This Gigabyte Z790 Gaming X AX model is not turning on.
This Gigabyte Z790 Gaming X AX model is not turning on.
Setting up a new PC hasn't led to booting. The motherboard is a Gigabyte z790 Gaming X AX rev 1.1 with a PSU, an Intel i5 14600K, a Gigabyte RTX 4060 Ti 16Gb, and a Crucial P3 NVMe SSD (2x16Gb). All components are listed as compatible by Gigabyte or the SSD by Crucial. When powering on, the system lights up DRAM and CPU, then turns off before restarting. The CPU appears correctly seated. Two 8-pin ATX connectors are connected to the board and a larger 24-pin ATX connector. The RTX 4060 is powered via a PCIe cable from the PSU. Fans spin, and an AIO fan operates. However, the PC fails to boot. I've tried different RAM sticks in various slots, but both should be in slots 2 and 4 as per the manual. A Q-Flash Plus update was applied, taking about 2-3 minutes. The BIOS blinked during the process, then started up with fans running before shutting down briefly. After rebooting, the DRAM LED lit up (slot 2), followed by CPU lights, then it toggled between them for a few seconds. The monitor displayed no signal. I've verified all connections and plan to recheck the CPU tomorrow after applying more thermal paste. I suspect the issue might be with the motherboard itself—though I'm not a beginner, I'm worried it could be faulty. Thanks in advance for your help.
Hi, Ieclod. Initially I attempted to remove the GPU and switch to IGPU, but there was no noticeable change. It seems the system is definitely stock, and I haven’t reached a point where adjustments are possible. The motherboard appears to be handled properly. Appreciate your guidance.
I’d remove the motherboard from the case using just plain cardboard and connect only the bare essentials—no GPU, just one stick of RAM. Reconnect everything gently, including the PSU side. I’ll take a couple clear shots for you. You mentioned installing the F10 BIOS? For the PSU, if a refund isn’t possible, I’d keep using it. Perhaps run some benchmarks, use FurMark to test performance, check for any unusual odors, and then proceed. I’ve already watched the whole video. Edited on May 18, 2024 by leclod
Yeah, my "getting rid of it" comment was a knee jerk reaction, engage brain before putting mouth in motion , should have applied. I watched the GN video and the Gigabyte response one too, to be fair they were blowing at 60% load on occasion. However, I then looked at dates and the video is coming up to 3 years old, August 2021 and it states they'd been investigating for several months before publishing, so the issue is going back over 3 years. There's a channel Hardware Busters who have tested newer units supplied by Gigabyte and they seem okay. Interestingly the serial numbers are given under the HB video, new P750GM SN: SN21033G004789 old P750GM SN (failure): SN20273G002913 and if the SN gives any indication of volumes manufactured my SN23233G016023 (I'm thinking maybe after the G, guesswork though) is streets beyond the old units. The guy in the video shows changes made to the unit design and components also. So yes, I'll not worry about that now, he's tripping them at over 900w load with no flames. Anyway, back to the issue. The BIOS version I used was F9, yesterday, I see F10 is now there and although the site has a date of 16th May against it, yesterday on the 17th at about 1pm, F9 was at the top of the list, F10 wasn't present so I'll give that a go it now it's there. Then I think I'll dismantle, reseat the CPU (although as I've said I'm in no doubt it's in correctly) and as you've suggested work outside the case and take it from there. I'll post how I get on, the CPU work may have to wait a few hours, the paste is on a "by 10pm" delivery from Amazon so it may even be tomorrow I do that. Thanks for the responses, Cheers.
Initially I was eager to confirm it worked. The exact reason for the fix remains unclear. My thermal paste was replaced, I downloaded the latest BIOS using F10, and attempted a boot. The system behaved similarly. Someone else shared their experience—flashing the BIOS took time, but eventually it worked. They switched to another PC and later succeeded. I also tried reseating the CPU, assuming it was properly seated. After cleaning the socket, the heatsink copper plate with alcohol, reapplying paste, securing the CPU, tightening the screws firmly, and giving them a light tap with a screwdriver, everything held in place. When I powered on, the machine booted successfully. I've also cloned my old drive to an M.2 slot, which is now functioning perfectly. I suspect the mounting pressure might have been the issue—possibly over-tightening the thumbscrews earlier. I corrected that and everything worked smoothly. I included photos showing the CPU after alcohol cleaning, the socket, the properly aligned CPU, the heatsink, and the machine. Ideally, I’d like to see the radiator mounted higher on the case for better airflow, but the current setup keeps things quiet and stable. It’s a success!