Question PC doesn't shut down, but reboots - MSI Mortar Max

[Llyx]

Hi everyone,

I have the below specs on my pc.

CPU - AMD Ryzen 7 1700 - Summit Ridge
Motherboard - MSI Mortar Max B450 M
Memory - 4 GB SK Hynix (1200 MHz) + 4 GB Kingston (1200 MHz)
GPU - 8 GB Radeon RX 570 with Polaris 20 XL with 2 monitors connected via HDMI
OS - Win 10 (from M.2 drive) + storage: 250 GB SSD + 1 TB HDD
Sound Card - Sound Blaster G6 (external)

I am struggling since I changed the original Lenovo motherboard to Mortar Max B450 M as the PC doesn't shut down. (only the CPU is from the original Lenovo prebuilt PC, everything else is changed by now). If I try to shut it down from Windows, the CPU Fail light comes up on the motherboard after Windows turned off and the system reboots. I can only shut it down by holding the power button at that point (which I guess isn't healthy as it seems to be the start of the Reboot sequence). Also, randomly I get a message from the Radeon software that "Default Radeon WattMan Settings Have Been Restored".

I have tried everything I can find online:

• Disabled fast startup
• Disabled non windows services, and restarted- tried to shut down one by one
• Tried Safe Boot ( that worked, but in normal mode even disabling every service didn't help)
• Uninstalled MSI Dragon Center and Mystic Light
• Unplugged devices one by one
• Disabled network adapter (even mouse and keyboard) wake up functions
• Updated every software, including sound card, gpu, etc.
• Ran several diagnostic and stress tests - all came back completely fine - on CPU, GPU and Memory
• Flashed Bios, tried older and newer versions

I have run out of ideas so any suggestions would be much appreciated.

Thank you in advance!

 

[rgd1101]

brand and model of the psu?

 

[Llyx]

Hi @rgd1101 , its Crossair CX 550.

 

[Jaegeren]

Strange ram setup.
I know it's the CPU light that is flashing.
Buy try only using one of the ram sticks, it's genereally a bad idea mixing them up. It can create all sorts of wierd issue's.

Else try to remount the CPU and cooler and check all connections.
Also if your PSU is aging, it can also be a factor as strange as it sounds.

It seems you have ruled out it's software or drivers.

 

[Llyx]

Thank you @Jaegeren , I have tried the RAM one by one, and also in a different order ( channel 2 and 4 as per the Motherboard's documentation) but no luck.
The PSU is about a year old and I have used these 2 RAMs for a year before as well. The strangest thing is that all tests (FuRMark, CPU-Z, Aida, OCCT) are running perfectly, with no overheating, no power (V or A) fluctuation, or any issue while I am using the PC for anything (video editing, games, and even Machine Learning training).

Any idea how harmful it is that I always interrupt the boot process as it always tries to reboot instead of shut down? Seems so strange that no other issues than the fact I cannot turn it off.

 

[rickypicky5]

I am struggling since I changed the original Lenovo motherboard to Mortar Max B450 M as the PC doesn't shut down. ...

When you change a motherboard, you normally have reinstall Windows on your boot disk as well. Do you know what chipset your original (Lenovo) motherboard was?

 

[Llyx]

Thank you @rickypicky5 for checking as well!
I can't remember but I still have it and it is extremely similar to the below:
https://www.walmart.com/ip/AM4MH-Le...8-NO-I-O-AMD-Socket-AM4-Motherboard/256609679

My windows is online activation (reinstalled the factory one in the old build with an original) so it didn't require a reinstall. That is the only thing I haven't tried yet. Do you think it might be software-related? Windows shuts down correctly it seems, the screen goes blank, and that's when the CPU Fail light comes on and the system starts to reboot.

 

[rickypicky5]

If it's the only thing you haven't tried, then why not? Nothing to lose at this point. Make sure you copy an personal files you don't want to lose to another disk or thumb drive first. The motherboard you linked to looks like a B300 chipset, which is different than the B450 chipset.

 

[Llyx]

Thank you very much @rickypicky5 , I will try in the next few days (working on it so have to do a full backup) and will come back with the results.

 

[Llyx]

Tried to reinstall windows, but got the below error message.

'0xC1900101 - 0x20017 Installation failed during safe OS phase with an error during boot operation'

I tried the install as is, and just a quick scan about this error says I should remove all USB, remove LAN etc. I understand those points, but give the fact that I have an issue with shutdown-reboot does anyone think it is related?

If no, then will just try a full clean install, formatting, removing other hard drives, and so on. Might take a while.

 

[Llyx]

As an update, I have reinstalled windows, with formatting C and full clean install. Also bought a new CPU being afraid mine died, so got a Ryzen 5 3600. Replaced the RAM as well to 8 GB Basilisk ones. Bios also flashed.
But the issue is still there. I cannot shut down the PC, it restarts, and the restart actually doesn't always work either, sometines it hangs at POST before the BIOS is in, with CPU light on. If I wait around half an hour, it works..

Any suggestions? Apart from the GPU everything is new at this stage. Could this be a faulty motherboard?

Any suggestions are much appreciated, I am very lost at this stage...