duck]

That leaves us with the new heatsink/fan? I am not sure exactly how long your kit powers on for, but modern processors heat up very quickly, so if that installation is not perfect, you might have a problem there?..............it will shut itself down before the boot even gets to start.

I now understand why you think it might be the CPU. Scotchguy, please understand that I have not slept for 40 hours (I am now going to bed ) and I am cranky and not thinking very logically as of now. I thought you were trying to say the CPU might be faulty. The symptoms you described aren't the symptoms of a faulty CPU. However it could be a temperature issue as nihil stated.