No video, no POST, no BOOT on new PC, possible mobo-cpu incompatibility

[Da Rossa]

Hi, I live in Brazil and assisted my young friend on acquiring a new PC. After researching a bit, some people pointed to me that the AMD Ryzen CPUs are currently competitive against Intel. So we went for one. They also remarked that, given the chosen monitor, an AMD/ATI graphics card could benefit more from the Freesync technology rather than a GeForce 1060.

So the final decision was buying this config:

CPU AMD Ryzen 5 2600 w/ Wraith Stealth Cooler, Six Core, Cache 19MB, 3.4GHz (Max Turbo 3.9GHz) AM4 - YD2600BBAFBOX
Motherboard GIGABYTE for AMD AM4 mATX GA-AB350M-GAMING 3
VGA NVIDIA GIGABYTE GEFORCE GTX 1060 WINDFORCE OC 6G - GV-N1060WF2OC-6GD
Corsair Vengeance RAM LPX 8GB 2400Mhz DDR4 CL14 Red - CMK8GX4M1A2400C14R

Just FYI, the SSD, PSU and Monitor are:

SSD Kingston 2.5´ 240GB A400 SATA III SA400S37/240G
PSU Corsair 450W 80 Plus Bronze CX450 - CP-9020120
Gaming Monitor AOC 24"LED 144HZ 1MS FREESYNC, G2460PF

I assembled the rig, plugged everything. No video, no POST. The monitor doesn't even turn the led to green to indicate it is connected to a proper input; it stays amber. However, the monitor was tested fine on other computer. The fans are working fine. Also, I can see some red stylish, trailing lights along the motherboard when the PC is powered on, but I don't see any indicator led and the SPK connector absolutely doesn't beep.

When I had the very same problem with another computer before, I headscratched for two days until I found out I did not connect the ATX12V connector near the CPU. I didn't make this mistake this time.

Someone alerted, maybe too late, that it could be an incompatibility between the chosen MoBo and the chosen CPU: they said we might have to update the BIOS in order to make it compatible. However we don't have another AM4 processor to plug in just to perform this operation.

So:

1. Is the CPU-motherboard pair compatible? Does it require a BIOS update? If so, how can I do it without taking to someone else?
2. Anything else that comes to your minds with these symptoms?

 

[SkyBill40]

It's likely that the B series mobo you acquired is in need of a BIOS flash in order to have that Zen+ processor work properly. That's going to require a first gen Ryzen processor and unfortunately there's no way around that. This goes for any mobo that was made prior to the release of the Pinnacle Ridge Zen+ CPUs. Newer mobos made after that should work without the BIOS flash requirement.

Sorry to be the bearer of bad tidings, man. :/

 

[terry4536]

You can get a work around for that from AMD or the motherboard manufacturer. It is a boot kit.

https://www.tomshardware.com/news/amd-raven-ridge-boot-kit,36552.html

 

[SkyBill40]

That's bit exactly a "workaround" as it's essentially what I already stated. I just didn't mention the boot kit solution as that might not be viable where he is.

 

[terry4536]

Since AMD will provide a boot kit if you purchased a second generation Ryzen, I would guess that they will provide them anywhere they sell them. Otherwise they would open themselves up to litigation.

 

[terry4536]

That's bit exactly a "workaround" as it's essentially what I already stated. I just didn't mention the boot kit solution as that might not be viable where he is.

No you said

unfortunately there's no way around that

and

Sorry to be the bearer of bad tidings, man. :/

That isn't the same as providing a solution.

 

[SkyBill40]

That's bit exactly a "workaround" as it's essentially what I already stated. I just didn't mention the boot kit solution as that might not be viable where he is.

No you said

unfortunately there's no way around that

and

Sorry to be the bearer of bad tidings, man. :/

That isn't the same as providing a solution.

I provided a solution: acquire a first gen Ryzen processor. As I said before, I didn't mention the boot kit because I don't know if that's going to be an option for him or not. I'd rather not operate on assumptions of where the processor came from or if either AMD or the board manufacturer will ship to him. He can certainly try that as it'll help him get the new CPU working, but that's something he'll have to see is workable.

 

[terry4536]

Hi, I live in Brazil and assisted my young friend on acquiring a new PC. After researching a bit, some people pointed to me that the AMD Ryzen CPUs are currently competitive against Intel. So we went for one. They also remarked that, given the chosen monitor, an AMD/ATI graphics card could benefit more from the Freesync technology rather than a GeForce 1060.

So the final decision was buying this config:

CPU AMD Ryzen 5 2600 w/ Wraith Stealth Cooler, Six Core, Cache 19MB, 3.4GHz (Max Turbo 3.9GHz) AM4 - YD2600BBAFBOX
Motherboard GIGABYTE for AMD AM4 mATX GA-AB350M-GAMING 3
VGA NVIDIA GIGABYTE GEFORCE GTX 1060 WINDFORCE OC 6G - GV-N1060WF2OC-6GD
Corsair Vengeance RAM LPX 8GB 2400Mhz DDR4 CL14 Red - CMK8GX4M1A2400C14R

Just FYI, the SSD, PSU and Monitor are:

SSD Kingston 2.5´ 240GB A400 SATA III SA400S37/240G
PSU Corsair 450W 80 Plus Bronze CX450 - CP-9020120
Gaming Monitor AOC 24"LED 144HZ 1MS FREESYNC, G2460PF

I assembled the rig, plugged everything. No video, no POST. The monitor doesn't even turn the led to green to indicate it is connected to a proper input; it stays amber. However, the monitor was tested fine on other computer. The fans are working fine. Also, I can see some red stylish, trailing lights along the motherboard when the PC is powered on, but I don't see any indicator led and the SPK connector absolutely doesn't beep.

When I had the very same problem with another computer before, I headscratched for two days until I found out I did not connect the ATX12V connector near the CPU. I didn't make this mistake this time.

Someone alerted, maybe too late, that it could be an incompatibility between the chosen MoBo and the chosen CPU: they said we might have to update the BIOS in order to make it compatible. However we don't have another AM4 processor to plug in just to perform this operation.

So:

1. Is the CPU-motherboard pair compatible? Does it require a BIOS update? If so, how can I do it without taking to someone else?
2. Anything else that comes to your minds with these symptoms?

Contact your supplier for an AMD boot kit for second generation processors.

 

[Da Rossa]

Guys, chill! 😀 Thanks for your trouble clashing for the proper solution, but the thing is, the PC is not mine, it's for a friend's young son which is dismayed already, not to mention that my friend himself is now unwilling to pay me in full (and I can't blame him). Actually I have a stressing day job that consumes me, so I can't be at his place every night if I have no news.

What tricks me is this article over here, http://www.tomshardware.com/faq/id-1893016/post-system-boot-video-output-troubleshooting-checklist.html, which lists another over 20 possible causes for the same symptom. So the question is: given the circumstances, the extent of the list and the components involved, which ones should I check first?

 

[SkyBill40]

I stand fast with my initial statement: B series board will not work without a BIOS flash and it'll require a first gen Ryzen processor to do it.

 

[terry4536]

Guys, chill! 😀 Thanks for your trouble clashing for the proper solution, but the thing is, the PC is not mine, it's for a friend's young son which is dismayed already, not to mention that my friend himself is now unwilling to pay me in full (and I can't blame him). Actually I have a stressing day job that consumes me, so I can't be at his place every night if I have no news.

What tricks me is this article over here, http://www.tomshardware.com/faq/id-1893016/post-system-boot-video-output-troubleshooting-checklist.html, which lists another over 20 possible causes for the same symptom. So the question is: given the circumstances, the extent of the list and the components involved, which ones should I check first?

It depends upon when the motherboard was built. Motherboards that were latter in production have the current BIOS. Earlier motherboards have the previous BIOS that is incompatible with second generation Ryzen processors. If it will not boot at all, it likely needs the boot kit.

 

[Da Rossa]

My friend took the nearly-assembled PC to a techie to have thee BIOS updated using an older Ryzen CPU. I'll update you guys shortly.

There's been an unpleasant development: I took more than 7 days to pinpoint the problem, and now the online store which sold us the parts don't want them back. The guy at the store is shorthanded; he has no spare older Ryzen CPU to plug in to update the BIOS, none in the vicinity has. Now I'm officially incompetent.

 

[Da Rossa]

Finally we got this. It was indeed the fact that the motherboard required BIOS update. I was lucky to have a competent and good-willing friend around. He killed it.
Thanks guys!