[Resolved] PC Dies seconds after booting - PC Help Forum - Free Computer Help, Windows, Hardware, Software and more!

delti90 · #1 4 Weeks Ago

Yesterday I moved my pc into a new case. Now whenever I turn it on after only a few seconds it shuts off. The fans spin, the harddrives power up, and the LEDs turn on then all die. I was grounded during the entire process so I don't think I fried the motherboard. The Ethernet light is on and all the other lights on the Motherboard are getting power. I've tried booting with each stick of ram individually in case any of them were fried. Tried booting with a less powerful video card and tried just booting with ram video and cpu, but to no avail. Any help would be wonderful. I'm thinking it might be the Power Supply Unit?

Specs:
AMD 6400+
Nvidia 8800GTS
4 GIG Ram
Windows Vista Ultimate
600 Watt Coolermaster Power Supply Unit
(just in case you needed em.)

zinglebarb · #2 4 Weeks Ago

could well be a Power Supply Unit issue . Do you have another to test? I personally would try and boot the motherboard processor ram and gfx along with the Power Supply Unit connected to the screen outside of the case just to rule out grounding . I take it as your experienced it would be a stupid question for me to ask about ensuring you used standoffs for your motherboard.The fact its shutting down and not running with no output does appear to be power issues

Wadd · #3 4 Weeks Ago

Hello Delti90

Welcome to PCHF

First, make sure you have your main power connector and cpu power connector plugged in and seated correctly. Also, did you double check to make sure your motherboard was mounted in the case with standoffs? If you didn't put standoffs, then your motherboard is stuck right against your case and probably shorting out.

If those check out, then my advice to you would be to unplug all your devices from the motherboard - Hard drives, optical drives, memory, PCI cards, video card. You don't need to take them out of the case or anything...except the pci cards/memory. Basically get it to where just your power supply is hooked to your motherboard. Again, make sure you have your main power connector and cpu connector seated correctly.

Try turning it on now and see if it stays on. If it stays on when its just the power supply, cpu, and motherboard, then you know it is one of your devices that is causing the problem. Just put each device back in one at a time and boot up until you notice the problem.

If it still shuts off, it is most likely the power supply. I would then test the unit with a different power supply. I suggest buying it locally where they have a return policy in case you find trying a new power supply doesn't help. If putting in a new power supply doesn't help, then you can bet it is the motherboard. It is very unusual for it to be the CPU, unless you remounted the heatsink when you moved everything and maybe went nuts with the thermal paste.

Give that stuff a shot and let me know what happens

zinglebarb · #4 4 Weeks Ago

Wish I thought of that

delti90 · #5 4 Weeks Ago

Originally Posted by zinglebarb

could well be a Power Supply Unit issue . Do you have another to test? I personally would try and boot the motherboard processor ram and gfx along with the Power Supply Unit connected to the screen outside of the case just to rule out grounding . I take it as your experienced it would be a stupid question for me to ask about ensuring you used standoffs for your motherboard.The fact its shutting down and not running with no output does appear to be power issues

I will try that after work. Everybody I have spoken to seems to think it's a Power Supply Unit problem. I know it's not the video card since I tested it with another one.

Hello Delti90 Welcome to PCHF

First, make sure you have your main power connector and cpu power connector plugged in and seated correctly. Also, did you double check to make sure your motherboard was mounted in the case with standoffs? If you didn't put standoffs, then your motherboard is stuck right against your case and probably shorting out.

If those check out, then my advice to you would be to unplug all your devices from the motherboard - Hard drives, optical drives, memory, PCI cards, video card. You don't need to take them out of the case or anything...except the pci cards/memory. Basically get it to where just your power supply is hooked to your motherboard. Again, make sure you have your main power connector and cpu connector seated correctly.

Try turning it on now and see if it stays on. If it stays on when its just the power supply, cpu, and motherboard, then you know it is one of your devices that is causing the problem. Just put each device back in one at a time and boot up until you notice the problem.

If it still shuts off, it is most likely the power supply. I would then test the unit with a different power supply. I suggest buying it locally where they have a return policy in case you find trying a new power supply doesn't help. If putting in a new power supply doesn't help, then you can bet it is the motherboard. It is very unusual for it to be the CPU, unless you remounted the heatsink when you moved everything and maybe went nuts with the thermal paste.

Give that stuff a shot and let me know what happens

Trying that currently...

zinglebarb · #6 4 Weeks Ago

in my experience unless the power connectors are hanging off if you had missed the 12v the fans would spin but there would be nobody home as it were. The 4 or 8 pin auxillary power connector powers the cpu so without it the motherboard should power up but not post not switch off. It does sound like the Power Supply Unit but it could also be grounding or simply a dodgy conector thats why I said boot it outside the case with just the backbone to see if it posts. When building from new I always test outside the case to make sure the system posts

delti90 · #7 4 Weeks Ago

Still no boot wadd. So either Motherboard or Power Supply Unit, but since all the lights on the Motherboard are on I would like to say it's the Power Supply Unit. Eitherway they're both under warranty so I could get either one replaced. I'll try outside the case later today. Thanks for the help. I'll inform you guys of any progress I have.

zinglebarb · #8 4 Weeks Ago

Just cuz the lights come on on the Motherboard does not mean that power is being distributed correctly around the system . Idealy you need to test another Power Supply Unit on the system to tie it right down if it boots and works you know its the other Power Supply Unit then until you do that you can not be 100%

DarkLord7854 · #9 4 Weeks Ago

Tis the Power Supply Unit.. Mine used to do that, I chucked it into the closet and bought a new one. What's funny is, if I take the old PSU out and try it, it works, for like a week, and then starts doing that on/off thing.

zinglebarb · #10 4 Weeks Ago

With computers you can never say it is . It is most likely but not deffinately