Question MSI B450 Tomahawk Max not posting and red cpu led (after installing m.2 drive)

Antonio Bottelier

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Sep 29, 2013
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Hello everyone,

I've had a newly built computer for about 2 months now and to save a little money I bought a 500GB M.2 drive, this has been doing great for the past few months so I wanted to upgrade my storage and bought a 1TB one. Unfortunately the Tomahawk only has one M.2 slot so I decided to buy a PCIe to M.2 adapter and use it that way.

When putting in the PICe adapter with the M.2 drive in it, the bios was not detecting a new drive at all, I tried refitting and replugging it but it didn't seem to work. I thought that it could be the adapter, so I took out the M.2 in my motherboard and put the new one in. I tried to boot and to my surprise the computer wouldn't post.

So I put back in my old m2 thinking that this one is just broken and I had to RMA it but now it my computer wont post at all. I can turn on the computer but I cannot turn it off via the case anymore, and have to shut it off using the power switch on the psu. Also, I'm noticing a red "NO CPU" on my motherboard.

I tried refitting my CPU and fan header cables, removing the ram sticks and also reset the CMOS, but it didn't seem to help.

My AIO cooler has also started making a very weird noise, it's kinda clicking/gurgling like, very weird. That only happened after this issue, though.

Has my CPU suddenly gone faulty or have I fried my motherboard?
 
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Hi

Your AIO cooler does the weird noise because you move it around, while removed reinstalled the CPU. This moved the the small amounts of air inside the AIO into the CPU block part. Usually to get rid this noise you have to place the radiator vertically with the tubing bars on the top and operate it for 10 - 20 hours.

Talking about AIO weird noises check it out for possible leak. Thats another way to build up air bubbles inside the AIO system.

To the main problem. I would test with only the M/B, CPU, AIO, RAM and the PSU out off the PC Case, upon a wood surface table (Not plastic or metal).

edit: [AIO cooler]
 
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Antonio Bottelier

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Sep 29, 2013
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...
main problem. I would test with only the M/B, CPU, AIO, RAM and the PSU out off the PC Case, upon a wood surface table (Not plastic or metal).

I tried this, removed all hard drives and ssds, and switched the ram around (I have 2x 8GB ram) and nothing helps.

My PC is just doomed, and I guess I just have to send everything back for a replacement, but I am just wondering what happened? Did I short circuit my pc by inserting the new m.2 drive?

When installing the SSD on the Adapter I did notice a little bent, I thought this was bad but when I took the screws off it was normal without bending. and then I affixed it in a different way and it was alright. The PCIe also seemed to work, as it had two disgustingly bright leds lit up.

Only after installing the new m2 drive did everything break, it booted fine with the PCIe adapter in it, my motherboard just did not detect it.

So, anyone have a clue what happened? Did I make a mistake by not grounding myself (I don't know how to notice a short circuit, I did not get a shock or a spark or anything) or did something else happen?
 

Antonio Bottelier

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Sep 29, 2013
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2 months ago I upgraded my computer, to save a little bit on money I ordered a 512 GB m.2 drive with the intention to add another one later. Just this weekend I bought one, and wanted to put it in my computer. I knew my motherboard only had space for 1 m.2 drive so I ordered a PCIe adapter to put this drive in.

This PCIe to M.2 adapter included 2 M.2 ports, one for SATA and one for PCIe. I inserted it in the one for PCIe and screwed it down. I saw a slight bent, and I was a little worried. I was missing a standoff. Once I put it back the bend was gone and I put it in my PC. My motherboard did not see anything connected to the PCIe slot, but the blue lights of it were on - they were very annoying and bright - so it was powered at the very least.

After refitting the M.2 drive and once again not seeing any change in the bios, I decided to test out the drive by pulling out my current M.2 drive that was in my motherboard and putting the new one in. After doing so the computer refused to post at all. It comes up with a red CPU light (which means the CPU is missing according to the CPU manual, but that seems strange as I just used the computer 5 minutes ago.)

Anyone have a clue what happened? Did the SSD brick my motherboard, or has something else gone wrong and it's just a coincidence? (Like maybe I short circuited the motherboard when I put in the SSD?)

Thanks.
 

yellowcardyc

Official Forum Representative
Jan 8, 2020
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Not sure if this is working, did you try to flash BIOS with "Flash BIOS button"?

This is from the manual:
Updating BIOS with Flash BIOS Button
Before updating: please download the latest BIOS file that matches your motherboard model from MSI®website and rename the BIOS file to MSI.ROM.

And then, save the MSI.ROM file to the root of USB flash drive.

Important:
Only the FAT32 format USB flash drive supports updating BIOS by Flash BIOS Button.

  1. Connect power supply to CPU_PWR1 and ATX_PWR1. (No other components are necessary but power supply.)
  2. Plug the USB flash drive that contains the MSI.ROM file into the Flash BIOS Port on rear I/O panel.
  3. Press the Flash BIOS Button to flash BIOS, and the LED next to the button starts flashing.
  4. After the flashing BIOS process is 100% completed, the LED would be off simultaneously.
 

yellowcardyc

Official Forum Representative
Jan 8, 2020
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Clicking the flash bios button just turns on the computer with the red cpu led on and nothing else happening. I do have a pen drive in. Am I just supposed to wait..?
I don't have Tomohawk Max. Is there a LED near the BIOS Flash button flashing? During BIOS update, the LED will be flashing.
Doing is is to check if there's something wrong with the BIOS.

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iTkXunUAriE
 
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Antonio Bottelier

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Sep 29, 2013
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I don't have Tomohawk Max. Is there a LED near the BIOS Flash button flashing? During BIOS update, the LED will be flashing.
Doing is is to check if there's something wrong with the BIOS.

I'm afraid not. Clicking the "Flash Bios" button has nothing happening for 10 seconds and then the computer just turns on like described in the post. So, the motherboard is just bricked I think. I'm sending it back for an RMA today.

I'm just curious what happened? Does anyone have an idea? Could the M.2 SSD have shorted the motherboard or is that not possible?
 
The adapter has 2x M.2 slots.
Upper slot is for sata M.2 drives only, lower is for nvme drives only.

ADATA XPG SX8200 Pro is nvme, so it can be used in lower M.2 slot on the adapter.

20180816182156_75246.jpg
 

Antonio Bottelier

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Sep 29, 2013
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10,510
The adapter has 2x M.2 slots.
Upper slot is for sata M.2 drives only, lower is for nvme drives only.

ADATA XPG SX8200 Pro is nvme, so it can be used in lower M.2 slot on the adapter.

Yeah, that's what I did, but the adapter did not detect the drive (because it was broken?) The PCIe adapter did lit up, so I at least put it in the slot properly.
 
I'm just curious what happened? Does anyone have an idea?
I inserted it in the one for PCIe and screwed it down. I saw a slight bent, and I was a little worried. I was missing a standoff.

Without having the motherboard on-site for physical examination & be tested for possible short-circuit we can only speculate.

If I had to point out why this happened or you had to learn something from this situation is always install every standoff that your motherboard needs before you place it inside the box.
 

Antonio Bottelier

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Sep 29, 2013
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install every standoff that your motherboard needs before you place it inside the box.

Oh no I did have all stand offs on my motherboard but just my SSD was missing a standoff so it was bent.

Now that I think about it though, the M2 on my motherboard did not require a standoff at all and I could just screw it in by hand, so what caused the bend on my other SSD?