I'm having a really frustrating issue with my new PC build. It seems like all I get is 'brick Sim' vibes when I try to power it on. I've gone through everything multiple times. I tried shorting the power switch pins, but that didn't work. I also tested the power supply with a paper clip; the PSU fan gives this tiny jerk and makes a click sound. Using a multimeter on the 24-pin connector showed the correct voltages. However, when I checked the 5V VSB wire connected to the motherboard, it only gets around 1.5V and bounces up to 2V. I've removed all unnecessary components, leaving just the motherboard, but it still won't power on and the low voltage on the VSB pin persists. When I tested the VS pin to ground, it measured around 2400 ohms. Could this indicate a serious short on the motherboard, or is it more likely a power supply issue? Is 5V necessary for the motherboard to boot?
2 Answers
I totally get your struggle; I've been there before! It sounds like your motherboard might not be getting enough power. The fact that the VSB is low definitely raises a red flag. In my case, a faulty PSU caused a similar situation. You might want to test your PSU again, but maybe try a different one if you can. And yes, usually the motherboard needs that 5V VSB to start up properly. It could also be a short, but I’d lean towards the power supply being the culprit here.
Sounds like you’ve done some thorough checking! If the VSB is not giving you the right voltage, it could definitely be a PSU issue. But, don't rule out the motherboard entirely either. Sometimes, it's just a bad board. If you've got the cables right and everything else is fine, I'd push to swap out the PSU first to see if that resolves it before returning the motherboard.
Exactly, start with the PSU since they can often be deceiving. If the motherboard isn't getting the proper voltages due to a faulty PSU, all your troubleshooting might not help.
Yeah, I agree with you. I’ve had a power supply that acted up and would just click. It drove me nuts! Always good to have a spare PSU to test with.