GA-Z270-GAMING K3 Boot Loop, 5 beeps without RAM, no beeps with RAM

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Duecez

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Apr 3, 2015
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I recently purchased a GA-Z270-GAMING K3 and have been experiencing some issues. I was able to install Windows perfectly fine, and the system ran well for about two weeks.

The first issue that I encountered was with the "Display driver stopped responding and has recovered" error. The system would freeze up and make a grating sound for 5-10 seconds, and then would go back to normal within 30 seconds or so. I updated my GPU driver, but my PC BSOD'd during the update. Fortunately I was able to reboot and reapplied the update.

After this I started to have more BSODs. I ran startup repair to attempt to fix the issue.

Now my system will not POST. It will power on for about 30 seconds before shutting down and auto restarting. The motherboard will make no sound when the RAM is plugged in, but will produce 5 long beeps when there is no RAM installed.

I have tried pretty much everything that I can think of to troubleshoot the problem:


  • I have reseated the GPU
    I have reseated the CPU and reapplied thermal paste
    I have reseated the motherboard in the case
    I have tried my RAM in all of the DDR4 slots
    I have tried using a lower clock speed RAM (2133)
    I have tried to clear CMOS with the jumper and by removing the CMOS battery for several minutes
    I have tried using an identical CMOS battery from another GIGABYTE motherboard
    I have attempted to boot with only the CPU, heatsink fan, and RAM
    I have jump started the PSU on its own to confirm that it is able to run
    I have checked the CPU and CPU socket with a magnifying glass and did not see any bent pins or other damage
    And I have worn an anti static bracelet while troubleshooting and during installation

I think that the issue lies with the motherboard itself and that the CPU is not dead. I have been able to boot and get into BIOS a couple of times while troubleshooting the system, but have not been able to now. Most recently, I was able to get into BIOS once with only one stick of RAM, my CPU, and heatsink plugged in, but I have been unable to get into BIOS again with the identical configuration.

I'm at my wits end at this point. Is there anything else that I can try to fix the problem? Do I just need to RMA the board?

Build:
GA-Z270-GAMING K3 Rev 1.0
EVGA GeForce GTX 760 4GB
i7-7770K 4.2 Ghz
Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO
Corsair Dominator Platinum Series 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR4 DRAM 3000MHz C15
OCZ ModXStream Pro 700W
Windows 7 64bit
 
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What are the make and models of both PSU's?

Is the ATX 12V CPU cord from the PSU installed back to front? Try swapping ends, and check carefully that the cord does have the right connector shapes to allow pluging into both the ATX 12 CPU socket and the PSU socket.

The CPU power cord could be called ATX, or ATX 12V, or CPU.

In theory you could use cords/cables from another PSU, provided the connectors match the sockets that the connectors are to be plugged into. The ATX PSU's should be manufactured according to the ATX standard, so the connectors and sockets should be identical. However, this is not guaranteed, as some PSU's do sometimes use slightly different connector and socket configuration at the PSU end of cords/cables. The connectors at the motherboard end of cords/cables should be identical to all other PSU cords/cables in order to match the motherboard and component sockets.
 
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The old PSU is a "ModXStream Pro Series 700 Watt (700W) 80 Plus Semi-Modular Active PFC ATX PC Power Supply Performance Grade (OCZ700MXSP)".

And the new one is a "EVGA SuperNOVA 650 G1, 80+ GOLD 650W, Fully Modular, 10 Year Warranty, Includes FREE Power On Self Tester Power Supply 120-G1-0650-XR".

Unfortunately I can't lug the other end of the CPU ATX cord into the EVGA PSU as it is a 4+4 connector, and the latches prevent it from being attached to the PSU.
 
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That EVGA PSU is a reasonable unit, so shouldn't give any problems.

There are supposed to be TWO CPU cables (or cords) supplied with the EVGA PSU. Have you tried using the other CPU cable for the ATX 12V CPU auxiliary power supply? Check that the second CPU cable connector holes are shaped to match the socket hole shapes on the motherboard first before trying to install it.
 
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I tried booting with the 24 pin from my new PSU and the 8 pin ATX from my old PSU and unfortunately had no luck. :'(

What can I do now? I'm starting to feel a bit desperate because it seems like we've explored pretty much every possibility at this point.

Should I just return this motherboard to Amazon and get a completely different one? If so, could you recommend one that is known for being stable and that does not have many problems?

 
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It is, again, looking like there may be a problem with the motherboard.

The replacement motherboard could be returned for replacement with another make/model. Unfortunately, I have not been up to date with currently available motherboards, so I can't really suggest an alternative make or model at this time. However, I will look into this and get back as soon as I can.
 
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Awesome, thank you so much for the help!
 
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Okay! Good news and bad news.

I got the MSI Z270 Gaming Pro Carbon and have everything setup and attempted to boot.

The good news, no crashing!

The bad news, there's no video output. I don't know if my GPU is at fault, or if there could be some other issue.

Edit: There are also no status LEDs on, so this would make me think that the GPU is probably okay.
 
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Make sure ALL wires/cables that need to be connected are connected properly.

Make sure the CPU is mounted evenly.

Make sure the video card is seated firmly.

Make sure the memory are installed firmly and in the correct slots for booting.

Clear CMOS.

Try using integrated graphics instead for testing purposes.
 
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Alright, I've tried reattaching PSU connections and using the other PSU, neither of which seem to have made a difference.

I've tried reseating the RAM and using the 2133 stick. I also made sure to follow the manual's RAM configuration.

I've tried running on integrated graphics.

I've tried clearing CMOS.

I have not reseated the CPU yet but will try that next (I got called away for the evening).





I don't think that the PC is actually booting, although the PSU, CPU, and case fans come on (they sound like they're operating at an abnormally low speed). The case, RAM, and motherboard LEDs also come on.

There have, however, been no beeps. Also the caps lock light won't come on on my keyboard.

I have also tried booting without RAM just to see if I could get a beep code. The motherboard made no beeps and the fans just keep spinning. It seems like most motherboards automatically shut off after giving a beep code with no RAM installed.

Would this list of symptoms suggest any specific problem?


 
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After all the testing so far, the common factor now suggests that the i7-7700k CPU may be faulty. It's relatively rare for CPU's to fail/fault, but it does happen.

Have to test this by trying the i7-7700k CPU in another compatible computer (borrow friends, neighbors, or whoever else's computer if necessary), and/or try another compatible CPU (again borrow one from whomever if necessary). Compatible CPU's are listed here.
 
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Unfortunately none of my friends with PCs are around and won't be back for two months (stayed at my University for the summer to take some classes and work).

I just tried reseating the CPU to no avail.

I'm a bit skeptical now about whether the CPU is at fault, or if it could be something else. I say this for two reasons.

1. I tried booting with my old mobo with the i5 and got the exact same problem, fans spin, no display, no crashes.

2. The status LEDs make me think that the CPU is not the problem. When I power it on the CPU LED comes on for a second and then turns off. The DRAM LED then comes on and stays on for 10+ seconds. From a bit of googling, it looks like this suggests that the CPU is functioning properly since the light doesn't stay on, and the motherboard goes on to check the next component. Would this be correct?

Edit: I found a post on the MSI forums from someone who had a similar LED pattern and no video http://. The problem for them was that their RAM was not on the compatibility list. I just checked the MSI site and my RAM is not on the compatibility list http://. I have a feeling that that may be what's wrong with the new motherboard.
 
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Depending on where the fault is and also the degree of fault, the i7-7700K CPU might be faulty.

However. With the old motherboard and i5-???? CPU, this suggests either the motherboard, or the PSU, or the i5-???? CPU may (also) be faulty!?

The chances of CPU failure is small, even less so for two CPU's (i7-7700k and i5-????) to fail about the same time. But CPU failure is still possible, especially if the PSU and/or motherboard is/are faulty also. The faulty PSU and/or motherboard may damage the CPU's as well.

Where to go from here, since we seem to be going in circles?

Ideally, another known working PSU should be used for testing. Test it on the old and on the new motherboards, and using the i5 and i7 CPU's. But there is some risk of possible (further) damage to (new) components in the event that the faulty component(s) may cause damage to these other (new) components.

In summary, the issue may be that there are multiple component failures - CPU, motherboard, PSU? The video card and memory I believe may be OK, however.

But to be certain. What are the memory module part numbers, including the ver number (if Corsair brand memory)?
 
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The old CPU is an i5-2500K that was purchased in 2011, so the i7 was supposed to be a big upgrade lol.

The i5 was stable prior to this, aside from overheating issues. The old LGA 1155 motherboard and old PSU also seemed to operate well prior this. I just upgraded the motherboard for the 1151 socket.

I don't have another PSU, but I could return the new EVGA PSU to Amazon and purchase a different model.

The RAM I have been trying to use is DDR4 Corsair Dominator Platinum, CMD16GX4M2B3000C15, version 3.21.

It seems like the new motherboard is an improvement at least since the system isn't crashing. The fact that it appears to be stabler than before makes me think that there is an issue with booting, but no problems with crashing (yet at least). That makes think that the (possible) RAM incompatibility is what is preventing it from booting to BIOS. I'm inclined to purchase some compatible RAM just to see if it would work, but I wouldn't want to if the PSU or some other component could corrupt it.
 
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Thanks for the extra details.

Corsair memory part number CMD16GX4M2B3000C15 is compatible with the MSI Z270 Gaming Pro Carbon motherboard, as per memory list here. So memory incompatibility is not an issue here.

Try booting with just ONE of the two memory modules. If that fails, try the other module instead.

 
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Would using a PSU tester be sufficient to determine if either of the PSUs are faulty? I think a friend of mine has one.
 
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Most PSU testers would not pick up all possible PSU faults; they just measure the output voltages from the main 20/24 pin connector only, and don't check the outputs from the other PSU connectors. And some PSU faults may not occur until PSU's are loaded by components (motherboard, CPU, video card).

You could try it anyway, just to confirm that there are voltages available from the PSU.

Alternatively, use a digital multimeter to check output voltages from all PSU connectors. But this is still no guarantee that the PSU is not faulty as it is not loaded by components.

Better yet try the PSU in another computer. This is the preferred method of testing PSU's.
 
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I'll see if I can make that happen.

If the PSU is bad could it mess up other components? I don't have another PC around and I wouldn't want to screw up a friend's PC if there is a chance of that happening.
 
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A faulty PSU can damage other components. However, this usually occurs for lower grade PSU's. The EVGA PSU you have is unlikely to cause other component damage as it is a reasonable quality unit with good built-in protection.

However, if wanting to err on the side of caution, you could measure the PSU output voltages using a digital multimeter first, and then maybe test the PSU in another computer if the voltage readings are not (too) high.

To test the PSU using a digital multimeter, do the following -

The PSU must be fully switched off.

Just the main 24 pin motherboard connector should be connected to the PSU and not connected to the motherboard.

All other (secondary) cables/cords removed from the PSU.

Connect a short wire, or a paperclip, or some other conducting metal to short out pins 16 and either pin 15, or pin 3, or pin 17, or pin 5. Basically you want to short pin 16 to ground (common). Pins 15, 3, 17 and 5 are the nearest common pins to pin 16.

Refer to 24 pin connector pinout diagram here.

Switch on the PSU.

Measure output voltages using a digital multimeter at the motherboard end of the 24 pin connector. Also measure other voltages at the un-connected outputs at the PSU.

+12 V outputs should not exceed 12.6 V
+5 V outputs should not exceed 5.25 V
+3.3 V outputs should not exceed 3.465 V
-12 V outputs should not exceed -13.2 V
 
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I just tested the voltages. Everything looks okay with the EVGA PSU. The only really oddity is that -12V fluctuates between 12.0 and 12.1, while +12V2 remains constant at 12.0.

Unfortunately it doesn't look like I'll be able to test the PSU in another working computer for a while 🙁. Are there any other steps that I can take to try to figure out what's going wrong?

Edit: Okay, I might have some good / useful news that could help us move forward. I tried it he Corsair sticks in every slot and never got a beep. Just for the hell of it, I tried the 2133 DDR4 stick that I have (which is not on the MSI compatibility list) and I finally got a beep! Unfortunately there is still no video, but this seems like progress nonetheless.

Is it possible that one of the GIGABYTE boards could have made my Corsair RAM unusable? It seems like the next step would be to get fresh compatible RAM and see if it will boot. Does that sound like the right move?
 
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The EVGA PSU voltages may be OK (including the slightly varying -12 V), but when loaded, there might still be an issue with the unit. As mentioned before the PSU should really be tested in another computer.

Ideally, the memory modules, if suspected as being faulty, should also be tested in another compatible computer.

Without testing the components (PSU, memory) within another working compatible computer, it is going to make locating the fault(s) more difficult and time consuming (as is shown to be at present with the longevity of this thread).

Yes, you could get some other compatible memory and try them also. But I'm leaning more towards the motherboard as being faulty.
 
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Hm, alright. Sorry that this has been going on for so long. It's definitely a difficult situation because I had to purchase a new motherboard, CPU, and RAM at the same time as they aren't compatible with any of my old hardware. Friends that have 1151 and DDR4 motherboards are also going to be gone for about two more months :\.

Thankfully Amazon seems to be really good about getting replacements out within 30 days of purchase. I can get a replacement motherboard and try breadboarding with just the CPU and the 2133 RAM.
 
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