I know it's for full tutorial, but personally recommand check memory before CPU, because the probability of memory not installed properly is greater than CPU.
Hey CuberCPU! I have an issue with my PC which is an HP Compaq Pro 6305 SFF. It goes to sleep and not turn back on even if the power is till on. I have replaced the power supply but it still the same issue. Some times it won't boot up. Any ideas what could be the issue?
I would always advise removing and reseating the RAM (one at a time) before the Processor, as it does seem to be a more common issue but other than that, these steps should work for the majority of cases. Also for users, uncomfortable in shorting the power pins with a screwdriver, you can very cheaply buy a pre-wired button for that purpose, which you slot onto the power pins. I use them on my test bench for ease.
And also, I personally would check the memory before resetting the bios. Checking the memory makes no changes to the overall system, while resetting the bios means you lose any settings you may have set in the bios. If you lose those settings, it will cost you additional time to reset them (unless you have them backed up - but even then, restoring them will take time). Good video, though, that covers all the usual suspects.
I agree, In my experience it's almost always a dead memory module that causes a failure to boot. I've fixed around a dozen dead systems for myself, friends, and family and only once was it a power supply all other times it was dead memory.
I am a 70 year old lady and an amateur troubleshooter. I have always loved figuring out how things work. My 7-year-old computer would start but would not continue booting. I experimented a lot, but I never felt comfortable tampering with the computer's internal components. So I finally gave up and bought a new computer. I hate it doing that. I learned a lot from this video, so thank you for sharing. I am stubborn, and I hate giving up when I am troubleshooting. Chances are that I am going to happen the computer and fiddle with it again. So thank you.
I will just say, they way you explained stuff and repeated a lot of it helped me out a ton. My motherboard ended up being broken, the light would flicker and only light up fully when I put my pc sideways. After buying a new motherboard. I was dazzled, the pc just didn't boot... But after just taking my time, I noticed some of my cpu pins were bend. Finally, at last. my pc is saved.
While I agree with most of what you say here there are a couple of things missing. 1. ESD can damage things and a should not be taken for granted. I saw no mention of this in the entire video. Its the tech's responsibility to not cause more damage and is sloppy work to disregard. 2. I always check the PSU 1st and verify you have good power before anything else. Everything starts at the PSU. PSU testers are cheap and easy to use. 3. Re-seat RAM before the CPU. If you have a bad RAM module why break the thermal compound. 4. Plug in a cheap motherboard speaker on the speaker header for beep codes. These codes can tell you what to look for. Other than that I thought this was a great video!
Yes! On my DELL Inspiron it wouldn't post until I opened it up & could hear the power supply beeping a code indicating bad RAM. Testing each card conformed it.
I'm not a tech, but every time I've had one not boot after running was because of a bad power supply. Swapped out the power supply and it booted. Thanks for the clip.
I completely agree 100% on how you did it. To many people, pro's & beginners rush through building their computer, I always test every component, even if I know it is good.. your tip on powering off (or/an unplugging) then purge the system of possible stored power in the capacitors, is something I have done and highly recommend you always do, when you have to service your system or just check for issues.. Being that we both repair & build computers for clients, we should have a test rig or two, to test any suspicious parts (or Hardware) Also a tip, always purge your system when reaching inside or touching anything, that can short out and damage the system, I try to always wear gloves when touching anything inside a customers system... Thank you for sharing..
Great video. Can you do a video on troubleshooting a PC that randomly shuts down? I have had this issue for over six months, and I am not able to figure out why.
I hope that too .. my pc shutdown randomly .. it is just power off .. tried every thing .. another windows .. new psu .. rest bios .. clean the ram and nothing could fix it
I had that problem. My pc shut down and didn't switch back on for nearly a year. I tried everything to no avail. Then a friend suggested that I should try paying my electricity bill for a change, which I did and magically the next day my pc was working again. Amazing. Everyone should have a friend who is an expert with computers just like mine.
One thing I would recommend starting with: have a PC speaker plugged in. See if you get any beep codes. I had a coworker once, just built a new PC, but couldn't get it to post. They had a speaker so I had them plug it in and try to boot the computer again. It gave a single beep. That usually indicates a successful post, so I started checking how all the cables were plugged into the computer. Turns out they had hooked the monitor up to the motherboard but the CPU had no integrated graphics, so they would never have gotten a picture that way. Plugged into the graphics card and it works just fine. Also I'm gonna agree from the Gamers Nexus rant from last year about motherboards should all have 7 segment displays for error checking. It shouldn't just be a high end feature.
Can't edit on mobile for some reason but to clarify: PC speaker that plugs into the header on the motherboard, not speakers plugged into the 3.5mm audio out port
I turned the power off with the switch in the back; waited a couple of minutes and turned it back on. When I used the front power button it came on as normal. Thank you so much!!
Last week one of my computers just stopped while I was using it. When restarting the fans and disks started but no post.I did basically what you did, removed all ram and put each stick in one at a time, no post. Then fitted a different video card, still no go. Replaced PSU, no go. Reset BIOS, still no go. Sent the motherboard to the recyling bin. It was old but I have never had a computer fail while in use before. Thanks for your videos I have learnt a lot from them and now use Snappy Driver regularly as I currently maintain 4 laptops and 7 other systems for my business and family life.
I have (not assembled anymore) two (old) motherboards that will not post; I realise I haven't tried everything in this video, which may be worth a try. Always good to see how others do it.
Thanks for the systematic instructional demonstration. Very detailed and easy to follow. I got a troubled child of a computer right now, so I will do these to isolate my problem. Thanks.
Your order of operations is wrong. The correct order is bios reset -> memory modules -> video card. Lastly you could reseat the CPU but I've never had it work, and for those that did you likely installed it wrong to begin with. Once it's clamped down it's not going to be moving around so it's pointless to try that.
Subscribed! I've been tinkering with Linux for several years now and have been taking a deep dive for over a month- plus on the modern hardware, etc and learning all sorts of cool stuff, like what you have on your channel. I'm about to make a home server with Ubuntu Server distro with an olde Dell desktop I have along with, the learning curve of a recent purchase of a box that has an i7 4770 with a Nvidia RTX 2060 Super and Win 10 as a basic gaming computer. After being away from IT since the bubble burst in 2001... I now got the bug again, thanks to my son and grandkids and all of us starting to play Everquest (Evercrack from back in the day). I'm going to be tuning up my son's Alienware with Win 10 (circa 2009) soon. I forgot about how cumbersome and cantankerous Windows can be. The tools you portrayed in your videos will be most helpful! I've been actually thinking about an A+ Cert recently and see what happens from there. Perhaps hang a shingle (sign) in my rural community one day. I may be long in the tooth and a semi retired/ beat up olde combat vet turned part time farmer, but I'm far from done yet! Geek Out!
Thanks for this, albeit an hour too late 🤣 I just finished helping a friend build his new PC, it posted and booted into Windows 1st try (Used HDD from old PC). Restarted it and went into BIOS to turn on XMP profile, saved and exited, no post 😭 Look on a few forums for error code and everyone was saying flash BIOS, flash BIOS, and pull CPU cooler off and take CPU out and check the pins, and pull RAM out and put them in 1 at a time and try again. Instead I went for the quickest and easiest possible fix that anyone of any level can do, popping CMOS battery for 30 seconds ish, put it back in and it fired right up. Went into BIOS turned off XMP and booted back into Windows no problem. I think the biggest problem with forums is, people forget not everyone is at the same level as them. They use abbreviations, don't give complete information, they don't tell people what they'll see and what to expect, they start with some of the hardest fixes first, instead of the simple ones (Like popping CMOS battery out), then they get frustrated when the OP doesn't understand them and they get condescending and belittle the person. If the OP was at an advanced level they wouldn't be on the forum asking questions in the 1st place.
Nice video. On new builds getting the cables seated completely can be a problem in itself. Did I miss you mentioning a bad PS? Thanks for posting this.
I'm an Intel guy, but I had a few AMD parts and I setup a test bench to see if I would like AMD. My test rig is a Ryzen 5 1600af DDR4-3200 32gb MSI B450M PRO-M2 MAX and a GTX 750 I had lying around. And...it's setting on a cardboard box !!! No issues so far. Works just as well as my Intel daily driver. So... I give it two thumbs up AMD.
A great video, Thanks! One extra point - when checking the memory and starting with a single stick in the first slot and it didn't work, at that point you can't be sure if the memory stick is bad, or if the slot itself is bad. Clearly when another stick worked in the same slot you can see that the first stick is bad. BUT if the second stick does NOT work, there's always the possibility that the memory slot itself is bad. I suppose you could put this in the category of 'bad motherboard', but it's another step to check if you have a difficult repair to diagnose.
I agree. But I get why he did it this way, so he could go through all the steps w/o solving it on the first try. I'd say about 95% of the systems I have that won't post, it's RAM. It either just needs a re-seat, or it's bad. It's the first thing I try and almost always works.
This reminds me of the days when they had two Bios on a motherboard when they had those bios virus. We learned the old trick of stripping the Mobo down to a memory card, CPU, Fan and monitor. It was always some loose cable or bad memory that caused the problem. Nowadays, it seems like same old issues .
I remember years ago they made a dual bios conversion kit. It was an add-on you could plug into your bios socket, when motherboards had sockets for the BIOS, and add a second bios chip. It had a dongle that went to the expansion slots giving you a switch that you could use to switch between the bioses.
I always wondered how that actually worked because we would end up testing the hardware the same way we'd test everything else. Only then, we never knew which Bios was bad or even if they were bad and just spent more time diagnosing an issue. Oh the fun days.@@CyberCPU
I thought that Mobos had beep codes that could help you pin down the problem, did you disable the speakers? Good video tutorial though, but i would agree to check the memory before CPU, you addressed this in the comments, but...
the first thing I have always done when a pc wont boot, is remove all of the memory and fire it up. you should get a bios beep code. that verifies that the CPU and the mobo are good. then add a stick of memory, one stick at a time and boot between each stick.
A couple of months ago my computer would not POST or beep, about four or five seconds after pressing the power button the motherboard would turn off the power supply again. It turns out that an Intel Enterprise Class SATA SSD drive had failed and was preventing the system from booting. The problem was with the data signals coming or going to the drive because the computer booted up fine if I disconnected power from the SSD leaving the data cable connected or if I disconnected the SATA data cable leaving the drive powered. That damaged SATA SSD also caused the computer's BIOS and operating system to not detect any of the USB-SATA enclosures I have, not even as an "unrecognized device" in Windows like other faulty USB hardware, but apparently it didn't cause them any harm either.
You could have a PSU fault. I had that same exact board. It would post fine but when you would restart after doing a update or power cycle it would not. Drove me crazy intil one day when Windoews was start after a update it shut off and would not power back on. swapped PSU and back to life it came. For troubleshooting: 1 Remove memory and test 1 module at a time. Memory is the most accessable thing in a PC. 2. GPU, swap if no onboard video from CPU. 3 Reseet CPU. 4. Might not be getting 5 , 3.3, or 12 volts from these rails, PSU fault. Today 5 and 12 are most important. Use a digital meter on the molex plugs. Red wire 5, Yellow wire 12, and black wir is ground. Red wire off of meter to Yellow to check for 12 volts or to Red wire for 5. The black wire from the meter must be connected to one of the black wires at the molex connector. If either one of these are not present, board won't post. 5. Sometimes the board is bad. Had a HP PC just die with a bluesccreen and than never POST again. Board will more than likly die before CPU. This is assuming all peripherals are disconnected. After and if system POST, run memtest86 though 1 cycle to verify memory is good. also cause of speratic BSODs (blue screen of death).
My standard troubleshooting steps 1: disconnect everything except what is essential to display an image on a screen (includes all usb, sata, m.2, fans etc) ie: 24 pin power/cpu power , 1 ram stick, cpu and cooler fan, if no onboard graphics, a graphics card (remove for onboard graphics) 2: if it posts reconnect each item 1 at a time until issue is found, starting with ram, then graphics card. If still no post, swap the ram, try it in a different slot, then the graphics card (if you must have one to post). If it posts then the ram/graphics card is bad; if no post the motherboard is most likely bad. If the cpu fan does not spin up up try a different power supply. I once had a usb hub that was bad, and it would draw excess power on boot , which triggered the motherboard to not post (self protection). Ive also seen bad ram, bad psu, bad graphics cards, motherboards, power supplies, power /reset switch, and even a cpu do this ; a ryzen 5950x booted 3 times in a new board), then died, was in a box where the psu died in a spectacular way taking out most of the components including a m.2 ssd and a 8TB hard drive.
While assembling a pc i hate when someone picks a new Motherboard from the Box and puts it on a wooden table and then proceeds assembling. It is good to see that you add some styrofoam under it.
I've had this piece of Styrofoam for over 20 years. 🤣😂 Typically I post the motherboard sitting on top of the motherboard box. However, a wooden table is fine. As long as what you have the motherboard sitting on isn't conductive then you shouldn't have a problem. If you were to set it on a metal table then you would have all kinds of problems. 🤷🏻♂️ The primary reason why it's important to elevate the motherboard slightly is so if you add any add-on cards like a video card the lower tab on the back plate has somewhere to go.
Hey man, great videos. Idea for a new video: In my experience, I have seen motherboards with bent pins (even from factory!), especially on intel 1700 socket. I have also seen scratched motherboard traces near the CPU, from an angry screwdriver hitting that zone and making a short, killing the motherboard. It should be good to mention looking at the pins and at the motherboard traces, maybe on a more advanced video on this theme, and then think about getting a new motherboard. In addition, you haven't talked about how good it still is to have a little Speaker laying around that you can plug in to diagnose the error codes that the motherboard returns. It should be a cool video theme discovering different malfunction beeps from different types of motherboards. Cheers to a great channel! I have over 20 years experience with PC's but always finding out new little tricks from your channel. Have a great day~
i would have done this in a different order, Clear CMOS, reseat and inspect the RAM, remove or swap the GPU, and then reseat and inspect the CPU and it's socket. These are things you can do before you remove the motherboard from the case.
In other cases display setups also matter like if you dont know the history of the computer that was set to multiple monitor. I hope this also help others new on this topic
I would remind people when dealing with the memory stick, to insure you put them in the prescribed Dimm slots as per MB manual. They are usually color coded and some MB's won't post if you get them in the wrong slots. Speaking of manuals, - they usually have a troubleshooting section and if it has LED lights or a speaker for beep codes that will help in your diagnosis also.
I have never once in my over 20 years experience as a technician had a computer not post because a ram module was in a specific slot. That is of course except for Intel's ram bus that was a joke anyway. You may not get dual channel support if you don't use the Right slots but with a single stick of RAM you can plug it into any slot you want and it'll work just fine.
@@CyberCPU I experienced this problem of the RAM modules having to be installed in certain slots last month. I believe it was an ASRock motherboard, but I am not sure. I was upgrading the system from a single 8 GB module to having this 8 GB module, along with two new 8 GB modules, for a total of 24 GB. That is, the old module was going to be used in single channel while the two new modules were going to be used in dual channel. Initially, I left the old module in slot 2 and installed the two new modules in slots 1 and 3. However, the computer did not POST. When I placed the two new modules in slots 2 and 4, and the old module in slot 3, the system POSTed without a problem.
@@Eternal_Techit's my understanding that you can't have dual channel and single channel at the same time. If you install 3 modules, all 3 will be in single channel mode. You may have had mismatched speeds on modules in the same channel causing your system not to post. If you have a 3200Mhz module and a 2400Mhz module in a single channel and the system tries to post at 3200Mhz, it might not post. However, resetting the BIOS forcing a default 2400Mhz and allowing the BIOS to retest memory timings should fix it.
In my dealings with fixing computers the order I have seen problems from most to least is 1. bad ram or ram slot, 2. power supply, 3. graphics card and 4. motherboard.
Trust me, brother. The case of bad cpu is high with AM4. I faced a case. The CPU has only one working memory channel. i took 10 days to understand the problem. i was suspicious about the motherboard at 1st but after a long time of testing, the 3700x was the problem later when i google. Many people had the same problem.
Hello very nice video...i would like to ask ...my pc works after i do the first solution ..(plug out from power when it works and then press start button few secs...then plug in power again...whats the main problem?
Another usefull video as always..Just to know...there is a chance on newer laptops the disk drive causing black screen issues, so is good to take a look also there..Happy new year all guys..
I have a motherboard that two of the four memory slots went bad. Computer worked fine then all of a sudden it blue screened and wouldn't boot up anymore. Two slots went bad. Did a lot of memory swapping. Had to use the computer with the two remaining slots for a few years then those two finally died and the motherboard was now toast.
I had this problem recently and after moving the jumper and then removing and reseating the CMOS battery it still didn't post. I was about to throw in the towel but thought I should reseat the Ram modules. After doing this I got that beep I was hanging out for. I must have loosened a ram module while cleaning dust out of the case. Cheers.
On the 21st Dec Had a machine do a NO POST (or any sings of Power). This was a good known system, I did A week ago pulled out a non connected hard drive, put some data on it, and put it back in the case (that was for some recovered data from a submerged hard drive for work later). As you said I needed that machine for a quick job. Nothing would make it post or even do the beeps error codes! Disconnect everything, re connect swap out PSU swap ram and CPU ( I have enough good parts to do this) nothing worked... in the end I jammed it all back in the case. it powered up and there was a bios error, quick reset and it all works as it did before UGGH I hate not knowing what stopped it working in the first place! Memory and Bios reset have always been my go to, first try things this is after unplugging everything unnecessary yea I have had the odd dead fan causing a no boot!
Please can you make a video/tell me how to fix windows 10 not booting (start-up repair didn’t work) but some of the advanced options are missing including reset my pc
You’re awesome cause before reading the comments I was watching your video. Ive been trying everything to test my brothernlaws computer before assume something with the mother board. Luckily I started with the ram first since that was the easiest to deal with. Love and behold the first one i pulled out the pc came on! I inserted it back in and it still worked. His brother sent him the desktop working then when he got it in the mail he never has been able to use it which it’s been sitting around in a box for a while now. He need a loan so he gave me the desktop to hold onto and I can’t wait to tell him it’s working 😏 hopefully I’ll see that cash back orrrr get a 2nd pc for cheap that isn’t junk ❤️ you the mannnnnnnn stannnnnnn
I think i have a faulty psu. I replaced all of my ram, cleaned it out. Pc will start but shut off randomly or wont cut on when starting it. I will get it checked out
Congratulations sir! Your videos are very educational for me. I don't know how true the information is (I haven't researched it): if you touch some components with your bare hands (on the motherboard, video card, even the RAM memories - for example)... some resistors or something else may burn, the reason being resistance of the human body. PS: as a joke - I get the point, if I want to learn how to fix something... I have to break it first. 😊
When I watched your video, I thought that it would be a good idea to take pictures of the stuff I would remove to test it because my memory isn't that great.
One other thing to check: Some MOBOS have a separate connector for the CPU but it doesn't get plugged in during assembly. Power connectors are always my 1st check.
back in the days when I was young, we do owerclocking a lot, and if the Asus board with AMD CPU does not boot up, there were special fixing procedure named Asus fix - You remove completley everything from motherboard, then lift 1Meter up, and drop board flat on floor. but remember, everything must be removed from board, also chipset heatsinks ! and that fixes board without any explanation. as we know, that works only on asus boards with AMD.
Something that I don't get is how long a BIOS battery can and will last. Personally I have had them last 12 years plus and still working well. I have talked to others with the same experiences. I realize that they are Lithium batteries. But still, 12 years plus? All in all if this battery did give up the ghost chaos would surely follow. Any ideas on this as I simply not understand this? Thanks
Well, it depends, If you leave your computer running all the time like I do with my 2 servers and 4 daily machines. you will never use the CMOS battery and it stays charged. and as long as there is power to the machine the volatile memory keeps all the information. It is only when there is no power is the battery needed.
The life of the BIOS battery is all dependent on how you use the computer. Back in the day when they had desks that came with power strips built in people would always flip the computer switch off when they turn to the computer off. This would always kill the BIOS battery. The battery is only used when the computer is unplugged. So as long as the computer has power, the battery won't die. In fact even with a dead battery a system will keep its configuration settings as long as the system isn't unplugged.
@@ethimself5064 I am too. I keep my laptop plugged in and running 24/7 all the computer needs is to be powered on to keep the CMOS info in the volatile memory so only when it is unplugged or getting no power is the battery needed.
Typically I check the ram first also. However, I already knew the ram was bad and wanted to show all the steps. I should have included the PC speaker. I planned to but forgot. It was even on my notes and I completely forgot about it.
The power supply should have been talked about too. It can alsow fail. I had a power supply that gave less than 12 vots (11 volts) and the pc would not boot. A multimeter can test that it's ok or not.
The order isn't really important. Typically I do check the ram first because it's the easiest to take out. However, I already knew the ram was bad and I wanted to show all the steps in the video. 🤷🏻♂️
Years ago I had a computer that wouldn't post and I threatened it with violence and it worked. Definitely a coincidence but it was a hilarious coincidence.
![Jack Harlow - Hello Miss Johnson [Official Music Video]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/Q86_nlRoIGw/mqdefault.jpg)
I know it's for full tutorial, but personally recommand check memory before CPU, because the probability of memory not installed properly is greater than CPU.
I agree, I would have checked the PSU, then memory, then GPU, then the CMOS, the CPU is the last thing I check. before I figure it is the motherboard.
I agree, the memory is what I typically check first also. However, I already knew the memory was bad and wanted to show all of the steps.
Hey CuberCPU! I have an issue with my PC which is an HP Compaq Pro 6305 SFF. It goes to sleep and not turn back on even if the power is till on. I have replaced the power supply but it still the same issue. Some times it won't boot up. Any ideas what could be the issue?
I was going to point this out but you already addressed it
I would always advise removing and reseating the RAM (one at a time) before the Processor, as it does seem to be a more common issue but other than that, these steps should work for the majority of cases. Also for users, uncomfortable in shorting the power pins with a screwdriver, you can very cheaply buy a pre-wired button for that purpose, which you slot onto the power pins. I use them on my test bench for ease.
Yes, I always follow the advice of random commenters with no dog in the hunt.
And also, I personally would check the memory before resetting the bios. Checking the memory makes no changes to the overall system, while resetting the bios means you lose any settings you may have set in the bios. If you lose those settings, it will cost you additional time to reset them (unless you have them backed up - but even then, restoring them will take time). Good video, though, that covers all the usual suspects.
I agree, In my experience it's almost always a dead memory module that causes a failure to boot. I've fixed around a dozen dead systems for myself, friends, and family and only once was it a power supply all other times it was dead memory.
I am a 70 year old lady and an amateur troubleshooter. I have always loved figuring out how things work. My 7-year-old computer would start but would not continue booting. I experimented a lot, but I never felt comfortable tampering with the computer's internal components. So I finally gave up and bought a new computer. I hate it doing that. I learned a lot from this video, so thank you for sharing. I am stubborn, and I hate giving up when I am troubleshooting. Chances are that I am going to happen the computer and fiddle with it again. So thank you.
Reseating the memory is usually the first thing I try, 80% of the time that’s it! Great video
What is memory? The ssd/hdd or ram?
I agree, that's what I typically check first also. However, I already knew the memory was bad and wanted to show all of the steps.
@@TtvShadowStriker Memory is the RAM.
@@TtvShadowStriker memory is always ram.
thanks i was going to say that too...i ran a store for 25 years
I will just say, they way you explained stuff and repeated a lot of it helped me out a ton. My motherboard ended up being broken, the light would flicker and only light up fully when I put my pc sideways. After buying a new motherboard. I was dazzled, the pc just didn't boot... But after just taking my time, I noticed some of my cpu pins were bend. Finally, at last. my pc is saved.
While I agree with most of what you say here there are a couple of things missing.
1. ESD can damage things and a should not be taken for granted. I saw no mention of this in the entire video. Its the tech's responsibility to not cause more damage and is sloppy work to disregard.
2. I always check the PSU 1st and verify you have good power before anything else. Everything starts at the PSU. PSU testers are cheap and easy to use.
3. Re-seat RAM before the CPU. If you have a bad RAM module why break the thermal compound.
4. Plug in a cheap motherboard speaker on the speaker header for beep codes. These codes can tell you what to look for.
Other than that I thought this was a great video!
Don't forget to get those 10 for $1 button speakers so you can HEAR the post beep signals.
I actually had that in my notes and completely forgot to talk about it.
I will not run a system without a beeper speaker. Too valuable.
Yeah, i was wondering why you couldn't just pull everything and count the beeps as you add the peripherals one at a time.
Yes! On my DELL Inspiron it wouldn't post until I opened it up & could hear the power supply beeping a code indicating bad RAM. Testing each card conformed it.
I'm not a tech, but every time I've had one not boot after running was because of a bad power supply. Swapped out the power supply and it booted. Thanks for the clip.
I completely agree 100% on how you did it.
To many people, pro's & beginners rush through building their computer, I always test every component, even if I know it is good.. your tip on powering off (or/an unplugging) then purge the system of possible stored power in the capacitors, is something I have done and highly recommend you always do, when you have to service your system or just check for issues.. Being that we both repair & build computers for clients, we should have a test rig or two, to test any suspicious parts (or Hardware) Also a tip, always purge your system when reaching inside or touching anything, that can short out and damage the system, I try to always wear gloves when touching anything inside a customers system...
Thank you for sharing..
Great video. Can you do a video on troubleshooting a PC that randomly shuts down?
I have had this issue for over six months, and I am not able to figure out why.
Does it shut down properly or does it just blink off?
It just shuts off, with no warning. More than often irt will restart. There are times it will shut off and not turn on@@CyberCPU
I hope that too .. my pc shutdown randomly .. it is just power off .. tried every thing .. another windows .. new psu .. rest bios .. clean the ram and nothing could fix it
I had that problem. My pc shut down and didn't switch back on for nearly a year. I tried everything to no avail. Then a friend suggested that I should try paying my electricity bill for a change, which I did and magically the next day my pc was working again. Amazing. Everyone should have a friend who is an expert with computers just like mine.
One thing I would recommend starting with: have a PC speaker plugged in. See if you get any beep codes.
I had a coworker once, just built a new PC, but couldn't get it to post. They had a speaker so I had them plug it in and try to boot the computer again. It gave a single beep. That usually indicates a successful post, so I started checking how all the cables were plugged into the computer. Turns out they had hooked the monitor up to the motherboard but the CPU had no integrated graphics, so they would never have gotten a picture that way. Plugged into the graphics card and it works just fine.
Also I'm gonna agree from the Gamers Nexus rant from last year about motherboards should all have 7 segment displays for error checking. It shouldn't just be a high end feature.
Can't edit on mobile for some reason but to clarify: PC speaker that plugs into the header on the motherboard, not speakers plugged into the 3.5mm audio out port
I turned the power off with the switch in the back; waited a couple of minutes and turned it back on. When I used the front power button it came on as normal. Thank you so much!!
Last week one of my computers just stopped while I was using it. When restarting the fans and disks started but no post.I did basically what you did, removed all ram and put each stick in one at a time, no post. Then fitted a different video card, still no go. Replaced PSU, no go. Reset BIOS, still no go. Sent the motherboard to the recyling bin. It was old but I have never had a computer fail while in use before. Thanks for your videos I have learnt a lot from them and now use Snappy Driver regularly as I currently maintain 4 laptops and 7 other systems for my business and family life.
WOW! You are actually covering hardware and not just Windows?!?!?!? I dig it!!!!
I have (not assembled anymore) two (old) motherboards that will not post; I realise I haven't tried everything in this video, which may be worth a try.
Always good to see how others do it.
Thanks for the systematic instructional demonstration. Very detailed and easy to follow. I got a troubled child of a computer right now, so I will do these to isolate my problem. Thanks.
I'm a PC hobbyist and a gamer, i learned so much from this video, thank you!
Your order of operations is wrong. The correct order is bios reset -> memory modules -> video card. Lastly you could reseat the CPU but I've never had it work, and for those that did you likely installed it wrong to begin with. Once it's clamped down it's not going to be moving around so it's pointless to try that.
Great tips. I will never replace a CMOS battery again without first draining the power to the computer. 😀
I’ve seen a CPU fan failure preventing a POST. Great video.
Subscribed!
I've been tinkering with Linux for several years now and have been taking a deep dive for over a month- plus on the modern hardware, etc and learning all sorts of cool stuff, like what you have on your channel.
I'm about to make a home server with Ubuntu Server distro with an olde Dell desktop I have along with, the learning curve of a recent purchase of a box that has an i7 4770 with a Nvidia RTX 2060 Super and Win 10 as a basic gaming computer.
After being away from IT since the bubble burst in 2001... I now got the bug again, thanks to my son and grandkids and all of us starting to play Everquest (Evercrack from back in the day). I'm going to be tuning up my son's Alienware with Win 10 (circa 2009) soon. I forgot about how cumbersome and cantankerous Windows can be. The tools you portrayed in your videos will be most helpful!
I've been actually thinking about an A+ Cert recently and see what happens from there. Perhaps hang a shingle (sign) in my rural community one day.
I may be long in the tooth and a semi retired/ beat up olde combat vet turned part time farmer, but I'm far from done yet!
Geek Out!
Thanks for this, albeit an hour too late 🤣 I just finished helping a friend build his new PC, it posted and booted into Windows 1st try (Used HDD from old PC). Restarted it and went into BIOS to turn on XMP profile, saved and exited, no post 😭 Look on a few forums for error code and everyone was saying flash BIOS, flash BIOS, and pull CPU cooler off and take CPU out and check the pins, and pull RAM out and put them in 1 at a time and try again. Instead I went for the quickest and easiest possible fix that anyone of any level can do, popping CMOS battery for 30 seconds ish, put it back in and it fired right up. Went into BIOS turned off XMP and booted back into Windows no problem.
I think the biggest problem with forums is, people forget not everyone is at the same level as them. They use abbreviations, don't give complete information, they don't tell people what they'll see and what to expect, they start with some of the hardest fixes first, instead of the simple ones (Like popping CMOS battery out), then they get frustrated when the OP doesn't understand them and they get condescending and belittle the person. If the OP was at an advanced level they wouldn't be on the forum asking questions in the 1st place.
On older systems it's the first thing i check. If it's not 3.3v I replace it.
Nice video. On new builds getting the cables seated completely can be a problem in itself. Did I miss you mentioning a bad PS? Thanks for posting this.
I'm an Intel guy, but I had a few AMD parts and I setup a test bench to see if I would like AMD. My test rig is a Ryzen 5 1600af DDR4-3200 32gb MSI B450M PRO-M2 MAX and a GTX 750 I had lying around. And...it's setting on a cardboard box !!! No issues so far. Works just as well as my Intel daily driver. So... I give it two thumbs up AMD.
A great video, Thanks! One extra point - when checking the memory and starting with a single stick in the first slot and it didn't work, at that point you can't be sure if the memory stick is bad, or if the slot itself is bad. Clearly when another stick worked in the same slot you can see that the first stick is bad. BUT if the second stick does NOT work, there's always the possibility that the memory slot itself is bad. I suppose you could put this in the category of 'bad motherboard', but it's another step to check if you have a difficult repair to diagnose.
Great info. My video card is fried. Thanks for helping me go through everything one by one.
It's amazing how console owners don't go throughthis but us pc lovers have to go through so many motherboards in a few years.
Great video as always, however I think you should have tested the memory before the cpu because this is a much more likely culprit than a bad cpu.
I agree. But I get why he did it this way, so he could go through all the steps w/o solving it on the first try.
I'd say about 95% of the systems I have that won't post, it's RAM. It either just needs a re-seat, or it's bad. It's the first thing I try and almost always works.
@@glock21guy It works 90% of the time 100% of the time 🤣
Had No idea about the easy way for windows 10 product keys, thank you just purchased one from your link !
This reminds me of the days when they had two Bios on a motherboard when they had those bios virus. We learned the old trick of stripping the Mobo down to a memory card, CPU, Fan and monitor. It was always some loose cable or bad memory that caused the problem. Nowadays, it seems like same old issues .
I remember years ago they made a dual bios conversion kit. It was an add-on you could plug into your bios socket, when motherboards had sockets for the BIOS, and add a second bios chip. It had a dongle that went to the expansion slots giving you a switch that you could use to switch between the bioses.
I always wondered how that actually worked because we would end up testing the hardware the same way we'd test everything else. Only then, we never knew which Bios was bad or even if they were bad and just spent more time diagnosing an issue. Oh the fun days.@@CyberCPU
I thought that Mobos had beep codes that could help you pin down the problem, did you disable the speakers? Good video tutorial though, but i would agree to check the memory before CPU, you addressed this in the comments, but...
Recently, I had a hdmi switch who prevented my computer from booting. First I thought a memory problem and it took time to find out.
the first thing I have always done when a pc wont boot, is remove all of the memory and fire it up. you should get a bios beep code. that verifies that the CPU and the mobo are good. then add a stick of memory, one stick at a time and boot between each stick.
Never underestimate a blown fuse in the PSU or plug of the PSU.
True but then the fans and leds wouldn't power/light up, or the beep speaker would remain silent for those who have them.
A couple of months ago my computer would not POST or beep, about four or five seconds after pressing the power button the motherboard would turn off the power supply again.
It turns out that an Intel Enterprise Class SATA SSD drive had failed and was preventing the system from booting.
The problem was with the data signals coming or going to the drive because the computer booted up fine if I disconnected power from the SSD leaving the data cable connected or if I disconnected the SATA data cable leaving the drive powered.
That damaged SATA SSD also caused the computer's BIOS and operating system to not detect any of the USB-SATA enclosures I have, not even as an "unrecognized device" in Windows like other faulty USB hardware, but apparently it didn't cause them any harm either.
You could have a PSU fault. I had that same exact board. It would post fine but when you would restart after doing a update or power cycle it would not. Drove me crazy intil one day when Windoews was start after a update it shut off and would not power back on. swapped PSU and back to life it came.
For troubleshooting:
1 Remove memory and test 1 module at a time. Memory is the most accessable thing in a PC.
2. GPU, swap if no onboard video from CPU.
3 Reseet CPU.
4. Might not be getting 5 , 3.3, or 12 volts from these rails, PSU fault. Today 5 and 12 are most important. Use a digital meter on the molex plugs. Red wire 5, Yellow wire 12, and black wir is ground. Red wire off of meter to Yellow to check for 12 volts or to Red wire for 5. The black wire from the meter must be connected to one of the black wires at the molex connector. If either one of these are not present, board won't post.
5. Sometimes the board is bad. Had a HP PC just die with a bluesccreen and than never POST again. Board will more than likly die before CPU.
This is assuming all peripherals are disconnected.
After and if system POST, run memtest86 though 1 cycle to verify memory is good. also cause of speratic BSODs (blue screen of death).
Nice beginner's guide.
My standard troubleshooting steps
1: disconnect everything except what is essential to display an image on a screen (includes all usb, sata, m.2, fans etc) ie: 24 pin power/cpu power , 1 ram stick, cpu and cooler fan, if no onboard graphics, a graphics card (remove for onboard graphics)
2: if it posts reconnect each item 1 at a time until issue is found, starting with ram, then graphics card. If still no post, swap the ram, try it in a different slot, then the graphics card (if you must have one to post). If it posts then the ram/graphics card is bad; if no post the motherboard is most likely bad. If the cpu fan does not spin up up try a different power supply.
I once had a usb hub that was bad, and it would draw excess power on boot , which triggered the motherboard to not post (self protection). Ive also seen bad ram, bad psu, bad graphics cards, motherboards, power supplies, power /reset switch, and even a cpu do this ; a ryzen 5950x booted 3 times in a new board), then died, was in a box where the psu died in a spectacular way taking out most of the components including a m.2 ssd and a 8TB hard drive.
While assembling a pc i hate when someone picks a new Motherboard from the Box and puts it on a wooden table and then proceeds assembling. It is good to see that you add some styrofoam under it.
I've had this piece of Styrofoam for over 20 years. 🤣😂
Typically I post the motherboard sitting on top of the motherboard box. However, a wooden table is fine. As long as what you have the motherboard sitting on isn't conductive then you shouldn't have a problem. If you were to set it on a metal table then you would have all kinds of problems. 🤷🏻♂️
The primary reason why it's important to elevate the motherboard slightly is so if you add any add-on cards like a video card the lower tab on the back plate has somewhere to go.
Awesome tutorial Rich (as usual) 👍
Hey man, great videos.
Idea for a new video:
In my experience, I have seen motherboards with bent pins (even from factory!), especially on intel 1700 socket. I have also seen scratched motherboard traces near the CPU, from an angry screwdriver hitting that zone and making a short, killing the motherboard. It should be good to mention looking at the pins and at the motherboard traces, maybe on a more advanced video on this theme, and then think about getting a new motherboard. In addition, you haven't talked about how good it still is to have a little Speaker laying around that you can plug in to diagnose the error codes that the motherboard returns. It should be a cool video theme discovering different malfunction beeps from different types of motherboards.
Cheers to a great channel! I have over 20 years experience with PC's but always finding out new little tricks from your channel. Have a great day~
FYI the Office keys have gone up even with your discount code of 25%. Now $84.18, but still worth it! Love the videos!
Keep an eye open for a video I have coming out in a few weeks. I show how to get a legit copy of Word in Excel for free.
Bought the Key and was still worth it!
@@CyberCPU
Make sure the battery is not dead too xD
Honestly some motherboards don’t post without cmos battery
i would have done this in a different order, Clear CMOS, reseat and inspect the RAM, remove or swap the GPU, and then reseat and inspect the CPU and it's socket. These are things you can do before you remove the motherboard from the case.
In other cases display setups also matter like if you dont know the history of the computer that was set to multiple monitor. I hope this also help others new on this topic
had a no boot issue and nothing I tried worked, unplugged it for a few hours and it fixed the issue.
great video so how to test if say its either the CPU or the Motherboard that has an issue
I would remind people when dealing with the memory stick, to insure you put them in the prescribed Dimm slots as per MB manual. They are usually color coded and some MB's won't post if you get them in the wrong slots. Speaking of manuals, - they usually have a troubleshooting section and if it has LED lights or a speaker for beep codes that will help in your diagnosis also.
I have never once in my over 20 years experience as a technician had a computer not post because a ram module was in a specific slot. That is of course except for Intel's ram bus that was a joke anyway. You may not get dual channel support if you don't use the Right slots but with a single stick of RAM you can plug it into any slot you want and it'll work just fine.
@@CyberCPU I experienced this problem of the RAM modules having to be installed in certain slots last month. I believe it was an ASRock motherboard, but I am not sure. I was upgrading the system from a single 8 GB module to having this 8 GB module, along with two new 8 GB modules, for a total of 24 GB. That is, the old module was going to be used in single channel while the two new modules were going to be used in dual channel.
Initially, I left the old module in slot 2 and installed the two new modules in slots 1 and 3. However, the computer did not POST. When I placed the two new modules in slots 2 and 4, and the old module in slot 3, the system POSTed without a problem.
@@CyberCPU you are right, I misspoke I should have stated what you said.
Although I was right, I just stopped prematurely with the comment.
@@Eternal_Techit's my understanding that you can't have dual channel and single channel at the same time. If you install 3 modules, all 3 will be in single channel mode.
You may have had mismatched speeds on modules in the same channel causing your system not to post.
If you have a 3200Mhz module and a 2400Mhz module in a single channel and the system tries to post at 3200Mhz, it might not post. However, resetting the BIOS forcing a default 2400Mhz and allowing the BIOS to retest memory timings should fix it.
In my dealings with fixing computers the order I have seen problems from most to least is 1. bad ram or ram slot, 2. power supply, 3. graphics card and 4. motherboard.
With the memory modules...you can remove all of the memory and listen for the post beeps the code that tells you memory is missing.
Unfortunately, some motherboards do not have an onboard speaker for beep codes.
You connect a speaker to the motherboard port@@Eternal_Tech
Trust me, brother. The case of bad cpu is high with AM4.
I faced a case. The CPU has only one working memory channel. i took 10 days to understand the problem. i was suspicious about the motherboard at 1st but after a long time of testing, the 3700x was the problem later when i google. Many people had the same problem.
AM5 also has problems. Going through this issue now.
Hello very nice video...i would like to ask ...my pc works after i do the first solution ..(plug out from power when it works and then press start button few secs...then plug in power again...whats the main problem?
you deserve way more subs man. fantastic video
Mate just sorted my pc was the cp part nice one man big thank you
Another usefull video as always..Just to know...there is a chance on newer laptops the disk drive causing black screen issues, so is good to take a look also there..Happy new year all guys..
But resetting on first or second attemp was really helpfull
Could you maybe elaberate of the POST codes?
I have a motherboard that two of the four memory slots went bad. Computer worked fine then all of a sudden it blue screened and wouldn't boot up anymore. Two slots went bad. Did a lot of memory swapping. Had to use the computer with the two remaining slots for a few years then those two finally died and the motherboard was now toast.
A faulty PSU is my most common evil... Makes PC/laptops do VERY strange things sometimes
I had this problem recently and after moving the jumper and then removing and reseating the CMOS battery it still didn't post. I was about to throw in the towel but thought I should reseat the Ram modules. After doing this I got that beep I was hanging out for. I must have loosened a ram module while cleaning dust out of the case. Cheers.
More videos like this please ty
I would try the ram before the Processor. I still find it amazing how much yet also how little has changed in all years I have been building Rigs.
On the 21st Dec Had a machine do a NO POST (or any sings of Power). This was a good known system, I did A week ago pulled out a non connected hard drive, put some data on it, and put it back in the case (that was for some recovered data from a submerged hard drive for work later). As you said I needed that machine for a quick job. Nothing would make it post or even do the beeps error codes! Disconnect everything, re connect swap out PSU swap ram and CPU ( I have enough good parts to do this) nothing worked... in the end I jammed it all back in the case. it powered up and there was a bios error, quick reset and it all works as it did before UGGH I hate not knowing what stopped it working in the first place! Memory and Bios reset have always been my go to, first try things this is after unplugging everything unnecessary yea I have had the odd dead fan causing a no boot!
ooo i like this,can you do more vids like this'?
Great video
VERY instructional video!
Another great video!
subbed for the majestic beard, keep it up!
Please can you make a video/tell me how to fix windows 10 not booting (start-up repair didn’t work) but some of the advanced options are missing including reset my pc
I already have. Check out my videos on fixing GPT and MBR bootloaders. It's two separate videos depending on what type of bootloader you're using.
thank you
You should have a link to Prof Messer's A+ course and study group.
Well done sir.
You’re awesome cause before reading the comments I was watching your video. Ive been trying everything to test my brothernlaws computer before assume something with the mother board. Luckily I started with the ram first since that was the easiest to deal with. Love and behold the first one i pulled out the pc came on! I inserted it back in and it still worked. His brother sent him the desktop working then when he got it in the mail he never has been able to use it which it’s been sitting around in a box for a while now. He need a loan so he gave me the desktop to hold onto and I can’t wait to tell him it’s working 😏 hopefully I’ll see that cash back orrrr get a 2nd pc for cheap that isn’t junk ❤️ you the mannnnnnnn stannnnnnn
I think i have a faulty psu. I replaced all of my ram, cleaned it out. Pc will start but shut off randomly or wont cut on when starting it. I will get it checked out
A lot of motherboards won't boot if the CMOS battery is dead, missing, bad seated or has dirty contacts.
Congratulations sir! Your videos are very educational for me.
I don't know how true the information is (I haven't researched it): if you touch some components with your bare hands (on the motherboard, video card, even the RAM memories - for example)... some resistors or something else may burn, the reason being resistance of the human body.
PS: as a joke - I get the point, if I want to learn how to fix something... I have to break it first. 😊
Could also have GPU disabled. Mine was setup like that. Switching to onboard video, I checked and had other video disabled.
Remove the memory sticks one at a time should be done before reseating the cpu
Thanks Rich! 🙂😎🤓
Great video. Many thanks.
something that i definitatly didnt do was use a broken monitor, don't do that, that would be stupid. Thanks for the video BTW :)
When I watched your video, I thought that it would be a good idea to take pictures of the stuff I would remove to test it because my memory isn't that great.
I don't seem to have a desktop; I have a laptop and it works great no issues.
One other thing to check: Some MOBOS have a separate connector for the CPU but it doesn't get plugged in during assembly. Power connectors are always my 1st check.
I’m having problems I’m getting light on for reset switch but I try power it on and nothing
How do you deal with motherboard doesn't even power on?
That's almost always a power supply.
Thanks@@CyberCPU
back in the days when I was young, we do owerclocking a lot, and if the Asus board with AMD CPU does not boot up, there were special fixing procedure named Asus fix - You remove completley everything from motherboard, then lift 1Meter up, and drop board flat on floor. but remember, everything must be removed from board, also chipset heatsinks ! and that fixes board without any explanation. as we know, that works only on asus boards with AMD.
Thank you 🙏 for saving my computer 💞
Super! Thank you! I was riveted start to finish. Now on to the 'how you might make some money" video....
3:10 should i hold down the power button or just tap it.
that beard is on the verge of being an electrical hazard. thnx for the refresher
I just need help building one. 7 parts is not rocket science but it's been 30 years since I built one and things have changed.
You missed out how to troubleshoot the power supply if that is the issue...!
Something that I don't get is how long a BIOS battery can and will last. Personally I have had them last 12 years plus and still working well. I have talked to others with the same experiences. I realize that they are Lithium batteries. But still, 12 years plus? All in all if this battery did give up the ghost chaos would surely follow. Any ideas on this as I simply not understand this? Thanks
Well, it depends, If you leave your computer running all the time like I do with my 2 servers and 4 daily machines. you will never use the CMOS battery and it stays charged. and as long as there is power to the machine the volatile memory keeps all the information. It is only when there is no power is the battery needed.
@@jdgremsjr Sorry, I was talking about a single user computer. Thanks
The life of the BIOS battery is all dependent on how you use the computer. Back in the day when they had desks that came with power strips built in people would always flip the computer switch off when they turn to the computer off. This would always kill the BIOS battery.
The battery is only used when the computer is unplugged. So as long as the computer has power, the battery won't die. In fact even with a dead battery a system will keep its configuration settings as long as the system isn't unplugged.
@@CyberCPU Kool/Thanks
@@ethimself5064 I am too. I keep my laptop plugged in and running 24/7 all the computer needs is to be powered on to keep the CMOS info in the volatile memory so only when it is unplugged or getting no power is the battery needed.
What happens if the motherboard has a q-flash button but it isnt working even with a different motherboard, gpu and ram?
First thing I would of done was remove the ram and look and look out for error beeps.
Typically I check the ram first also. However, I already knew the ram was bad and wanted to show all the steps.
I should have included the PC speaker. I planned to but forgot. It was even on my notes and I completely forgot about it.
Another issue is if some idiot (Me) buys a CPU that's the wrong generation
That can happen too. Using a CPU the motherboard doesn't support will cause it not to post.
The power supply should have been talked about too. It can alsow fail. I had a power supply that gave less than 12 vots (11 volts) and the pc would not boot. A multimeter can test that it's ok or not.
You are taking out the CPU and resetting the BIOS bevore you check the RAM? 😳
I'm not fine with that order....
The order isn't really important. Typically I do check the ram first because it's the easiest to take out. However, I already knew the ram was bad and I wanted to show all the steps in the video. 🤷🏻♂️
*Fix A Computer That Wont Turn On*
Perhaps take it out for dinner and show it a good time, then it may be turned on... Sorry, my bad🤪🤪
Years ago I had a computer that wouldn't post and I threatened it with violence and it worked. Definitely a coincidence but it was a hilarious coincidence.