Is my motherboard broken? That's how you find out

All components of the PC are connected via the mainboard as a central unit. So how do you test whether this is broken? Since the replacement of the mainboard is not without its dangers and all components have to be removed, we show you in this practical tip how you can determine a defect.

Mainboard broken: Power LED does not light up

A failure of the power LED can be a clear indication of a motherboard defect. This small light is usually on the front of your PC. First check whether the small lamp lights up after starting the PC. If the power LED does not light up, the mainboard does not necessarily have to be broken. Then check whether the corresponding cables are plugged in.

• Unscrew the side part of your PC.
• Most motherboards have the connectors (so-called pins) at the lower end of the mainboard on the right side. Check whether the connectors marked "POWER +" and "POWER -" (often "PWR +" and PWR- ") are inserted.
• If all cables are plugged in correctly, this may indicate a defective motherboard. Alternatively, the power LED can also be broken.

Motherboard defective: computer does not provide an image signal

If the PC does not deliver an image, the graphics unit is usually replaced. In some cases, however, a defective motherboard can also be the reason for the failure.

• If the graphics card does not output a video signal, plug the monitor into one of the onboard graphics outputs.
• If there is still no picture when the PC is switched on and the power LED is not lit, the motherboard is probably defective.

Motherboard broken: processor is not controlled

Another indication of a broken motherboard is that the processor is not controlled.

• Let the PC run for a few minutes even without a video signal and power LED.
• Then switch off the PC and feel the CPU cooler fins carefully.
• If these are cold, the CPU is not activated. This behavior usually indicates a defective CPU, but in combination with the other symptoms, this also indicates a defective mainboard.

Mainboard defective: speaker remains silent

Everyone knows the short beep when the PC starts. But what does it mean? The mainboard speaker issues error messages to the user via the beeps.

• If your PC is no longer beeping, but did this every time you started it, this is another indication for a defective mainboard.
• If your PC has never beeped, you may have deactivated the notification in the BIOS. A BIOS reset is sufficient here, since the function is activated by default. Please note that you will have to reset the BIOS time after a BIOS reset.
• If your PC has never beeped, you may not have a mainboard speaker. These are already available for less than € 5 from specialist retailers or from Amazon.
• When inserting the mainboard speaker, make sure that you insert the connector the right way round. If you swap the two sides, the speaker will also remain silent.

If all of these symptoms appear on your PC, your motherboard is probably defective. A new motherboard can help and is not even expensive. When choosing, however, make sure that you can reuse all PC components if possible. We will show you how to change the mainboard in another practical tip.