New motherboard and CPU - black screen issue, BIOS update not functioning?
New motherboard and CPU - black screen issue, BIOS update not functioning?
Hello everyone,
I’m really confused about what’s happening. I spent a lot of time working on this and have been anxious. I upgraded my motherboard and CPU to an ASUS ROG Strix B550-A with a Ryzen 7 5700X3D. Everything was seated and powered on, fans were running, RGB lights were active on the GPU bracket and AIO, but the motherboard lights stayed off. The RGB on the DRAM was blinking orange, and the board light was flashing.
I checked online and realized it might be a RAM or BIOS issue for the AM4 5000 series. I downloaded the BIOS update, renamed it, and placed it in the root folder of the flash drive. The PC is now off but connected to the BIOS port, and using the BIOS flashback feature, the light turned green. After a few minutes it turned off again, then I powered it back on. I tried re-seating the RAM, removed the GPU, and re-sat the CPU, but nothing works. Sometimes when I re-seated the RAM, the orange DRAM light and red CPU light would flicker.
It seems like either the RAM or BIOS might be faulty. I’m feeling really frustrated and don’t know what to do next. Could you please advise?
Please let me know if you need more details.
Specs:
Motherboard: ASUS ROG Strix B550-A
CPU: Ryzen 7 5700X3D
GPU: GeForce RTX 3080 Ti
CPU Cooler: Corsair H100i RGB Platinum SE
RAM: Corsair Vengeance RGB Pro DDR4 32 GB [4x8GB] 3200 CL16
PSU: EVGA SuperNOVA 1000 G3 80+ Gold
Video and pic: https://imgur.com/a/zQA2oS2
View: https://imgur.com/a/zQA2oS2
Consider taking out the CMOS battery for a short time to reset the board settings, then reinstall it. Try starting the board to check if it boots successfully.
On startup you might need to consider memory training, which can be time-consuming. You also have four sticks of RAM, are these two separate 2 x 8gb pairs? You probably didn't purchase a 4x8 kit. Even identical model numbers can differ and lead to problems sometimes. Check if clearing the CMOS helps; patience may be essential. If issues persist, start by removing two sticks at a time to see if booting is possible with just A2 and B2. Continue this process until you reach one stick. Keep in mind that changing modules or memory can require retraining before it works again on startup.
They are two sets of 2x8 boards. I plan to use the A2/B2 setup with a single stick, but I spent a lot of time adjusting the RAM. How long does memory retraining take? I’m not seeing any output from my monitors. When I power it on, the monitor tells me to turn it on, but there’s nothing coming out.
It may differ, but if it takes longer than five minutes I suspect another factor is involved. Four sticks might cause problems in certain setups. Are these RAM modules from the same system or a previous one? Have you ever used them together before?
Going back to the fundamentals is the best approach at this point, since there are several factors at play—new installation, BIOS updates, etc.
Reset the CMOS as recommended; it will revert everything to the default settings in the BIOS. This usually happens after an upgrade, but clearing the CMOS is always a wise move initially.
It might be helpful to start with just one stick of RAM and see if the system responds. Once that works, you can add the second stick, being careful to match pairs.
If you still don’t see any response with a single stick, check your CPU installation—bent pins or debris in the socket could be the issue.
Don’t worry yet; there are still several things to verify, and some Ryzen systems can be a bit unpredictable at first.
I need to compare which RAM sticks fit together because I mixed them up. All parts except the motherboard and CPU have been kept. It’s worth noting the CPU is new while the motherboard is used. I plan to check these things tomorrow since I’m really tired. Thanks for helping me out with this.
No worries. Sometimes best to take a breather and return.
The RAM should be easy to identify by looking at the serial numbers on the side of the sticks. Matched pairs normally have sequential numbers on them from my experience so that should be easier to resolve.
You mention the motherboard is used and that the cpu is 'supposedly' new. Where did you buy these from? Was it Ebay or something other site. Just covering off worst case scenario is all
I purchased the motherboard “open box” from eBay, but it appears to be slightly used. The CPU was bought from Amazon but came repackaged despite being labeled as new. I think it might be one of those Chinese CPUs sold cheaply on AliExpress. I’ve seen some genuine units, so this could still be okay. I also bought a budget AMD Ryzen 3 4100 to test compatibility and, if it works, I’ll check the BIOS and update it properly to ensure smooth updates and possibly fix any issues with the BIOS flashback.
If you post it with the 4100, then attempt to refresh the bios using that information. Don’t wait too long. I believe eBay offers a refund guarantee lasting 30 days. Therefore, if the motherboard or cpu fails, you might have to submit a claim stating the item didn’t work as described when it was advertised as working.