The PC shuts down abruptly and remains inactive afterward.
The PC shuts down abruptly and remains inactive afterward.
PC specifications: Intel i3 10105F, ASRock B460M Pro4 board, 16GB RAM, Klevv 3200mAh battery, 2666mt/s speed. Asus Strix GTX 950, 2GB VRAM, first player, 500W power supply, 80+ Bronze rating. Runs Windows 11 64-bit version 24 hours. Day 1 story: I used the machine normally—played games, edited photos, surfed—until suddenly it powered off completely. No display, no fans, even peripherals like speakers and keyboard stayed silent. Tried restarting, turning off the PSU, power cycling, then rebooting. The power LED flashed briefly before cutting out again. Fans also failed to spin. I figured something was overheating and planned to sleep in. Day 2 troubleshooting: Woke up, tried booting, pressed power button but got nothing. Suspected PSU failure. Later, after cleaning contacts on the old GT 625, it worked—display appeared briefly. Then I checked the GPU options. With the old GT 625 unplugged, no display and beeps; cleaning the pins helped. The original 6-pin PCIe card also worked once plugged in. The 16x slot didn’t help much. I’m currently using the GT 625 OEM, which is stable but outdated drivers (2017). My main concerns: Did the PSU, GPU, or the 6-pin PCIe cable cause the shutdown? Is my GTX 950 still functional? Is the 16x port intact and not damaged? What’s the best fix with minimal cost?
If cleaning the slot didn’t resolve the problem, let’s look at the situation more clearly. Using your old GPU that doesn’t need extra power from the PCIe power supply, the issue is located in the lower PCIe slot and shows a visual signal. This information comes from the ASROCK website. Here are some AMI BIOS beep codes you might encounter: 1 short memory refresh timer error, 2 short parity error, 3 short main memory read/write test error, 4 short system timer failure, 5 short process error, 6 short keyboard controller BAT test error, 7 short general exception error, 8 short display memory error, 9 short ROM BIOS checksum error, 10 short CMOS shutdown read/write error, and 11 short cache memory bad. It’s unclear exactly what the error means, but others with similar problems have had CPU seating or BIOS issues since you haven’t touched the CPU itself. I recommend checking the BIOS. If you can capture a picture and access the BIOS, it would be wise to verify if there are any updates available for your BIOS and firmware, which you can download from the ASROCK website. It seems the latest version is 1.60; make sure you’re using that. The only logical explanation if the PCIe 16 isn’t damaged is a BIOS or firmware problem—so updating might help. Keep an eye out for helpful updates soon.
Thanks, I'll give it a shot. Using the GT 625 in the bottom slot of the motherboard lets the PC display images for extended periods. Regarding the BIOS, I'm currently running L1.51 and plan to upgrade it this evening. Appreciate the guidance!
Updated my BIOS to version 1.60, but the PC keeps producing five short beeps when using the GT 625 in the upper slot. I also responded to @esCaPade1: visually inspecting the slot shows no issues—no burn marks or obstructions that would block GPU contact. Dust seems unlikely since the GPU seals any gaps. Cleaning with an ISO won't help much. My question remains: Can a power supply lose efficiency over time? For instance, my 500W PSU has dropped to around 450W or less after four years of use. This makes sense because it no longer powers on properly when using the GTX 950, which uses a 6-pin PCI-e connector, while lower-wattage GPUs work fine.
Is it compatible with the PCI slot you're using? The GT 625 doesn't need an auxiliary port, yet it still fails in the top slot, suggesting a power supply problem rather than a board fault. Now you have two choices: have someone test your GPU GTX 950 inside the system or purchase another PSU or a PSU tester to diagnose the issue. Unfortunately, you don’t have the necessary tools or components, so a PSU tester priced between $30 and $50 would be a good investment. A 650W basic PSU from a reputable brand is worth around $50 plus shipping. If you opt for a motherboard refurbishment with warranty, you can get it from Newegg for about $60 plus shipping. Sorry you're at a tough spot—your current setup isn't working, and you might need to upgrade or test further.