Question A motherboard which won't boot infects another motherboard [Help and opinions welcome]

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StrangeStranger95

StrangeStranger95

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Jan 25, 2015
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Hello, glad you can make it.
So here is what we're dealing with.

Your little brother's computer is not booting!
MB: Gigabyte GA-970A-UD3
CPU: AMD (I'll have to edit this part when I find out the type)
GPU: GTX 770
HD: Western Digital 6TB
OS: It was windows 10

So you start the computer... and nothing, okay...
Lets try mashing del, F2, F1, all the keys.
Nothing...

Okay... lets start removing ram sticks and changing orientation
Nothing...

Graphics Card? Removed...
Nothing...

All the connections firmly connected... yep.

Any visible signs of soot, or shortage... not a sign

Okay... off to Amazon to buy an AM3+ motherboard, a cheap ASRock 970M Pro3 will do.
Changing the parts, booting the computer, and we have BIOS great!
Enter the computer, backup data, all is well. Return computer to little brother.

Little brother texts... computer is not booting!
Strange... it was working a day ago

Repeat process again, and nothing...
Time to reset CMOS, and that does bring you back into boot. But when the computer shutdown and turned back on again, no boot...

Maybe somethings wrong with Windows, lets install a random flavor of linux Deb12 will do for no particular reason.
Deb12 installed, restarted, no boot.

New motherboard so old component failing?
Motherboard needs update? Flash the bios?
Maybe it the memory?

In the meantime little brother is getting impatient and decides to buy new computer... cool now a new toy for us to fix and convert to a home lab.


While I try different things, I'll document here.
 
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When posting a thread of troubleshooting nature, it's customary to include your full system's specs. Please list the specs to your build like so:
CPU:
CPU cooler:
Motherboard:
Ram:
SSD/HDD:
GPU:
PSU:
Chassis:
OS:
Monitor:
include the age of the PSU apart from it's make and model.

If you recycled the PSU from your older build, that might be your culprit.
 
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I've learned that I've been using the wrong terminology, it appears the system will boot into an OS, but it won't POST after reboot.

To answer Lutfij the full system specs

CPU: AMD FX(tm)-8350 8-Core Processor Speed: 4000MHz
CPU cooler: Cooler Master w/ fan
Motherboard: ASRock 970M Pro3 UEFI P1.60
Ram: 2x Crucial Ballistix Sport 1600Mhz 9-9-9-24 1.5V 4gb
SSD/HDD: Western Digital 6TB
GPU: Nvidia GTX 770
PSU: Seasonic Focus (Unsure of the model#)
Chassis: Fractal
OS: Debian 12
Monitor: MSI Monitor
include the age of the PSU apart from it's make and model: About 6-7 years old
 
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StrangeStranger95 said:
Hello, glad you can make it.
So here is what we're dealing with.

Your little brother's computer is not booting!
MB: Gigabyte GA-970A-UD3
CPU: AMD (I'll have to edit this part when I find out the type)
GPU: GTX 770
HD: Western Digital 6TB
OS: It was windows 10

So you start the computer... and nothing, okay...
Lets try mashing del, F2, F1, all the keys.
Nothing...

Okay... lets start removing ram sticks and changing orientation
Nothing...

Graphics Card? Removed...
Nothing...

All the connections firmly connected... yep.

Any visible signs of soot, or shortage... not a sign

Okay... off to Amazon to buy an AM3+ motherboard, a cheap ASRock 970M Pro3 will do.
Changing the parts, booting the computer, and we have BIOS great!
Enter the computer, backup data, all is well. Return computer to little brother.

Little brother texts... computer is not booting!
Strange... it was working a day ago

Repeat process again, and nothing...
Time to reset CMOS, and that does bring you back into boot. But when the computer shutdown and turned back on again, no boot...

Maybe somethings wrong with Windows, lets install a random flavor of linux Deb12 will do for no particular reason.
Deb12 installed, restarted, no boot.

New motherboard so old component failing?
Motherboard needs update? Flash the bios?
Maybe it the memory?

In the meantime little brother is getting impatient and decides to buy new computer... cool now a new toy for us to fix and convert to a home lab.


While I try different things, I'll document here.
Click to expand...
Did you replace CMOS battery ?
 
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Flashed bios; promising results
Did a full system shutdown turned back on, system posted and booted...
Running more tests, going to keep power disconnected for 3 mins.

I have a multimeter ready to test battery voltage if system does not POST.
 
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Removed Battery
Reset CMOS

Got to POST, went to BIOS and loaded UEFI defaults (just hoping it does something)
Powering Off
Disconnecting from power
Reconnecting to power
Powering On

Result: No post

Shutting down via power button
Resetting CMOS
Observation: Takes about 15 seconds to get to UEFI setup utility after CMOS reset
Saving Changes and exiting
Boots up GRUB
1st Restart (seeing if its the d/c from power causing the issue or rebooting)
Restart successful
Boots up GRUB

2nd Restart
Boots up GRUB
Five beeps from MB speaker - this is new

3rd Restart to try to get the five beeps again
1 Long Beep - Also new
Boots up GRUB
No Five beeps from MB Speaker...

Fourth Restart
No 1 long beep
Boots up GRUB
No Five Beeps from MB Speaker...

System Power Down - Not disconnecting from Power
30 seconds passing
Power on
Boots up GRUB

System Power Down - Not disconnecting from Power
60 seconds passing
Power On
60 seconds passing
No POST, no BIOS/UEFI

Absolutely bizarre...
Back to back restarts have no issues with getting back to Debian's Login page after GRUB boots.
A shutdown for 30 seconds is fine, but after 60 seconds it causes the system to not want to POST.

Curious to see some thoughts

CMOS Battery has been removed for all of these tests, will let the computer run in this dead state for 10-30 minutes while I make dinner and come back to see if still 'dead'
 
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Being honest here, that age of AMD was a dark, dark time. If the motherboard you purchased chasing this is refundable, I would do so.

You could readily purchase a sub $100 refurbished office machine that would beat the brakes off that power hungry and hot 8350. It may also not be a bad idea to consider both the graphics card as well as the power supply as a possible issue in this chain.
 
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punkncat said:
Being honest here, that age of AMD was a dark, dark time. If the motherboard you purchased chasing this is refundable, I would do so.

You could readily purchase a sub $100 refurbished office machine that would beat the brakes off that power hungry and hot 8350. It may also not be a bad idea to consider both the graphics card as well as the power supply as a possible issue in this chain.
Click to expand...

I'll swap out the graphics card and run some more tests.
Thank you for the heads up about the 8350 running hot and power hungry, I might explore underclocking since this is going to be a home server running a discord bot which for now is just a glorified timer for a video game my buddies play.
 
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Replaced GFX w/ MSI Nvidia 970
30 seconds wait
No Post
Shutting down via power button
Resetting CMOS
Inserting CMOS battery
Powering on
Dummy forgot to plugin HDMI
Power OFF
Reset CMOS
no grub

Said screw it and closing this thread
 
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Build OS was Windows 10 and then changed to Debian12 - correct.

Thread can be closed if you wish but consider moving it from here (Systems) to Open Source.

= = = =

Also as for the CMOS battery etc. reference the motherboard's User Guide/Manual for the correct reset/replace procedures.

Likewise, some motherboards require that the first physically installed RAM be placed in a specific slot. Typically DIMM_A2. That installation requirement may or may not be clearly stated or apparent. Read all fine print and look very carefully at the RAM installation diagrams.
 
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punkncat said:
Being honest here, that age of AMD was a dark, dark time. If the motherboard you purchased chasing this is refundable, I would do so.

You could readily purchase a sub $100 refurbished office machine that would beat the brakes off that power hungry and hot 8350. It may also not be a bad idea to consider both the graphics card as well as the power supply as a possible issue in this chain.
Click to expand...


honestly am3+ fx series chips were so hot that even the board manufacturers like asrock were like keep a fan on the vrms lol.
literally from the asrock website
* For cooling the CPU and its surrounding components, please install a CPU cooler with a top-down blowing design.

https://www.asrock.com/mb/AMD/970M Pro3/#CPU
 
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