Computer powering up but not detecting any peripherals

[FinnH11]

Hi, 2 days ago my building or a building nearby was struck by lightning and my computer has been having difficulties since. My SSD was corrupted and the pc has been playing up a lot since. Today I was using my computer like normal when the screen froze, my peripheral LEDs began flashing and my headphones played a screeching sound. I turned off the computer the only way I could, via the power button, but now the PC will not detect any peripherals of any kind and powers up but remains idle after. I can not turn off the computer via the power button once it is on, only by using the PSU switch at the back. The fans spin on Graphics card, CPU fan, PSU and the HDD spins so I suspect that the issue may lie with the Motherboard rather than the PSU or CPU. I have gone through possible causes in my head and I am just looking to clarify what the issue may be. There should be a video attached.

 

My Pc specs:

OS: Win10 Pro

CPU: AMD FX-8350

GPU: Nvidia GeForce GTX-960

MOBO: MSI 970A-G43 AM3+ socket

RAM: HyperX Savage (2x4gb)

PSU: AeroCool Integrator 700W

 

Thanks for reading.

 

EDIT: Video doesn't seem to want to attach using my phone... Hopefully my description is clear enough.

[KenB]

Hi, and welcome to ExTS

 

My SSD was corrupted and the pc has been playing up a lot since. Today I was using my computer like normal when the screen froze,

Are you assuming that the SSD was corrupted or do you know?

This is confusing me because if the OS is on your SSD and it is corrupted - how can you use the computer normally ?

 

powers up but remains idle after.

When you say "Powers up" does Windows load up ?

 

The lightening strike could have taken out the M-Board and damaged other components too.

 

Try the simple things first.

You have two RAM modules.

Remove one.

Try booting up. If no go - swap for the other one and try just that one.

[FinnH11]

Hi, and welcome to ExTS

 

 

Are you assuming that the SSD was corrupted or do you know?

This is confusing me because if the OS is on your SSD and it is corrupted - how can you use the computer normally ?

 

 

When you say "Powers up" does Windows load up ?

 

The lightening strike could have taken out the M-Board and damaged other components too.

 

Try the simple things first.

You have two RAM modules.

Remove one.

Try booting up. If no go - swap for the other one and try just that one.

 

Hi, yeah I should have clarified. Firstly I know the SSD is corrupted because the morning after the lightning strike I booted up my pc and was met with the windows repair screen. Nothing on it would work, including resetting and wiping the entire pc. I watched a YouTube video detailing how I could use the CMD prompt to fix this issue (

) but the CMD told me that all the SSD windows modules were corrupted and unreadable. My SSD was pretty cheap so this wasn't too big of a problem for me.

 

For a short term fix, I unplugged my SSD and reinstalled windows on my HDD which worked for 2 days.

 

When I say 'Powers up' I mean I press the power button, everything turns on and spins, however the power button no longer does anything and the computer does not detect anything connected to it. I would have no idea if Windows is loading on it because the monitors are not detected by the pc. I have tried starting the computer without a ram module to force the bios setup but this yields the same result. No output from the pc whatsoever, hence why I think it may be a mobo issue.

[KenB]

reinstalled windows on my HDD which worked for 2 days.

This sounds odd - If the M-Board was taken out then it wouldn't boot up.

It works for 2 days then nothing. - ??

 

reinstalled windows on my HDD

Did you use the DVD?

If so - at that time the M-Board was detecting the player and, presumably everything else was ok ?

 

So - If I am reading this correctly - The only IMMEDIATE damage following the strike was the SSD.

2 days later the system dies.

Is this correct?

 

the computer does not detect anything connected to it

As you suggest - I too think that the M-Board is at fault.

 

If you were getting screeching through the headphones the sound-card [ or chip if onboard ] could have been taken out too.

 

If the power button is no longer working this too points to the M-Board.

 

================================

 

You say that you get nothing on the monitor.

Can you try this on another system? - just to confirm that it is OK.

 

Unplug from the wall.

Then - remove all cards from the M-Board. { RAM / Video / Sound etc }

Leave the monitor connected.

Connect power again and switch on.

Does the monitor show any signs of life?

 

If so - replace the cards ONE AT A TIME - switching on after each replacement.

 

=================================

 

You said that the power button doesn't work to turn the machine off.

Does it turn the system on?

Or is the power button permanently "ON"?

[FinnH11]

This sounds odd - If the M-Board was taken out then it wouldn't boot up.

It works for 2 days then nothing. - ??

 

 

Did you use the DVD?

If so - at that time the M-Board was detecting the player and, presumably everything else was ok ?

 

So - If I am reading this correctly - The only IMMEDIATE damage following the strike was the SSD.

2 days later the system dies.

Is this correct?

 

 

As you suggest - I too think that the M-Board is at fault.

 

If you were getting screeching through the headphones the sound-card [ or chip if onboard ] could have been taken out too.

 

If the power button is no longer working this too points to the M-Board.

 

================================

 

You say that you get nothing on the monitor.

Can you try this on another system? - just to confirm that it is OK.

 

Unplug from the wall.

Then - remove all cards from the M-Board. { RAM / Video / Sound etc }

Leave the monitor connected.

Connect power again and switch on.

Does the monitor show any signs of life?

 

If so - replace the cards ONE AT A TIME - switching on after each replacement.

 

=================================

 

You said that the power button doesn't work to turn the machine off.

Does it turn the system on?

Or is the power button permanently "ON"?

 

Sorry for the paragraphs, formatting this on my phone is too clunky so I will just address your points one by one:

 

Yes, it worked for 2 days running on the HDD and then just stopped working out of nowhere. I was playing a game at the time which meant it was working at a higher level of performance but it had coped fine with the same level of use over the 2 days prior.

 

I installed the OS through a usb stick, but you are correct that the only immediate damage was the SSD, followed by the system dying 2 days later.

 

I haven't got another system to test with, but the monitors are fine and displaying picture, so both are working normally. My motherboard doesn't have any video output so the only way to connect them is via the GPU. If I am receiving no picture, does that mean the GPU sustained damage too? Or would the faulty motherboard just not recognise the GPU and subsequently not attempt to output any video?

 

The power button works to turn the system on, however then is permanently on and doesn't turn the system off after holding down for any length of time. The only way then to turn the system off is by the PSU switch at the back.

 

Thank you for the clarification about the suspicion of the faulty motherboard. My main concern now is whether my CPU or GPU may have also sustained damage. I will be buying a new motherboard within the next 24 hours, so are the components safe to transfer on to a new board? I haven't had anything like this happen before so don't want to take unnecessary risks. I really appreciate your help.

[KenB]

Hi again,

Thanks for the further details - it does help clarify the problem.

 

If the machine performed normally for 2 days it is unlikely that the strike damaged the motherboard or any other components other than the SSD.

I have never heard of a "delayed reaction" to a spike.

The components would be damaged at the time - or survive intact.

 

I think that we are agreed that the M-Board has a problem.

This could be co-incidence.

 

the monitors are fine and displaying picture

I am confused regarding the monitor.

You say that it displays a picture - but in a previous post you say ...

the monitors are not detected by the pc.

Can you clarify please?

 

are the components safe to transfer on to a new board?

Is there a possibility that you had another spike two days after the first?

If not then my inclination is to say - yes.

There is only one way to find out - and that is to transfer the old components to the new board.

I assume that you bought the exact same M-Board again?

 

There is one other thing I would test - and that is the PSU.

Just because it is spinning the fans does not mean that it is performing as it should.

You can test this with a volt-meter if you have one.

[FinnH11]

Hi again,

Thanks for the further details - it does help clarify the problem.

 

If the machine performed normally for 2 days it is unlikely that the strike damaged the motherboard or any other components other than the SSD.

I have never heard of a "delayed reaction" to a spike.

The components would be damaged at the time - or survive intact.

 

I think that we are agreed that the M-Board has a problem.

This could be co-incidence.

 

 

I am confused regarding the monitor.

You say that it displays a picture - but in a previous post you say ...

 

Can you clarify please?

 

 

Is there a possibility that you had another spike two days after the first?

If not then my inclination is to say - yes.

There is only one way to find out - and that is to transfer the old components to the new board.

I assume that you bought the exact same M-Board again?

 

There is one other thing I would test - and that is the PSU.

Just because it is spinning the fans does not mean that it is performing as it should.

You can test this with a volt-meter if you have one.

 

The monitors were not detected by the system, as in no video output was being produced by the Pc (I suspect because the motherboard was not detecting my GPU) and subsequently the monitors were both displaying 'No signal' however both still have their actual displays working and functioning as if they were unplugged any other time leading up to this. There is definitely no issue with them.

 

There wasn't a second spike which is why this situation has confused me so much. I wasn't going to buy the same motherboard as I thought I may as well upgrade while I am at it. I will also make sure to test my PSU. Thanks for the help!

[KenB]

Hi again,

 

If you are changing the M-Board you will probably find that you have to re-activate Windows again.

Windows will probably not be able to identify the new hardware.