Computer is getting power, but will not turn on

By jnelsoninjax
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Grand Master

jnelsoninjax

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My wife's computer, I shipped it to her, and she had to plug back in the main power connection to the motherboard and once she did that the motherboard lit up, indicating that it has power, bu when she presses the power button, the system will not turn on. She went as far as redoing the front panel wires on the motherboard, but it still will not power up. I am trying to help her via Skype, but it is an exercise in futility because she is using her cell phone and will not stay focused on the computer long enough for me to visually see what is going on inside. 

Grand Master

jnelsoninjax

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  On 11/05/2021 at 01:30, warwagon said:

If it was me, i'd disconnect the jumpers for the front panel and take a screw driver and rub it over the front panel pins on the motherboard you short the right one and it turns on.

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I just suggested that to her, but she does not want to do that :argh:

I don't suppose there is anyone in the Mt. Home, Idaho area who might be willing to go and have a look? :)

Grand Master

+Warwagon MVC

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  On 11/05/2021 at 01:31, jnelsoninjax said:

I just suggested that to her, but she does not want to do that :argh:

I don't suppose there is anyone in the Mt. Home, Idaho area who might be willing to go and have a look? :)

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send her a snap shot of my comment and say "SEEEEEEE!!! He's suggesting the same thing!!!"  

 

Are you not getting fan spin?

  • jnelsoninjax
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Grand Master

jnelsoninjax

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  On 11/05/2021 at 01:35, warwagon said:

send her a snap shot of my comment and say "SEEEEEEE!!! He's suggesting the same thing!!!"  

 

Are you not getting fan spin?

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No fan spin. The motherboard has LED's on it so that is how I know it has power.

Grand Master

jnelsoninjax

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  On 11/05/2021 at 01:42, JustGeorge said:

Pressing the switch is accomplishing the same thing as shorting with the screw driver. 

 

Maybe reseat all of the power cables connecting to the motherboard. 

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 I am aware of that.

She did reseat all the power cables to the motherboard.

Grand Master

JustGeorge

Posted
Posted (edited)
  On 11/05/2021 at 01:43, jnelsoninjax said:

 I am aware of that.

She did reseat all the power cables to the motherboard.

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Processor Fan connected properly to MB?

 

Take her down to minimal boot config. disconnect everything not required to power up. 

Grand Master

+Warwagon MVC

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  On 11/05/2021 at 01:42, JustGeorge said:

Pressing the switch is accomplishing the same thing as shorting with the screw driver. 

 

Maybe reseat all of the power cables connecting to the motherboard. If its a modular PSU, also make sure cables are securely snapped in on PSU end.

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Correct, but using a screw driver rules out, a bad power button, or the power switch plugged in incorrectly on the motherboard.

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Grand Master

jnelsoninjax

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So, against my better judgement, my wife called a local repair guy. He came out and 'spent 30 minutes' checking everything, and 'did not want to use the screwdriver to jump the pins, because he was not sure which one's were correct' despite them being labeled... he is trying to tell her that the CPU might be loose, and he 'forgot' his thermal compound, so he took it with him. I told her of all the parts in the system, the CPU is impossible to be 'loose' considering I added an aftermarket cooler that is secured with 4 screws to the motherboard. I will update this tomorrow when/if he 'diagnoses/fixes' the problem. 

Grand Master

+Warwagon MVC

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  On 13/05/2021 at 02:34, jnelsoninjax said:

So, against my better judgement, my wife called a local repair guy. He came out and 'spent 30 minutes' checking everything, and 'did not want to use the screwdriver to jump the pins, because he was not sure which one's were correct' despite them being labeled

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lol, when i'm testing one of my motherboard on my repair table out of the case that I know is good, I don't even look for the correct jumper, I just rub a screw driver up and down the row of pins until it turns on.

Grand Master

jnelsoninjax

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OK, so I talked with the repair guy, and he's still trying to say the CPU was loose in the socket and that he had to clean it off because thermal compound got on the pins of the CPU and after doing that  and rewiring the connection it suddenly works. Has anyone ever heard or seen a CPU become loose while secured by a heat sink?

Experienced

RiverCampher

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I guess it's possible seeing it's certain 'something' happened internally.  Perhaps the shipping company handled the package poorly and the HS is a heavy unit so might have somehow dislodged the CPU enough to cause a fault.

 

Glad it didn't need any part swaps and was a relatively easy fix.

Grand Master

Jim K Global Moderator

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CPU coming loose.  Very doubtful.  Heatsink...sure (especially those OEM Intel coolers with the crappy plastic push pins).

 

"thermal compound got on the pins of the CPU"

 

haha...what?  I find that highly unlikely.  If the CPU was so loose that paste made its way to the pins ... I would be very surprised that the pins on the CPU (AMD) or the LGA contact pins (Intel) didn't get damaged.

 

So, he probably just hooked the power switch cable to the correct motherboard header...but how much can one charge for a minute worth of work?  Gotta add something else on top of it.

 

 

Grand Master

jnelsoninjax

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  On 15/05/2021 at 00:30, Jim K said:

CPU coming loose.  Very doubtful.  Heatsink...sure (especially those OEM Intel coolers with the crappy plastic push pins).

 

"thermal compound got on the pins of the CPU"

 

haha...what?  I find that highly unlikely.  If the CPU was so loose that paste made its way to the pins ... I would be very surprised that the pins on the CPU (AMD) or the LGA contact pins (Intel) didn't get damaged.

 

So, he probably just hooked the power switch cable to the correct motherboard header...but how much can one charge for a minute worth of work?  Gotta add something else on top of it.

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He charged $59 for the work, which is not terrible. It is an AMD CPU and I know that it was POSTing and working just fine when I boxed it up and shipped it off. There is no way, in my opinion, that the CPU was loose, I think he was blowing smoke out his ass. Regardless, it is working now, and if she had been willing to listen to me and check all the power connections and not just assume that there is something more wrong, she could have saved $59 and a day of headaches.

Grand Master

jnelsoninjax

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  On 15/05/2021 at 01:27, JustGeorge said:

What thermal paste did you use?

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I don't recall, but it was not the stuff that came with the heatsink (after market)

  On 15/05/2021 at 01:29, Jim K said:

Yea, pretty fair price for basic troubleshooting and getting it back up and running....even if it was just the connection.  PC repairman got to eat.

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I don't disagree with paying him, I just wish he was honest about what he did instead of trying to BS me into believing the CPU was loose.

Grand Master

JustGeorge

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I was thinking if it was that liquid metal crap, it could've maybe gotten on the pins if applied to heavily in conjunction with loose heatsink screws. 

 

Not sure why he would make a story up vs simply telling you what was actually the problem, especially for only $60. I personally can't stand doing any sort of troubleshooting/repair work in front of someone. Can't stand someone breathing down my neck while I'm thinking. 

Grand Master

jnelsoninjax

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  On 15/05/2021 at 02:29, JustGeorge said:

I was thinking if it was that liquid metal crap, it could've maybe gotten on the pins if applied to heavily in conjunction with loose heatsink screws. 

 

Not sure why he would make a story up vs simply telling you what was actually the problem, especially for only $60. I personally can't stand doing any sort of troubleshooting/repair work in front of someone. Can't stand someone breathing down my neck while I'm thinking. 

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I looked around, and the thermal compound I used was IC Diamond, and for 2 days after installing the heatsink, I had the CPU running 100% load, so it was nicely worked in and there is zero possibility that the compound spread into the pins, the compound used is not thin and runny.

Grand Master

Mindovermaster Global Moderator

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  On 15/05/2021 at 03:13, jnelsoninjax said:

I looked around, and the thermal compound I used was IC Diamond, and for 2 days after installing the heatsink, I had the CPU running 100% load, so it was nicely worked in and there is zero possibility that the compound spread into the pins, the compound used is not thin and runny.

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:hmmm:

Grand Master

JustGeorge

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Posted
  On 15/05/2021 at 03:13, jnelsoninjax said:

I looked around, and the thermal compound I used was IC Diamond, and for 2 days after installing the heatsink, I had the CPU running 100% load, so it was nicely worked in and there is zero possibility that the compound spread into the pins, the compound used is not thin and runny.

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Ah just chalk it up to @#$! happens I guess.

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