HELP: Attempted upgrade of PC gone wrong

[PileOfMeatballs]

TL; DR: New PC build won't start up.  I could use a fresh pair of eyes.

 

I know this isn't the usual topic of discussion on these forums but there is such a great community of knowledgeable people here that I thought I'd try before diving into the reddit cesspool. I'm upgrading my old PC (essentially a new build since the case, power supply and the DVD-ROM are the only things I'm saving).

 

PROBLEM: Computer won't POST. Fans spin up for 1 sec, onboard LEDs flash, then shuts off. Cycles this way about every two secs until I switch off power supply and unplug. Motherboard has LEDs to indicate problems for CPU, RAM and +VGA. During each cycle CPU LED flashes, then RAM, then CPU again, then dies, rinse, repeat.

 

Link to short video of start up behavior: http://thomsimonson.com/games/PCVideo.mov

 

COMPONENTS:

• MSI Gaming B150M BAZOOKA LGA 1151 Intel B150 HDMI SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.1 Micro ATX Intel Motherboard
• MSI GeForce GTX 960 DirectX 12 GTX 960 GAMING 2G 2GB 128-Bit GDDR5 PCI Express 3.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI Support ATX Video Card
• SAMSUNG 850 EVO 2.5" 250GB SATA III 3-D Vertical Internal Solid State Drive (SSD) MZ-75E250B/AM
• HyperX Fury 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR4 2133 RAM (Desktop Memory) CL14 XMP Black DIMM (288-Pin) HX421C14FB2K2/16
• Intel Core i3-6100 3M 3.7 GHz LGA 1151 BX80662I36100 Desktop Processor
• Thermaltake TR-2 600W powersupply

 

TROUBLESHOOTING:

• Double checked that CPU is seated correctly and as far as I tell there are no bent pins on the CPU slot (yes I removed the plastic CPU socket cover).
• Brass standoffs are positioned correctly for board.
• No contact between the back of the mobo and the case as far as I can tell.
• No shorts apparent on back of mobo.
• 4 pin CPU power and 24 pin mobo power connectors firmly connected.
• CPU Fan connected.
• Monitor and keyboard connected.
• Stripped back all the but the essential components necessary get the computer to POST. (motherboard, cpu, 1 stick of RAM in slot specified in mobo manual, using onboard video rather than video card, all front panel case connectors disconnected except power switch and speaker). Same result.
• Tried using copper wire to short the CMOS reset jumper (I don't have a jumper cap) and also removed onboard battery and held power on button to get it to reset then replaced battery.  Same result.

 

I tried powering up without any RAM installed and I did get a beep so at least that much is working.

 

I'm at the end of my rope with this build and would greatly appreciate any suggestions.   

 

Thanks in advance. 

[Dewar]

According to the manual available at https://us.msi.com/Motherboard/support/B150M-BAZOOKA.html#down-manual on page 32, there are Debug LEDs on the surface of the board. Can you check them out?

[PileOfMeatballs]

According to the manual available at https://us.msi.com/Motherboard/support/B150M-BAZOOKA.html#down-manual on page 32, there are Debug LEDs on the surface of the board. Can you check them out?

 

Yup.  those are the LEDs I mentioned in the original post.  CPU LED flashes, then changes to DRAM LED, then back to CPU LED, then off.  Cycle repeats.  CPU is seated correctly and I tried it with just 1 DRAM in correct slot, then swapped it out for the other DRAM stick.  Same result. 

[pabosher]

My advice would be to get RAM you *know* works. I had much the same problem as you, turned out I'd been sent faulty RAM from Amazon. Took me three months and a lot of money to figure that out.

[PileOfMeatballs]

My advice would be to get RAM you *know* works. I had much the same problem as you, turned out I'd been sent faulty RAM from Amazon. Took me three months and a lot of money to figure that out.

 

Thanks.  

 

I have two more DDRs that I hadn't opened yet, because I wanted the option to return them if necessary.  I cracked them open and tried a fresh stick. Same result.  This was pack was from a different retailer.  I don't have any way to absolutely confirm that they work, but it seems less likely that I got bad sticks from both places. 

[Vulpes Absurda]

Amazon will take back open stuff if it doesn't work. And I assume most retailers will as well.

[Gormongous]

Amazon will take back open stuff if it doesn't work. And I assume most retailers will as well.

 

Sometimes it's a fairly awkward RMA process with the manufacturer, but yes, I've never bought a non-working computer part from a reputable seller and not been able to return it, even weeks later.

[itsamoose]

Have you verified the PSU is alright?  Also did you try reapplying any thermal paste to the CPU heatsink, and is the heatsink spinning up alright?  From my experience failing to POST is usually due to overheating or a loose connection somewhere.

[Dewar]

Yup.  those are the LEDs I mentioned in the original post.  CPU LED flashes, then changes to DRAM LED, then back to CPU LED, then off.  Cycle repeats.  CPU is seated correctly and I tried it with just 1 DRAM in correct slot, then swapped it out for the other DRAM stick.  Same result. 

 

Oh, sorry, I thought you meant external LEDs, couldn't find any LED codes in the manual, than ended looking back at those. My first suspicion in times like this is power supply. Happen to have an old spare around you can test with?

[PileOfMeatballs]

Sometimes it's a fairly awkward RMA process with the manufacturer, but yes, I've never bought a non-working computer part from a reputable seller and not been able to return it, even weeks later.

 

Yes, in fact this motherboard is the 2nd one.  I RMAed the first one because it wasn't working either.  The shipped a new one.  

[PileOfMeatballs]

Have you verified the PSU is alright?  Also did you try reapplying any thermal paste to the CPU heatsink, and is the heatsink spinning up alright?  From my experience failing to POST is usually due to overheating or a loose connection somewhere.

 

The PSU is one of the few components I retained from the previous system.  It was working fine the last time I used it, though that was quite a while ago.  I'll double check the CPU seat again and redo the thermal paste.  The only positive thing to come out of this so far is that I apparently have applying thermal paste down pat.  In all the times I've reapplied it, haven't found any spilling off the sides.

 

Thanks.

[PileOfMeatballs]

Rechecked the CPU.  There appeared to be something on the contacts.  Carefully cleaned it with some isopropyl alcohol.  Reinstalled.  Same result as before.  

[PileOfMeatballs]

Have you verified the PSU is alright?  Also did you try reapplying any thermal paste to the CPU heatsink, and is the heatsink spinning up alright?  From my experience failing to POST is usually due to overheating or a loose connection somewhere.

 

I connected the PSU to the old motherboard which still had CPU and RAM installed.  System POSTed.  So it's not the Power supply. 

[Dragonfliet]

I'm curious about the motherboard return. Was the other mobo doing the same thing? If so, it might be that you have a defective cpu, rather than mobo. At this point, it looks like you've done everything right, so it's difficult to tell you what to do. The mobo doesn't have anything even remotely useful for indications that might simplify matters, so it appears to be guesswork. Good luck.

[PileOfMeatballs]

I'm curious about the motherboard return. Was the other mobo doing the same thing? If so, it might be that you have a defective cpu, rather than mobo. At this point, it looks like you've done everything right, so it's difficult to tell you what to do. The mobo doesn't have anything even remotely useful for indications that might simplify matters, so it appears to be guesswork. Good luck.

 

The previous mobo had had a similar problem but it wouldn't cycle at all.  CPU LED lit, fans spun for half a sec, then everything stopped and it was dead.  

[PileOfMeatballs]

I bit the bullet and went to a local place and picked up another CPU and installed it.  Same result.  So CPU, Memory and Mobo have all been swapped out with no improvement.  PSU worked with previous set up.

 

One thing I didn't think of is that this is a mini-ATX board in an ATX case.  I know people who have done this before without problem.  I was able to move the stand offs to holes in the correct locations and I can't see any place where the board is making contact with the case.  Could the case be the problem?

[ratamero]

Maybe the power requirements for your new setup are bigger than the old one and sending your PSU over some cliff? It's the only thing I could think of. It's a difficult one to check, though.

[PileOfMeatballs]

Maybe the power requirements for your new setup are bigger than the old one and sending your PSU over some cliff? It's the only thing I could think of. It's a difficult one to check, though.

 

Yeah I've been thinking that too.  When I try to power up using the onboard video it cycles like I described above.  But if I plug in the video card it won't even do that.  So maybe it's all pulling too much juice.  It's a 600W PSU though.  Video card pulls 120W and the CPU is about 65W, the SSD is 3.5W when active.  I can't imagine that the RAM, mobo and optical drive are sucking up the remain 400W.  But clearly something's off.  

[feelthedarkness]

can you plug the RAM into your old machine to verify that they work?

 

also, assuming you're using one of those newer modular PSUs, you've got the right amount plugs connected to the mobo right? sorry if that sounds insulting, but i think i made a similar mistake once. 

[PileOfMeatballs]

can you plug the RAM into your old machine to verify that they work?

 

also, assuming you're using one of those newer modular PSUs, you've got the right amount plugs connected to the mobo right? sorry if that sounds insulting, but i think i made a similar mistake once. 

 

The Mobo on my old machine is too old to support the DDR4.  And no my PSU doesn't have modular connectors. Thanks tho.

[PileOfMeatballs]

Latest development.  I picked up an ASUS motherboard to see if maybe it was a problem with MSI or that the mini-ATX was making some kind of bad connection in my ATX case.  New ASUS ATX motherboard installed.  

 

Same problem.  UGH!.  The only thing I haven't swapped out at this point is the PSU but I powered it up with my old rig and it worked just fine.  

 

I think I've finally hit the point where I'm going to RMA all this stuff, eat the open box fees, and just get an Alienware PC or something.  

[Nappi]

Jesus, this sounds awful. Sorry to hear that.

 

My guesses would have been: PSU cannot output enough power; not all connections are made from PSU to motherboard (multiple connectors), hard drive or the graphics card; one of the RAM modules has bad sectors; or the processor overheats / temperature monitoring is faulty. However, it seems that you have all that covered already.

[osmosisch]

I'm definitely suspicious of the PSU, in my experience if it's not the RAM, it is always, always the PSU. The fatc it works with a different setup isn't enough to allay my suspicions.

[PileOfMeatballs]

Thank you all VERY much for your help with this.  I'm 80% sure that the PSU is the problem, but if I order one and it doesn't fix things I'll be over the time limit to return the components I already have.  Basically my patience has passed the point of no return on this little project.  I'm RMAing the components I have and when I get the money back (minus fucking open box fees) I'll be looking for an affordable gaming PC. (recommendations on your fav manufacturers are welcome)

 

Thanks again for all your help.  Love this community.  

[osmosisch]

Very sorry to hear your problem won't be fixed, what a shitty experience this must have been. Definitely the worst I've heard of in my pc-building circles.

I don't have gaming PC recs unfortunately, I've been laptop-only for quite some time.