PC sometimes won't POST after tried overclocking, even after reverting the OC. Edit: won't post at all

[robertombf]

Hello guys,

I just tried overclocking for the first time, after years of stable normal use. Unfortunately, I could not get a decent result (as a matter of fact, I couldn't get a stable 4.2 GHz on an i5 4670k with Havik 140 cooler and GA-Z87-D3HP motherboard). Frankly, I expected a much better OC.

I followed a complete guide, trying tried multiple voltage settings values and had no luck at all. After this, I was quite disappointed I did revert BIOS to load optimized defaults. I think it's important to say that I did already have do clear CMOS a few times by touching a screwdriver on the contacts, due to PC not showing POST screen after some OC tries, so I could revert my settings.

Problem is, now my PC will not show any video sign, even though all fans do turn on. I am quite certain my BIOS configuration is set to optimized defaults, so no more OC for now.

Despite that, I have to keep turning on and off my PC until it shows something in the screen. This made me able to post here, but obviously it's not good enough to make multiple tries to even see the Gigabyte logo. Can someone help?

Components:
CPU: i5 4670k
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-Z87-D3HP
RAM: 2x4GB GSkill Sniper F3-14900CL9D-8GBSR
GPU: Evga GTX 1070 (recently installed over Zotac GTX 770 4GB)
PSU: SeaSonic S12II-520 520W

 

[Ironsounds]

Hello... You need to remove the MB Battery before touching the CMOS PINs... did you try/do that? other wise you are shorting the battery too B /

After a reset of the MB, the intel CPU/GPU/MB will be the Video Output... and the BIO's Default settings will be in place... the GPU might need to be removed too... until the BIO's is set up again for GPU use (save&exit)

Typically in OCing you need to downclock your memory first... Memory does not OC well vs a CPU, so you need to keep a eye on how the memory speeds/timings change with each CPU increase.

 

[robertombf]

Hello... You need to remove the MB Battery before touching the CMOS PINs... did you try/do that? other wise you are shorting the battery too B /

After a reset of the MB, the intel CPU/GPU/MB will be the Video Output... and the BIO's Default settings will be in place... the GPU might need to be removed too... until the BIO's is set up again for GPU use (save&exit)

Typically in OCing you need to downclock your memory first... Memory does not OC well vs a CPU, so you need to keep a eye on how the memory speeds/timings change with each CPU increase.

Well, I didn't remove the battery, just cleared the CMOS jumpers. It seems it worked, though. I sucessfully could load optimized defaults and could adjust BIOS settings to default. So, now the BIOS settings are adjusted to default.

I am currently using the PC and the video output is set on the graphics card. The problem is that when I turn off my PC and then want to turn it on again, it takes a lot of times for it to sucessfully boot. No POST is frequent.

Given that, should I still take off my GPU?

 

[Ironsounds]

Hello... The CMOS memory is used for holding your installed hardware communications settings... and allows for a fast boot... I would suggest getting a NEW battery for your MB... 2for$1@$store here. Do another CMOS reset and put the New battery in for the next boot as a simple starting point. B /

HOW are you shutting off the Power to the Computer? Power Suppy switch? Wall outlet? Power strip?

1) Are you suggesting the new GTX 1060 caused this problem? as another "simple test" exchange cards? what happens now?
2) Sometimes a HD can cause a slow boot up... remove your HD's and TEST the MB boot speed...
3) Remove other MB installed Hardware one by one... and TEST MB Boot speed.
4) do you have the latest BIO's installed for your MB? the updates will have added HW id's to the list and maybe for your GTX1060 B /

It could be the MB/BIO's is having a hardtime communicating with something plugged into it.

 

[robertombf]

Pardon me if I misunderstood, english not my first language. When it's problematic, I shut it off by pressing and holding the off switch, followed by turning off the PSU switch.

1- The gpu upgrade motivated the overclock. I don't think it's directly responsible. Also, system won't post without it. Even after removing battery and waiting a bit before placing it back

2- I removed all my sata connectors, gpu, pci card, a stick of ram and put the other on a different slot, leaving only the cpu and one ram. Still no luck.

3- not sure I understand... Is it an acronym? If not, it doesn't even consistently POST without practically everything

4- yes. I have the most recent one. F7, I believe. I guess I upgraded from F3 version. It's important to notice that I was using the computer without problems. Only when I tried to overclock that things started to go south

The pc will start windows if I try enough times. My problem is that I can't consistently get to the motherboard logo phase

 

[JustEthan]

Okay just as mentioned above. Always, ALWAYS, turn off the PC and unplug it from the wall. Remove the coin battery, then clear CMOS. And I always after removing the battery take my socks off and ground myself to the PC chassis and hold the power button down an additional 10 seconds to make sure there is no remaining power left. No static, nothing. Then clear CMOS. It should boot up after that, if not then you should at least be able to get into the bios. Now remember when you clear the CMOS you essentially take it back to how it came out of the box. All your settings gone, not just your OC settings. So you will have to set everything back up how it once was. Now you are using a Gigabyte board and by pressing either f11 or f12 it's one of them, you can save CMOS to bios. Do that after you have all your normal settings how you want them so that the next time you have to clear CMOS when you turn it back on you can load from Cmos and not have to do all that again.

 

[robertombf]

Well, now I am very worried. I went out and bought a new battery. With the PSU switch off and its cable disconnected, I removed the old battery and shortened the clear cmos pins. Mind the pc is now completely barebones, with only cpu, one ram, and fans. Even though, nothing on the screen. The only sign of life is the fans noise and mouse light. Never thought an overclock would actually put me in this situation

 

[JustEthan]

Ya I've had that happen to me. Not from an oc, actually on a very old oem lenovo. Unplug everything and I mean everything let it sit a good 20 minutes then only plug in the 24 pin mobo cable, the 8 pin cpu cable and have 1 ram stick in the slot closest to the cpu. Fire it up and you should be able to hear it post.

 

[JustEthan]

I don't think your psu is powerful enough to think about oc btw

 

[robertombf]

I wasn't hoping a huge overclock, but anyway, I'm bitterly regretting trying to OC. I'm guessing I broke my motherboard.

Following your advice, I disconnected everything, waited and couldn't see post screen. After a few tries and connecting more components, the pc would fail to post, but then would reset by itself, kind of changing the way it behaved.

Then it booted windows. I would turn it off so I could test again. After a few lucky consecutive boots, it stopped working. Now it doesn't boot anymore

 

[JustEthan]

Well that totally sucks. I wish I were able to help you more with this but I'm not sure if I can. Just repeat the steps and when you are able to boot then flash the bios. Do an update, even if it's the most recent version try to flash it again. There has to be something you can do because I know Gigabyte has a dual bios for $#%^ like this believe. You definitely scrambled something in it from clearing CMOS with the battery in probably. It shouldnt have anything to do with the oc attemp it's what happened after that. If everything is hooked up right, your sata cables your windows drive everything then I'd imagine it has to do with the bios. I wouldn't go so far as to say your mobo is shot, and if it is then that really sucks. I personally had an expeerienve with Gigabyte that will make me never purchase another mobo from them again. Probably never purchase any of their products sgsin and I swore by Gigabyte up until a couple months ago. Anyway ya, just try it all one more time and get into the bios as soon as you get the chance to and make sure all your settings are good and I'd try to flash your bios again if it's having severe problems like that. I'm sorry you're dealing with this and I hope you get it worked out.

 

[robertombf]

Thanks! I removed most components and tried again to get to POST. I could do that once in a while, but not very useful, since BIOS was already set as optimized defaults, so there wasn't much I could do.

But flashing the BIOS was a different story, giving a purpose to get to the BIOS menu. Could sucessfully reinstall latest version of BIOS, and the computer sucessfully booted.

Problem is, that already happened before (managing to boot), but since it became much rarer to manage that, I'm very reluctant to turn off Windows. I'm afraid if I do that, I may end up not being able to boot again. Problem is, not ever turning off PC is not very viable

 

[JustEthan]

Ya I hear you, I hope you're able to solve this. Maybe if you just restart it a few times it'll get used to booting and you won't have the problem anymore. That's really cruddy to hear because Overclocking feels like such an accomplishment the first time you arrive on stable settings that I wish you were able to experience that. None the less having severe issues with your PC is no trade off. I'm glad I was able to man, Good Night.