Question Motherboard is stuck on VGA LED during POST ?

[ibrahimasghar]

Motherboard is stuck on VGA LED during POST.

So I upgraded my CPU, mobo and RAM. Got 14700K, Aorus z790 Elite x wifi7 and Corsair dominator ddr5 RAM (16x2 GB).

I installed the CPU, put the motherboard in, installed cooler (DeepCool AK400). Everything went smooth. Installed my RTX 4070ti.

I Installed Windows 10, then updated bios using Q Flash plus button with newmicrocode. All went dandy, played Avowed and BLOPS6 with tremendous boost to performance. Everything was fantastic until me noticing that CPU temps were hitting 100C. It didn't stay there but fluctuated, was at 50C average on idle. But frequently hit 100C, checked Intel XTU and it was thermal throttling. I'm really bad at putting thermal paste, that's why I bought ak400 before because it comes with pre applied thermal paste.

However I didn't use new paste when I installed my cooler on this CPU, instead I let the residual thermal paste already on the cooler heat pipes and installed it.

I thought since I used the old paste with new CPU it's the reason CPU is heating up. So I ordered Thermal Grizzly Kryonaut, removed cooler, cleaned both cooler pipes and CPU with isopropyl, put thermal paste and reinstalled the cooler. Turned the PC on and it has been 4 hours it stuck on POST and status LEDs cycle through, CPU blinks, then RAM and VGA and gets stuck there. No display, can't even get into BIOS. The VGA LED won't budge.

I have tried everything, reseating GPU, CPU, cooler, thermal paste, RAM, cables, everything. It won't budge, I'm in a rabbit hole. Any clues for the love of God.

 

[Aeacus]

Remove the GPU from the system and plug monitor to MoBo. This bypasses the VGA error.

If still no image, one of the following (or all of them) are dead: CPU, MoBo, RAM.
But when image does come back and you can boot to OS, while PC works otherwise fine, then your GPU is toast.

Btw, PSU make and model (or part number) is? Also, how old the PSU is, and was the PSU bought new or used/refurbished?

 

[ibrahimasghar]

Remove the GPU from the system and plug monitor to MoBo. This bypasses the VGA error.

If still no image, one of the following (or all of them) are dead: CPU, MoBo, RAM.
But when image does come back and you can boot to OS, while PC works otherwise fine, then your GPU is toast.

Btw, PSU make and model (or part number) is? Also, how old the PSU is, and was the PSU bought new or used/refurbished?

Hello, thanks for the response. I shall try this and hopefully nothing is toast, can't afford a new GPU at this time lol. PSU is Gigabyte Greenmax and probably a decade old lol. Although it hasn't given me any issues till now.

EDIT: I would add that while trying endlessly to troubleshoot this, i removed the GPU and turned the PC on and it was still stuck on VGA LED.

 

[Aeacus]

Although it hasn't given me any issues till now.

Yeah, until now.

i removed the GPU and turned the PC on and it was still stuck on VGA LED.

Then, it will be expensive.

New PSU is a must, since Gigabyte GreenMax came out in 2011 (GreenMax Pro in 2013) and original GreenMax was budget PSU. Pro version is a bit better but due to the age, should not be used. Let alone powering the latest high-end and expensive hardware.

As of what to do next;

Little can be done to see which of the three: CPU, MoBo or RAM, is toast.
RAM wise, remove all DIMMs from the system and try with 1x DIMM at a time. See if it makes a diff. May want to even test out all RAM slots on MoBo. But i wouldn't give much hope for that.

As far as CPU and MoBo go, well, you need 2nd, compatible system, where to test both out. Don't put donor components in your build, since GreenMax already killed something. It can kill donor parts as well.

For definitive answer, if CPU or MoBo (or both) are dead, haul your PC to PC repair shop and pay for diagnostics.

GPU can easily be validated in 2nd system, to see if it works there or not. If not, then GPU is toast as well.

My best guess as of what happened;
Your ancient PSU decided to give up the ghost and take other components with it, for a good measure. - This is the price to pay, when using low quality PSU. Especially very old PSU.

PSU is Gigabyte Greenmax and probably a decade old lol.

Since PSU powers everything, it is the most important component inside the PC.
Hence why NEVER cheap out on PSU! Also, never buy used PSU either.

Life lesson: do not use cheap PSU, especially for longer periods of time.

For your high-end hardware, i'd expect to see great quality PSU powering all of that. Like Seasonic PRIME Titanium, Corsair AXi or Super Flower Leadex Titanium.
Bare minimum, good quality PSU. E.g Seasonic Focus/Vertex, Corsair RMi/RMx/HXi or Super Flower Leadex Gold/Platinum.

So, depending what is toast, bare minimum, you're looking towards new:
* PSU
* MoBo

At worst, towards everything the GreenMax PSU was connected to (including CPU, RAM, GPU and SSD(s)).

Usually, when PSU acts up, MoBo is 1st to go. Followed by GPU shortly after. CPU and RAM are more durable but not invulnerable either.

As for new PSU, look towards 850W unit (if your i7-14700K and RTX 4070 Ti survived). Preferably ATX 3.x version;
link: https://hwbusters.com/best_picks/best-atxv3-pcie5-ready-psus-picks-hardware-busters/4/

 

[ibrahimasghar]

Yeah, until now.


Then, it will be expensive.

New PSU is a must, since Gigabyte GreenMax came out in 2011 (GreenMax Pro in 2013) and original GreenMax was budget PSU. Pro version is a bit better but due to the age, should not be used. Let alone powering the latest high-end and expensive hardware.

As of what to do next;

Little can be done to see which of the three: CPU, MoBo or RAM, is toast.
RAM wise, remove all DIMMs from the system and try with 1x DIMM at a time. See if it makes a diff. May want to even test out all RAM slots on MoBo. But i wouldn't give much hope for that.

As far as CPU and MoBo go, well, you need 2nd, compatible system, where to test both out. Don't put donor components in your build, since GreenMax already killed something. It can kill donor parts as well.

For definitive answer, if CPU or MoBo (or both) are dead, haul your PC to PC repair shop and pay for diagnostics.

GPU can easily be validated in 2nd system, to see if it works there or not. If not, then GPU is toast as well.

My best guess as of what happened;
Your ancient PSU decided to give up the ghost and take other components with it, for a good measure. - This is the price to pay, when using low quality PSU. Especially very old PSU.


Since PSU powers everything, it is the most important component inside the PC.
Hence why NEVER cheap out on PSU! Also, never buy used PSU either.

Life lesson: do not use cheap PSU, especially for longer periods of time.

For your high-end hardware, i'd expect to see great quality PSU powering all of that. Like Seasonic PRIME Titanium, Corsair AXi or Super Flower Leadex Titanium.
Bare minimum, good quality PSU. E.g Seasonic Focus/Vertex, Corsair RMi/RMx/HXi or Super Flower Leadex Gold/Platinum.

So, depending what is toast, bare minimum, you're looking towards new:
* PSU
* MoBo

At worst, towards everything the GreenMax PSU was connected to (including CPU, RAM, GPU and SSD(s)).

Usually, when PSU acts up, MoBo is 1st to go. Followed by GPU shortly after. CPU and RAM are more durable but not invulnerable either.

As for new PSU, look towards 850W unit (if your i7-14700K and RTX 4070 Ti survived). Preferably ATX 3.x version;
link: https://hwbusters.com/best_picks/best-atxv3-pcie5-ready-psus-picks-hardware-busters/4/

Many thanks for this detailed and elaborate response, i shall look into a good PSU soon and replace it. Also,
dude, you won't believe what happened. Thank Allah the issue is fixed now. What happened was i had to move my monitor to make space for lying down my PC case to apply thermal paste, it's H9 from NZXT, it's big and i have to make ample space, when i moved my monitor to the edge of my desk, somehow, power cable of the monitor stretched and got unplugged from the monitor.

This motherboard has a function that if monitor's power cable isn't connected, it will get stuck at VGA POST, i noticed monitor's power LED was off, so i checked the cable, it was plugged off. Plugged it back in, restarted the PC, the VGA LED blinked and then turned off, display came back and POST was successful. I logged into Windows and played BLOPS6 for an hour. Temperatures are still a bit wonky, because i tried reapplying the paste after reseating the CPU, and ran out of the paste lol. Still it was ample enough for the cooler to spread it through its weight. I will buy new thermal paste and apply it next week. For now computer is completely fine.

I spent 4 hours yesterday trying to fix something that wasn't even broken!

 

[Aeacus]

This motherboard has a function that if monitor's power cable isn't connected, it will get stuck at VGA POST

Strange feature. 🤔

While i get why it is implemented, it also acts as a severe restriction whereby any PC using this MoBo can't be used as headless computer.
Maybe you can disable this feature in BIOS.

Though, most PCs power on and operate fine without monitor. For PC's own operation, monitor (display output device) isn't needed at all. It is needed only for user to see what PC is doing. But there are other ways to see what PC does, than using a monitor. E.g controlling the PC over the network.

For now computer is completely fine.

👍

But do get a new PSU, sooner than later. Else-ways, you may end up with a lot of paperweights, when PSU decides to give up a ghost.

 

[ibrahimasghar]

Strange feature. 🤔

While i get why it is implemented, it also acts as a severe restriction whereby any PC using this MoBo can't be used as headless computer.
Maybe you can disable this feature in BIOS.

Though, most PCs power on and operate fine without monitor. For PC's own operation, monitor (display output device) isn't needed at all. It is needed only for user to see what PC is doing. But there are other ways to see what PC does, than using a monitor. E.g controlling the PC over the network.


👍

But do get a new PSU, sooner than later. Else-ways, you may end up with a lot of paperweights, when PSU decides to give up a ghost.

You're absolutely right, it's a strange feature indeed, i shall poke around into BIOS to see if this can be turned off, coming from ASUS ROG Strix Z490-H, i didn't expect this to happen at all. I know i must get a PSU soon, i shall look for something soon, many thanks for the response!

EDIT: Shall i look into getting 1000W? because i intend to get a RTX 5080 soon.

 

[Aeacus]

EDIT: Shall i look into getting 1000W? because i intend to get a RTX 5080 soon.

1kw unit for RTX 5080 is good enough, so, go for it.
Best 1kW PSUs: https://hwbusters.com/best_picks/best-atxv3-pcie5-ready-psus-picks-hardware-busters/5/

 

[ibrahimasghar]

1kw unit for RTX 5080 is good enough, so, go for it.
Best 1kW PSUs: https://hwbusters.com/best_picks/best-atxv3-pcie5-ready-psus-picks-hardware-busters/5/

Many thanks!