Why won’t my newly assembled PC turn on at all?
Asked by
MellowPine42
My friend and I are putting together a new PC. So far, we've installed the motherboard, power supply, bottom three case fans, graphics card, and CPU cooler. When we tried powering it on for a test, absolutely nothing happened—no fans, lights, or other signs of power. The power supply switch is set to on. The processor is an Intel Core Ultra 7 265K. What should we check to figure out why the system is completely unresponsive?
Answers
Start with the basic connections: make sure the 24-pin motherboard cable and the CPU EPS cable near the top of the motherboard are fully seated. Also check that the case’s power-switch connector is attached to the correct front-panel pins; you can briefly bridge the two power-switch pins with a screwdriver to rule out a faulty or misconnected case button. Make sure the motherboard is mounted on the correct standoffs and that there isn’t a short. The PCPartPicker list link appears to be incorrect, so the exact motherboard and power supply models would help with further troubleshooting.
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Since the Core Ultra 7 265K is a recent processor, confirm that the motherboard BIOS supports it. A BIOS issue usually causes a failed boot rather than absolutely no response, though, so first look for any standby LEDs and verify the power cables, front-panel connector, and modular power-supply connections. Don’t reuse modular cables from another power supply, since the pinouts may differ.
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MellowPine42: The power supply switch is definitely turned on, but we’ll recheck both motherboard power connectors and the front-panel wiring.