System won't post - Please help

azibux1

azibux1

azibux1

Soldato
Joined
11 Oct 2011
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Hi all,

Please see my sig for the specs

I had a fan controller in this PC, I recently added this and everything was working fine, I've removed the fan controller as I'm returning it, also while I had the case open I removed the CPU heatsink and re-applied some thermal paste, moved my SSD (back to the space the fan controller was in) and temporarily removed the gfx card to remove a temperature probe from the heatsink of it

Now I've put it all back together and the system doesn't even get to a BIOS screen or anything, no display output at all, no beeps

I have tried the CMOS reset but still nothing

Please does anyone have any ideas?

Thanks in advance
 
Little update... I just plugged everything back in (HDD, SSD, etc) as I'd unplugged some stuff to test it with limited things plugged in

So plugged it all back, switched it on and left it... After a while it got to the BIOS screen, said 'Enter to recover BIOS settings' or 'F1 to enter setup', I pressed enter but got nothing, pressed 'F1' and it entered setup, I chose to boot from the SSD and Windows began to boot, I didn't touch anything, but then the PC rebooted itself and now won't POST again

This is very odd

EDIT: I seem to have got it to boot once more, but got stuck on the Windows 8 logo screen, wouldn't go any further

When you press the power button, it seems to occasionally give a quick flash of the DRAM OKAY LED near the RAM, when that flashes, that time it will boot into the BIOS and POST, if that light doesn't flash, then it won't work. Does that help with any diagnostics?

If I'm right this light always used to give a quick flash on boot when the PC was working properly

2ND EDIT: Reseated CPU and heatsink and it appears to be working! :D :D :D Will post back with an update tomorrow
 
Last edited:
So yeah reseating the CPU (although I didn't move it the first time) and reseating the heatsink seems to have solved the problem.

Now I have to take it off again to re-apply the paste surely as I've now create air bubbles in it? Hopefully it will be okay

Any ideas what causes this sort of problem? How does the position of the heatsink affect the working of the PC?
 
I is not the position of the heatsink, probably you moved something.

probably you are ok with your thermal paste in place... just check the temperatures.. if it is normal, leave like that.
 
Drangueos said:
I is not the position of the heatsink, probably you moved something.

probably you are ok with your thermal paste in place... just check the temperatures.. if it is normal, leave like that.
Click to expand...

Alright that sounds sensible enough, if the temps are okay then I'll leave it as it is

Kind of annoyed that I reset all the bios settings for no reason as that wasn't the problem but oh well haha
 
As above, maybe it wasn't seated properly.

I normally cover the cpu with a thin spread of TIM, apply the heatsink, then take it off to inspect the underside of the HSF. You get a good idea as to the contact being made.
 
Admiral Huddy said:
As above, maybe it wasn't seated properly.

I normally cover the cpu with a thin spread of TIM, apply the heatsink, then take it off to inspect the underside of the HSF. You get a good idea as to the contact being made.
Click to expand...

Okay :)

I was always under the impression that if you lift the hsf off the CPU then you should reapply paste, not sure where I read that
 
Idleman said:
It is also quite possible that you over tightened the cooler slightly, which can effect the motherboard.
Click to expand...

That's quite possible and I think I have had a similar issue before actually

Hard to explain I know, but how tight should it be? More than hand tight but not absolutely solid either?
 
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