Issue with Asrock B450M Steel Legend not starting.
Issue with Asrock B450M Steel Legend not starting.
I purchased a used Asrock B450M Steel Legend from eBay. The packaging lacked a Ryzen 3000 sticker, and the prior owner had installed a 2200G IIRC. When I powered it on, the MOBO RGB lights came on but nothing else occurred. Pressing the power button or jumping the pins didn’t help. The CPU fan spun, GPU fans did, but the system fan remained still—no display or activity at all. I’ve used two confirmed working PSUs. A 3300X, 3200G, and 3600X CPUs all worked fine. The 3200G was tested with/without the GPU and via MOBO HDMI. I swapped in various RAM modules across all slots (slots 1-4) and used NVME drives loaded with Windows 10—both functional. Clearing CMOS or removing the battery didn’t resolve the issue. I reached out to the seller, explaining the problem, but they suggested I was running out of ideas. I questioned whether the BIOS version matters. If the sticker above the PCI-E slot shows 'P2.0' and doesn’t support any CPU, would that prevent the MOBO from starting altogether? Asrocks’ documentation indicates each CPU requires a BIOS version of 2.30 or higher. Yet, even with that, would it stop the system from booting? Thanks for the info.
I was really worried too. Checking online, I found mixed opinions—some say you won’t get power because the CPU isn’t recognized, while most others suggest it should at least start up. The seller confirmed the MOBO worked fine, and I mentioned I’d try to check for a BIOS problem. It seems like I might need to initiate a return. There’s nothing else coming to mind, and the BIOS issue was my last shot. Hopefully this isn’t too complicated. Cheers.
Send the board to a repair shop and request they provide a BIOS update. It may cost a bit, but it should be the simplest option.
This suggestion seems reasonable, though I’m currently limited by health issues and can’t leave the house. Someone might be able to assist. Thanks. Regarding your second question, a dead CMOS battery could indeed prevent a MOBO from turning on, which is a valid concern.
I think I might have identified the problem. I've been browsing affordable 2000 series models and Athlon CPUs on eBay to try a final BIOS update. In the meantime, I stored the motherboard in an anti-static bag. While handling it, a small chip came out. It seems to have 'VEZ' printed on it, which is hard to see clearly. I had to rely on my phone's camera zoom. I’m not sure the seller was aware of any damage (they seem very helpful). Apparently, there was an issue with the Yodel delivery. During tracking, a message stated "There was an issue during transit." The package arrived late and came in what looked like a repackaged box. The I/O shield was missing, which the seller claimed they included. Disappointed. This motherboard was exactly what I needed for a specific build, but it looks like Yodel may have ruined it.