[SOLVED] Brand new computer, 5 BIOS beeps = "Process error". Swapped Motherboard, CPU, and PSU with no effect.

[fred_the_plant]

I'm building a new AM4 PC right now and ordered all of the necessary components , but having a very difficult time trying to get it to work.

I've tried quite a large combination of parts so far so instead of stating the specs upfront I'll just describe the situation chronologically. The only constant component is 2 x 8GB XPG Gammix D10 RAM which I have used in 0, 1, and 2 stick configurations for all of the tests below.

0) Original AM3 socket PC has been working fine since 2011 but just not able to keep up with any modern software. Only component that is compatible with current AM4 hardware is the Seasonic G-Series 550W power supply, so I'm limited in how much I can test with a verified working system.

1) Asrock B450M Pro4 + Ryzen 7 1700 + Seasonic G-Series 550W: CPU fan spins up, no BIOS beeps

2) Swapped to brand new PSU Seasonic Focus+ Gold 650W: Verified PSU works on old computer, new Mobo+CPU no BIOS beeps. Suspect motherboard is bad.

3) RMAed motherboard with Newegg and got replacement B450M Pro4: CPU fan spins up AND I get 5 BIOS beeps - Asrock website says this means "Process error". Looks like first motherboard was bad and the replacement has fixed it, but still can't get it working.

4) RMAed Ryzen 7 1700 and bought new Ryzen 5 2600 (sales have changed, 2600 now a better deal): (stock) CPU fan spins up AND 5 BIOS beeps. When no RAM is installed no BIOS beeps, when either 1 stick or 2 sticks installed I get the 5 BIOS beeps. Cleared CMOS according to Asrock instructions with no effect. Motherboard is not in the case since I don't want to install anything just to have to remove it when/if I discover it's faulty.

This certainly isn't my first computer - I think that was a 386 back in 1994, and I must have built about a dozen machines along the way. I've never had this many difficulties before...in fact this is my first time ever having to RMA components. That being said, I'm open to the idea that I've made a mistake along the way or missed something important, but all of the reading that I've done with troubleshooting guides hasn't revealed anything new so I'm feeling stuck. Honestly thinking of just getting rid of the new gear and buying something pre-built so I can stop messing around with all of this.

Is my second CPU toast? Is the replacement motherboard also bad, just not as bad as the first one (since at least it beeps)? Is the RAM bad? I have no idea.

Any suggestions will be much appreciated! Thank you.

 

[rgd1101]

what gpu do you have?

 

[fred_the_plant]

I have a Sapphire RX580 but it's not installed since I want to deal with the upstream issues first. All of the results above are with onboard video only. Nothing is installed in PCI-E slots, no hard drive/SSD/NVMe.

 

[Crosslhs82x2]

What ram slot are putting them in.
Should be 2nd and 4th from the cpu.

Also to use the on board video you need a igpu like 2200g or the 2400g.

 

[Calvin7]

Motherboad video out requires the use of a processor with processor graphics, which you don't have.

 

[fred_the_plant]

I figured I was missing something simple, thank you!!! Put the graphics card in and it's fine. I didn't realize that this generation required certain processors to use onboard graphics...it's been a long time since I built a computer and haven't been keeping up with things.