MSI Z170A PC MATE Blue LED beside JBAT1, no startup error
MSI Z170A PC MATE Blue LED beside JBAT1, no startup error
Hello, a few months ago my computer suddenly stopped working while it was running. At first it didn’t show any signs of life. Later I found a blue blinking LED near JBAT1 that would turn on when I tried to power it up. After what I think was a CMOS reset, it came back, but still didn’t respond. I checked the PSU and its fans were working fine. When I shorted JBAT1, the blue LED stayed on fully and it seemed to stay on until the battery died, then faded away. My CPU is an i5-6600k and the GPU is RTX1070. I’ve tried all possible settings and configurations—no GPU or CPU issues, only the motherboard seems to be the problem. Any further steps you recommend to diagnose or fix it? Thanks for your time. PSU is a 500W straight power unit. While cleaning, I noticed two VCC pins are broken from their sockets. Is that all?
search for any debris or dust in the CPU socket or RAM slots, as this might be the issue. Clean using a spray of 99% IPA and let it dry for about four hours (for 99% IPA, other concentrations may need more time). If cleaning doesn’t help, submerge the device in water, remove the heatsinks, extract the CMOS battery, clear the CMOS memory for roughly two minutes, then soak in water for an hour or so. An ultrasonic cleaner or dishwasher can also be used, though I’m not sure about the dishwasher method since I haven’t tried it before. Make sure everything is fully discharged before proceeding. All power has been removed, and I’ve revived a board using this approach. Those that didn’t come back showed signs of life via a PCI debug card (postcode 00). If they weren’t completely dead, the process worked.
You noticed the two VCC pins are missing from your socket. That’s a problem—should you replace them or check further?