PC fails to display after driver installation.
PC fails to display after driver installation.
I bought the RX 6600XT recently and everything functioned smoothly at first. The problem started after I reinstalled Windows 10. After downloading drivers for my CPU and GPU (Ryzen 5 1600, 6600xt) and finishing the download, I tried restarting and then powered off the system. Now it hasn’t responded at all, and the VGA LED on my motherboard is illuminated. I’ve tested all PCIe slots with both my old and new GPU, reset the CMOS, checked power connections, unplugged drives, but nothing works. All system lights are on, fans spin including the GPU’s, yet nothing happens. I’m not very experienced with fixing post issues, but it seems installing drivers might have caused a problem. Since I’m heading to school soon and losing access to my main PC would be tough, any advice would be really helpful!
PC specs: Ryzen 5 1600, MSI Gaming Carbon Pro X370, 2x8GB Corsair Vengeance, RX 6600xt (previous GPU: R9 390x), Antec Edge 650W Gold, SSD + HDD
AMD Radeon RX models have faced driver challenges over time. The motherboard LED illumination seems linked to a BIOS issue. This photo was taken in low light, but I’ll include it. In 2020, I replaced an MSI B450M Bazooka with a 3200 CL 16 Ballistix, a WD M.2 drive, and an Asus GTX1650S. The card didn’t recognize the GPU but started up normally on its original GT1030. Eventually it stopped working and required a return authorization. MSI never explained what occurred or how they resolved it, and they became overly anxious afterward, though it eventually functioned. Later I realized the Ballistix SKU used wasn’t QVL compatible with that board. It also didn’t appear on the Asus Tuf B550-PLUS or the ASRock B450M-HDV during testing while the Asus was being repaired for POST failures (DRAM-related, to think). Since then, newer DIMMs have failed, and both the Asus and ASRock units are operating smoothly with QVL-certified RAM. I’ve also noticed that the earlier Ballistix models from 2020 in the MSI B450M Bazooka were showing inconsistent speeds, suggesting a compatibility problem. Therefore, it’s wise to confirm whether your RAM SKU is QVL compatible with your processor before installing. Some believe this isn’t critical, but my experience shows it can make a big difference in certain cases.
I discovered the MB memory compatibility info, but I don’t have the exact model number for my RAM. From what others shared, replacing the listed compatible sticks on the MB site resolved the post problems you faced. It’s possible this timing coincided with driver updates.
Have you explored alternative GPU connections, similar to switching from HDMI to DisplayPort? Updating drivers shouldn’t affect your BIOS settings. It’s reasonable to expect to witness the POST/startup process before the operating system loads, though you reported no visual output.
Reassembled the parts in a different case after two weeks of downtime. So far, everything seems fine. Looking at the cycle of every 8 to 12 restarts, I expected the problem earlier if it had persisted. I’ve also powered it off, cold restarted, and hot restarted multiple times just to see how far it would go.
The issue might stem from how PCIe is referenced in the updated driver, leading to conflicts elsewhere. I've noticed BIOS updates for older boards that removed support for certain PCIe devices to make room for newer processors or to fit within memory limits. Are you certain the new driver matches your hardware? It’s possible it’s targeting a port or function not available on your card, which isn’t uncommon.
I believe the drivers were correct. I used the AMD Software Installer to automatically detect them for both my CPU and GPU. I've experienced problems with AMD applications before, though they weren't directly about drivers, so it's possible something else affected them.