Possible faulty CPU? Two motherboards & no boot/POST. Stand off's missed out from initial build.

[ben79b]

Here's the low-down on the issue I'm having:

I recently built a gaming PC from scratch and foolishly mounted the motherboard to the case without the standoffs. Initially I could boot the PC successfully, but intermittently it would fail to start when I powered on using the case switch. Only when I turned the PSU off and on again would it boot again (after a few attempts). The OS seemed to be functioning normally until I started to experience system freezes. It was at this point I realised my mistake (of mounting the motherboard without standoffs) so I dismantled and replaced mobo with the correctly placed standoffs. At this point everything seemed to be functioning great and the PC was booting normally by using the case power switch. However, after a few hours without problems I suffered a mid game freeze and from that point onwards the system failed to boot or POST. I had power to the board and fans were turning, then attempted a bios flashback but still no boot.

This was the set up.

CPU - AMD fx 8350
Mobo - Asus M5A97 R.2
GPU - XFX Radeon R9 280x
KingstonFury 2x4gb 1600
EVGA Nex750w bronze

After attempting bread boarding & basic troubleshooting with no progress I took it to my local computer shop for diagnostics using hardware swap outs. They concluded that the motherboard was shot. So RMA'd it and upgraded the mobo to the M5A99FX PRO. Received new mobo bread boarded and exact problem - no boot. However this time the mobo facilitates LED feedback for each component plugged in (solid red indicating fault) and in my case the CPU led stays continually lit. I have been through all the necessary logic tests with the board, swapped out PSU, which is functioning normally + bios flashback etc, to no avail.

So to conclude; since I'm using a new mobo and am experiencing the same problems as before, am I looking at a CPU fault? And could my mistake of forgetting to install the case standoffs have resulted in damage to both the mobo, cpu or any other components?

In addition, I've followed this guide;
http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/261145-31-perform-steps-posting-post-boot-video-problems

And this bread boarding thread;
http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/262730-31-breadboarding

Anyone recommend progression from this point?

Thanks in advance.

 

[scout_03]

you may have short both the board and the cpu the only to find it is to try a new cpu on the new board .

 

[Paul NZ]

Look at the sticker on the mobo under the barcode. What are the last 4 numbers??

If this is the Pro it needs to be 1006 or higher to support that CPU

FX-8350(FD8350FRW8KHK,4.0GHz,8C,125W,rev.C0,AM3+) ALL 1006

If its under 1006 use USB BIOS flashback and update the BIOS

 

[ben79b]

It shipped with update 2501 installed, which is currently the latest bios.

 

[ben79b]

Turns out it was a faulty CPU. Tested the setup at my local comp shop so we could swap out hardware. Swapped processor with an older AM3 CPU and it posted. Tried the damaged CPU in another compatible system and no boot.

 

[Karsten75]

You seriously shorted out a motherboard through your own ignorance and then you used the RMA process to get it replaced? I think that's a misuse of the RMA process that is supposed to protect all of us from defective merchandise, not to protect users from their own mistakes.

 

[ben79b]

The curse of knowledge raises its ugly head. Karsten75, in response to your judgement, there's some things I think I should clarify.

Decisively, there is absolutely nothing in the motherboard or ATX case literature that highlights the importance of installing standoffs and the possible hardware damage that can arise from not doing so. I assumed that the standoffs were optional - to allow for elevated mobo positioning if and when required, hence, my leaving them out. The importance of placing standoffs in the case prior to installing the motherboard only became clear after troubleshooting and perusing this forum.
If this is an imperative for error free system building, should the manufacturer take the responsibility to clearly highlight and inform their customers of this prescience before irreversible damage is done? Hence the legitimate RMA request i submitted, which was approved. So "ignorance" in this case is the result of crucial information unavailable to the customer.

Finally, I don't know for certain that the motherboard or CPU wasn't defective from the start . You assume that the above is in fact the cause of the defect. Based on the above assumptions and lack of absolute certainty of cause and effect, am I not entitled to request an RMA?

 

[USAFRet]

The standoffs are there to elevate the motherboard from the motherboard tray...the sheet metal behind it.

Without that, very often the metal protuberances on the back of the motherboard will contact that tray, and short something out.

Did this happen in this instance? Who knows.

But if that particular case requires standoffs, then it requires standoffs. Most do, or they are built in.
If you installed the motherboard without, then many problems are possible.

It was at this point I realised my mistake (of mounting the motherboard without standoffs)

...would lead people to go to the motherboard being shorted. Having seen that happen many times before.