The power supply for a user’s gaming PC fails. The user installs a new power supply and connects it to the motherboard, GPU, and SSDs, but the computer will not start. What is the most likely cause?
A.
The computer requires more RAM
B.
The wattage is insufficient
C.
The user did not connect the 4-pin CPU connector
D.
The power supply only works in redundant configurations
CompTIA A+ repeatedly highlights that modern motherboards require two power connectors:
The 24-pin ATX main power connector
The 4-pin or 8-pin CPU power connector (EPS connector)
If the CPU power connector is missing, the system will not POST, even though other components appear to have power. This is a very common mistake after replacing PSUs and is specifically noted in CompTIA materials as a frequent cause of “no boot” scenarios.
Insufficient wattage usually causes instability, not a total failure to start. RAM is unrelated to powering on. Redundant PSUs are used in servers, not gaming PCs.
Thus, the missing CPU power connector is the correct diagnosis and matches A+ hardware troubleshooting guidelines.
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