Computer won't turn on sometimes, sometimes BIOS reset?

C

CyByte

Gawd
Joined
Jan 6, 2003
Messages
891
CPU: Intel Core i3-3240 3.4GHz Dual-Core Processor
Motherboard: ASRock H77M Micro ATX LGA1155 Motherboard
Memory: Corsair Vengeance 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory
Storage: Seagate Barracuda 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive
Case: Fractal Design Define Mini MicroATX Mini Tower Case
Power Supply: Corsair Builder 600W 80 PLUS Certified ATX12V


When I press the power button my computer will sometimes turn on, but now mostly it won't. this is a new build I put together last night after getting all the parts. Once the computer is on, it seems to continue working pretty good, but getting it to turn on is hard it seems. The problem has gotten a bit more frequent now. It took me 10 minutes to turn it on the last time. Now when it doesn't turn on the first time, the BIOS is reset!

Is this a PSU issue or a Motherboard problem? :confused:
 
Take the motherboard out of the PC and put it on its cardboard box. Install on the mobo just CPU, RAM and VGA. To power it, pass a screwdriver tip between the mobo pins that normally give power to the power cable of the chassis. If it powers 100%, then it was either shorting for some reason, or the PSU can't handle all the load.

It could still be the PSU's fault, but that's where i would start from. Usually when a mobo is dead, it doesn't power on and that's it. When it powers on, usually it's not the mobo, but the PSU.
 
Check your power switch as well. I had an issue where the wires from the power switch to the motherboard header were breaking/coming loose. Took forever to figure that out, heh.
 
The 24pin is something I am having issues with it. It goes in so hard that I can not push it in with my bare hands.I can push it 95% of the way onto it, but getting the snap part to go over just isn't working. I have no way of telling which is out of spec though. It's definitely not going anywhere though.
 
i have the mobo on cardboard with only the RAM, CPU, and HDD hooked up. Using a screw driver I was able to make it turn on once, but I haven't been able to get it to turn on a 2nd time.
 
CyByte said:
The 24pin is something I am having issues with it. It goes in so hard that I can not push it in with my bare hands.I can push it 95% of the way onto it, but getting the snap part to go over just isn't working. I have no way of telling which is out of spec though. It's definitely not going anywhere though.
Click to expand...

Hmm, that could be the cause. Bad contact between the power cable and the motherboard...
I don't know what to tell, it's the first time i 've heard of physical incompatibility between mobo and PSU.
 
The mono also seems like it is bent down on the far left side. When I was pressing down on the 24 pin I did put cardboard under it so I wouldn't bend or snap the Mobo.

When the pc was running it ran perfect. It did turn on most of the time but now I can't really get it to turn on. For the screwdriver I just physically touch the power switch to the power switch pos and neg correct? I'm trying the tips of them and touching the sides of the pins at the same time, but it won't turn on :(

I called best buy and they are holding some type of 450W PSU for me for when I can get there around 2:30pm today.
 
CyByte said:
The mono also seems like it is bent down on the far left side. When I was pressing down on the 24 pin I did put cardboard under it so I wouldn't bend or snap the Mobo.

When the pc was running it ran perfect. It did turn on most of the time but now I can't really get it to turn on. For the screwdriver I just physically touch the power switch to the power switch pos and neg correct? I'm trying the tips of them and touching the sides of the pins at the same time, but it won't turn on :(

I called best buy and they are holding some type of 450W PSU for me for when I can get there around 2:30pm today.
Click to expand...

Yes, you don't need to be super-precise with the screwdriver. I usually just drag it over the pin area, i don't even look if i put it exactly at the right spot. If you drag it over (between) the pins, it should power on, provided the screwdriver is "fat" enough to close the circuit. You want practically the screwdriver to touch at the same time the 2 opposite pins that are responsible for powering up the board.

Bent motherboard could do damage to the circuits, but at this point, it's all guessing... Could be faulty motherboard too... But, normally, the PSU cable should be able to "clip" on the power receiver of the motherboard. That's when you know it's properly connected. If it doesn't manage to clip, there isn't proper connection.
 
What would cause the Mobo to lose its settings without the use of the jumper? This is the first time I've experienced this before.
 
CyByte said:
What would cause the Mobo to lose its settings without the use of the jumper? This is the first time I've experienced this before.
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a) Drained battery
b) I think the Asrocks have a protection that if the board has a series of multiple failed boots, it resets automatically the BIOS.
c) Defective motherboard (happened to me with an ASUS many years ago, the board was always running fine, but the BIOS was randomly resetting and it wasn't battery issue).
 
Things like your situation, can be tricky to troubleshoot and nerveracking. Your best bet is to have spare parts to try. That's what PC repair staff does too when they can't put their finger on it. I have spare parts for everything, PSU, RAM, mobo, CPU, you name it. Just so that i can avoid the extra stress of having to make guesses. It's a method that has a cost in money initially, but at least you can sleep comfortable, that whatever problem arises, you will be able to pinpoint it for sure and also to fix it with a spare.
 
I wish you lived close by right now. This build is supposed to go into my office when it works. It's my first build in several years.
 
I am sorry i can't be of any real help. Unfortunately, if this was my computer, i 'd change PSU and see what happens. Cause i 've no idea. Corsair is a good brand for PSU, even the builder series. Maybe it's the motherboard's fault. But i surely can't tell from here...

I got tired too of such problems, that's why i 've adopted the strategy of having spare parts. Many years ago, i needed to bring the PC to the PC assistance shop. Well, they took 1 month to change me the hard drive. After that, i said to myself "this can't happen again, you must learn how to do it on your own". So then i started reading how to build systems on my own and after years of trial and error, i realized, that only way to be certain to diagnose correctly every sort of problem and at the same time to fix it, is have spare parts for everything... So for example, insteaf of buying 1 superexpensive motherboard, i buy 2 cheap ones.

Cause i m fed up with PC tech guys in my town (some know less than i do), of their long waiting times and fat fees.
 
If take it to a shop I might as well spent more money on a prebuilt. I didn't see what I wanted though. Ill figure this out I hope. Ill try PSU first and Mobo after that. Now I'm afraid to do an RMA with newegg after seeing things all over the web about them claiming damages. I wish I saw that before.
 
Yes, do that. If with a new PSU it works fine, then RMA the Corsair PSU. And i 've read too the thread about Newegg, so, do take some pictures before sending them anything for RMA.
 
I tried the new PSU and it works the same as the first one it seems. I can very rarely get it to boot with the screwdriver by the + - for the power switch.

The only way I can always turn it on is by removing the clear CMOS jumper and using the screw driver on the reset far right and middle contacts boots the system up every time.

ETA the 24 pin connector fits much better and more normal with this PSU
 
CyByte said:
I tried the new PSU and it works the same as the first one it seems. I can very rarely get it to boot with the screwdriver by the + - for the power switch.

The only way I can always turn it on is by removing the clear CMOS jumper and using the screw driver on the reset far right and middle contacts boots the system up every time.

ETA the 24 pin connector fits much better and more normal with this PSU
Click to expand...

That's a new to me! The reset pins shouldn't be able to power the board! Are you sure they are the reset pins and now the power pins? It's easy to make a mistake. Better check the manual for that. If the board doesn't power with the power pins, but with the reset pins, that's no normal board... Neither is normal to remove the jumper. The jumper is there to be on one of two positions. Not to be removed. I 'd RMA it...
 
Yeah, I checked several times to make sure it was the correct set of jumpers. I decided to return the case and motherboard. I'm just going to buy an ITX size case and Mobo after that. This case was larger then I wanted anyways.

It won't give me 2 separate UPS printouts and of course I don't have a box big enough for the case and the motherboard box. No one is at Newegg apparently and their site for submitting RMA questions keeps freezing. Their online chat also doesn't appear to work.

I guess this waits for next week.
 
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I ordered a the same motherboard from Amazon.com tonight along with a Powercolor HD 7770 Ghz edition so I'm looking forward to this coming week.
 
CyByte said:
ys.

It won't give me 2 separate UPS printouts and of course I don't have a box big enough for the case and the motherboard box. No one is at Newegg apparently and their site for submitting RMA questions keeps freezing. Their online chat also doesn't appear to work.
Click to expand...

Maybe it's their new trick to avoid RMAs :D:D

Good luck!
 
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