PC died after cleaning
Posted by 0xDEA110C8@reddit | buildapc | View on Reddit | 123 comments
So my dumbass decided to clean my PC after ~3 years of not having cleaned it. This was the first time I had ever completely stripped & built a PC from scratch. The PC worked before being cleaned.
Removed everything from the case, cleaned case, fans, CPU heatsink, PSU, motherboard, repasted CPU & put everything back in the case. I did not clean the GPU.
After doing that, the system powers on, all fans spin, but there's no POST. I tried different RAM sticks, different slots, resetting BIOS to default settings, plugging in a monitor / keyboard / mouse, discharging power, making sure all connections are present & secure - no results.
When there's no RAM in the system, it beeps to let me know there's no RAM [1 long, 2 short beeps]. When there is RAM, it stays powered on with no beeps & all the fans spin at max speed, minus the GPU fans.
The PC has no diagnostic features other than a motherboard speaker & motherboard power LED.
Specs:
CPU: Intel Xeon E3-1231 v3 RAM: 8GB DDR3 1333MHz MB: Asus B85M-E [Latest BIOS - 3602] GPU: GTX 1060 3GB PSU: Cooler Master GX 650W Bronze
Thanks for help in advance!
Ok_Calligrapher_88@reddit
My laptop wont turn on after i cleaned the fans and changed the thermal paste What should i do ? I didnt touch anything else but the fans and the cover if the gpu and changed the thermal paste It wont turn on , i even tried charging it but no signal , even using mouse or keyboard they dont turn on Please help
Orcbolg1336@reddit
Did you have the power supply plugged into a power source when you started disconnecting or reconnecting things?
0xDEA110C8@reddit (OP)
No.
Orcbolg1336@reddit
Try booting it with one stick of ram.
0xDEA110C8@reddit (OP)
Already solved.
0xDEA110C8@reddit (OP)
Just now noticed this, but the ethernet controller on the motherboard also receives power - the ethernet light on my router lights up.
Nighters@reddit
HDMI plugged in GPU?
RAM in correct socket? I think it should be first black, not last.
0xDEA110C8@reddit (OP)
The motherboard manual doesn't mention having to have RAM inserted into a specific slot.
Kentuckycrusader@reddit
First things first, did you blow air into your fans and spin them while the system was powered off? Did you use air duster or compressed air on any of your fans?
0xDEA110C8@reddit (OP)
I posted pictures & a video.
Oscman7@reddit
What paste did you use on the CPU?
Have you tried the other 4 pin connector for the the CPU?
0xDEA110C8@reddit (OP)
The paste was Arctic MX-6.
I did try unplugging the CPU connector to see what would happen & the PC powered up for a moment before shutting down, whereas with the CPU connector plugged in, it stayed on.
cheeseypoofs85@reddit
step 1 clear the cmos.... if that doesnt work, step 32 - reinspect all the wires and connections
timmyoes@reddit
This is gonna be a pain in the ass but I think you need to check if the cpu is seated properly or to check if any of the pins were bent before you reseated the cpu that’s the only thing I can think of unless maybe dust inside the pcie slot for the gpu but I’d need some pictures to understand
0xDEA110C8@reddit (OP)
I never removed the CPU from its socket. Is it possible that too much pressure from the cooler bent the motherboard pins?
sahnejoghurtmild1234@reddit
I had some funky stuff happening with the cpu cooler being way too lose. Is there a button or a jumper to reset the BIOS/UEFI? You could try resetting it if you’re somewhat familiar with the settings. (In case you need to change settings like boot order for example)
0xDEA110C8@reddit (OP)
This board does have a CLRTC jumper. I used a screwdriver to bridge the two pins - no luck.
sahnejoghurtmild1234@reddit
seems like you did almost everything except reinstalling the cpu. might have missed it in the discussion tho.
guess that's the next step.
did you remove the mainboard while cleaning? any chance you removed a motherboard standoff?
0xDEA110C8@reddit (OP)
I did have an issue while unscrewing the board - one of the standoffs came off with the motherboard & I had to use a pair of pliers to get it out. Before cleaning, the motherboard was actually missing some of the standoffs [my brother was the one who built the PC]. I made sure to properly screw the standoffs to the case & properly align & screw in the motherboard.
Yodakane@reddit
Could you have over tightened any of the screws? I had a similar issue recently, caused by overtightening a screw
pwndepot@reddit
I had a similar issue years ago and I had to remove my CMOS battery for a few minutes and then when I put it back the BIOS was reset and the computer POSTed. Intel's support page recommends removing the battery for 1-5 minutes before reinstalling and reattempting a boot.
I know the screwdriver jump is supposed to achieve the same thing, but we don't really know if that was successful, while removing the CMOS for several minutes is 100% certainty that power has been severed from the cmos chip which should reset things.
For safety, I'm compelled to remind anyone reading to make sure the PC is unplugged, the PSU is off, and the power cable disconnected before doing this.
timmyoes@reddit
Well you can over torque the screws but I’m not 100% sure that would immediately show an issue would you be able to provide any pictures of the motherboard and the cables plugged into it ? You can dm them to me if you’re not open to it being public I just want to rule everything out before deciding it could be a hardware problem I just figured you removed the cpu in my first comment
0xDEA110C8@reddit (OP)
Gonna upload pictures tomorrow. Also, the cooler is a stock Intel cooler, with those plastic pushpins.
timmyoes@reddit
That doesn’t sound like something you can over torque do you have 2 sticks of ram or only one? If you have two try using only one and see if it works then
0xDEA110C8@reddit (OP)
Tried 3 different sticks, one at a time, in different slots - no luck.
timmyoes@reddit
You said everything powers on but there is just no display? You can get to bios but nothing else?
0xDEA110C8@reddit (OP)
The PC powers on, but doesn't POST, meaning I can't get into the BIOS. Keyboard & mouse also don't work.
timmyoes@reddit
I’m having a similar problem with an ASUS prime x570-p motherboard where it will show me the screen to enter bios but won’t register the keyboard and I tried 3 separate keyboards you haven’t added anything new after you cleaned it right?
0xDEA110C8@reddit (OP)
Nope. Nothing new was added after cleaning.
CountingWoolies@reddit
let it boot without addional ssd but also no mouse or keyboard , no headphones etc. no usb sticks
timmyoes@reddit
So what did you clean and what did you use to clean the computer with?
0xDEA110C8@reddit (OP)
I described what I did in one of the replies of another thread.
TheNetherChickens@reddit
Asus Prime x570 Pro here, had the same issue and had to use a now 10+ year old keyboard to access my Bios. Not sure if age actually has any say and/or if there's something about newer keyboards clashing with the Bios somehow... But I can tell you the OG Razer black window works! 😅
jbondhus@reddit
This may seem weird but I've seen this before on a board that had a bent pin. The CPU aligned properly, until the cooler was changed out and then all the sudden it didn't POST. I would consider removing the CPU and double checking that the pins are not damaged and that everything is seated properly.
CountingWoolies@reddit
PC be like that , you can run it for 14 hours previous day then you turn it off , it will cool down , next day you try to power it up and it's dead.
Yes it could be due to cleaning but it could be just something decided to die randomly.
theSmolnyy@reddit
I would recommend to reset your bios by taking out the battery for a few minutes, if it doesn't help then try to reinstall ram.
c1p0@reddit
Seems like you already tried everything, but one more thing to check is your motherboard manual for jumper configurations and check that you didn't move or remove any jumpers when cleaning it. Sometimes old motherboards have configurable parameters with jumpers. Might be worth a look 🤷🏽♂️
0xDEA110C8@reddit (OP)
There's a single jumper on the board - the chassis intrusion & it's in the right place.
c1p0@reddit
Alright. Had a similar issue once and it turned out the reset BIOS jumper was in the wrong position. Sorry it wasn't helpful in your case.
PinkieBarto@reddit
had this happen once after cleaning a very old PC, try taking out the CMOS battery for a few minutes then putting it back in, that's what did it for me.
FloridaSensei69@reddit
I had this happen a few times when cleaning older pcs and it was always fixed with cmos battery removing for a few minutes and putting it back in (ofc unplug psu from the wall first)
Naptasticly@reddit
Either something isn’t seated properly or you static discharged and killed something during the cleaning process. I’ve done it before. Most PC owners have at some point if they are building and working on it
staffyman@reddit
Try playing around with the CPU fan connection on the motherboard.. Start the pc with it unplugged and then after a shutdown, plug it back in and see if it boots normally
bigeyez@reddit
Does you CPU have integrated graphics? If so remove the GPU and see if it posts.
0xDEA110C8@reddit (OP)
No.
dude_on_a_chair@reddit
The b85m-e has integrated graphics and it sounds like it defaulted to it
0xDEA110C8@reddit (OP)
The CPU is the thing that has integrated graphics, not the MB. This CPU doesn't have integrated graphics.
dude_on_a_chair@reddit
Like did you plug into the onboard VGA port and boot?
bigeyez@reddit
Hmm. Did you remove your GPU while cleaning? Does it have a power cable or is it powered solely by the PCIE slot?
If you removed it then try reseating it. If it has external power recheck the cables and ensure it's fully plugged in.
0xDEA110C8@reddit (OP)
Everything inside the case, including the GPU, was removed.
The power cable for the GPU is fully inserted.
As for cleaning, I removed everything from the case, wiped the case down with a microfiber cloth, compressed air & electric contact cleaner [was the only thing I had on hand], cleaned the fans with paper towels, compressed air & contact cleaner, separated the CPU fan & heatsink to more thoroughly clean them [they are held in using plastic clips / tabs], opened the PSU to clean the fan & blasted the inside with compressed air, repasted the CPU & cleaned the motherboard using compressed air [did not use any brushes on the motherboard, just compressed air] & put everything back in the case. I made sure to properly screw everything in & connect everything properly.
QuestioningEnby@reddit
You opened the PSU? As in unscrewed the case? That's a really really really bad idea.
You're lucky to be alive
Also you've probably borked things by using cleaner - clean air (from a can or a specialist blower) and isopropyl alcohol should be used.
What was in the cleaner you used?
Was it 10000% dry when you reassembled it?
You've probably sorted some traces - cleaners generally aren't "pure" enough to use on a pc
0xDEA110C8@reddit (OP)
Canned air: propane, butane
Electric contact cleaner: isopropanol, C7-C9 hydrocarbons, n-alkanes, isoalkanes, cycloalkanes, isobutanol
0xDEA110C8@reddit (OP)
The PSU had been unplugged for a couple of days before I decided to open it. The cleaner wasn't used on any PCBs, only compressed air.
WraithTechnician@reddit
How long the PSU was unplugged does not matter. PSU's contain capacitors that can hold a charge for YEARS when fully unplugged and are powerful enough to kill you. You really are lucky to be alive. Never, EVER, open a PSU for pretty much any reason unless you REALLY know what you're doing. Clean it as best you can with compressed air from the outside at different angles.
I'd bet there's a good chance there's something wrong with the PSU and it's not able to provide the right power to the right places, and is trying to automatically recover, cycling fans repeatedly. I've also seen this behavior with shorts, such as a loose screw between a pcb and the case or a broken usb port with pins bent and touching the outside housing.
0xDEA110C8@reddit (OP)
Any sources on the claim that PC PSUs can hold a charge for years? The only things I did to the PSU was remove & clean the shroud, unscrew & clean the fan, blast the inside with compressed air & put it back together. I then proceeded to wipe the outside of the PSU with a microfiber cloth. After doing that, I tested the PSU by bridging the PS_ON# pin with one of the ground pins - the PSU turned on & the fan spun with no issues.
WraithTechnician@reddit
It was a general safety reminder. I don't want some random kid on reddit that stumbles across your post to believe that it's perfectly safe to open their PSU to clean it. I don't have an article in my back pocket about capacitors, how long they hold a charge, or dangers, nor am I going to go try to find one for a random reddit post. I'm not here to "be more right". I've seen countless mentions of the dangers of opening a PSU over the last 20 years. Each PSU is different, with different capacitors and different safety measures. Some capacitors CAN hold a charge for "up to years" from what I've heard in the past. That doesn't mean the ones in your psu will. That also doesn't mean that poking around in it if you don't know what you're doing isn't inherently dangerous. It's your life and you can open it and dig around if you want to, but you should know that it can be very dangerous and the capacitors in a psu can be capable of holding a charge that can be lethal, even after it's been unplugged for a few days or longer in some cases. Just make sure you understand the risks and be careful.
0xDEA110C8@reddit (OP)
Fair enough.
unevoljitelj@reddit
You are lucky to be alive lol, its not a bomb with a countdown, chill out dude.
0xDEA110C8@reddit (OP)
Dust was literally in EVERY corner of the PC. The PSU was caked with dust.
BeavisTheSixth@reddit
Yeah i bet it the psu as well.
bigeyez@reddit
The only other advice I can offer is to try and get find a friend or family member with a PC so you can verify that your RAM, drives and GPU are still working. Check your video cables with their system just in case too.
If they all work than you know for sure it's an issue with the PSU/Motherboard/CPU.
Own_Flight_3971@reddit
This happened to me while cleaning a PC. It was the psu that fixed my issue. Amazon has a good return process in case that is not your solution...
ampkajes08@reddit
Check if you stripped some capacitors on your ram
0xDEA110C8@reddit (OP)
Just added a link to pictures & a video.
batfuse@reddit
Did you blow out the fans and let them spin? This can case motherboard to fail.
0xDEA110C8@reddit (OP)
The fans were removed from the motherboard.
saurion1@reddit
If you already troubleshot RAM and GPU, I would remove both the CMOS battery and the CPU, check for damage in the socket, and if there's none, reinsert and try again. I've had PCs not POST in the past and reseating the CPU and/or CMOS battery fixed it.
TalonODD@reddit
Hey op, When you cleaned your cpu you might have shifted it where it was seated, or when remove the cooler, I'd recommend highly to reset the CPU and then take out all the ram except one in the main spot so depending on board it's either a1-a2
You don't need to put the cooler back on, after reseating the CPU and with one stick make sure your monitor is on first with a known working dp/HDMI cable, (actually screen on not standby) and make sure your GPU is seated correctly with pins on correct, you might have a lose cable on PSU, assuming all is correctly Inserted try boot the PC, if the CPU is the issue you will get a no post, if it posts and restarts right away that is a ram memory training so don't be alarm, keep us updated.
Benzjie@reddit
Probably ram...use just one stick and make sure it's seated properly( had the same issue a couple of days ago. New build, 1 bad stick)
idehibla@reddit
Try to coat the gold pins of your gpu card lightly with a little drop of wd40, insert the card to the slot and remove it. Do it a few times. The idea is to remove any oxidation if any on both the gpu pins and the slot. Don't spray the wd40 directly to the slot, only light coating on all surface of gpu's pin. I fixed my son's pc that way when his pc suddenly does not boot. It happened rarely (fail to boot), like once every three months or so. Usually unplugging then reinsert the gpu fixes the problem, sometimes after many tries. But it didn't work that day, no matter how many times I'd tried to unplug and plug the card. The wd40 method fixed it. No problem until now, perhaps more than six moths since then.
beirch@reddit
No, do not use WD40, what the actual fuck. Use contact cleaner or iso alcohol.
WD40 will leave residue that attracts dust.
kokohobo@reddit
I had this happen and reseated my CPU and redid my thermal paste and it luckily came back to life.
middalent@reddit
Agreed with reseating the CPU. Since everything else failed, try to remove the CPU for a couple of minutes and put it back in. If still fail to post, try with other PSU.
0xDEA110C8@reddit (OP)
Unfortunately, I don't have any spare parts besides RAM.
0xDEA110C8@reddit (OP)
Here's the motherboard manual just in case.
jbondhus@reddit
How exactly did you clean your PC? Can you describe your procedure? Certain types of cleaning could cause damage, such as using unfiltered compressed air or a vacuum cleaner.
0xDEA110C8@reddit (OP)
Check one of the replies.
VoidNinja62@reddit
Were you blowing into the PCIe slots like a nintendo cartridge or something?
Anyway a common thing I see youtubers doing is jabbing/poking the motherboard alot with a screw driver and you can genuinely damage tracers that way.
0xDEA110C8@reddit (OP)
I have a hunch that I might have scratched the motherboard / knocked off a component while screwing / unscrewing it.
thelovebat@reddit
Check for scratches everywhere including on the back of the motherboard. There may be connections on the front or back of the motherboard that got scratched or dinged, such as incidental contact while removing components, the back of the motherboard being placed on a hard surface instead of a workmat or soft mousepad, a screw that you removed sliding across or hitting a component, etc.
It's also possible one of the connections on the graphics card itself was chipped after the removal and reinstalltion of it into the expansion slot. This is more likely to happen with something like a RAM stick's connector getting chipped, but the RAM led light isn't turning on to indicate a problem with your RAM or RAM slot so I don't think it's that.
It's also possible something happened to the memory channels with the CPU socket, which could be why swapping out the RAM didn't fix the problem. But I don't think that's the issue here either with the RAM led turning on without RAM inserted but not turning on with RAM in.
0xDEA110C8@reddit (OP)
My money's on incidental contact.
Also, while working on the board outside of the case, I placed it on a cardboard box.
TheTahitiTrials@reddit
I've had this happen a few times when building throughout the years, and it usually always amounts to a loose connector somewhere. I'd check that all your PSU cables are properly connected on every component, and if you have a modular PSU to first and foremost check that the cables are fully seated from the other side as well.
0xDEA110C8@reddit (OP)
The 24 pin connector is an absolute bitch to insert / remove.
TheTahitiTrials@reddit
It is the worst one to deal with, I agree. I'd also check that the GPU is fully, and securely, mounted and none of the pin connectors are loose as well.
CPU connectors as well. Last ditch for me if none of that works would be RAM.
I've always gotten a system to boot up eventually. Longest one took me a week because we had to ship some replacement parts in. You'll probably figure it out eventually. And it's usually more obvious than you'd think, too.
0xDEA110C8@reddit (OP)
Thanks for the advice!
jabbrwock1@reddit
It won’t help OP, but see this as an example of why you shouldn’t mess around with a perfectly working PC. Every time you do something mechanically, you risk breaking something.
Dust your PC and clean the filters. Reapply thermal paste if your temperatures go up, but only then. Otherwise, leave it alone.
0xDEA110C8@reddit (OP)
I wanted to do a deep clean to really get all the dust out. I also never built a PC before, so I figured this was a good learning opportunity.
Random_Guy_47@reddit
What did you learn from this opportunity?
If it ain't broke don't fix it.
0xDEA110C8@reddit (OP)
I find it ironic how you wrote this on a PC building sub.
0xDEA110C8@reddit (OP)
Learn by doing.
jabbrwock1@reddit
Sorry, I definitely didn’t want to dump on you and it really sucks that your PC broke. The risk to break something is likely really small.
Personally I’m a bit lazy and try to adhere to the motto “don’t fix if it isn’t broken”.
Razgorths@reddit
Do the GPU fans spin at all? It's possible your GPU isn't seated properly/getting power. Any sign of activity from it that you can see?
0xDEA110C8@reddit (OP)
The GPU fans do spin. However, they don't spin constantly - they spin, then stop, then spin again. The two fans also spin at different RPMs.
runed_golem@reddit
That's somewhat normal behavior. A lot of gpus will turn the fans off if the temp is low enough. This may sound silly, but where is the display cable plugged in, the GPU or the MOBO?
0xDEA110C8@reddit (OP)
The display cable is plugged into the GPU - MB has no integrated graphics.
retropieproblems@reddit
Double check power to the gpu
LaidbackENT@reddit
Try a different display or hdmi cable Try a different monitor if you are able. Remove all components that aren't necessary for start up (extra hdd or sdds) Try one ram stick at a time (ensure they and firmly placed in the slot) Check and see if you put power cable for the motherboard and cpu.
Post pictures I want to see your build as it is currently
throwawaythatpa@reddit
Try using an HDMI cable
0xDEA110C8@reddit (OP)
The monitor has no HDMI ports. Besides, I doubt that's the issue since the PC refuses to boot regardless if a monitor is present or not.
throwawaythatpa@reddit
What lights turn on the motherboard
0xDEA110C8@reddit (OP)
The board only has a single LED - motherboard power.
Overthecloudedvalley@reddit
Have you tried clearing CMOS to set your bios back to default? It doesn't look like you oc but maybe it needs to be reset? Your mobo has jumpers at the bottom for this.
0xDEA110C8@reddit (OP)
The GPU is screwed into the case - the ports are properly aligned at the back.
geefmejegeld@reddit
With there's no POST, I think you mean no power to monitor and such?
I had the same problem with my new freshly build pc. Turned out the GPU was defect in some way. With the GPU removed the oc was working fine. Ordered new (the same) GPU and the pc was working flawlessly.
0xDEA110C8@reddit (OP)
No signal, no beeps - nothing. It stays powered on but never boots.
ignite1hp@reddit
Just to be sure, you didn't plug the hdmi cable (or display port) into the integrated graphics on the motherboard did you?
Also, how long did you leave it running before shutting it down? Try giving it....longer. Sometimes first posts can take 2+ minutes (usually only seen on AMD from memory training), but still.
0xDEA110C8@reddit (OP)
I left the PC running for an hour last night - no luck.
PhatPhatzo@reddit
Is the power switch on back of PSU flipped to 1 from 0? Lol sorry
0xDEA110C8@reddit (OP)
yes lol
Geo215th@reddit
Usually the ram is seated incorrectly causing this but as youve said youve switched it out a few times, could be something in wiring to psu. Double check all wiring from motherboard to psu if anything is loose/out of place.
0xDEA110C8@reddit (OP)
Both the 24 pin & 4 pin connectors are seated fully. GPU is seated fully, both the slot & power connector. Front panel USBs receive power, so those work too. Front panel connectors [power/reset button, LEDs] are also connected. Storage is also connected. All fans work. Tried multiple DIMMs & slots, none worked.
finn-the-rabbit@reddit
I recently cleaned older PCs, and it too failed to POST. It was indeed memory problems for me and I did the memory swap as well. What worked for me was wiping down the contacts on the RAM. I think one of the sticks had very slightly tarnished contacts on it so I just wiped it down with 99% alcohol. Then I also brushed out the RAM slots with a toothbrush because that PC was REALLY dusty and some dust probably got in the slots when I took it apart to work on it
Practical_Adagio_504@reddit
The spray cleaner you used has turned some of that dust into a slurry and is probably been jammed under a capacitor or two and maybe in under an ic and is shorting one of your power supply rails down. The power supply is crowbarring and shutting off and trying to come back up automatically, hence the fans cycling on and off. Take everything apart including the cpu, remove the battery and leave it out, then using a mild spray cleaner like fantastic or awesome degreaser and a very soft “chip brush” with the wooden handle and the camel hair bristle brush (the cheap ones) gently spray everything under running hot tap water like from a kitchen sink sprayer and then a light spray from the mild degreaser, gently brush away the dirt and grime. Rinse everything with hot tap water and then get your pancake compressor and blow dry everything being careful to not over spin the bearings on the fans. Then to get it really dry, place parts in an oven set at 130F ish maybe with a small fan blowing over it all (convection oven works wonders here). 150F would be ok but no higher! You just don’t want the plastics to melt. Dry in oven about four hours or overnight. Good luck!
jaedaddy@reddit
super random but if the ram is an issue, get an eraser one of the large ones. and rub out the contacts on the ram. both sides and bottom. dont ask me why it works i just know it "repaired" a ton of "dead" ram when i worked as an it asset removal opman.
MankyFundoshi@reddit
My vote is bad PSU
_1_of_1_@reddit
Try to boot from a different hard drive, you may have corrupted the HDD by breakint something insidd while moving it
hypnotiiik@reddit
Had this happen to me few weeks ago and I could not resolve it. Ended up buying a new motherboard/rams/cpu bundle from micro center as it was about 10yo. Surprised it lasted that long.
I hope you succeed my friend
0xDEA110C8@reddit (OP)
Yeah, the build is pretty old. Oldest component is a WD HDD from 2008 - 50k power-on hours on that bad boy. I first got this PC in 2019 & even back then it wasn't exactly cutting-edge. I'm gonna miss it in case I can't fix it.
AllBluePirate@reddit
Ive had this happen to me a couple times and clearing CMOS to reset bios fixed it for me. You did say however that u have tried resetting BIOS so not sure.
sloth2008@reddit
Strip it to the basics. You don't need drives to get it to post. I expect it to still fail. Pull the video card. You should get a different POST error beep then you did with the RAM.
Fire5auce@reddit
I've seen this happen when the cpu cooler is screwed in too tightly. Maybe back the screws out a tad?
xalazaar@reddit
I had this happen after updating BIOS. Between clearing CMOS (removing the internal battery for a few minutes) and switching the ROM sticks around, the comp eventually posted after a restart or two.
0xDEA110C8@reddit (OP)
Forgot to mention this, but I tried one RAM stick at a time. Also, the HDD activity light turns on briefly after the system powers on. Not sure if that's relevant.