Repaired the second pc after fixing the first
Repaired the second pc after fixing the first
Today I got a PC from a friend with an unusual build. The specs are: 4060 Ti 16 GB, 550W PSU MSI Mag, 9 7950X3D, 64 GB DDR5 6000 RAM. I plan to discuss updating his system soon. The issue he mentioned was that it won't boot. Initially, I tried modifying the OS because missing system files prevented downloading updates. Eventually, I installed a fresh Windows 11 and installed some additional files. Then I enabled Secure Boot in BIOS to activate FaceIT anti-cheat, but after doing that, no image appears, the LED lights stopped working at VGA after inspecting the RAM, and I’ve swapped several GPUs without success. I also tried replacing the GPU sticks in every slot, but it didn’t help. ChatGPT suggested it might be a RAM issue, but swapping the sticks didn’t resolve it. I performed a BIOS reset using both CMOS battery and Q-Flash BIOS update, yet the problem persists. Both PCs lack an integrated graphics card. I’ve connected every RAM stick to every slot using different combinations and have done several BIOS resets. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks (my English isn’t perfect).
Welcome to the forums, newcomer!
I've tried a BIOS reset with CMOS battery and q flash bios update, but nothing worked. I suspect the issue lies with the motherboard.
You didn't mention the exact make and model of your friend's motherboard, but the reference to Q-Flash suggests it might be a Gigabyte board. There are discussions on Tom'sHardware where users with Gigabyte boards got stuck after enabling Secure Boot—this could be an RMA case.
After turning on Secure Boot, no image appears, and the LED stops at VGA after checking the RAM for a long time.
It would be wise to enable Secure Boot before installing the OS, but based on your post, it seems you installed the OS with CSM enabled, which likely turned off UEFI.
When clearing CMOS, disconnect from power, remove the CMOS battery from the motherboard, hold the power button for 30 seconds to drain any remaining power, then reinsert the battery and wait 30 minutes before reseating it.
Both systems don't have an iGPU.
Are you sure? The 7950XD does have an integrated GPU.
To prevent confusion, consider sharing your system specifications with the current setup.
mine
5 5600x
3060 12gb oc
32 gb of ddr 4 3200
psu 650w
(tbh i through that 7950 doesn't have it, cause when i plugged dp to motherboard there was no image as well, my bad then, sorry)
Because our platforms are different I can't even check if his memory is alright. Right now im thinking about just rebuilding whole pc, maybe something is off or missing.
Update for my computer. I don't know why but suddenly my ram from 3200mhz jumped on 3000 and the system won't running on 3200 anymore. it's fine until it's working but that's kinda strange
stupid question, but how big is the chance that i've broke everything up? not stressing that much, but i'm wondering is it even possible to kill mb by not reseating CMOS in 30 minutes but just 2.
Thanks for answer though
psu 650w is the listed power rating of the PSU. I need to know its brand, model, and age. There seems to be an issue with my RAM—its speed dropped from 3200mhz to 3000, and the system no longer runs smoothly at that speed. It was working before but now it's inconsistent. Trying to fix both systems in one thread is making things more confusing. I should focus on getting your friend’s PC up and running first, then create a separate thread for my setup.
Alright, let's keep going with my friend's PC if everything seems normal. His model is an MSI Mag 550W Bronze Plus, I don't know how old it is, just can't say.
Update: The graphics card is functioning properly. I tested it on another PC.
The remaining components are RAM and the motherboard.
After about 40 to 50 seconds, the LED changed from DRAM to VGA, but I'm sure both graphics cards are fine. I can't check the RAM on another machine, so I don't know what to do next.
I suggest avoiding a 7950X3D paired with an RTX 4060 Ti on a Bronze PSU that claims 550W output. It falls short.
Nvidia RTX 3000 models and newer GPUs are famous for sudden current surges twice the usual load. These spikes can stress older ATX2.1 compliant power supplies and trigger OCP limits.
I experienced intermittent shutdowns on a 7950X setup with an RTX 3060 and a 2021 Corsair TX850M PSU (likely ATX2.1). Switching to an RTX 4070 didn’t resolve the issue. Once I upgraded to a new MSI A1000G ATX3.1 compliant power supply, the system stabilized.
A 1000W PSU might be excessive for my 200W TDP RTX 4070, but useful if upgrading to a stronger GPU becomes necessary. I opted for MSI over Corsair because Corsair removed the -12V rail on many modern PSUs and some motherboards wouldn’t support certain moxies without it.
The MSI label advertises '2x Total Power Excursion' and '3x GPU Power Excursion', suggesting the short-term OCP should handle brief CPU and GPU spikes. For a RTX 5090, a 1200W PSU could work.
If your friend’s MSI MAG 550W PSU is older than ATX3.1, the RTX 4060Ti might trigger OCP and cause crashes.
This site suggests a minimum 700W PSU for an RTX 4060Ti with top-tier components. The 7950X should draw less than its advertised 253W max in this scenario, offering more safety margin.
https://www.techreviewer.com/best-tech/n...er-supply/
TLDR: Replace the 550W PSU with a higher-end model—preferably Tier-A 750W or better, or at least 850W.
Given my experience with a Gigabyte RTX 3060 (non-Ti, non-overclocked) on an older Corsair TX850M, you might want to upgrade the power supply if it isn’t ATX3.1 compliant.
If your RTX 3060 isn’t under heavy power demands, the lower power needs of the 5600X could prevent any GPU current spike OCP issues.
I put a 5600X in someone else’s build using a low-power GPU and I haven’t noticed any problems after four years.
TLDR: A solid Tier-A 650W PSU should suffice for your 5600X, but think about upgrading if you encounter GPU-related shutdowns.
I’m eager to avoid waiting 30 minutes before replacing the CR2032 battery, particularly on older systems where a failure wouldn’t be catastrophic.
I briefly disabled the 'Clear RTC' terminals via a link and then swapped the battery after a minute. I might be acting rashly, but no issues have arisen so far and the BIOS is clean.
TLDR: If your board was damaged during assembly, replacing the battery after two minutes likely wasn’t the issue. Not much comfort, though.
I’ve always been wary of Q-Flash and @Lutfij’s report about Gigabyte boards failing. I prefer seeing a progress bar and text alerts during updates.
So far, updating from inside the UEFI BIOS with a compatible CPU has worked for me. Updating without a known CPU would be a last resort—I’d likely give up and keep testing. Q-Flash seems reliable for most users, though results vary.
Both units are functioning perfectly, rn I'm aiming for an 850w setup with a 13-amp power supply. Luckily, the issue was just the security boot, which I managed to disable after locating an HDMI port for my GPU, since security mode is preventing any data from the display port.