Question Help troubleshooting booting issue

May 5, 2019
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Hi,

I'm fairly new to building pc, i built one last year as an exercice with cheap parts, and this year i wanted to build a good computer for me, but i think i may have messed up something.

So the trouble in itself is that the computer turns on for 5-10 seconds, then shuts down, and start again, and shuts down again and so on. I don't have any beep code (i plugged a headset into the mobo jack, don't know if there is another way), i don't get a graphic signal, so i guess i'm not reaching the bios.
I swapped the graphic card and the psu with the ones from the computer i built last year to check, so i know the ones i have now work fine. So it is either the ram (which i plugged just one in every slots possible), the cpu, or the mobo itself.

I think it might be the rams that are not compatible with my mobo. I bought a ryzen 1700 with a asrock x370 killer sli mobo and 2 ddr4 3000 hz ballistrix rams, and the mobo manual actually states that maximum frequency is 2666 on dual channel i think :

manual mobo page 25

But i also read online that motherboards usually are still able to fonction with higher frequency memory rams. Are the symptoms i get really from the too high frequency ?

I thought it may be a bios update issue, i'm really not knowleadgeable on that, but since ryzen 1700 is first gen i thought i wouldn't have any issue with it.

For info, i tried to run the motherboard outside the case, with the only the psu, the gpu, the cpu and the rams, and i also tried to start the pc without the gpu and the rams, i still get the same result, it never stays very long. I also reapplied thermal paste at some point just in case i did it wrong the first time
 

PC Tailor

Illustrious
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What is your full system specification including make and model of PSU? (I can see only some in your description)

motherboards usually are still able to function with higher frequency memory rams. Are the symptoms i get really from the too high frequency ?

I would suspect not, if you run RAM modules that are higher frequency than the motherboard allows, it will simply downclock them to the highest possible speed permitted.

I thought it may be a bios update issue, i'm really not knowleadgeable on that, but since ryzen 1700 is first gen i thought i wouldn't have any issue with it.
1700 should be compatible with X370 chipset out of the box, but regardless of this, a BIOS update can be useful and solve some issues. If say RAM compatibility is the culprit, a BIOS update can resolve this issue.

As first port of call I would cover every single step in this guide first, even if you have checked them already - I understand it may be tedious, but it really does solve 90% of cases:
PERFORM THESE STEPS before posting about POST/boot/no video problems!
 
May 5, 2019
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Full spec is :

gpu : MSI Radeon RX Vega 56 Air Boost, 8 Go HBM2
cpu : AMD ryzen 1700
cooler : stock cooler (wraith spire 65 i think ? maybe 95w not sure)
psu : Seasonic M12II-620 Evo, 620W
motherboard : Asrock x370 killer sli
ram : DDR4 Ballistix Sport LT, Gris, 16 Go (2 x 8 Go), 3000 MHz, CAS 15
case : Kolink Stronghold, Noir
and a 1 tb crucial ssd.


Thx for the checklist, much appreciated. Most of the cases are not really relevant to me since the motherboard is out of the case, but.
  • i didn't see any plastic guard over the processor, but i wouldn't have been able to put the cpu in in the first place if there was one, right ?
  • I also don't think i have a system speaker, was it supposed to come with the motherboard ?
  • There is no power switch on the psu
I'll try to see how to reset the cmos (whatever that means).

If i have to update the bios, wouldn't i have to have a working am4 cpu that is already compatible with my motherboard ?

Also, i tried to put the cpu out of the socket and back in and realised a bit of alcohol solution went in the pins and on the cpu, not a lot, but maybe it's that ? I read it wasn't very dangerous, do i have to let it dry maybe ? Or did i mess up ?
 

PC Tailor

Illustrious
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If i have to update the bios, wouldn't i have to have a working am4 cpu that is already compatible with my motherboard ?
You already have one - the 1700.

Also, i tried to put the cpu out of the socket and back in and realised a bit of alcohol solution went in the pins and on the cpu, not a lot, but maybe it's that ? I read it wasn't very dangerous
Ah - that could well be your issue. Any form of liquid on your components is incredibly bad. Any alcohol solution MUST be completely dry before inputting any power. And it would be especially important around your CPU socket.

You'll need to clean up any fluid as far as possible (alcohol solutions should obviously evaporate quickly) - there is the potential that damage has been caused, but you won't know until you clean it all and retest.
 
May 5, 2019
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How would you recommend me to clean the alcohol ? With a hair dryer ? Or should i wipe the pins ? Maybe just on the motherboard side, or on the cpu side as well ?
 

PC Tailor

Illustrious
Ambassador
Well realistically if you used a good quality Isopropyl alcohol, it should just evaporate. If you have any residue behind, it could be that you've used a solution that's perhaps not ideal to clean components with.

You'll need to clean up any residue.

If there is residue on your pins, you'll be best getting a 90%+ Isopropyl alcohol and cleaning the CPU socket with a fine swab - this has some good guides: https://www.bloghispanodenegocios.com/en/how-to-clean-cpu-socket/
 
May 5, 2019
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Ok thanks for the help, i will buy isopropyl alcohol when i can and try to clean the cpu socket with it. The alcohol i used to clean was a 70% solution, i don't know of which alcohol tho, it's not written. I guess it wasn't a good idea to use that.

I hope i didn't fry the motherboard and the cpu by trying to start the system repeatedly :s