[SOLVED] Ryzen 5600x and MSI Tomahawk B550 (No post/No signal to monitor)

john_4_30

Commendable
May 2, 2018
5
0
1,510
Hello I just finished putting my new PC last night. After I connected everything I turned it on but I was unable to access the BIOS. Since I am using an MSI B550 Tomahawk, I went on their website and downloaded the two most recent BIOS that should support Zen 3. I tried flashing both the newest beta BIOS and the newest "official" BIOS. I used a 4GB USB which only contains the BIOS file which was renamed to "MSI.ROM". I inserted the USB in the flash bios slot and pressed the button. My Ryzen 5600x and RX 580 were not installed on the board prior to flashing the BIOS.

So I think flashing the BIOS went well. I started by turning off the PSU but have it plugged in. Pressing the flash bios button once turned on the power. The leds on my USB flashed for a few minutes and then my PC turned off for a few seconds before turning back on again. I waited a few more minutes after the light on my USB stopped flashing before turning off the power and removing the USB. I flashed different versions of the BIOS multiple times doing this. Once I finished flashing the BIOS, I connected the CPU, the GPU and the required cables and connections.

Turning on after everything is connected results in the fans for the CPU, GPU, and PSU spinning. The lights on my RX 580 turn on as well as the RGB on my RAM running in A2 and B2 configuration (2x8 GB). I then connected the HDMI cable from my monitor to the HDMI port of my GPU not my motherboard. However, my monitor would display "No signal". I checked every connection multiple times but get the same result.

What I tried:
-Remove ALL connections from motherboard and double checked every connection I made.
-Flashed BIOS numerous times
-Removed CMOS battery for a few minutes before returning it to the board
-Re-installed CPU and GPU multiple times
-Inserted old working graphics card (GTX 750 ti) in the all the compatible PCIE slots; same spots that I had my RX 580 in. RX 580 is being reused from my previous build so it is working as well.
-Re-seated RAM until I heard the click from the clamps. RGB for both sticks turn on every time I power the PC so I think they are installed properly.
-Connected SATA SSD (Has my old installation of windows 10) and previous HDD after successful flashing of BIOS. I have a bootable USB with windows 10 so I will format both drives during the set up and install a fresh version of windows 10 on the SSD.
-Tried connecting three different monitors with HDMI, and Display Ports to the GPU inputs. All say "No signal"

Is there anything else to try? I've been working on fixing this for hours and I can't figure out what's wrong. If you have any suggestions please let me know.

I will link pictures and a video of my set up with the latest BIOS from the MSI website for the B550 Tomahawk. Note you will see the debug "BOOT" LED is lit up. But I think it is because I didn't have the USB with windows 10 plugged in. But plugging it in and turning the PC on will cycle all the LED debug lights for a few seconds and then all remain off but still no signal detected on the monitor.
PS. Powering everything with my old EVGA G3 650 W 80 plus Gold PSU. Also, yes I know some parts are still a bit dusty, was too excited to build to clean everything thoroughly.
* View: https://imgur.com/a/AID1VzN
 
Last edited:
Solution
Yes. I'd return the motherboard and either get a different model or a replacement. Was the box completely sealed/shrink wrapped when you got it or was there any chance this is a board somebody has returned previously to Amazon? Either way, I think that is what I'd do. When you tear it down, use a magnifying device like a magnifying glass or high powered reading glasses, if necessary, to thoroughly inspect for ANY bent or even slightly deviated CPU pins, and if there are none, then return the board.

I think that is the most likely culprit right now.

Might want to try ONLY a single stick of memory, installed in the A2 slot (2 slots over from the CPU). Then the other stick. Might also want to try connecting everything up except no...
I flashed different versions of the BIOS multiple times doing this.
Why would you do that? Why would you not just simply flash the latest non-Beta version, once, and be done with it? Sounds like maybe you've created your own problem, but obviously I'm not certain of that by any means.

Everything looks like it's connected correctly. If it's not due to something you did with flashing the BIOS, then I'd say it's either due to a bent pin on the CPU, and it only takes one sometimes, or a faulty motherboard.

One of the debug lights that's on is the boot error. Have you tried running the system with NO drives, at all, attached, to see if it will POST at all? Try it. Remove ALL drives including any SATA, M.2 and HDD's. Completely disconnect them. Both power and data cables.

Also, listing your full hardware specifications including exact power supply model number and how long that unit has been in service, would be helpful.
 

john_4_30

Commendable
May 2, 2018
5
0
1,510
Why would you do that? Why would you not just simply flash the latest non-Beta version, once, and be done with it? Sounds like maybe you've created your own problem, but obviously I'm not certain of that by any means.

Everything looks like it's connected correctly. If it's not due to something you did with flashing the BIOS, then I'd say it's either due to a bent pin on the CPU, and it only takes one sometimes, or a faulty motherboard.

One of the debug lights that's on is the boot error. Have you tried running the system with NO drives, at all, attached, to see if it will POST at all? Try it. Remove ALL drives including any SATA, M.2 and HDD's. Completely disconnect them. Both power and data cables.

Also, listing your full hardware specifications including exact power supply model number and how long that unit has been in service, would be helpful.


Hello! Perhaps flashing it too many times might have added to the problem. But I tried troubleshooting the suggestions using the beta and the official BIOS to see if it would change anything.

Yes, the debug LED is for boot error. But it seems to remain off when I insert a bootable USB with a windows 10 ISO file. However, I still don't get a signal for the monitor.

There are no drives connected to the motherboard right now. SATA and power connectors are unplugged.

I did check the CPU when I removed it after the first installation. The pins looked fine to me. Not sure if this is the case, but wouldn't the debug LED on the motherboard for "CPU" turn on if there was something wrong with the CPU, such as bent pins or improper placement? The debug LEDS on my board are CPU, DRAM, VGA and BOOT if that helps at all.

I did hear the a lot of people are having problems with this particular board, mostly regarding the BIOS. Do you suggest I just return it to Amazon and get another model? I only completed the build last night.
 
Yes. I'd return the motherboard and either get a different model or a replacement. Was the box completely sealed/shrink wrapped when you got it or was there any chance this is a board somebody has returned previously to Amazon? Either way, I think that is what I'd do. When you tear it down, use a magnifying device like a magnifying glass or high powered reading glasses, if necessary, to thoroughly inspect for ANY bent or even slightly deviated CPU pins, and if there are none, then return the board.

I think that is the most likely culprit right now.

Might want to try ONLY a single stick of memory, installed in the A2 slot (2 slots over from the CPU). Then the other stick. Might also want to try connecting everything up except no drives, and with a known good monitor connected via a known good HDMI cable, do a hard reset, just to be sure.

BIOS Hard Reset procedure

Power off the unit, switch the PSU off and unplug the PSU cord from either the wall or the power supply.

Remove the motherboard CMOS battery for five minutes. In some cases it may be necessary to remove the graphics card to access the CMOS battery.

During that five minutes, press the power button on the case, continuously, for 30 seconds. After the five minutes is up, reinstall the CMOS battery making sure to insert it with the correct side up just as it came out.

If you had to remove the graphics card you can now reinstall it, but remember to reconnect your power cables if there were any attached to it as well as your display cable.

Now, plug the power supply cable back in, switch the PSU back on and power up the system. It should display the POST screen and the options to enter CMOS/BIOS setup. Enter the bios setup program and reconfigure the boot settings for either the Windows boot manager or for legacy systems, the drive your OS is installed on if necessary.

Save settings and exit. If the system will POST and boot then you can move forward from there including going back into the bios and configuring any other custom settings you may need to configure such as Memory XMP, A-XMP or D.O.C.P profile settings, custom fan profile settings or other specific settings you may have previously had configured that were wiped out by resetting the CMOS.

In some cases it may be necessary when you go into the BIOS after a reset, to load the Optimal default or Default values and then save settings, to actually get the hardware tables to reset in the boot manager.

It is probably also worth mentioning that for anything that might require an attempt to DO a hard reset in the first place, IF the problem is related to a lack of video signal, it is a GOOD IDEA to try a different type of display as many systems will not work properly for some reason with displayport configurations. It is worth trying HDMI if you are having no display or lack of visual ability to enter the BIOS, or no signal messages.

Trying a different monitor as well, if possible, is also a good idea if there is a lack of display. It happens.
 
Solution

john_4_30

Commendable
May 2, 2018
5
0
1,510
Yes. I'd return the motherboard and either get a different model or a replacement. Was the box completely sealed/shrink wrapped when you got it or was there any chance this is a board somebody has returned previously to Amazon? Either way, I think that is what I'd do. When you tear it down, use a magnifying device like a magnifying glass or high powered reading glasses, if necessary, to thoroughly inspect for ANY bent or even slightly deviated CPU pins, and if there are none, then return the board.

I think that is the most likely culprit right now.

Might want to try ONLY a single stick of memory, installed in the A2 slot (2 slots over from the CPU). Then the other stick. Might also want to try connecting everything up except no drives, and with a known good monitor connected via a known good HDMI cable, do a hard reset, just to be sure.

BIOS Hard Reset procedure

Power off the unit, switch the PSU off and unplug the PSU cord from either the wall or the power supply.

Remove the motherboard CMOS battery for five minutes. In some cases it may be necessary to remove the graphics card to access the CMOS battery.

During that five minutes, press the power button on the case, continuously, for 30 seconds. After the five minutes is up, reinstall the CMOS battery making sure to insert it with the correct side up just as it came out.

If you had to remove the graphics card you can now reinstall it, but remember to reconnect your power cables if there were any attached to it as well as your display cable.

Now, plug the power supply cable back in, switch the PSU back on and power up the system. It should display the POST screen and the options to enter CMOS/BIOS setup. Enter the bios setup program and reconfigure the boot settings for either the Windows boot manager or for legacy systems, the drive your OS is installed on if necessary.

Save settings and exit. If the system will POST and boot then you can move forward from there including going back into the bios and configuring any other custom settings you may need to configure such as Memory XMP, A-XMP or D.O.C.P profile settings, custom fan profile settings or other specific settings you may have previously had configured that were wiped out by resetting the CMOS.

In some cases it may be necessary when you go into the BIOS after a reset, to load the Optimal default or Default values and then save settings, to actually get the hardware tables to reset in the boot manager.

It is probably also worth mentioning that for anything that might require an attempt to DO a hard reset in the first place, IF the problem is related to a lack of video signal, it is a GOOD IDEA to try a different type of display as many systems will not work properly for some reason with displayport configurations. It is worth trying HDMI if you are having no display or lack of visual ability to enter the BIOS, or no signal messages.

Trying a different monitor as well, if possible, is also a good idea if there is a lack of display. It happens.


Thank you so much! I will try doing a hard reset of the BIOS with the CMOS. To answer your monitor question, yes I tried different inputs into my GPU and three different monitors. So I tried HDMI cables and displayport cables. All gave the same no signal result.

The motherboard seems to be brand new. It was sealed and the bags for the screws were unopened but I'm not 100% sure.

I will also try running with only one ram stick in the A2 slot.