[SOLVED] CPU & DRAM Red LEDs fixed but then problem came back next morning ?

[macycqt]

Specs:
ASRock B650 HDV/M.2
7800 X3D (scythe fuma 2)
Corsair GSKILL Flare X5 16gb x 2 ddr5 6000mhz cl30
Corsair RM 850x
7900xtx (testing without gpu produces same issue)
Everything bought in late August 2023 (psu from May 2023)

So, the other day i decided to repaste my cpu (was around a year ago i did it last) i used maybe a bit too much thermal paste, the order i did was turn off psu, take out the power coord + all other cables, take out of my gpu to get more space and then screw out my cpu cooler (the scythe fuma 2) clean cpu and cooler surface with isopropyl and some cotton pads like i did last year.

When i put everything back together and turned it on again, i noticed the red light reflecting, i thought this was normal because sometimes when i turn on my pc (i usually do cold boot, but i never switch off the psu switch) it does some memory training etc.
The CPU and DRAM lights come on immediately and are static and never turn off or blink.

I tried everything, clearing cmos, each stick of ram in each slot, loosening cooler, no cooler, tightening cooler, replugging every cable in my entire pc, flashing bios to newest version, shorting cmos pins, shorting the power pins.

I decide to breadboard and i take the mobo out of the case, i clean the cpu thoroughly and repaste it with a lot less thermal paste, only stuff i plugged in is my cpu with the cooler, 1 stick of ram in the furthest slot away from the cpu, no drives (m.2 is my bootdrive) and only the 8pin cpu and the 24 pin mobo cables from psu.

I turn it on and after 10 sec of the 2 lights being static they finally start switching around and i see the bios coming up, i turn it off this time with the psu, i insert the 2nd stick of ram and it still works i enable EXPO, i turn off with psu again, this time inserting my m.2 boot drive and it boots to windows, i connect my mouse and keyboard and power it off normally, then i slowly put everything back in my pc to how it was with my gpu and everything.

Everything worked fine the whole night, i was playing games, i checked temps and usage in cpuz and radeon software, nothing looked off. When i turn off my pc i switch off the extension coord on my floor as i usually do every day.
I go to sleep thinking i somehow drowned my cpu in too much paste, and that its all working now.

Next morning (today) i decide to turn my pc on again (cold boot since i switch my power off every night but never directly on the psu)
Same problem, red light on CPU and DRAM.

I go through every single thing i did the previous day, i check everything, unplug everything, breadboard it again, flash bios clear cmos all that, but it doesnt work.

Im really lost as to what has happened. Any help would be appreciated, i still dont know which component is faulty (if any) my best guess would be the PSU or mobo, maybe cpu? But cpu was working last night perfectly fine so idk.

 

[Aeacus]

I go through every single thing i did the previous day, i check everything, unplug everything, breadboard it again, flash bios clear cmos all that, but it doesnt work.

When you repasted the CPU several times, did you took the CPU out of the socket?

Since it sounds like bent pins issue inside the CPU socket.
When breadboarding, MoBo is flat on the surface, with gravity pulling CPU and CPU cooler downwards. But when MoBo is inside the PC case, it is upright, pulling CPU cooler downwards and CPU sideways in the socket.

So, take it all apart, plop the CPU out of the socket and go over CPU socket pins. Best to use magnifying glass (or phone's camera zoom) to see individual pins better.

 

[macycqt]

When you repasted the CPU several times, didyou took the CPU out of the socket?

Since it sounds like bent pins issue inside the CPU socket.
When breadboarding, MoBo is flat on the surface, with gravity pulling CPU and CPU cooler downwards. But when MoBo is inside the PC case, it is upright, pulling CPU cooler downwards and CPU sideways in the socket.

So, take it all apart, plop the CPU out of the socket and go over CPU socket pins. Best to use magnifying glass (or phone's camera zoom) to see individual pins better.

I forgot to mention this but i did go over the mobo pins several times and took the cpu out several times to clean already, there was none bent or missing, but there was this little shiny piece in the bottom right of the pins, basically on the plastic that i took out with a thin needle
Images of above

 

[Aeacus]

but there was this little shiny piece in the bottom right of the pins, basically on the plastic that i took out with a thin needle

That small shiny piece for sure looks like a broken CPU socket pin. 🤔

Either CPU or MoBo is toast. To test it, take any 2nd, compatible, known to work CPU and look if build POSTs. If not, MoBo is gone.
Could be that you shorted MoBo with ESD when you initially repasted the CPU.

 

[macycqt]

That small shiny piece for sure looks like a broken CPU socket pin. 🤔

Either CPU or MoBo is toast. To test it, take any 2nd, compatible, known to work CPU and look if build POSTs. If not, MoBo is gone.
Could be that you shorted MoBo with ESD when you initially repasted the CPU.

I thought it was too but i checked every row and theres no pin missing you can see it on the third image, and how did the system work completely fine for a whole night afterwards, could it still work even with dead mobo?

 

[Aeacus]

and how did the system work completely fine for a whole night afterwards, could it still work even with dead mobo?

Hardware dies often without any apparent reason. But the fact is, that something has died, else-ways build would POST and boot to OS.

Possible culprits are: CPU, MoBo, RAM and PSU.

Best thing would be hauling PC to PC repair shop and pay for diagnostics. Otherwise you may end up replacing a component that works fine and doesn't need replacing.

 

[macycqt]

Hardware dies often without any apparent reason. But the fact is, that something has died, else-ways build would POST and boot to OS.

Possible culprits are: CPU, MoBo, RAM and PSU.

Best thing would be hauling PC to PC repair shop and pay for diagnostics. Otherwise you may end up replacing a component that works fine and doesn't need replacing.

Yeah ive decided to buy a new mobo (the same model, it will arrive tomorrow) as that is the only thing that i think could have been damaged from the cooler pressure like you said, i also posted this in some other forums and they said similar things.

If it still doesnt work with new mobo i can just return it and then go to next component, and if mobo is broken i can RMA the old one and get a refund.

I'll update again when i have tested the new mobo, thanks for the help.

 

[macycqt]

Hardware dies often without any apparent reason. But the fact is, that something has died, else-ways build would POST and boot to OS.

Possible culprits are: CPU, MoBo, RAM and PSU.

Best would be hauling PC to PC repair shop and pay for diagnostics. Else-ways, you may end up buying a component that works fine and doesn't need a replacement.

I just installed the new mobo and PC works again. it must have been what u suggested with the mobo pins, thanks a lot for your help! I'll RMA the old one and see if i can get my money back.