Member Avatar for Renick

So I was installing a new SSD in my PC. After doing so, the PC made continuous beeping sound. Then I researched about the problem and came to know that continuous beep is due to CPU. Then I removed the CPU fan, cleaned up the thermal paste, then put the fan back.(NOTE- No thermal paste was on the CPU, I just thought of putting it later i.e after checking if my SSD is working properly).But this time, the PC did not make any noise, there was only flickering of lights and when I connect a USB light, even that flickered. Kindly tell me what is the issue.
Things I've tried- RESET CMOS
Removed all components except CPU,RAM,PSU and tried booting.
Here are my specs-
Intel i5 4440
Gigabyte H97-D3H
Kingston hyperX 8gb RAM
1TB+500GB HDD
120GB SSD
Corsair VS450 PSU

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  • Latest Post Latest Post by rproffitt

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Generated

Brief, practical follow-up to ’s report and ’s bench-test suggestion.

Symptoms described (SSD install → continuous beeps → heatsink removed/reinstalled → now silence and board + USB light flicker) point toward either an electrical problem (PSU rail instability or a short) or a board/socket fault rather than a simple drive issue. The continuous-beep event earlier is useful diagnostic history but beep meanings vary by BIOS vendor, so the exact code should be checked against the Gigabyte H97 manual.

Recommended, ordered checks (safe and easy first):

  • Power/short check on the bench: remove the board from the case, place on a nonconductive surface, connect only PSU, CPU with properly seated cooler, and a single known-good RAM stick. Start the board by shorting the power pins briefly or using the case switch. Observe fan spin, LED behavior and any beeps.
  • PSU sanity: a flickering USB lamp is a strong clue of an unstable 5V rail. Try a different, known-good PSU or a simple PSU-tester/multimeter measurement (take mains safety precautions or get a helper who is comfortable with meters).
  • Socket and mounting inspection: with power unplugged, inspect the CPU socket area for bent/misaligned pins, foreign debris, or grease. Confirm the cooler is mounted correctly and not causing a short with mounting hardware.
  • RAM and minimal POST: test each RAM stick alone in the primary DIMM slot and try other slots. Remove drives and peripherals so POST stops depend only on CPU+RAM+PSU+MB.
  • Case short and standoffs: check that no extra standoffs or loose screws contact the PCB. Re-seat the board in a single-standoff configuration for testing if unsure.

Cautions and next steps: running the CPU for testing without thermal paste is acceptable for very short checks but not for extended runs. Grounding and static precautions are important when handling the socket. If bench tests with a known-good PSU fail, the likely culprits are the motherboard or a damaged socket/CPU and professional repair or part swap will be the practical next move.

Member Avatar for rproffitt

This is what we call The Dead PC. I see you removed most things but one part I rarely see folk remove is the case. Be sure to pull out the mainboard onto cardboard and try it without the case using the bare minimum parts. If those parts don't work you are looking at the bad part or parts.

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