I built this PC myself, and it worked normally until today. When I press the power button, the fans or their lighting flicker briefly, but the computer does not start. Before this happened, my monitors would occasionally lose their image, and then my open applications would gradually close before the PC shut itself down. I checked the internal connections and nothing appears loose. Could the power supply be defective, or might there be a short or another hardware problem?
1 Answer
A very brief flicker followed by no startup often means the power supply is detecting an overcurrent or short circuit and shutting itself down for protection. Disconnect the PSU cables from the components, leaving only the motherboard’s 24-pin connection if necessary, and see whether the behavior changes. You can then reconnect parts one at a time to isolate the problem. The earlier display losses and gradual shutdowns could also point to a failing PSU or another power-related component.
I disconnected everything from the PSU except the 24-pin cable and tried the power button again. There were no lights, sounds, or other signs of activity.