Question about building

[arfy4]

My friend was building a computer recently and because he really wanted to get it done he forgot the standoffs and it wouldn't start after it was all together. When I helped him we figured out that was what he forgot and put it in and it still doesn't start. Sometimes the CPU fan moves a little bit but other than that nothing. I think I know the answer to this, but what's the chance that the motherboard shorted because of him forgetting the standoffs? I disconnected and reconnected everything to make sure it was right, so I'm confident it's not a bad or missing connection. Is there a way to tell if the motherboard shorted?

[Gizanked]

but what's the chance that the motherboard shorted because of him forgetting the standoffs?

high

[ADevilishPotato]

but what's the chance that the motherboard shorted because of him forgetting the standoffs?

high

[Boss Llama]

High to the point of guaranteed. Placing the motherboard directly against the motherboard tray and turning it on is putting a live electronic circuit in contact with a metal sheet. Shorting it like that is not necessarily guaranteed to destroy the mobo (some parts are just prevented from working while in that configuration), but if having done that it's now having problems, despite everything else being correct, it is highly suspect.

It's worth testing the PSU for a problem as well, if you have another one available, as the slight bounce in the CPU fan followed by nothing is something that can happen with a dead PSU.

[arfy4]

If I plug it in the lights on the graphics card turn on and if I press the power button the fans in the computer all move a little bit. I don't have a PSU available. I've heard of using a multimeter to test the PSU, would that be a possibility? And if it's not the PSU does that guarantee the problems is the motherboard?