MSI Z390I PC working fine for a bit, suddenly won't boot, CPU LED solid red

[paultmullerjr]

I made my first custom PC which seems like it might be a bit unstable and now will not display video. I fell asleep to a twitch stream coming from the PC last night & once I woke up, the computer wasn't functional. I had encountered another problem several days back when I was fiddling with settings on MSI dragon center. It seemed to me to be most closely linked with changing the frame rate on my Dell monitor (144hz default up to 165 OC) and when I revert the settings back everything seemed to be fine, I had since OC'd the monitor multiple times with no issue. This is the build https://pcpartpicker.com/list/Wz9rfH

So during my troubleshooting today, I attempted to short the JBAT1 connectors to reset the BIOS and after a few attempts with different objects (mobo doesn't come with jumper cap) I was able to successfully boot! I saw that the boot order and everything else had been reset. The only thing I did was put my SSD back at the front of the boot order. So I thought maybe I just forgot to get some of the latest software updates, also have not yet activated new windows product key (another story) so I go to MSI's website and download the latest BIOS driver, plug in my USB, and the display just freezes up and I ended up having to hard shut down the PC. Now I am back to where I started and no matter how many times I try to short the JBAT 1 pins, I can not get back to BIOS & nothing comes up on video. The CPU light is solid red as soon as I give power.

I tried to fill out a form for MSI support on their website where it asked me all about my OS build, what BIOS I had installed etc. but it kept returning that I was inputting an improper value... without telling me where. I'm tempted to return the mobo and just go for the ROG STRIX version as I had an ASUS mobo on my last PC and all of their software seemed more intuitive to me. During installation I was cognizant of static, checked the CPU pins earlier and everything looks perfect, minus maybe a little thermal paste which got on the side of the CPU which I cleaned with rubbing alcohol on a Q-tip. I've re-seated the RAM & gone through everything else on the checklist (http://www.tomshardware.com/faq/id-1893016/post-system-boot-video-output-troubleshooting-checklist.html) EXCEPT for bread-boarding the mobo, which I planned to do tomorrow as I am exhausted. Also unfortunately don't have a speaker, think there might be one in the mobo box or it looks like it could be one, but I don't see a way to connect it. I just didn't want to order another speaker if not necessary and hoping that people on MSI's end might be able to clarify that.

Since my mobo model is relatively new I wasn't able to find too much specific info online. I was hoping one of you savvy folks here might have an idea before I rip it all out again. The thing that stands out to me the most was my success getting it booted up once earlier and then something as small as inputting a Walgreens USB (which I used to install windows initially FTR) causing it to freeze up, Somewhere something ain't happy.

edit: reading about flashing the BIOS, would that be an actionable for me? I'm trying to figure out the quickest way to resolve this. I could order the speaker now and it would probably be here on Monday, but if there's a good chance the MOBO needs to be swapped out, I would much rather order that today and have it Mon. Basically there's little point to breadboarding the mobo without a speaker if I understand?

 

[paultmullerjr]

Spoke with Amazon customer service who, after providing the same information pretty quickly deemed it to be defective. I will try the ROG STRIX board Monday.

So obviously the other component in question could be the CPU itself, which I got through newegg. I see that the same processor through amazon & a tube of thermal paste ships one-day. In the interest of time, does anyone have an opinion on if it would be foolish to just go ahead and order the CPU to have on hand TOMORROW? I read that it is more commonly the motherboard at fault in new builds, and the CPU connectors as far as I can tell look as new/no visible damage, which is why I went this route. But if the motherboard came on Monday and I was still getting the same issue, it could take until Wednesday to then get the CPU replacement depending on when the order was places, which seems like an eternity for someone who doesn't go outside.