PC displays black screen yet powers up. CPU indicator lights up. -- Resolved
PC displays black screen yet powers up. CPU indicator lights up. -- Resolved
I attempted to use it with a BIOS update and ran it for more than 30 minutes just to be safe. I’m giving up on this board, returning it and requesting a refund. I’ll purchase another motherboard and try again. I’m also sending back the 9700X CPU since it seems unlikely the 7700X is the issue now. I’ll come back once I have more information. The mystery remains.
I just realized I left the M.2 drive unplugged before attempting your suggested "dry run." I'll attempt to boot it a few times without it, including resetting CMOS and updating the BIOS first. Before returning it, I'll send you the link to this forum post. They won't be able to say I didn’t try at all. Haha!
To clarify potential issues with the motherboard, consider these factors even if the unit appears new:
- Embedded Controller (EC) / Super I/O chip manages power and boot signals. Damage or surges can cause erratic behavior such as RAM training failures or iGPU issues.
- PCH (Platform Controller Hub) connects CPU to peripherals. A faulty or overheating PCH may result in no display despite active fans.
- SoC Power Delivery / VRM phases affect voltage stability for memory controllers and GPUs. Instability can prevent RAM training or boot initiation, often unnoticed by BIOS or monitoring tools.
- BIOS chip or firmware corruption might leave some memory regions unupdated. A fresh USB flash with the latest file could help.
- Damaged memory slots or PCB traces from static discharge or bending can disrupt RAM-CPU communication, leading to stuck LEDs.
- Misinterpreted CPU data by the board due to issues like incorrect ID/voltage/temp readings can crash the POST process.
- Layered PCB defects or internal shorts are uncommon but possible, causing hidden performance problems.
I finally reached out to the store about returning my money so I could purchase something else. I haven’t gotten a reply yet. Apologies for the delay; between work overtime, garden work, and a baby that wakes up frequently, I just didn’t have the energy to keep going... I’ll update you once I hear back from them and see how things develop. We’ll work on getting my PC running eventually.
I recently tested the new motherboard (Gigabyte Aorus Elite 870E) with a C5 error and memory issues. I installed one stick at a time, both failing. All components except RAM were swapped out, so I’m ordering replacement RAM now. It might have been the RAM that failed initially. Could the first motherboard have been defective from the start? The new RAM is on its way.
Major changes, now we have a functional setup. I own: New 870E Aorus Elite WiFi board, a fresh G skill DDR5 kit (one stick now), a 4070TI GPU, and a 7700X CPU paired with HDDs. It’s working. I’ll try both sticks and then experiment with swapping the new RAM into the old slot—since I updated the BIOS after the last test—to compare results. Maybe the issue was the RAM, not the hardware.
It's functioning properly now. The issue was resolved by switching to a different motherboard with updated memory that also didn't boot initially. After some research, I discovered that certain boards don't accept RAM in slots 1 or 3. The first board failed after six months, occasionally crashing before then. The second board only worked with slots 2 and 4. After stress testing it with prima95, everything seems normal. I'm sending back the new motherboard and G skill since they won't be needed.