# [SOLVED] custom built PC won't turn on



## Marzipan (Mar 22, 2011)

forgive me if this is not the correct place to post this

In short my computer wont turn on, the CPU fan goes on, there is a blue LED on the motherboard that flashes but the front power LEDs don't come on at all, the screen stays black, there are no beeps and I have checked every connector and reset the bios multiple times.

Okay heres parts list and what happened

AMD Phenom II X2
4gb GSkill ram
MSI 880GM-E41 MOBO
no video card
400 watt off brand (i think its called bestec?) PSU
120gb 7200 rpm Seagate HD

I got all the parts in the mail the other day but i reused the case, HDD, DVD Drive, and PSU (Im thinking the PSU is the root of the problem) from a store bought computer Ive had for a while

I put everything together no problem turned it on and it posted and I got into the bios and changed it to boot from CD

got halfway through installing windows 7 and during one of the restarts i shut the computer off because I had to run an errand

I get back and my brother is tearing up and saying hes sorry and whatnot and he tells me he was dicking around in the bios and now it wont turn on 

I restart it and it showed the MSI screen for a second then shut off and restarted a bunch of times

I decided to try and reset the bios so i shut it off and unplugged the PSU removed the MOBO battery and set the CMOS jumper to the 2 and 3 pins and went to sleep (it was 10 pm already)

I just woke up and tried to start it up and got nothing. i realized I forgot the put the jumper back in the 1 and 2 position (could this have messed something up?) before i turned it on

I set it back to 1 and 2 and turned it on again and still nothing and now here I am.

Like i said at the beginning, the CPU fan turns on but the screen stays blank, there is a flashing light on the MOBO but the front LEDs don't come on.

any help is appreciated


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## Tyree (May 10, 2009)

*Re: custom built PC won't turn on*

First thought has to be the used Bestec PSU. They are low quality at best.
Get a good quality PSU and test on the bench.
Remove EVERYTHING from the case.
Set the motherboard on a non conductive surface. The motherboard box is perfect for this. DO NOT PLACE THE MOTHERBOARD ON THE STATIC BAG! It can actually conduct electricity! 
Install the CPU and heat sink. 
Install 1 stick of RAM.
Install the video card and attach the power supply connection(s) to the card if your card needs it.
Connect the monitor to the video card.
Connect the power supply to the motherboard with both the 24pin main ATX Power connection and the separate 4 or 8 pin power connection.
Connect power to the power supply.
Do NOT connect ANYTHING else. Make sure you have the power connector on the CPU fan connected.
Use a small screwdriver to momentarily short the power switch connector on the motherboard. Consult your motherboard manual to find which two pins connect to your case's power switch. Then touch both pins with a screwdriver to complete the circuit and boot the system.

If all is well, it should power up and you should get a display. Then assemble the parts into the case and try again. If the system now fails to boot, you have a short in the case and need to recheck your motherboard standoffs.

If the system does not boot after this process, then you most likely have a faulty component. You'll need to swap parts, start with the power supply, until you determine what is defective.


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## Marzipan (Mar 22, 2011)

*Re: custom built PC won't turn on*

I should have read the sticky on the front page...

I guess Im going to have to rip out the PSU from this PC, its a corsair builder series


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## Tyree (May 10, 2009)

*Re: custom built PC won't turn on*

We do not recommend the Builder Series but it is certainly better than the Bestec.


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## Marzipan (Mar 22, 2011)

*Re: custom built PC won't turn on*

Bench test worked

the PSU was the problem, Corsair PSU worked like a charm

Also forgot that I had a multimeter, checked the bestec and there seems to be a short somewhere its giving erratic readings

thanks for the help Tyree


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## Tyree (May 10, 2009)

*Re: custom built PC won't turn on*

You're welcome.


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