Seems like a strange boot issue that might be linked to the motherboard.
Seems like a strange boot issue that might be linked to the motherboard.
I own a Ryzen 5 5600, upgraded from an R7 1700. My setup includes a 6-year-old Asus B350 Prime, two 8GB 3000mhz sticks of CL16 RAM and a GTX 1080Ti. This issue has persisted since before my upgrade. Whenever I shake or move the PC even slightly, or if I accidentally knock on the table during a gaming session, the screen would freeze, turn black, or lose signal entirely. In extreme cases, the PC would reboot completely. On particularly bad days, it enters a failed boot state where the monitor receives no signal but the keyboard lights up. If I attempt a hard reset at that point, the next boot doesn’t light anything up—even the keyboard. This is puzzling because my PC sits on the floor, making it hard to pinpoint the cause of the problem when I bump into something.
One possibility I’ve considered is that a slight movement of the keyboard might have triggered the same issue as moving the PC. However, the solution seems unusual. I’d need to reseat both RAM sticks at once, but doing so would require booting just one channel before the other, which isn’t working. I also recall that resetting CMOS could help, though I usually do that alongside re-seating the RAM, so I’m not sure it was the fix.
I’m strongly leaning toward a motherboard-related issue rather than a CPU problem, given that this has been ongoing before my upgrade. Additionally, I’ve tried replacing two more 8GB CL16 sticks from a different time, but the problem worsens with those as well. If you have any insights into what might be causing this, it would be greatly appreciated.
Consider these aspects: monitor performance, check event viewer post-reboot, and eliminate any OC settings. USB overvoltage or GPU driver faults are straightforward indicators. Memory testing might reveal problems, though it's less common. A Memtest could point to an issue, but it's unlikely if no problems surface during a clean scan. If nothing surfaces from digital checks, begin with reseating all connections—power and data ports, GPU, CPU, RAM, USB cables. You noted keyboard movement causing crashes; test without any USB devices connected to see if the issue persists. If unresolved, suspect motherboard or power supply. Please share your findings.
I completed a Memtest and it didn’t show any faults. The same goes for my SSD—my drive is a Samsuing 960 Evo, and both S.M.A.R.T tools and Crystaldiskinfo indicate the device is in good shape. In short, I ran scannow and chkdsk via command prompt too; nothing seems to be wrong with my drive or Windows installation. For reference, I experienced a new BSOD when trying to recreate this issue, displaying "page fault in nonpaged area." I searched online and found possible causes ranging from the information I’ve gathered. I also tested the problem by disconnecting both keyboard and mouse while keeping the monitor connected; it still showed the same error screen. The only difference was I had to press the desk more forcefully (about three times) for it to occur. The recurring factor appears to be my keyboard making a slight hop, which seems to trigger the fault—similar to what happened when I unplugged it, though the impact was less noticeable. I should also note this issue was present a few years ago before I moved to university; at that time, the setup was different and the problem wasn’t as severe, although it would sometimes cause the PC to hard reset but never completely fail to boot.
I also believe this applies. Early Ryzen boards and CPUs struggled with memory speeds, and I struggled to keep my RAM at 3000MHz for five years until I upgraded to a 5600. I’ve always wanted a more modern motherboard, but the cost of a better one felt too high. I often feel frustrated when my system just restarts repeatedly, and I really want to upgrade. I might have been too caught up in the initial excitement to consider the long-term value. If not for the high price of DDR5 chips, I’d have upgraded sooner. Looking back, it seems like a smart investment given how well my PC has held up over six years. My current 1080Ti remains a solid choice for now, and I plan to stick with it until I can afford an upgrade. I didn’t need a detailed story, but here’s what happened.