[Advice] PC not booting, which component should I check?

[Blimeyomega]

Hello,

I am having this windows PC that suddenly boots up and works normally sometimes. Other times, it wont boot up at all (screen totally no signal, sometimes press power button PC instantly powers down).

This all happened a few weeks ago when I was gaming, the screen suddenly froze with the choking static audio. This never happened anymore despite me still gaming on the machine. But the new problem is the inability to boot up sometimes.

From past experience, this is usually a GPU failure but there were no weird lines or artifacts when gaming throughout even since. My PC is legit quite old almost 10 years so I am not surprised if something else is going bust but which component and how should I check to find out which one is the problem?

The frozen screen problem is something like this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sJ3yXpY5yoc

 

[jtjt00]

TS, list down all parts of your rig like -->

 

[skrekro]

1st prob probably psu.

2nd might be overheating. When's the last time you clean your pc and change the thermal paste?

 

[Phen8210]

run memtest see will random freeze anot.

 

[Hafi]

do you have Malwarebytes installed?

 

[Blimeyomega]

TS, list down all parts of your rig like -->

Done! But just to add abit of additional context SSD boot drive was replaced exactly 1 year ago. GPU was changed approximately 2 years ago. Everything else was same since built in 2011.

1st prob probably psu.

2nd might be overheating. When's the last time you clean your pc and change the thermal paste?

run memtest see will random freeze anot.

Kind of Paiseh to say but yeah I havent changed the thermal paste since built though I did clean out the whole system and CPU cooler when I changed out my boot drive exactly a year ago. Currently waiting for new paste to arrive.

I did suspect the crash was due to CPU overheating and old age. Rig was starting to show additional lags with 20 tabs on chrome + ms word + gaming on certain days and that crash occurred after 6-8hours of use. Both lag and crash problem disappeared when I stopped stressing the system but this inability to boot up seems to be a new and different problem. This morning I tried to re-seat the rams and other power connectors and now it boots up and automatically powers down after approximately 3 seconds

do you have Malwarebytes installed?

Nope, not installed

 

[jtjt00]

Get a spare PSU to test. Anyway, time to build a new rig.

 

[86technie]

- Clean interior like dust especially CPU fan.
- Reapply thermal paste
- Run memtest check for any memory error.
If memtest restarts or hang, it could be RAM issue.

 

[hafiz116]

I would start with a new PSU but get something that is future-proof for your next build (that is IF you plan on building another system!). If not and looking to go for a laptop then I would not waste money on the PSU and look to do the swap.

If you want to go down the troubleshooting path I would do it in this order: -

1. PSU
2. GPU but try to run some software to find out what temps your hitting to confirm!
3. Motherboard maybe starting to fail

Also if the PC has not had a full clean then I would suggest you look at doing that as dust buildup does increase temps and could be adding to the problems your facing.

Let us know what path you want to take to be able to help propose next steps.

 

[Blimeyomega]

Get a spare PSU to test. Anyway, time to build a new rig.

Hahaha yeah, its really quite old but honestly the only intensive program i run is apex legends

- Clean interior like dust especially CPU fan.
- Reapply thermal paste
- Run memtest check for any memory error.
If memtest restarts or hang, it could be RAM issue.

Will do when if I get it up and running again!

I would start with a new PSU but get something that is future-proof for your next build (that is IF you plan on building another system!). If not and looking to go for a laptop then I would not waste money on the PSU and look to do the swap.

If you want to go down the troubleshooting path I would do it in this order: -

1. PSU
2. GPU but try to run some software to find out what temps your hitting to confirm!
3. Motherboard maybe starting to fail

Also if the PC has not had a full clean then I would suggest you look at doing that as dust buildup does increase temps and could be adding to the problems your facing.

Let us know what path you want to take to be able to help propose next steps.

Thank you so much for the long advice!

Personally I would prefer to troubleshoot it and make it work again as dont really hardcore game. Unless its motherboard failure or in worse case 2-3 parts failure, I guess I will just replace the faulty components. Currently am busy with exams but will try to troubleshoot it as you have suggested!

 

[abstrax]

Hahaha yeah, its really quite old but honestly the only intensive program i run is apex legends



Will do when if I get it up and running again!



Thank you so much for the long advice!

Personally I would prefer to troubleshoot it and make it work again as dont really hardcore game. Unless its motherboard failure or in worse case 2-3 parts failure, I guess I will just replace the faulty components. Currently am busy with exams but will try to troubleshoot it as you have suggested!

check ur gpu fans are spinning or not...oso clean the dust in ur casing too.

 

[Blimeyomega]

Hello, just wanted to update.. for some strange reason i am not too sure if it was a software update that bricked the system.

Cleaned out the ram and everything started booting normally again. However I encountered an error " stop code inaccessible boot device ". Did a system restore and everything booted normally again.

Apart from memtest to check the ram is this a sign of potential MOBA death or anything?

 

[skrekro]

Hello, just wanted to update.. for some strange reason i am not too sure if it was a software update that bricked the system.

Cleaned out the ram and everything started booting normally again. However I encountered an error " stop code inaccessible boot device ". Did a system restore and everything booted normally again.

Apart from memtest to check the ram is this a sign of potential MOBA death or anything?

Could be dying hdd/ssd or could be mobo. Could be sata data cable also

 

[pigpigoink]

wa moi has similar issue for a while liao on moi old desktop. everytime give it cpr to try rescue. changed ram, graphic, power, ssd, reapply paste before... thus now just suspecting MB is actually the culprit.

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