How long should an intel NUC last? i7-10710U Mine just died.

Forums › Desktop computing › How long should an intel NUC last? i7-10710U Mine just died.

JayADee

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#319890 11-Jun-2025 21:15

How long would you expect an Intel NUC Frost Canyon i7-10710U 4.7GHz 6-Core Compact Mini Desktop PC to last?

Product code BXNUC10i7FNH Model NUC10FNH

Kingston ValueRAM 8GB DDR4 2666Mhz SoDIMM Memory times 2

Samsung 970 EVO Plus NVMe M.2 2280 PCIe 1TB Solid State Drive

It was fine one sec and died as I watched with no tasks running and no warning.

Power button LED stays off

No fan movement

No POST blink/beep

Ethernet LED is on when the Ethernet cable is plugged in.

Tried

Disconnect power cable.
Press and hold the power button for 30 seconds.
Wait 1 minute, then reconnect power and try turning it on.

Disconnected everything but power cable, tried above again, nothing.

Took out the RAM and SSD and tried again, nothing.

I’m pretty sure it’s dead.

Can get a similar one and re-use the RAM and SSD?

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#3383034 11-Jun-2025 21:48

Try another power adapter too if you can

Opinions are my own and not the views of my employer.

lxsw20

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#3383036 11-Jun-2025 21:56

Yeah or test with a multi-meter if you have one, as above most likely dead power brick.

SepticSceptic

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#3383040 11-Jun-2025 22:40

10-15 years, but I would expect at least one SSD replacement.

Other than that, what else wears out? Maybe the fan?

JayADee

2148 posts

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#3383045 12-Jun-2025 00:00

SepticSceptic:

10-15 years, but I would expect at least one SSD replacement.

Other than that, what else wears out? Maybe the fan?

Yeah exactly.

If it was a power issue though would the led for the Ethernet be coming on? Because it is.

Not sure I have a compatible brick to check it with.

edit: just looked up how to test with a multi-meter. We have one in the garage if I can find it!

coffeebaron

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#3383052 12-Jun-2025 07:17

The NUCs can collect a bit of dust over time and get very hot. I've had one cook itself.

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JayADee

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#3383078 12-Jun-2025 09:18

Yes I did wonder if it fried. I would have thought it would cut out like desktops do. It wasn’t at all dusty. Had a good look when I opened it. But it was a bit warm right after it quit.

I borrowed a multimeter. Unfortunately the power adapter is working 100% fine showing a steady 19.2 volts. Damn. That means there’s a hardware fault on the computer.

Does it have a CMOS battery on it? There isn’t one on the side I can see when I open it. Anyone know?

Intel NUC Frost Canyon i7-10710U 4.7GHz 6-Core Compact

Barebone Mini Desktop PC

Product code BXNUC10i7FNH Model NUC10FNH

snj

186 posts

Master Geek

#3383175 12-Jun-2025 13:04

JayADee:

Does it have a CMOS battery on it? There isn’t one on the side I can see when I open it. Anyone know?

Intel® NUC Products NUC10i3FN/NUC10i5FN/ NUC10i7FN Technical Product Specification - PDF page 17 shows it's on the other side with the fan/etc.

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fe31nz

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#3383406 12-Jun-2025 23:21

JayADee:

I borrowed a multimeter. Unfortunately the power adapter is working 100% fine showing a steady 19.2 volts. Damn. That means there’s a hardware fault on the computer.

Is that 19.2 V reading under load? Dead power supplies often provide their rated voltage with no load, but sag badly with any real load.

robjg63

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#3383427 13-Jun-2025 01:24

fe31nz:

JayADee:

I borrowed a multimeter. Unfortunately the power adapter is working 100% fine showing a steady 19.2 volts. Damn. That means there’s a hardware fault on the computer.

Is that 19.2 V reading under load? Dead power supplies often provide their rated voltage with no load, but sag badly with any real load.

Could also be just enough power to run the LEDs on the Ethernet port but nothing else....

Nothing is impossible for the man who doesn't have to do it himself - A. H. Weiler

JayADee

2148 posts

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#3383692 13-Jun-2025 15:58

No, that wasn’t under load, good point.

How do I test a barrel style adapter under load?

fe31nz

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#3383739 13-Jun-2025 18:18

JayADee:

No, that wasn’t under load, good point.

How do I test a barrel style adapter under load?

The easy way is if you already have another power supply to try. Otherwise I have not ever been able to do it - if you could find a barrel socket to fit you could add a dummy load to that, or attach a barrel cable to a barrel socket.

Ge0rge

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#3383748 13-Jun-2025 18:28

fe31nz:

JayADee:

No, that wasn’t under load, good point.

How do I test a barrel style adapter under load?

The easy way is if you already have another power supply to try. Otherwise I have not ever been able to do it - if you could find a barrel socket to fit you could add a dummy load to that, or attach a barrel cable to a barrel socket.

Measure the voltage on the PC side of the barrel connector with it plugged in. Most of those barels have exposed connectors going into the board that you can access.

SepticSceptic

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#3383809 13-Jun-2025 22:53

Pick up a second hand power adapter. Employer has cycled dozens thru the ewaste.

Always good to have a spare, and handy for 24v LED strips 👌

Get em while you can because they will only be USB-C in future and will be a PITA to snip off the connector to expose the supply wires as there will be other signalling wires mixed on.

JayADee

2148 posts

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#3385014 17-Jun-2025 09:11

Good suggestions. If I get to it I’ll try @Ge0rge ‘s suggestion otherwise I ordered a new mini pc with the same power supply so I can try with that when it gets here. Thanks guys.

Groucho

524 posts

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#3385023 17-Jun-2025 10:31

fe31nz:

Is that 19.2 V reading under load? Dead power supplies often provide their rated voltage with no load, but sag badly with any real load.

Although wasn't my issue to test or fix I had this happen to an ONT power supply. The broadband had been getting a little flaky but went downhill fast when the landline handset was lifted or attempted to ring. The ONT all but died other than a couple of faint flickering LEDs then rebooted. Was a painful couple of days waiting for the courier to arrive with a replacement from Chorus - unplugging the landline from the POTS port helped a bit.

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