MSI B450 motherboard displays VGA debug light, yet the graphics card functions properly.
MSI B450 motherboard displays VGA debug light, yet the graphics card functions properly.
Hello everyone, here are my PC details: Motherboard - MSI B450 Tomahawk (MS-7C02), CPU - AMD Ryzen 5 2600X (6 cores) with WraithSpire cooler, GPU - AMD Sapphire RX 6650XT (8GB), RAM - Corsair Vengeance DDR4-3200 (2x8GB), Power Supply - Cooler Master MWE 750 Gold V2, Operating System - Windows 11 (with latest updates).
Two weeks ago, after turning it off, the PC wouldn’t start. I checked for issues and found the motherboard displaying a red VGA debug light. After some troubleshooting, I submitted a GPU return request and received a replacement. I installed it but still didn’t see a display, and the motherboard kept showing the same VGA light.
I tried resetting the CMOS battery, changing the GPU, re-seating the CPU, reseating RAM, removing and reinstalling the SSD and HDD, and even switching the GPU slot. One thing I noticed this time was that Flashback feature wasn’t working. I attempted to flash the BIOS via USB and used the Flashback button, but it didn’t respond. I also formatted everything with FAT32 using the same BIOS version and latest updates, yet it still didn’t work.
I’m wondering what might be wrong. It seems the motherboard may have failed, though the CPU and RAM readings are normal. If I disconnect one component, the VGA light turns on. What should I do next?
Have you explored using a GPU in a different PCIe lane? Your present or another option?
I'm receiving power since all the advanced LEDs, fans, CPU cooler, and GPU fan are activating. Deleting the CPU power setting causes the MoboLit CPU debug light to appear.
I had my PC inspected at a nearby repair shop, and they checked every component. Result: All parts are okay except the motherboard. They mentioned the motherboard is fine, but we need to update the BIOS. They said flashing it via USB isn’t possible—they’ve used a few USB drives already. Could you assist with updating the BIOS on this motherboard? I went through the steps for using the Flashback feature.
Sounds like the mobo is bricked. It *might* be possible to use some specialized gear to directly flash the board, but you'd need to do quite a bit of research and already be a pretty solid micro electronics engineer. Even then, it's probably not just a bad BIOS, but actually bad components. If this were a hard to find part or necessary for a high value production line in a factory, yeah, definitely dig into a repair job. But this is an AM4 mobo, just replace it.
I realized the motherboard needs replacing, thanks for confirming. It's out of warranty but has worked great for more than six years. I'll get a new one soon. Appreciate everyone!