Dead Motherboard?

Components used:

OS: Windows 7 professional

MB: Asus Maximus Hero Vi Z87

CPU: I5-4670K (minor 4.2 overclock)

RAM: Mushkin Redline 2x8 GB

Drives: Samsung 512 SSD boot + Samsung 512 SSD scratch + 4 TB WD Enterprise storage

GPU: EVGA GTX 1080 SC

PSU: Corsair RMI 650i

My reliable desktop of 6 years died this morning and I am unsure what was the cause. No boot or post; fans do not spin. Switching on the PSU allows the onboard power button to light up only to dim after 10 seconds. Both the case and onboard power on buttons are ineffective.

I tested the PSU on a different desktop and it appears to work as intended. Replaced CMOS battery and tested startup with minimal peripherals and GPU removed without any luck. It this certainly a hardware failure of the motherboard? Is there an easy way to determine if the CPU and ram are good? I would like to avoid having to start over and salvage all of my documents.

Some things to note:

BIOS has not been updated in years.

No signs of burning or thermal damage.

CPU fan headers are installed correctly.

Windows 7 updated during its latest shutdown sequence

do you have another mobo or CPU to test to rule out one or the other is bad
I think you can get a mobo of the same brand and generation and not have 7 crash on start up

Z-87K’s are pretty cheap but I can’t guarantee it’ll work

I only have the one. I can get the exact same motherboard used on ebay for around $150. It is frustrating since if the components are dead as well, I might as well upgrade since used is the cost of new.

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Maybe capacitors in the motherboard died? Solid capacitors dont burst like the traditional ones so there may be no signs for damage visually. Dead solid capacitors just loose their capacitance and act like a normal wire connector and stop… capacitating (?).

I’m here pressing “F” for you brotha/sista!

Mine died 15 days ago, was 6 years old also. I still don’t know if it was the psu or motherboard.

Your i5 is still plausible nowadays, but won’t be for the next 3 years I guess… I’d consider moving forward to a newer gen :man_shrugging: (because that’s what I did)

Likely the motherboard or psu.
If you have a spare psu laying around i would firstly try that.

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I bought a replacement MB for a Phenom X3
Dumbest move ever…

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How many generations ago was this (or what was the intel generation equivalent)? I havent really followed AMD between the transition to x64 and Ryzen…

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Not sure, went from 5x86 to P4 then the Phenom x3
I got the P4 when everyone in the tech press said it was the best, found out later not to trust that

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Sounds like a dead mobo, i give you a huge F!

Was your stuff backed up atleast?

Important stuff should be. I still think i have lost a months worth of work unless i am able to pull everything off my old drive. At least i get to play with an Opteron 6320 for the time being. Tempted to save up a micro-atx build I always wanted. Was only hoping it would be with a good i7 3 years from now.

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