Solved! New build won't power on. Couple questions with trouble shooting.

[jamesdsimone]

I just finished my new build and when I hit the power button nothing happened. My reading says it's either a bad power supply, bad power switch or bad motherboard. Are there any other possibilities. I get nothing not even a spinning fan. When I was installing the CPU. I bent some pins but unbent them and everything looked good. The CPU seemed to seat ok. I also read that a bad CPU will keep it from posting but it still should power on. I tried the screw driver on the power switch pins trick. I have this power supply LEPA G1200-MA 1200W ATX12V / EPS12V SLI Ready CrossFire Ready 80 PLUS GOLD Certified Modular Power Supply. I just so happened to have gotten a power supply tester to test another power supply so I can check when that gets here. It was working fine when I pulled the old motherboard. It is about 5 years old but didn't see heavy use. The new MSI mb is an X470 Gaming Plus Max. It has an eight pin and a four pin motherboard power connection. I have the 8 pin plugged in but not the 4 pin. My understanding is that the 4 pin is only necessary for overclocking. Any other suggestion as to what the problem could be or what other steps before I blame it on a bad motherboard?

 

[UsandThem]

When I was installing the CPU. I bent some pins but unbent them and everything looked good. The CPU seemed to seat ok. I also read that a bad CPU will keep it from posting but it still should power on.

You probably damaged something, and just because you bend the pins back, it's no guarantee you did it correctly.

I have to ask, how is it you damaged pins when installing the CPU? Did you install it incorrectly?

 

[jamesdsimone]

I dropped it and of course it hit so 5 pins got bent. Shouldn't the fans start up anyway?

 

[Spydermag68]

There is a power switch on the power supply and that needs to be turned on. another thing I would check is to see if front panel cables are in the motherboard correctly.

 

[jamesdsimone]

I tried turning the power supply on and off a couple times. I checked the power switch and reset connection cables a couple times too. You would think that there would be a better way to connect those by now.

 

[In2Photos]

Is everything installed in the case? Which case is it? Did you install standoffs for the motherboard or were they pre-installed? Did you try with a single stick of RAM? Disconnect all non-vital cables from the mobo, leaving only the 24 pin and 8 pin.

In the future it would be wise to assemble everything outside the case and test first.

 

[JackMDS]

This

In the future it would be wise to assemble everything outside the case and test first.

James

At this stage take the Mobo Out. Put it on a table on the bag that it came with.

Take the PSU put and connect it to the Mobo. Insert one memory stick and the graphic card.

Connect a Monitor to the Graphic plug KBD and Mouse to the USB ports.. Look at the Mobo instructions to find which pins need to be shorten for few sec. to start.

If it start try to get to the BIOS and check it.

If it works connect a SATA cable with SSD, or if it the NVMe type plug a boot unit.

Than take it from there according to the outcome.

 

[jamesdsimone]

Everything is installed in the case. I was about to start installing the OS's. I'm using this In Win case.

Are you a human?

www.newegg.com

I installed the standoffs. I had another motherboard installed in the case. It was running with the same power supply since 2016.

I'll try one stick of ram. I read in another forum the same problem. They pulled the cpu and the board powered on even though I have read pretty much everywhere that a bad cpu shouldn't keep the board from powering on. I'll try that next I think before I start tearing it apart.

 

[In2Photos]

Everything is installed in the case. I was about to start installing the OS's. I'm using this In Win case.

Are you a human?

www.newegg.com

I installed the standoffs. I had another motherboard installed in the case. It was running with the same power supply since 2016.

I'll try one stick of ram. I read in another forum the same problem. They pulled the cpu and the board powered on even though I have read pretty much everywhere that a bad cpu shouldn't keep the board from powering on. I'll try that next I think before I start tearing it apart.

OK, if you had another system working in that case then I doubt that's the problem. I downloaded the manual for your mobo. Are you certain that extra 4 pin is not necessary?

 

[JackMDS]

I installed the standoffs. I had another motherboard installed in the case. It was running with the same power supply since 2016.

I do not know how heavy is your computer usage.

But in my book running a PSU for 6 years is not not an indication of strength but rather a consideration that it might be time to retired the "Geriatric PSU".

 

[In2Photos]

I do not know how heavy is your computer usage.

But in my book running a PSU for 6 years is not not an indication of strength but rather a consideration that it might be time to retired the "Geriatric PSU".

Well then, my 13 year old Corsair 650 should turn back to dust soon. And my 12 year old 400W Corsair (2 of them actually) will be next.

 

[JackMDS]

In general, Most of the advances in modern science occurred when we learned that Live/Nature is not whole or none but that there is always Multiple Variances and the main idea is to reaserch, id those variance in evrey situations, and find out what is the contribution of each one to the current situation.

So... if you have a system that works I am not telling you to replace old PSU. But if there trouble, Old PSU is one of the first to consider.

I do not want to turn live to even more complicated, but there is also this: https://www.amazon.com/Kingwin-Computer-Supply-Tester-Digital/dp/B07VXSFXP1/

 

[jamesdsimone]

I used the computer for transcoding so it was idle for months at a time. I transcoded some DVD's right before I took it apart. It had been 9 months since I had used it. And the power supply is 1200 watts. I have a power supply tester on the way. I'll try plugging the 4 pin connector in. I'm not sure if I have a cable though.

 

[BoomerD]

One more thing...is it possible that the placement of the standoffs that worked for the previous motherboard isn't quite right for this one?

 

[jamesdsimone]

It's a standard ATX case and board. It turns out in my pile of power supply cables I don't have a single one with a 4 pin connector. I have a 8 pin to 2 4 pin but no way to connect it.

 

[In2Photos]

It's a standard ATX case and board. It turns out in my pile of power supply cables I don't have a single one with a 4 pin connector. I have a 8 pin to 2 4 pin but no way to connect it.

The 8 pin should plug into the PSU and then you use 1 of the 4 pin on the mobo? Is it labeled for CPU or PCI?

 

[VirtualLarry]

It turns out in my pile of power supply cables

You're not mixing and matching power cables from multiple different modular PSUs, are you? That's way bad juju, and can start fires, in the worst case.

 

[jamesdsimone]

No using the modular cables that came with the power supply. Good news is I found the right cable and plugged the 4 pin connector in. Bad news still nothing.

 

[BoomerD]

Then, IMO, it's time to check those bent pins again.

 

[jamesdsimone]

My power supply tester arrived and I checked, the +12V shows 11.9V. I assume that might be an issue for board stability but shouldn't prevent it from powering on. I haven't tested the 6 and 8 pin connectors. I have a spare power supply. If I want to try the spare one, is it safe to attach it outside the case or should I pull the old one and mount the other?

 

[In2Photos]

My power supply tester arrived and I checked, the +12V shows 11.9V. I assume that might be an issue for board stability but shouldn't prevent it from powering on. I haven't tested the 6 and 8 pin connectors. I have a spare power supply. If I want to try the spare one, is it safe to attach it outside the case or should I pull the old one and mount the other?

11.9V with no load could be an issue.

Connecting the spare PSU outside the case is fine.

 

[jamesdsimone]

I tried the spare power supply and still nothing so at this point I think that the power supply is not the problem. I'll try one stick of ram and then pull the CPU.

 

[BoomerD]

Perhaps the FIRST step in troubleshooting a new build that won't power on is to pull everything out of the case, connect ONLY the bare minimums...power supply, GPU, CPU and cooler, 1 stick of RAM. I don't remember which pins you need to jump to power it on without a switch...google should provide that. That way, you eliminate MOST of the potential troublespots...bad RAM, motherboard shorting against the case, etc. IF that works...add more RAM, HDD/SDD, etc, one step at a time with a full reboot inbetween each addition, until you have everything fully built. IF you can still get things working, then it's time to double check the standoff placement.
If you CAN'T get it to fire up with the minimal equipment, then check the CPU/motherboard pins, especially since you KNOW some were bent.

 

[jamesdsimone]

Good news, I unplugged everything and pulled the CPU and it powered on. I'm going to reseat the CPU and see if it powers up again.

 

[jamesdsimone]

Looks like it was the CPU not seated properly. I checked the CPU and one of the pins was still slightly bent so I straightened it. I checked the socket with a magnifying glass and it looked like there was something in two of the pin sockets. I used a brush and cleaned it. I reseated the CPU plugged everything back in and now I'm booted into BIOS! I had to use a little force to pop the CPU into the socket though. I have never had to do that before. Thanks for all the assistance. I'll see how the OS install goes.