I've run into a major issue with my PC — it won't turn on at all! A few days ago it was working perfectly fine, but when I woke up after leaving it on overnight, it had turned off and hasn't powered up since. Given that it's an older build from 2014, I'm starting to worry if it's a hardware failure or something else.
Here's what I've already tried:
- Unplugging the PC from the wall to drain capacitors and then trying again, but no luck.
- Switching to a different wall outlet.
- Removing and resetting the CMOS battery — still nothing.
- Pressing the hardware reset button on the front panel, but that didn't help.
- I even swapped in a new power supply, which was 850W, and still nothing happens.
I do hear a 'click' from the power supply when I press the power button, indicating the signal is getting through, but there are no fans spinning or any other signs of life.
I'm really worried — is my PC toast? Can I still retrieve my files if I connect my hard drives to another computer? I've got a decade's worth of music projects on there, and I hope they're not lost!
4 Answers
First off, what's the specs of your build? If you have a dedicated GPU, try removing it and see if the case fans start up. That could help pinpoint if it's a hardware issue.
You might want to take apart your PC and test it with the minimum components. If absolutely nothing lights up, it could be that your motherboard is toast. If it’s just one other component failing, you’d typically see some lights on the board when trying to power up. But remember, it’s also possible that both your old and new PSU have issues, though that's less likely.
Regarding your files, it all depends on your drives. As long as the drives are physically fine, you should be able to recover your stuff by connecting them to another computer. Just keep in mind backup practices for the future!
My motherboard has no lights, so I wouldn't see any indicators. I’ll have to do a minimal test without the GPU and just keep the boot drive connected, but I'm doubtful since the new PSU didn’t work either.
It doesn’t look deformed and I don’t smell anything burnt, so I don’t think it was a massive surge.
Step 1: Check if the electrical outlet is functioning. Sounds basic, but it’s worth ruling that out. Then open up the case and see where the power connectors link up to the motherboard. Check the manual for the power switch pins and try shorting them with a screwdriver to see if that gets it going.
Unfortunately, it's looking like your motherboard could be the problem here, so you might have to replace it. The market is a bit crazy right now, so I'd suggest finding the same model to avoid reinstalling Windows or drivers. Just make sure you have thermal paste for the swap!
I've checked the outlet and it's fine. I’ll try shorting the mobo power switch after I clear everything out except for my boot drive.
I might be able to get some replacement parts from a friend. It's an old i5-4670K build, so finding parts could be tricky.
Sounds like your motherboard might be shorting out or that the CMOS battery needs replacing. Did you try swapping the CMOS battery?
I did replace the battery after removing it.
I have an i5-4670K and a GTX 1060. The new PSU is 850W, so I doubt it's a power issue.