Question Infinite Boot loop caused by first PCI-E slot.

[CrymsonRanger]

So I have what I consider a very strange situation.
As of a few days ago I booted up my computer and it went through post just fine, but upon getting the Windows Logo the Circle started spinning, made it a turn and a half and the System Rebooted.
After this occurred several times in a row it started saying it was starting Windows Automatic Repair Service, but it would never start just the same turn and a half then reboot.
So I started diagnosing the problem, Almost immediately I turned to the old standby of Safe Mode, but alas with Windows 10 and never having bypassed the lockout I could not F8 into safe mode.
Then after a bit of research I built a Windows 10 install USB and attempted to use that to get started into advanced mode. I figured worst case scenario I would just rebuild my OS not exactly a difficult choice. However this would not work either, once I had the system booting to the USB drive it did the exact same thing, one and half turns and reboot.
Before I continue with the troubleshooting steps I have tried here are my Specs.

Windows 10 Home 64bit.
AMD Ryzen 7 3700x CPU
Asus Rog Strix x570-f Gaming Mobo, latest Bios
EVGA 3070 RTX GPU
Intel 1024Gb M.2 SSD
850 EVO Sata 250Gb SSD
5Tb Barracuda HDD
16 GB 3600 spd Crucial Ram
EVGA 600W 80Plus Platinum PSU
Water cooled if that Matters at all
I have been running this current configuration for over a year without a single significant hiccup.

So I have

1. tried booting to a USB drive
2. Variously disconnected every drive in the system, even trying to boot the USB with no other drives in the system.
3. Screwed around in the BIOS swapping between Legacy and UEFI in various combinations, the Drive was Formatted and built legacy and has never been UEFI formatted but I figured what the heck

I'd give it a go and reformat to UEFI if it would at least work.

1. Removed and Swapped around the Ram trying one stick at a time. No change, unfortunately I dont have any spare DDR4.
2. Operating on the assumption it was either the Mobo, PSU or the GPU drawing too much juice for the PSU I swapped in my old Nvidia 1660 GPU, and it wouldnt even produce a video signal. The

display would wake up and then just No Signal, but it would also sit there rebooting endlessly so I assume the same problem was persisting.

1. Tried my ancient 970 GPU and it at least gave a video signal but again still not booting just rebooting endlessly.
2. Ordered and installed a new Asus B550 Mobo and it still does the same thing.
3. Assuming at this point its something plaguing the PSU I ran out and picked up a Corsair 750 Watt unit, brought it home hooked it up and It did the same thing, endless reboot loop whether

booting to SSD or USB flash drive.

1. Tried Swapping around the Video Cards again with the exact same result, no Video from the 1660.
2. In a fit of manic desperation I moved the Old 1660 card down to the second 16x slot, assuming maybe the difference in speed would matter, and Boom got video the first try, whats more the system

booted right up into Windows no problem.
11. Swapped back to my 3070 but in the second slot and it works like a charm. Boots up no problem as long as its in the second slot.

So does anyone have a clue why this happened? Two different Motherboards and PSU's but the exact same problem until I swapped to the second x16 slot.
The system works fine on either Motherboard or PSU as long as the GPU is in the second slot whether its my old 1660 or 3070.
The only possible common denominator is the Ram, CPU or Case, it seems very unlikely a failing CPU or Ram would cause such a specific failure to boot with a GPU in the First slot and the Case causing it seems farcical.

 

[CrymsonRanger]

So I have what I consider a very strange situation.
As of a few days ago I booted up my computer and it went through post just fine, but upon getting the Windows Logo the Circle started spinning, made it a turn and a half and the System Rebooted.
After this occurred several times in a row it started saying it was starting Windows Automatic Repair Service, but it would never start just the same turn and a half then reboot.
So I started diagnosing the problem, Almost immediately I turned to the old standby of Safe Mode, but alas with Windows 10 and never having bypassed the lockout I could not F8 into safe mode.
Then after a bit of research I built a Windows 10 install USB and attempted to use that to get started into advanced mode. I figured worst case scenario I would just rebuild my OS not exactly a difficult choice. However this would not work either, once I had the system booting to the USB drive it did the exact same thing, one and half turns and reboot.
Before I continue with the troubleshooting steps I have tried here are my Specs.

Windows 10 Home 64bit.
AMD Ryzen 7 3700x CPU
Asus Rog Strix x570-f Gaming Mobo, latest Bios
EVGA 3070 RTX GPU
Intel 1024Gb M.2 SSD
850 EVO Sata 250Gb SSD
5Tb Barracuda HDD
16 GB 3600 spd Crucial Ram
EVGA 600W 80Plus Platinum PSU
Water cooled if that Matters at all
I have been running this current configuration for over a year without a single significant hiccup.

So I have

1. tried booting to a USB drive
2. Variously disconnected every drive in the system, even trying to boot the USB with no other drives in the system.
3. Screwed around in the BIOS swapping between Legacy and UEFI in various combinations, the Drive was Formatted and built legacy and has never been UEFI formatted but I figured what the heck I'd give it a go and reformat to UEFI if it would at least work.
4. Removed and Swapped around the Ram trying one stick at a time. No change, unfortunately I dont have any spare DDR4.
5. Operating on the assumption it was either the Mobo, PSU or the GPU drawing too much juice for the PSU I swapped in my old Nvidia 1660 GPU, and it wouldnt even produce a video signal. Thedisplay would wake up and then just No Signal, but it would also sit there rebooting endlessly so I assume the same problem was persisting.
6. Tried my ancient 970 GPU and it at least gave a video signal but again still not booting just rebooting endlessly.
7. Ordered and installed a new Asus B550 Mobo and it still does the same thing.
8. Assuming at this point its something plaguing the PSU I ran out and picked up a Corsair 750 Watt unit, brought it home hooked it up and It did the same thing, endless reboot loop whether booting to SSD or USB flash drive.
9. Tried Swapping around the Video Cards again with the exact same result, no Video from the 1660.
10. In a fit of manic desperation I moved the Old 1660 card down to the second 16x slot, assuming maybe the difference in speed would matter, and Boom got video the first try, whats more the system booted right up into Windows no problem.

11. Swapped back to my 3070 but in the second slot and it works like a charm. Boots up no problem as long as its in the second slot.

So does anyone have a clue why this happened? Two different Motherboards and PSU's but the exact same problem until I swapped to the second x16 slot.
The system works fine on either Motherboard or PSU as long as the GPU is in the second slot whether its my old 1660 or 3070.
The only possible common denominator is the Ram, CPU or Case, it seems very unlikely a failing CPU or Ram would cause such a specific failure to boot with a GPU in the First slot and the Case causing it seems farcical.

 

[BartPC24]

So I have what I consider a very strange situation.
As of a few days ago I booted up my computer and it went through post just fine, but upon getting the Windows Logo the Circle started spinning, made it a turn and a half and the System Rebooted.
After this occurred several times in a row it started saying it was starting Windows Automatic Repair Service, but it would never start just the same turn and a half then reboot.
So I started diagnosing the problem, Almost immediately I turned to the old standby of Safe Mode, but alas with Windows 10 and never having bypassed the lockout I could not F8 into safe mode.
Then after a bit of research I built a Windows 10 install USB and attempted to use that to get started into advanced mode. I figured worst case scenario I would just rebuild my OS not exactly a difficult choice. However this would not work either, once I had the system booting to the USB drive it did the exact same thing, one and half turns and reboot.
Before I continue with the troubleshooting steps I have tried here are my Specs.

Windows 10 Home 64bit.
AMD Ryzen 7 3700x CPU
Asus Rog Strix x570-f Gaming Mobo, latest Bios
EVGA 3070 RTX GPU
Intel 1024Gb M.2 SSD
850 EVO Sata 250Gb SSD
5Tb Barracuda HDD
16 GB 3600 spd Crucial Ram
EVGA 600W 80Plus Platinum PSU
Water cooled if that Matters at all
I have been running this current configuration for over a year without a single significant hiccup.

So I have

1. tried booting to a USB drive
2. Variously disconnected every drive in the system, even trying to boot the USB with no other drives in the system.
3. Screwed around in the BIOS swapping between Legacy and UEFI in various combinations, the Drive was Formatted and built legacy and has never been UEFI formatted but I figured what the heck I'd give it a go and reformat to UEFI if it would at least work.
4. Removed and Swapped around the Ram trying one stick at a time. No change, unfortunately I dont have any spare DDR4.
5. Operating on the assumption it was either the Mobo, PSU or the GPU drawing too much juice for the PSU I swapped in my old Nvidia 1660 GPU, and it wouldnt even produce a video signal. Thedisplay would wake up and then just No Signal, but it would also sit there rebooting endlessly so I assume the same problem was persisting.
6. Tried my ancient 970 GPU and it at least gave a video signal but again still not booting just rebooting endlessly.
7. Ordered and installed a new Asus B550 Mobo and it still does the same thing.
8. Assuming at this point its something plaguing the PSU I ran out and picked up a Corsair 750 Watt unit, brought it home hooked it up and It did the same thing, endless reboot loop whether booting to SSD or USB flash drive.
9. Tried Swapping around the Video Cards again with the exact same result, no Video from the 1660.
10. In a fit of manic desperation I moved the Old 1660 card down to the second 16x slot, assuming maybe the difference in speed would matter, and Boom got video the first try, whats more the system booted right up into Windows no problem.

11. Swapped back to my 3070 but in the second slot and it works like a charm. Boots up no problem as long as its in the second slot.

So does anyone have a clue why this happened? Two different Motherboards and PSU's but the exact same problem until I swapped to the second x16 slot.
The system works fine on either Motherboard or PSU as long as the GPU is in the second slot whether its my old 1660 or 3070.
The only possible common denominator is the Ram, CPU or Case, it seems very unlikely a failing CPU or Ram would cause such a specific failure to boot with a GPU in the First slot and the Case causing it seems farcical.

I'd go with other RAM sticks at first, then I'd check the circuit lines on the bottom of the Mobo. Did you check that first board for any damaged or broken circuit paths on both sides ?. Also try both RAM & GPU for any scratches etc.

Hopefully this will help you

BR,

BartPC24

 

[CrymsonRanger]

Thanks for the suggestions, have closely inspected the original mobo for damage but couldnt find anything. At this point I hafta wait a few days to return stuff before buying anything else money gets tight after the holidays.

 

[CrymsonRanger]

Replaced the Ram, problem persists, the system will run just fine as long as the GPU is in the last slot which is an X4 slot regardless of PSU MOBO or Ram. If I put the GPU in any 8x or 16x slot it posts just fine but windows will not start whether windows 10 or 7 or install media, doesnt matter.