Question Computer won't load Windows and can't enter BIOS

[afjit3k7r]

Hey all, tldr my computer never goes past the POST screen. Restarting it a few times and looking around (but not changing) the BIOS, then restarting it some more led to Windows 10 eventually loading, though I'm not sure what changed that enabled it to do so, but now after restarting again it won't boot Windows and I can't even get it to go into the BIOS.

Motherboard is a Gigabyte Z490 Aorus Elite AC. CPU is an Intel 10700K. Four 32gb sticks of RAM. GPU is a GTX 1070. My windows is installed on a M.2 NVMe drive and there are two raid 1 HDD arrays and a SSD drive connected.

To go into some more detail, I went to backup my computer and opened it up and attached a couple of drives to it to backup to. I then turned the computer on and it wouldn't go past the POST screen. Restarted it a couple times with the same results. Then when went to the BIOS and looked around but nothing looked off, and it seemed to detect that there was a boot drive. I exited the BIOS and I don't know if it was after that restart or trying to restart it a couple more times but the computer finally loaded Windows, but I don't know what I did to cause anything different to happen.

I figured maybe it had something to do with the backup drives causing some weird issue, but I was able to use them to backup my data. I turned the computer off, took the extra drives out, restarted the computer and then had a similarly difficult time getting the computer to start again, but again Windows eventually loaded. I restarted the computer several days later, and now it won't go past the POST screen no matter what I do. It also now won't let me load the BIOS no matter how I've tried to tap the delete key.

I've tried clearing the CMOS by shorting the jumpers and by taking out the battery for a time (and replaced it with a new one), neither of which seemed to cause any changes.

I tried taking all the RAM out and trying different combinations of sticks in different slots. None of the combinations I tried seemed to change anything except, strangely just having one in the first slot led to the computer not even entering POST. The motherboard has four little LEDs labeled VGA, CPU, DRAM and BOOT, which I'm guessing have something to do with testing or indicating an error. When the computer was stuck in POST, the BOOT LED was lit, but when the one stick of RAM was in the first slot, the DRAM LED was lit. I didn't see in the manual where it mentions those lights or almost anything to do with troubleshooting, though I certainly could have missed it.

I'm considering replacing the motherboard with the same model and hoping that things magically boot up and run fine. Before I do that, does anyone have any ideas as to what's going on or how to fix it? Thanks!!

 

[Ralston18]

PSU:

Make, model, wattage, age, condition (original to build, new, refurbished, used)?

= = = =

RAM - verify: 4 x 32 GB = 128 GB RAM, Do you mean 4 X 8 GB = 32 GB?

What is the driving requirement for RAID1? Generally not applicable without specific business requirements. RAID is not a backup solution.

Ideas - start here:

https://download.gigabyte.com/FileList/Manual/mb_manual_z490-aorus-elite-ac_1001_e.pdf

(Do confirm that I found the applicable motherboard manual.)

First, read through the manual. (Noted that you did refer to the manual - however, if the manual does not mention "lights" etc. it is possible that the references were missed or the wrong manual was used. Happens....)

Second, work through the manual (if correct) a second time to verify that all components and their respective configurations are supported.

Third - how was RAM installed? Some motherboards require that the first physically installed RAM stick be placed in a specific slot. DIMMA2 being common.

 

[afjit3k7r]

Thank you for the reply.

The RAID 1 arrays are not for backup but for redundancy in case a drive dies. This is my personal computer, so it's not a business requirement.

That is the correct manual.

The PSU was purchased new and is now several years old. It's an EVGA supernova 850 G2. I wasn't noticing any issues such as instability while the computer was running, that might seem to indicate that it's not receiving enough power.

There is 4 x 32GB = 128GB of G.SKILL Ripjaws V Series RAM. The computer has been running almost constantly and without issue for over 3 years, so it seems like the RAM must have been
installed ok.

 

[afjit3k7r]

I haven't updated the BIOS, which is still version F4. I read some users had performance impacts when they updated. I have tried a few different things:

I reconnected the four HDD drives and checked out the BIOS some more.

In BIOS > System Info > "Plug in Devices Info" it then recognized the cards in two PCIe slots, but said N/A for all three M.2 slots, even though one seems like it should have listed the M.2 NVMe drive that contains the OS.
In BIOS > Settings > "NVMe Configuration" it said "no NVMe device found"

It seems odd that it didn't detect the NVMe drive but still detected the Windows Boot Manager that is on it.

Could the NVMe drive malfunctioning cause the computer not to be able to enter the BIOS?
I then took the NVMe drive out and put it back in the same slot and turned the computer on and the NVMe drive was detected in the BIOS. I then tried booting the computer normally and got a blue screen: "Stop Code: INACCESSIBLE BOOT DEVICE"

I then put the NVMe drive in the other m.2 slot and booted and got the same blue screen error. I then put the NVMe drive in an Insignia brand NVMe enclosure from Best Buy and connected it to a laptop, but the drive was not immediately recognized. I went to Windows Disk Management and it detects an additional disk but it says Unknown, Not Initialized and says I must initialize it before the Logical Disk Manager can access it. I am afraid to do that since I don't want to lose the data on the drive. That's where I'm at now. If it helps, the NVMe is a 1TB SK Hynix GOLD P31.

I'm trying to figure out whether it's more likely that the motherboard is malfunctioning or that it's just the NVMe drive (or both, I suppose).

 

[35below0]

I suspect not the motherboard but the NVMe drive. Remove that drive, or replace with another one and see if you can install Windows and use the PC normally.

A second suspicion is RAM trying to run an unstable XMP profile. Please list the exact and full model name for the Rijaws RAM. The Mhz value is particularly important.
This is less likely because it would have nothing to do with all the drives you've been installing and removing.

The Boot LED lights up every time you start or restart the PC. It signals the PC has not booted any OS. This light stays on until Windows or Linux begins to boot. The light is harmless.

The DRAM LED is more serious, but not always. Sometimes it temporarily goes on during POST, then turns off if everything is ok. The light is on if there is a RAM problem or a CPU problem, OR a faulty motherboard that causes RAM or CPU problems. Little bit harder to be sure.