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My server won't turn on 🫀 (lemmy.nz)
submitted 1 week ago* (last edited 3 days ago) by Dave@lemmy.nz to c/selfhosted@lemmy.world
69 comments fedilink hide all child comments
 

I decided to clean out my CPU fan as it was clogged, when I assembled everything again it won't turn on πŸ™

It's an old desktop PC. There are no lights glowing on the motherboard at all, though there is none specifically labelled "power". Just CPU, RAM, BOOT. None of these light up, not even a flash when it starts.

I have reseated the RAM, CPU, power cables. Removed the GPU to check.

The cord leading in to the PSU works but I don't have a way to test the PSU itself or the out cables, but I have reseated them at each end.

This PC was working fine before. But with no lights on the motherboard I suspect either the mobo or PSU?

Mobo is asrock x570 PSU is silverstone 650w strider gold S series

Any help appreciated!

Edit: I made a new post asking for hardware recommendations.

Edit 2: I managed to get a light on the motherboard, going to buy some more thermal paste and keep tinkering to see if I can get it started!

Edit 3: I never got that light to go again. In the end the comments on the other post convinced me that I had all that I needed for what I wanted (no upgrade needed), so I changed tack to seeing how to fix it. I had suspicions about the power connection still, so I bought a cheap PSU and tested it, no change. Then I bought a new motherboard (also a pretty cheap one, the cheapest that had what I needed and was also in a local store) and in the end that was the issue. Everything is up and running again now! Thanks for all the help everyone, you can now settle your bets.

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[–] ShankShill@sh.itjust.works 6 points 6 days ago (1 children)

I'm leaning toward a short somewhere, since you said the PSU starts up with the paperclip but not when plugged in to the board.

[–] Dave@lemmy.nz 3 points 6 days ago

I bought a multimeter and tested the PSU, and it all seems fine. So pretty sure it's the motherboard or CPU.

I'm using it as an excuse to do an upgrade, so will probably get a new mobo/CPU/RAM.

[–] possiblylinux127@lemmy.zip 3 points 6 days ago (1 children)

Does the power supply work

[–] Dave@lemmy.nz 3 points 6 days ago

Yip. Have tested the PSU with a multimeter and it's fine. Narrowed it down to the CPU or motherboard. I decided I'll just do a bit of an upgrade and get a new CPU, motherboard, RAM.

[–] Agent641@lemmy.world 37 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago) (2 children)

You haven't followed the proper tech troubleshooting ritual:

  1. Yell at it
  2. Ask nicely
  3. Blood sacrifice
  4. Lament
  5. Instigate violence (hit it)
  6. Completely disassemble and rebuild it
  7. It inexplicably works fine
  8. ( β—‘Μ€_◑́)
[–] BlindFrog@lemmy.world 14 points 1 week ago (1 children)
  1. Is the PSU switch on
[–] Dave@lemmy.nz 1 points 3 days ago

For the record, it was definitely on. I ended up buying a new PSU to check, and it didn't help. I then bought a new motherboard and that fixed it. So case solved!

[–] Dave@lemmy.nz 14 points 1 week ago (1 children)

Well I got up to step 6, not sure how to get to the next step...

[–] sugar_in_your_tea@sh.itjust.works 3 points 6 days ago

Addendum to step 7: if it doesn't work fine, go back to step 1.

[–] hollyberries@programming.dev 23 points 1 week ago (1 children)

Is the power switch on the PSU flipped on? Are the front panel wires seated in the right places on the motherboard?

Those are the two that get me when reassembling. I used to have an asrock 320m that had absolutely no grip on the front panel wires and it was easy to unseat one when blowing air into the case.

[–] Dave@lemmy.nz 4 points 1 week ago (1 children)

I've flipped the PSU switch both positions, doesn't really work either way.

I've reseated the case power switch cable but it didn't help. I also tried shorting with a screwdriver in case it was the switch, but nothing πŸ™

[–] hollyberries@programming.dev 13 points 1 week ago (1 children)

You mentioned a buzzing in another reply. That sounds like a grounding issue to me. Any chance you blew something under the board that is causing a short? At this point it would be wise to do a full tear down.

I'm almost at my train stop, so one final question before disappearing for the day: when resocketing the CPU did you put it in correctly and was there damage when you removed it initially?

[–] Dave@lemmy.nz 4 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago) (1 children)

Yeah I will probably do an out of case, mobo, RAM, CPU, PSU only at some stage tonight to test.

Yes on the CPU damage, some bent pins on a corner, but I straightened them and it went back in fine. I had assumed the CPU light would be glowing (or not glowing) if that were the issue, but I'm no expert. Maybe it is the CPU. Expensive to buy one just to test though!

Edit: oh and the buzzing is from the PSU, when off, and not connected to the PC at all.

[–] hendrik@palaver.p3x.de 7 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago) (1 children)

These lights and beep sequences aren't 100% reliable. So I wouln't take it for granted. But it's a bit suspicious in my eyes that none of the LEDs light up. Maybe it's the PSU, then? I mean it could be anything. And in my experiences it's most likely a cable that got unseated accidentally by the vacuum... But you mentioned it's a server... And I've had PSUs fail after being online 24/7 for years, and then one day you turn off the power and they won't ever come back. And with the bent CPU pins I'm not sure. Most of the times straightening them works, but sometimes they break off after doing that.

These kinds of diagnostics are next to impossible without some spare parts, to swap one at a time and see which is at fault. If you don't figure it out by chance, you'd need to borrow some.

[–] Dave@lemmy.nz 8 points 1 week ago (2 children)

I've done a paperclip test, PSU fan starts up, but doesn't when plugged into the mobo.

I have now done an out of case test, with CPU, RAM, mobo, PSU, and no luck.

I guess that means mobo or CPU is the issue. I would think if it were RAM the symptoms would be different.

I took the CPU out yet again, all the pins look fine. They didn't get munched being inserted the last time, so it seems they straightened OK. But at this point it has to be CPU or mobo, surely.

[–] hendrik@palaver.p3x.de 9 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago) (1 children)

Agreed. And I'd say the mobo is more likely, as it has more different components like capacitors and whatnot. So just by volume.

As a final test you could rip out RAM, GPU etc disconnect all unnecessary cables and run just mobo + CPU + PSU. See if it beeps/lights up or changes anything. That'll rule out a short in some other component being the issue.

I mean we're not 100% sure, but looks like you're in for a new mobo (+CPU).

[–] Dave@lemmy.nz 4 points 1 week ago

I already removed all cables and extras when I did the out of case test, didn't think to try without the RAM. I will give that a go tomorrow, I've had enough for tonight,

It looks like I can still get a mobo that supports the socket, so in theory I should be able to just swap the mobo. But then if it doesn't work I'll have to get a new CPU next and then I'll wish I didn't get the mobo because I'll probably get a more recent CPU. Hard choices!

For the moment, I have requisitioned a laptop and booted from the server hard drive, and things are back up and running. So I don't have to rush, I'll try some more tomorrow, have a think about what I'd like. Maybe I'll just get something new, and auction off the mobo, CPU, RAM online $1 reserve and someone else can work out what does or doesn't work . πŸ˜†

[–] Evil_Shrubbery@lemm.ee 3 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago) (1 children)

It does seem like that.
(Be sure to thank the kit for its years of service)

And if you triggered any failsafes they would have reset by now.

The mobo button battery can rarely make seem the mobo dead, but usually still does at least something.
(I'm not saying it's likely, just that it's the last thing I can think of)

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[–] brownmustardminion@lemmy.ml 21 points 1 week ago (2 children)

Did you use compressed air to clean out the fans?

It's possible to fry circuitry if you artificially rotate the fans too fast, as this generates an electric field more powerful than the fans and their attached components are rated for.

Probably rare to cause damage with modern computers but an old PC might be more susceptible to this type of damage.

[–] Marleyinoc@lemmy.world 9 points 1 week ago

I joked the dust was what was keeping the PC running when this happened to me. But your explanation makes more sense. Dang

[–] Dave@lemmy.nz 4 points 1 week ago (1 children)

Not compressed air from an air compressor, just the canned stuff. I don't think I spun any fans too fast. Plus the PC is only 5 years old.

[–] brownmustardminion@lemmy.ml 5 points 6 days ago (1 children)

Compressed air can spin the fans fast enough to cause damage unfortunately.

[–] Dave@lemmy.nz 3 points 6 days ago

Probably not this one. I was a little disappointed with how little airflow this can gives me. In any case, I don't think I spun any CPU fans around much at all.

[–] DragonsInARoom@lemmy.world 7 points 1 week ago

Have you tries unpluging it and plugging it in?

[–] runiq@feddit.org 7 points 1 week ago (1 children)

Have you tried turning it off and on ag- oh.

In all seriousness, maybe a blown capacitor of any kind? You describe the PC working fine 'before.' When was 'before?'

[–] Dave@lemmy.nz 3 points 1 week ago

There is no obvious damage on the motherboard, capacitors look fine.

"Before" was immediately before I turned it off and opened it up to clean out the dust. It was being actively used as a server.

[–] Chee_Koala@lemmy.world 6 points 1 week ago (1 children)

Did you maybe unseat the tiny power switch/activity led front panel cables?

[–] Dave@lemmy.nz 3 points 1 week ago (2 children)

I've tried just directly shorting the power switch on the mobo to rule out issues with the case switch, but that didn't help.

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[–] e0qdk@reddthat.com 5 points 1 week ago (1 children)

Did you flip a power switch on the PSU at some point, perhaps? (Done that one a few times myself...)

[–] Dave@lemmy.nz 3 points 1 week ago (10 children)

I've tried in both positions.

Might sound weird but I can hear a quiet buzzing in the off position (O) and silence in the on position (1). But I don't have another to check what's normal.

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[–] NeoNachtwaechter@lemmy.world 4 points 1 week ago (5 children)

It's an old desktop PC

One (or more) of the electrolytic capacitors in your PSU has died.

Remove the power cord, wait for 2 hours, open the PSU and look carefully for the candidate(s) with the domed head. Healthy ones are perfectly flat on the head.

Order a new one and replace it.

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