Upgraded CPU and GPU didn't resolve the issue with Windows installation.
Upgraded CPU and GPU didn't resolve the issue with Windows installation.
I updated my BIOS from version 5.30 to 5.40, then to 5.50 after testing the 2070 Super. Each change seemed to work until I finally got it stable at 5.50. I’m using GeForce software, drivers, and a 144Hz setting. At this point, I’m confident my RAM is fine, though I’ll check again if needed. If nothing changes, I assume everything was correct from the start. Before upgrading, I built a system with a Ryzen 5 1600, an ASRock X370 Killer SLI, Sapphire Radeon RX 470, 1TB NVMe SSD, and 32GB RAM (8x4) on Windows 10. After the upgrade to Ryzen 5 3600, GeForce RTX 2070 Super, and similar components, everything runs smoothly. I’m planning to build a PC for my brother and left out some RAM for him. I installed the new GPU carefully and updated settings in UEFI, but Windows won’t boot. I tried swapping back to the old GPU without success. When I booted manually from the menu, it didn’t work. I thought the OS might be struggling with the new CPU, so I refreshed the BIOS. Someone mentioned the minimum BIOS version for this board and CPU was 5.40; I suspect I was running a lower version. After updating, nothing changed. When I finish work, I’ll reinstall the RAM to test. A note: while cleaning the M.2 slot during the swap, I thought about dust on the boot disc—could that have caused issues? That would be serious, but I’m trying to stay practical.
Windows dislikes major system changes. The best option seems to be a clean reinstall using a USB drive. It might confuse the OS into thinking the drive belongs to a completely new setup, which often prevents it from starting. I’ve tried this on an Intel machine and it didn’t work in a different system either. This usually points to Windows being a bit of a problem rather than your hardware being damaged.
You wondered if using a recovery USB for Windows would work. It was late last night when you planned to boot into a Linux thumb, but you got tired. You also realized some laptops behave like this and fixed it by re-seating the RAM. You might try reseating all 32GB and see how it goes. You just need someone to confirm you didn’t damage the NVMe drive with static or similar issues.
You might want to consider moving everything around instead. It could be simpler to reinstall everything right away, even though it might seem slower at first. If you don’t have any files saved, just reinstalling should work without issues.
Have you cleared the BIOS settings? Updating alone isn't always enough. Jump the reset pins. Also, check if the operating system drive appears in the BIOS. Sometimes inconsistent RAM can mess with Windows setup. If your old CPU had a stable IMC but you swapped in new DIMMs and paired it with a different CPU, it might have caused issues during installation.
Shows in bios were displayed. CMOS wasn't reset. I'll post updates later.
It seems like you're dealing with a 2070 Super hangover. Essentially, you managed to boot Windows using just one RAM stick and an old GPU, but the ASRock splash screen keeps appearing. All your crucial files are safely backed up to the NAS. Running DDU with the "new GPU" option still gives you that ASRock screen. The BIOS and CPU/NVMe are working fine. Right now, the ram issue is holding me back from installing the operating system.