Solved PSU went up in smoke. New PSU won't boot PC

[probuddha]

So my 3 yr old Cooler Master 500W PSU went up in smoke today and I replaced it with a new 600 watt PSU.

I believe I have made all the connections properly and when I switch the system on, the PSU lights up, the fans work but there is no output on the monitor and even the keyboard doesn't work (pressing on CAPS key doesn't light up the LED). The green LED on the DVD RW stays lit but the tray doesn't come out

My specs are

1. Gigabyte 78LMT USB3 Mobo
2. AMD FX 4100 CPU
3. HD Radeon 5450 GPU
4. Crucial MX-100 250 Gig SSD
5. Seagate 500 GB HDD
6. Seagate 160 GB HDD
7. Corsair Vengeance 4Gig x 2 RAM
8. 600 Watt PSU (installed just today)

So far I have done the following.

1. Unplugged the cabinet and pressed the Power button for 1 min. Did nothing.

2. Took off the GPU and attached the monitor to the onboard graphics. Same results.

3. Removed the CMOS battery for over 5 mins and reattached it. Same results.

4. Removed the RAM sticks and tried one at Slots 1, 2 and 3. Same results.

5. Removed all the RAM sticks (with GPU still off the board) and powered on the system. No beeps.

6. Removed the SSD and tried attaching it externally to my laptop, but it wasn't detected. Could be a faulty SATA to USB connector. I bought it cheap from a local market.

Please advise what steps to follow next

Many thanks in advance

 

[Mellon Head]

I think that with the power supply going up in smoke, you have to accept the real possibility that it took a number of other components with it, starting with the motherboard. Something that also concerns me is that your laptop cannot detect your SSD. It's possible that the damage was not confined to the motherboard considering that, and the fact that your DVD isn't working right either.

You may have lost the entire system.

Nevertheless, check all of your power cabling, and with everything unplugged try turning it on with only the motherboard plugged in and see if you get any beeps.

 

[Eric3742]

1 simple answer.

600W PSU is not enough for your computer as there are overload with too many component need power.
Hence, the 500W PSU go up in smoke.

Do a calculation how much PSU your need to get, as each component need certain amount of power.

You also need to get the "power surge protector" to avoid further damaged.

 

[bigmck]

I changed out my PSU a while back and had a similar problem. Make sure the 24 pin cable makes a "Click" when it goes on the Motherboard. == I hate to say it but Mellon Head may have hit on something also about your Motherboard being gone, I hope not. Does your CPU fan turn, that will tell you if the Motherboard is out.

 

[probuddha]

Thank you for your responses, guys.

I too was concerned about my SSD going bad, so the first thing I did after I woke up today was attach the SSD internally to my laptop and it worked like a charm. I was able to boot in without any issues.

So this rules out any issue with the SSD. Thank God for that.

One more thing I'd like to mention that when I start up the system, there seems to be no activitiy in my HDDs. The reason I know for sure is because

1. The LED on the cabinet indicating HDD activity doesn't blink.

2. The 160 GB HDD is a pretty old drive and it makes a noise the first time it starts up but now it doesn't.

 

[probuddha]

I changed out my PSU a while back and had a similar problem. Make sure the 24 pin cable makes a "Click" when it goes on the Motherboard. == I hate to say it but Mellon Head may have hit on something also about your Motherboard being gone, I hope not. Does your CPU fan turn, that will tell you if the Motherboard is out.

Yes, my CPU fan runs and it is connected to the CPU Fan pin on the MoBo and not powered directly by the PSU

 

[probuddha]

1 simple answer.

600W PSU is not enough for your computer as there are overload with too many component need power.
Hence, the 500W PSU go up in smoke.

Do a calculation how much PSU your need to get, as each component need certain amount of power.

You also need to get the "power surge protector" to avoid further damaged.

Thanks for your response.

I have a power surge connector (guess it's the same as spike buster) attached and the last 500W PSU ran for 3.5 yrs. I believe it wouldn't have run for so long if it was underpowered.

 

[RoasterMen]

I believe a 500W power supply can run that setup without any problems. But according to my research, that Cooler Master Thunder 500W is not a good one and hasn't passed 80 Plus certification. Even a 450W power supply (assuming it atleast passed 80 Plus certification) will power that setup.

 

[townsbg]

Perhaps the new PSU is bad. Do you have another one that you can check? How to Check a Power Supply: 12 Steps (with Pictures)

 

[probuddha]

I have a 3 yr old PSU from my previous unit that was just lying around in the corner. Would it be safe to attach that PSU for testing?

 

[RoasterMen]

What's the brand and model?

 

[bigmck]

I have a 3 yr old PSU from my previous unit that was just lying around in the corner. Would it be safe to attach that PSU for testing?

If your fans are running, the PSU is OK. Double check all cables are connected correctly.

 

[Mellon Head]

I have a 3 yr old PSU from my previous unit that was just lying around in the corner. Would it be safe to attach that PSU for testing?

If your fans are running, the PSU is OK. Double check all cables are connected correctly.

Not necessarily (though you are likely correct considering that this is a new supply). The 5V or 3.3V rails may not be working. Both would prevent the computer from booting, but would still let the fans spin (potentially). Not hard to debug with a meter, but may be beyond the OP's skill set.

I second your comment on checking all of the connections and making sure they are tightly connected though.

 

[westom]

I have a 3 yr old PSU from my previous unit that was just lying around in the corner. Would it be safe to attach that PSU for testing?

Why not? If a power supply cannot provide power, then circuits that have existed, long before PCs existed, would simply power off that PSU. Low power never damages electronics. But many fear because low power is problematic to motorized appliances. Many fear it rather than learn what it does and does not do.

Most every computer only consumes less than 350 watts. Obviously. It is not so hot as to also toast bread. Mostly consume just over 100 watts most of the time. Selecting a supply on watts is bogus. But since most computer assemblers have no idea how electricity works, then we tell them a 300 watt computer needs a 600 watt PSU. Then help lines are not clogged teaching computer assemblers basic electrical concepts.

Move on to your problem. Do you know many components in a power 'system'? PSU is only one. Are all working? CPU is not permitted to operate until a power controller decides to permit it. No CPU operation means BIOS, RAM, and so many other suspects were irrelevant. If a CPU does not even start, then a BIOS cannot enable any other computer parts.

Get facts. For example, what specifically in that PSU failed? That information makes possible replies from a fewer who actually know this stuff.

Get a meter and request some instructions. Make sure all parts remain connected and unchanged. Then use that meter and instructions to obtain some three digit numbers. Then a next reply exonerates or accuses each specific part - without wild speculation. Without phrases such as 'maybe' oir 'did you try'.

Without numbers, then one is told to select a supply on watts. Without numbers, then no informed reply can identify a defective part. Two options exist. Keep replacing good parts until something works. Also called shotgunning. Or do what is recommended to have replies from others who actually know this stuff. Meanwhile what specifically failed? That says so much about what else may have been damaged. And how to avert future damage.

 

[probuddha]

Thanks for your replies, guys. I took the mobo, the RAM and CPU to a local pc repair shop and they said that the mobo has been affected. Now I am wondering if it's worth trying to repair the motherboard or buy a new one instead.

What do you guys suggest?

Many thanks

 

[townsbg]

You likely wouldn't be able to repair the motherboard. Did he say what was wrong with it?

 

[probuddha]

They checked the mobo for a while and said that it has been short circuited and apparently it was giving shocks.

Now this is not a big pc repair shop in any way and I don't have prior experience with them. I took my unit there to detect which component in specific was failing.

This is why I am thinking of submitting the mobo to the official Gigabyte Servicing Center

 

[ignatzatsonic]

If this board was damaged by a failing power supply, there's no chance of a warranty claim unless you can somehow convince Gigabyte that the power supply is not responsible.

Personally, I wouldn't even bother with attempting to let Gigabyte try to repair it. You'd likely be faced with postage charges, delay, customer service aggravation, and some as yet unknown cost for the repair--assuming it's repairable at all.

 

[probuddha]

It's out of warranty. So I guess buying a new board would be the wise thing to do, right?

Any suggestions for an AM3+ board with SATA 3 headers? My last one had SATA 2, so I am thinking if I get a new board, I might as well get one with SATA 3 headers since I use an SSD as my system drive

Thanks a lot

 

[bigmck]

Thanks for your replies, guys. I took the mobo, the RAM and CPU to a local pc repair shop and they said that the mobo has been affected. Now I am wondering if it's worth trying to repair the motherboard or buy a new one instead.

What do you guys suggest?

Many thanks

A repair will cost as much as a new computer. I don't know the availability in India, but if you were thinking about buying one maybe soon, this would be the time instead of a repair.