After maintenance, PC enters a power-up cycle repeatedly. Issue arises with LGA 1150 connector not fitting properly.
After maintenance, PC enters a power-up cycle repeatedly. Issue arises with LGA 1150 connector not fitting properly.
Still, a pin map will indicate which pins are essential or optional. I wouldn’t be concerned about this one. When you unplug the power supply, unusual events can occur as voltages stabilize. The left pin is marked SA_B51 and serves the memory controller for the B RAM slots. This suggests your B1 and B2 RAM slots might not function due to that pin. The missing pin is identified as a VSS (ground) pin and can be considered replaceable. What should you do next? I recommend removing all RAM modules from your motherboard. Verify there are no pins left in the CPU socket. Replace the CPU and cooler. Plug in everything except the RAM sticks. Try pressing the power button. You should see the POST sequence start and then stop if no RAM is present. Test by installing one RAM stick in the first slot and see if it boots. Move the stick to the second slot, etc. I anticipate the system will boot with two slots working and fail with the other two. You can attempt to install RAM in the functional slots and confirm success. If you're willing, try bending the left pin. Fixing it should restore the two defective slots or break the pin entirely. If the computer doesn’t behave as expected, there may be another issue that isn’t obvious. I don’t think the power supply is the problem. Your problem doesn’t seem to stem from PSU failure. Good luck!
Findings with the original motherboard (damaged socket pins): When no RAM was installed, the machine started up but never entered POST mode, even after an extended period. Once a RAM stick was inserted, it eventually did POST, though the first attempt took roughly 40 minutes. After that initial success, normal POST operations resumed. I verified each RAM slot individually (A1, A2, B1, B2) and all of them booted properly. Dual-channel setups also functioned: A2 + B2 (original setup) and A1 + B1. Testing was done with and without a GPU. Overall, every RAM slot and both channels worked, which surprised given the bent/broken pin. The pin is recessed upward and might not be making solid contact, but it doesn’t seem to completely block any channel. New data point: identical results on a brand new motherboard. This added complexity. I replaced the old board with a brand-new one before completing tests. For a full day, everything operated flawlessly until I powered down the system and reconnected the front panel headers. The same power cycling issue reappeared. The PSU passed the paperclip test without problems. Without RAM installed, the system would start but never POST. With one RAM stick, it started but still failed to POST. After a hard shutdown (holding the power button ~5 seconds), the machine restarted itself and booted into Windows normally. Repeating this with the second RAM stick produced the same outcome. Observations: This pattern occurred on two different motherboards. It makes me wonder if the issue relates more to memory initialization or the CPU socket rather than the pin itself. Is it normal for certain RAM setups or cold starts to cause repeated power cycles or long POST delays until memory training succeeds? Could this also explain why the system works after a successful first POST but struggles during shutdowns or RAM changes? At this stage, the damaged pin seems more likely a coincidence than the main problem, especially since the new board behaved identically. Any advice on memory training behavior, firmware quirks, or similar cases would be invaluable. Thank you for your time and support — it’s been frustrating yet intriguing from a technical standpoint.
This situation is typical. RAM is essential for a proper POST, which was anticipated. It seems unusual, though. Before DDR5, RAM didn’t require additional time for "memory training." This likely involves BIOS adjustments. Not with DDR3 RAM either—I agree with that thought. The left pin should maintain correct contact with the CPU because all four slots are functional. The missing pin is likely harmless and won’t affect performance. It could be firmware (BIOS) related, but the behavior remains puzzling. Best of luck; sorry I couldn't identify the exact issue.
Thank you for your feedback—it makes a big difference. Based on what we've observed so far, everything seems to function properly after the system boots, which suggests the issue might be temporary or related to environmental factors. Since the symptoms only appear during cold starts or power-up, it could point to something subtle like CPU quirks or minor IMC variations. Regarding future use, if the system remains stable after a successful POST and doesn’t exhibit crashes or memory problems, it appears safe to continue using it long-term. Your questions are valuable, and I’m glad we could clarify this together. Appreciate your patience!