Question No Beeps, Power Cycles, No Boot

[DaveTucson]

Symptoms:
Not able to boot. Powers on for 1 second, cycles, powers on for 3 seconds, cycles, powers on for 17-24 seconds, then repeats the longer power on cycle. No beeps. If I remove RAM, 2 second long beeps repeat until power recycles.

Background: Running dual boot, mostly Linux via grub menu. Several weeks ago, on boot started getting an occasional boot to either a blinking cursor or the GRUB menu. Restarting or using GRUB command line would boot the system. After 2 weeks, I started my attempt to correct the issue. Reinstalled GRUB to devices, tried booting from different drives, without success.

Thinking I could clear the BIOS if I screwed something up, I fiddled with BIOS settings numerous times with different boot options (probably big mistake). No change in boot success - mostly it booted but sometimes not. Finally changed something that broke the system.

System: 4 years old, operated normally until now so no compatibility issues.
Intel i5-7600
16 GB Ripjaws 5 DDR4 2400
Gigabyte H270N
2 HHDs & 1 SSD
EVGA 850-G2 PS
Asus GT 1030 video

I assumed the no-boot problem was my BIOS setting change, but I've tried de-powering the computer, clearing BIOS via removing 2032 battery, shorting the CLR BIOS pins, using jumpers, etc. I also replaced the battery, whose voltage was quite low.

I've disconnected all peripherals but power still cycles with no beeps. If I also remove RAM, I get the long beeps until the power recycles, so I know the speaker works and at least the BIOS recognizes the lack of RAM.

All fans appear to be working properly although it could be a heat issue I guess. Since this happened immediately after changing the BIOS, that is where I've focused my attention so far (other than disconnecting the peripherals).

Any suggestions are appreciated.

 

[Ralston18]

Is that EVGA 850 the original PSU? Four years old also?

If not, how old?

Do you have access to another known working PSU to swap in and test?

(Do not mix and match in cables from the old/original PSU.)

 

[DaveTucson]

Raltson 18,

Thank you for taking the time to reply.
The PSU is 4+ years old. I did try another 550W PSU with the same results although I might have used some of the same cables.

When I tried starting the system this morning, I noticed the same 2 short cycles (1 second, then off, then 3 seconds, then off, then 20 seconds before de-powering) but noticed each reboot the longer period got progressively shorter. That would tend to make me believe it might be an overheating issue. Is there a way to confirm an overheat short of removing the heat sink and reapplying thermal paste?

What baffles me is why the unit recycles twice in very short order before the third boot attempt ultimately fails - whether the problem is electrical, thermal, or BIOS.

Another question I have is the beeps. Since when I remove the memory I do get long beeps, does this mean the BIOS is working and detecting? With the memory installed, I get no beeps at all which made me suspect a BIOS issue. In a normal boot, does the first beep normally not occur for more than 20 seconds (e.g. after my unit has already failed)?

Thanks.

Added: If it is a heating issue, I could envision it being caused by the fan settings in BIOS being changed. That would explain the coincidence. If that is a possibility, is there any way to change the BIOS settings without POST? I don't think so but you guys have the knowledge. I would think that shorting the BIOS would have returned to a setting that would work, but perhaps not.

 

[DaveTucson]

I'm not getting much response from this thread, so it probably means I posted to the wrong subforum. Nevertheless, before I go out and buy a new computer, perhaps someone can answer a few of my questions.

I thought this was a BIOS problem, since I'd tweaked the system the day before it appeared.

The system powers for one second, stops, powers for 4 seconds, stops, then runs for about 20 seconds before repeating the cycle.

I have replaced the heat sink/pump and tried a different PS.

So my questions are:
What could be causing the cycling (considering the above steps already taken)?

The boot is silent for the entire time (no beeps in 20+ seconds) unless I remove the RAM, in which case I get long beeps. Does this mean the BIOS is actually working?

Again, any suggestions are highly appreciated.