PC turned off and now won't POST

Dark Light · 30 Aug 2016 at 01:17

So I left my PC, came back a few minutes later and it was off. So I turned it back on, and straight away turned off again and back on in a loop, trying to turn on but turning off straight away, turning just enough time for my fan LEDs to turn on and my HDD to click. I then tried to see if it was plugged into the wall socket properly, I then turned it back on and it seemed to boot up, although I suspect that was because I had left it off for a few seconds. However it did not post, everything gets powered up but there is a red CPU LED (I think it is the CPU LED), and 00 was shown on the two LED segments.

I will list the component below, but I have a P9X79 Pro with a 3930k, that I have not yet overclocked with a AX860, that is a replacement for my AX850 that died two years ago on the same system. Things to note are that the system was a bit dusty but the CPU fan wasn't on full load, that the system was idle when it powered off and that I was loading it with CS:GO just minutes before.

P9X79 Pro with the latest BIOS but with a older Intel RAID module
3930k with a Silver Arrow SB-E Extreme not overclocked
16GB of DDR3 2133, Blue Ripjaws I think

AdamScott85 · 30 Aug 2016 at 01:20

Make sure none of the power cables have come loose and check everything it connected inside the case.

Dark Light · 30 Aug 2016 at 01:23

AdamScott85 said:
Make sure none of the power cables have come loose and check everything it connected inside the case.

Have, although I am going to try that again and re-flash the bios. But if something had come loss it wouldn't display 00, which means that the system hasn't progressed past the most basic stage.

something daft already!! · 30 Aug 2016 at 01:27

It could be a dodgy PSU. This can happen if the PSU can't provide enough power or has blown.

Dark Light · 30 Aug 2016 at 01:29

howiepoohs said:
It could be a dodgy PSU. This can happen if the PSU can't provide enough power or has blown.

It is a AX860, one of the best PSUs you can get, and is only 2 years old. But that is what I am thinking, that the PSU has taken out the rest of my system, can't think of why a CPU or motherboard failure would cause the system to turn on and off and for the problem to start while idle.

djshauny1 · 30 Aug 2016 at 01:38

You could do the paperclip test on the psu to rule out if its faulty or not.

Dark Light · 30 Aug 2016 at 01:41

djshauny1 said:
You could do the paperclip test on the psu to rule out if its faulty or not.

The thing is that the system is now powering everything on, it's just the system is not working. I do have a multimeter that I got to test a previous PSU, I hadn't had very good luck with PSUs, 2011 my PSU died, 2014 my PSU died and now maybe again in 2016.

something daft already!! · 30 Aug 2016 at 01:44

It seems like you have a seven year warranty on that PSU.

A seven year warranty and lifetime access to Corsair's legendary technical support and customer service

Dark Light · 30 Aug 2016 at 02:05

howiepoohs said:
It seems like you have a seven year warranty on that PSU.

A seven year warranty and lifetime access to Corsair's legendary technical support and customer service

I think they recently increased all warrantees to 10 years.

So I was re-flashing my bios, didn't work, when I noticed above the LED segments in the bottom left hand corner some black matter that shouldn't be there. It was stuck to the motherboard, sort of looked like something had melted, so I pushed it with a piece of cardboard and it came off. I have no idea what it is, but it might have done damage to the motherboard, will need to take a high resolution picture of it. I have no idea what it is or where it came from, logically it can only either me part of a spider or something that got into the system(although I think that is unlikely) or from the system itself.

Dark Light · 31 Aug 2016 at 04:52

Here are the pictures

https://db.tt/9to3Txxq

whipgeez · 31 Aug 2016 at 06:21

i have no idea what that bogey looking thing is but it certainly looks like you have fried some of the MB

Kelt · 31 Aug 2016 at 06:27

whipgeez said:
i have no idea what that bogey looking thing is but it certainly looks like you have fried some of the MB

Yeh, your mobo looks fubared. And what the hell is that thing and where did it come from!? :eek:

You can try cleaning it with IPA, worth a shot.

Dark Light · 1 Sep 2016 at 20:58

There seems to be metal on the melted plastic, and maybe a pin on one of the chips missing. I pressed the cmos button but it didn't solve the problem, it did however cause the system to try and turn on.

something daft already!! · 1 Sep 2016 at 21:02

Everything I said about the PSU I take back. That mobo looks it has been melted. Did something fall inside and short it out?

Dark Light · 1 Sep 2016 at 21:14

howiepoohs said:
Everything I said about the PSU I take back. That mobo looks it has been melted. Did something fall inside and short it out?

Don't think so, I think a chip has melted and expanded. You can see that in the images, it would also explain why the system was turning on and off and now isn't, since it was still melting. I just didn't notice until the next day.

ANDARIAL · 1 Sep 2016 at 21:45

That looks like a slug! :eek:

something daft already!! · 1 Sep 2016 at 21:54

That motherboard has gone to the place where motherboards are eternally blessed. I would invest in a new one unless it is still under warranty. You should also bare in mind the fact that other components may have failed or even have been the cause.

chickadee · 1 Sep 2016 at 21:55

ANDARIAL said:
That looks like a slug!

Yeh you can see the lines on its back, looks exactly like a slug!

formby · 1 Sep 2016 at 22:03

Looks like the caps have leaked so hopefully its just your motherboard that needs replacing. The slug looking thing is dielectric fluid from the caps thats run through to the underside and solidified.

Dark Light · 1 Sep 2016 at 22:27

formby said:
Looks like the caps have leaked so hopefully its just your motherboard that needs replacing. The slug looking thing is dielectric fluid from the caps thats run through to the underside and solidified.

What has caused it though, if it is the PSU will they replace my system?