Help needed... Avoid posting with red light drama.
Help needed... Avoid posting with red light drama.
I had a R5 3400g on my system and recently swapped in a R5 5600. I forgot to verify the BIOS compatibility with my B450. After installing the new CPU and fan, I tried turning it on but received no image display—though RGBs and fans were active. I then installed the old processor to flash the BIOS to the latest version for the 5600, yet my 3400g isn’t performing well now. The motherboard debug lights show red, but RAM worked fine before I attempted the upgrade. My PC powers on with RGBs and fans, yet I don’t see anything on screen and USB power is missing. Could this mean I damaged the board or RAM by skipping the latest BIOS update? I’ve tried various fixes—alternating RAM sticks, testing one at a time, resetting CMOS, removing everything and reinserting—but nothing seems to help. My specs are: Aorus Elite B450, 16 GB, Corsair Vengeance LX 2933 MHz, Ryzen 5 3400G, GTX 1060, 6 GB RAM.
Follow the instructions in the manual carefully. Simply removing the battery for a short time is no longer the proper way.
I removed it for five minutes and pressed the power button for thirty seconds while the battery was off, and that’s what it indicates.
ASRock's Ryzen 5000 BIOS clearly indicates that Raven Ridge and Pinnacle Ridge (Zen, Zen+) won't perform optimally post-update. The 3400G fits this trend.
Contrary to your instructions, the guide specifies the board includes a reset jumper, and the manual doesn't recommend the approach you mentioned.
I don't believe CMOS is the main issue. The BIOS might need an update, and certain boards permit this without a CPU if it has a dedicated flash port. However, if the original CPU is present (or another supported model), only that should be inserted, which also enables BIOS updates through that method. It's typical on older models for manufacturers to remove support for outdated devices and CPUs to make room for newer ones. This explains why I wouldn't install Zen3 on a B450 unless I'm testing it. Thanks @BiotechBen – this likely accounts for the hourglass symbol appearing in Windows during my interim build while the Asus board is under RMA, using the ASRock B450M HDV4.0. It has the update because it booted with the 5900X. @emosun is correct – some boards require a minimum of 5-10 minutes and even then you must clear the CLRTS jumpers. I left a flat-blade against mine for about half an hour just to confirm. But this isn't advisable when powered on, as a falling blade could cause further damage. Edited August 7, 2022 by An0maly_76 Revised, more info
Ensure this matches your original idea while adjusting the details. It seems your 3400G isn't posting, and you've been using it for a year. Keep going with that approach.