Troubleshooting a PC Startup Issue After Motherboard Damage

A Cautionary Tale of Cleaning and Care

Recently, I encountered a frustrating situation while performing routine maintenance on my computer, and I wanted to share my experience in the hopes of helping others avoid a similar fate.

In an effort to keep my PC clean, I opened the case and used a can of compressed air. Unfortunately, a bit of the fluid from the canister made its way onto my motherboard (mobo). While it dried up quickly, this incident was just the beginning of my troubles.

While attempting to detach my graphics card, I struggled with a particularly large CPU cooler that made access difficult. In what I thought was a clever move, I used a screwdriver to nudge the latch on the PCIe slot. This resulted in a scratch on the motherboard, which immediately raised my concern. I feared that I might have damaged critical traces on the board.

Now, my computer would not start—no BIOS screen, just an endless cycle of reboots and a black screen. I had faced a similar problem in the past that was solved by simply re-seating the RAM, but this time was different.

I shared some images of the scratch here: Scratch Image. Is my motherboard ruined?

Seeking Guidance

I reached out for help, hoping the community could offer some insight. Here are the specifications of my system for context:
– Motherboard: Aorus Elite Z390
– CPU: Intel 9700K
– Status LED: The motherboard’s LED illuminated red, which added to my worries.

I attempted multiple troubleshooting steps: resetting the CMOS, removing the GPU, SSD, sound card, and reseating the RAM, but to no avail. Given the size of my NH-D15 cooler, I couldn’t easily access the CPU pins without lifting the cooler, which would require purchasing new thermal paste—something that was difficult to do since all the stores were closed at the time.

The Final Decision

As the troubleshooting continued, I stumbled across the notion that scratching could short the traces on the motherboard, complicating the situation further. Despite my good intentions, it became clear that I lacked the tools and skills needed to repair the traces myself.

Ultimately, I visited a computer store and acquired the same motherboard model. Before fully committing to rebuilding, I planned to reseat everything on the old motherboard, but a sinking feeling told me