The computer isn't starting, but the VGA and boot indicators are on.
The computer isn't starting, but the VGA and boot indicators are on.
Hello, I recently upgraded my setup from an older Optiplex 7010 to a newer configuration. Initially everything worked fine until I attempted to boot the PC, which stopped and displayed a red light next to "VGA" and "Boot" on the motherboard. My system details are: AsRock B550 Pro4 Ryzen 5 3600XT with 16GB RAM (2x8GB), Corsair Vengeance DDR4 3200MHz, AMD RX 580, 8GB memory, EVGA 600W power supply, and it runs on 80+ Bronze. I've followed all troubleshooting steps mentioned in the no POST forum thread, re-seated components and cables, and double-checked that my HDMI cable is connected to the GPU, not the motherboard.
The hint seems to point to an issue with the LED. It might be a bad GPU, a PCIe port, or even the power cable. *Edit* - did you connect the second 16x PCIe slot on the motherboard? The Ryzen CPU doesn’t have its own integrated graphics, so do you have another PCIe GPU to try in the board or another PC to check?
Running the PC without the GPU usually prevents video output, which helps confirm other hardware isn’t faulty. After finishing this step, check if the diagnostic lights changed to indicate another issue or if they resolved. If successful, try connecting the GPU to a different PCIe slot. For used boards, a BIOS reset might be necessary—this involves unplugging the system from the wall and removing the CR2032 battery on the motherboard, waiting a minute, then reconnecting power.
I can verify in another environment just to confirm. It’s improbable, but there’s always a small risk that something failed during the transfer. If your GPU is functioning properly, you can focus on narrowing down the issue to a defective Mobo or possibly the CPU. Which components did you keep from the Optiplex?
Sorry, I don't have another setup to try it on. The components I reused from the optiplex were the CPU, cooler, RAM, and SSD from the previous owner. I should note that I disassembled it once after assembling it for testing in my old system, and it worked fine then. The original parts list for the optiplex (the old machine) included an Intel i7-3770 CPU, 16GB of random cheap DDR3 RAM, an old Cooler Master CPU cooler, and a Silicon Power 256GB SATA SSD.
Yeh, as @Raiyu mentioned, if you don't have plenty of spare parts to exchange, you're really struggling. Do you know anyone with a PC who could serve as a reliable testing environment for the GPU and memory? These two things usually work best together. If you do, make sure the power supply can support the GPU!
It's tough to find someone nearby with similar expertise. I spoke with a family member who has more experience and suggested it might be a motherboard problem. I'm planning to try installing a budget 3000 G-series processor to see if it boots up from the chipset. Thanks for your support!