[Resolved!]

I traded my cousin some really expensive RAM that I happened accross for his old desktop, that he put his graphics card into that he swapped from his newer computer. If I plug the desktop into the wall and try to turn it on nothing happens. If I open it up I can see that the where the wire from the power supply plugs into the graphics card there Is a little light on. So clearly some power is getting somewhere…

How do I go about trouble shooting this, and what tools do I need? I assume at minimum a multi meter? Not really sure what to do, it’s been decades the last time I built a computer.

Board says “Asrock H110M-HDS”

Edit: Attached a Pic and noticed the light is actually on the graphics card, not motherboard. Added addtl info.

Update: So now all of the sudden the fan spins. I am at a loss as to why it spins now, as I haven’t actually really done anything. I ordered a speaker for the mobo, so waiting for that.

Final update: It works! I apparently had either a bad monitor or bad display port cable. But using another monitor with DVI I was able to finally get it to fully boot!

I am not sure what got the fans to eventually work, maybe just a cable was jostled.

I really appreciate all the advice! I definitely know a lot more and feel better equipped to do things with it now.

  • WalrusDragonOnABike [they/them]
    6•1 month ago

    I have an asrock motherboard which doesn’t like losing power (z97, so a little older than this one). Usually, I have to press the reset and CLRCBTN1 buttons on the motherboard, flip the switch on the PSU, wait 15 minutes, turn the PSU back on, try turning it on using the power button on the motorboard, maybe spam the reset/clrcbtn1 button some more and hope it works. Sometimes I can skip the PSU part, but not often. Think my model motherboard has some manufacturing defect related to the CMOS, because others have reported similar issues.

    Edit: Link to thread about the reoccurring problem: https://www.reddit.com/r/buildapc/comments/2jrt1b/psarequest_possible_reoccurring_problem_with_the/