I recently put together a new PC, but when I try to turn it on, nothing happens—no clicks, no fan movements, absolutely no signs of life. I've checked various sources for troubleshooting but need some fresh ideas. Here's a breakdown of my build:
- **Motherboard:** ASUS B850-I
- **GPU:** RTX 5090
- **CPU:** AMD 9950X3D
- **PSU:** Corsair SF1000
- **RAM:** Corsair Dominator Titanium (2 x 32GB)
- **SSD:** Samsung SSD 9100
- **CPU Cooler:** Thermalright AXP90-X47
- **Mods:** Swapped out the motherboard backplate and CPU cooler offset brackets
- **Wiring:** 8-pin CPU and 24-pin motherboard cables are correctly connected.
I've done the following:
- Made sure the PSU switch is on.
- All cables are securely connected (even tried stock and custom cables).
- The motherboard LED lights turn on when the PSU is powered.
- I've confirmed the PWR_BTN pins and tried shorting them with copper wires and screwdrivers.
- Checked that the CPU is seated correctly and tried different RAM configurations.
- I performed a paperclip test on the PSU, which works fine.
- I even tested a second motherboard of the same model with minimal setup.
Still, the system shows no signs of life. I don't have spare parts to test but am considering whether the issue might be with the CPU, RAM, or PSU itself. Any suggestions?
4 Answers
Have you checked if your motherboard needs a BIOS update to support the 9950X3D processor? Sometimes, these updates are crucial for new hardware. If it does need one, go ahead and flash it back once. That might solve your issue!
It may sound odd, but I’ve seen similar issues stem from faulty RAM. If the RAM is bad, the PSU might behave unpredictably. Try using a different stick of RAM if you can, just in case!
Consider returning the component for a different compatible motherboard. Set it up outside the case and only install the CPU, RAM, cooler, and PSU. Then try to turn it on again by shorting the pins with a screwdriver. If it works, you can reinstall the GPU and see how it goes.
Could you share some close-up pictures of all your connections? It’ll help us spot any potential misconfigurations or loose cables that might be causing the issue.
Sure! Here's the link to the pictures: [https://imgur.com/a/MtYoqVA](https://imgur.com/a/MtYoqVA). I can take more detailed shots and post them soon.
I did update the BIOS on the first motherboard. I saw the lights blink during the process, so I thought it worked! I can try the BIOS update on the newer motherboard too.