ASRock Z77 Extreme4 - "4F" - 6 beeps on startup. Gets into bios/windows fine 1st time, then screen goes blank on restart

[lokota2468]

ASRock Z77 Extreme4 ATX - 4F on MrDebug - 6 beeps on startup. Gets into bios/windows fine the first time, then if you restart the screen goes completely blank (no idea if it got into windows ok)...and it displays 4F on the mobo.

Then you have to leave it off for a while before it successfully goes into bios/windows after turning it on. i.e. if you turn it on again immediately the screen will be blank again. 6 beeps on every startup, no matter what.

This is my first build - it has been working fine for the last 9 months (since it was built), so this is the first issue. Very much a noob so if anyone can give me some pointers on how to diagnose the problem, that'd be great. As far as I can tell all the connections are in place and all fans are working. I went into the UEFI utility and temperatures seem fine too...

Thank you

Mobo: Z77 Extreme4 ATX LGA1155
CPU: Intel Core i5-3570K 3.4GHz Quad-Core
RAM: G.Skill Ripjaws X Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600
Drives: Samsung 840 Series 250GB 2.5" SSD, Barracuda 2TB 3.5" 7200RPM
GPU: Gigabyte GeForce GTX 670 2GB
PSU: XFX 750W ATX12V / EPS12V
Lite-On iHAS124-04 DVD/CD Writer
Win 7 Home Premium SP1 (OEM) (64-bit)

EDIT: I have googled for this "4F" issue, but it seems there is no conclusive answer...was wondering if anyone here knew off the top of their head.

 

[alyoshka]

Remove the GPU and try the onboard display.
When you restart the rig do you here those beeps after having remove the 670?
Check and update.

 

[lokota2468]

Remove the GPU and try the onboard display.
When you restart the rig do you here those beeps after having remove the 670?
Check and update.

Thank you - I just tried this. It works fine, no beeping with the onboard display. I tried putting the GPU back in and 2 things have changed

- the beeping. Instead of 6 beeps, it goes 6, 3, 3, 6, 3, 3 etc in a cycle and eventually stops after a set of 3 beeps. Sometimes the very first 6 beeps happens twice in a row
- the screen - perhaps I didn't leave it long enough, but nothing comes on the screen now

I then tried putting the GPU into the other PSI-E socket the mobo has, thinking maybe it's a socket problem, and get the same results. Unhappy GPU?

 

[alyoshka]

No actually three things, either one of them could be unhappy. The PSU, first, then the Mobo and thirdly the GPU.
Is there a possibility of you to try the same GPU in another rig....??
If so try that and if the same thing happens in the other rig , we can immediately single out the GPU as the main problem.
But in a different rig altogether if things work fine, then we have to test the PSU and the Mobo.

 

[lokota2468]

No actually three things, either one of them could be unhappy. The PSU, first, then the Mobo and thirdly the GPU.
Is there a possibility of you to try the same GPU in another rig....??
If so try that and if the same thing happens in the other rig , we can immediately single out the GPU as the main problem.
But in a different rig altogether if things work fine, then we have to test the PSU and the Mobo.

I don't have another rig unfortunately... So how to test the PSU/mobo? Given that it seems to work fine with the GPU taken out.

A side question: So far, when I have used my rig, I always turn it on via the mains at the start and turn the mains off at the end. To save energy. But could this be potentially dangerous with regard to the PSU? (I wouldn't have thought so, seeing as the PSU I have is meant to be from a solid, reliable brand. £73! http://uk.pcpartpicker.com/part/xfx-power-supply-p1750snlb9)

 

[alyoshka]

I think that is the perfect way to switch on and off a rig, no mistakes there.
Just try using the rig for a few days without the GPU inserted, if it gives you any new problems you'll come to know and you can come back to us, if not, then you can be 99% sure it's the GPU, another thing you can try is borrow another GPU from a friend if possible and put it into your rig and see if the problems reoccur....

 

[lokota2468]

I think that is the perfect way to switch on and off a rig, no mistakes there.
Just try using the rig for a few days without the GPU inserted, if it gives you any new problems you'll come to know and you can come back to us, if not, then you can be 99% sure it's the GPU, another thing you can try is borrow another GPU from a friend if possible and put it into your rig and see if the problems reoccur....

OK, I try a few days without the GPU. But assuming it is the GPU...how simple is an RMA? If that's even applicable here (I hope so!). Never done it before...

Thanks

 

[alyoshka]

When and where did you buy it from? You'll need to check the RMA policy of the retailer, if not, you need to claim a warranty and give it to their authorized service people around your area.

 

[lokota2468]

When and where did you buy it from? You'll need to check the RMA policy of the retailer, if not, you need to claim a warranty and give it to their authorized service people around your area.

Update. Been using the rig without the GPU - no problems with initial startup. But then if I reboot, I get the 6 beeps! Then nothing displays on the screen, and it hangs until I turn off or press the reset button on the case, after which it resumes normal operation (without any beeps).

??

Appreciate any input!

On a side note: I examined the gold fingers of the GPU when I took it out, and noticed that one gold finger on each side is missing the "tip" - but I'm hoping the above means that the GPU is actually fine...


EDIT: Another strange thing. With the GPU installed, assuming I get into windows successfully, I can open CPUID HWMONITOR just fine, but I can't get into SpeedFan, it just hangs until I end the process. But both are fine when the GPU is uninstalled.

 

[alyoshka]

Those 2 gold contacts on either side are only half, they don't have the tip, that's ok, that's the way it's supposed to be.
Are those six beeps long, short, or a mix?? You need to hear the beeps then google for beep code errors, that'll point you out to the pre-post /post problem that you're facing now.... I'm about 80% in doubt about the PSU....
Even though you said all the good things about the brand being solid and all that, but, I have had my shared of good and bad experiences with XFX so I don't want that to be a sort of prejudiced approach to problem solving..... but the GPU seems fine, the problem has been zeroed into the Mobo or the PSu.

 

[lokota2468]

An update. The issue has apparently been fixed by updating the BIOS from 2.7 to 2.9. I've tried 10-20 times (power on + restarts combined) to get the error again to no avail.

I have no idea what's going on... BIOS that was fine for 9 months and suddenly decides to fail until update...weird... If you know then enlighten please!

Thank you anyway

 

[alyoshka]

Great, now if it was beginning to fail then another thing that you can do is change the CMOS battery, just to be on the safe side. An update to the BIOS is pretty much essential mainly 'cos Processors now days also keep receiving micro instruction updates ( Although I personally have never come across one) but articles do hint at that, and personal computers seem to just all of a sudden fall out of line.... so the only logical conclusion I can think of is something like this might have been updated, and required a BIOS update to support it.....