The new PC functioned properly initially but then abruptly stopped and remained locked on the motherboard display.
The new PC functioned properly initially but then abruptly stopped and remained locked on the motherboard display.
I designed a couple of PCs before, but this was my first complete custom hard drive water loop setup. Everything proceeded smoothly—updating the BIOS and testing everything inside the case first. The post looked accurate, showing exactly what it should display. I put it in the case, installed Windows, and everything functioned properly.
The next day I ran several benchmarks for about six to seven hours (I know that’s a long time, but I wanted to be sure). Everything stayed stable. The following morning I opened up the machine and everything was still working as expected. While browsing the built-in Windows bloatware, I noticed Norton was already installed. I removed it.
When I tried to boot, the PC froze on the motherboard screen. I waited a short while, then restarted. After that, everything worked again. I played a few games—especially ones my previous machine struggled with, like Warzone and Escape from Tarkov. Everything was fine except for occasional freezes on the motherboard screen requiring a restart to boot.
I decided to test a couple of games to see if the issue persisted. The PC booted up normally, but it would freeze again at the motherboard screen unless I restarted. I tried several troubleshooting steps: reseating RAM, swapping out one stick, checking different lanes, even using RAM from another system. Nothing helped.
The CPU was a Ryzen 7 5800X, motherboard Aorus X570 Elite with Ekwb waterblock, and the GPU was an Evga RTX 3080 Ftw3 Ultra with Ekwb waterblock. The SSD was an M.2 unit behind the GPU, also out of reach without disassembly.
By the time I restarted, I didn’t even see the motherboard screen—everything powered up. I knew I’d have to take it apart for a proper diagnosis. I tried everything: draining the loop, testing the board, replacing the CPU and VRM, swapping out PCIe cables, and even removing the GPU. The waterblock was still present.
SSD was an M.2 unit, and the motherboard was sealed with an active backplate—so I’d need to drain the loop completely. I was ready to ask for help if anyone had faced a similar situation, but I also understood how delicate these systems could be.
Yes, the device has been non-functional for about two to three years and was recently evaluated.
The problem was fixed two to three years ago. Just treat it like any device without a post-status—remove unnecessary components such as extra RAM, drives, or cooling gear. Perform a BIOS reset and check if it works with minimal hardware.
Consider using a Linux live USB to test the system. If this works, the issue likely isn't hardware-related. When the screen freezes during startup, can you access the BIOS settings?
Have you attempted to reset the CMOS memory? This might work without disrupting your current session. It seems unlikely to help, but a BIOS flashback could be worth trying. Good luck!
It seems the problem has never been resolved. I’m aware I should disassemble it to understand the issue better. What I’m curious about is whether others have faced a similar situation, especially around the time this began after uninstalling Norton, which feels unusual.
The OS software is unrelated to a no post condition since the hardware must operate properly for the software to function