Came home to dead dedicated security rig...what now?

[soarwitheagles]

Hi again everyone!

Wow, before, I was visiting this website every other day...now it has been many, many months! So sorry to be gone for so long. I learned so much from everyone here!

Ok, came home, my security system was down. Checked the dedicated security rig...dead as a door nail.

Ripped into it this evening. Everything looks fine so far.

So where do I begin?

I was thinking of pulling the PSU and testing it [I have one of the el cheapo testers that let you check voltage on the various cables...would this be a nice place to start?

What else can I do?

Thank you,

Soar

PS Oh, almost forgot...my rig!

Intel i7-4770k
ASRock Z87E-ITX
Seasonic SS660-XP
G.Skil Rip Jaws 8gb
Zalmon LQ cooler
Cooler Master HAF XB EVO

 

[carnageX]

Need more details - what do you mean by "dead"? Any lights turn on? Any fans spin up? Any beep codes?

 

[soarwitheagles]

Need more details - what do you mean by "dead"? Any lights turn on? Any fans spin up? Any beep codes?

carnageX, so you are still alive and kickin'?

Good to hear from you. Been a long, long time! And thanks for replying...

Dead as in nada. No lights, no fans, absolutely nothing...

Did an in depth and in detail visual, everything looks purrrrrfect in the visual...but no power going anywhere.

 

[Trotter]

Yeah, test the PSU and try a different one in the rig. If you get nothing with a known good PSU I would try swapping out the CMOS battery with another mobo to check that.

 

[soarwitheagles]

Yeah, test the PSU and try a different one in the rig. If you get nothing with a known good PSU I would try swapping out the CMOS battery with another mobo to check that.

Hi Trotter! Long time no talk to you! How are you? Here, keeping busy. Got into ranching and sheep herding. It requires much more time than I realized.

Anyway, the security rig is super important because we need it for all the HD IP cameras. Need to monitor coyote activity here to keep our sheep safe.

Ok, I removed the Seasonic SS660-XP and installed an exact duplicate. Still no power...anywhere.

So sorry, I did not understand your suggestion about swapping out the CMOS battery with another mobo. Please clarify if possible. Are you saying install a new CR2032 CMOS Battery? Is that it?

Dude, I am desperate to get this rig up and running due to security concerns...

Here is what I have done so far:

1. Installed a working Seasonic SS660-XP. Hit power button, no go.
2. Checked voltage coming to the PSU from the wall, good 120v.
3. Carefully checked all PSU wires...all are good.
4. Carefully inspected the MB no burn marks or shorts noticeable.
5. Removed the two wires that go from case on/off switch to MB, and shorted the MB prongs to bypass the case switch...still no go.

I am beginning to suspect the MB, but not sure...

Not sure what to do next, but I am all ears!!!

Please help me out if ya can!

 

[Trotter]

Yes, the CMOS battery. Swap one from another board if you have one so you don't have to spend any money up front to test it.

 

[C0RR0SIVE]

Can you get us a good quality picture of the motherboard? Sounds like the mobo has flat out completely died... Change the battery (though I have never seen a system stop cold cause of the battery), and if possible, test your other components in another machine to see if they still work.

 

[carnageX]

Gonna suggest the super-simple option too: have you tried a different power outlet? Are you hooked up to a surge protector or UPS? If a UPS...are the batteries in it dead?

 

[soarwitheagles]

Thanks again for your awesome help Carnage, Trotter, and Corrosive!

Carnage, I have tested the power coming into the computer line with a voltage meter and all is well. I took this rig off of the UPS and trying to start it from the wall outlet. Wall outlet has full voltage according to voltage meter.

Trotter, no problem on the CR 2032! I purchased a shipload of em' for my gun scopes. But I still did the voltage check on the new one and it shows good to go. I also reset the BIOS with jumper and left it overnight...still no sweetness!

Well, I put in a new CMOS battery. Tried that. No go.

I forgot that 1.5 years ago I had purchased a Gigabyte Z97-HD3P MB. It is brand new, still sealed in the package. I also just noticed that the revuews in the ASRock Z87E-ITX are mostly total crap with many complaints of the MB dying after 1-3 years [this ASRock Z87E-ITX is 3.5 years old, on 24/7 the entire time].

I suppose I need to ask some more questions...

1. Is there anything else I can do to see if the ASRock Z87E-ITX is the problem?
2. Can I switch the ASRock Z87E-ITX with the Gigabyte Z97-HD3P MB or will I have problems with my legit Windows 10 crying foul?
3. Have you any other suggestions before I rip into this rig? [I need it up and running now due to security requirements].
4. In the specs this Gigabyte Z97-HD3P MB says it has M.2 SSD capabilities. May I use my existing SSD and utilize the M.2, or must I purchase a special M.2 SSD? And is it really much of a difference?

Well, that is all for now. Please help me if you can. I am ready to rip into this rig tonight if I have to.

Thanks again!

Soar

PS Posting pics per your requests! Before criticizing the small ITX MB in a larger computer case, please remember, I had this system in a super small mini-itx computer case inside a non A/C steel building with no ventilation and had problems with overheating, so I transferred all the components into a Cooler Master HAF XB EVO. It has run cool as a cucumber ever since...

 

[carnageX]

Answers in bold.

1. Is there anything else I can do to see if the ASRock Z87E-ITX is the problem?
Tried the different outlet like I suggested? Other than that... :shrug:
2. Can I switch the ASRock Z87E-ITX with the Gigabyte Z97-HD3P MB or will I have problems with my legit Windows 10 crying foul?
Is this a retail copy or an OEM copy? If it's the Win10 upgrade version...was your Win7/8.1 an OEM copy or a Retail copy? If it was Retail you shouldn't have any issues (may need to do a phone call to rearm, but that's it); if it's OEM...then it was technically tied to the previous hardware and you may not be able to activate (and thus need to purchase a new copy of Windows).
3. Have you any other suggestions before I rip into this rig? [I need it up and running now due to security requirements].
See #1
4. In the specs this Gigabyte Z97-HD3P MB says it has M.2 SSD capabilities. May I use my existing SSD and utilize the M.2, or must I purchase a special M.2 SSD? And is it really much of a difference?
You can use the existing SSD. You don't need to use an M.2.
Well, that is all for now. Please help me if you can. I am ready to rip into this rig tonight if I have to.

Thanks again!

Soar

PS Posting pics per your requests!