[SOLVED] Will a fried CPU appear on EzDebug LED

Jan 30, 2021
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I have a i9 10900K and MSI Z490 Gaming Plus,

as the title indicates the CPU light on ezdebug lights up when I turn on my computer.
When I turn on the computer the LED lights I have (and the debug led) will light up for a split second and my computer will immediately turn off. I’m going through the process of troubleshooting right now.
(I’ve cleared the CMOS, reseated all my components, made sure everything was properly plugged in, and a few other things) also I’ve only judged notice the CPU LED coming on after I cleared the CMOS.
I think it might be fried because my last motherboard I had (same kind) I was very dumb and didn’t plug the CPU power pins in correctly and there was a spark.
Is my CPU fried or is there something else wrong?
 
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Solution
Like I said, modern motherboards are HIGHLY "sacrificial". Meaning they are somewhat designed to be the failure point if something goes wrong, so that you don't destroy everything, as is the power supply. While it is, of course, entirely POSSIBLE for there to be extensive damage, I'd be pretty surprised if the CPU, memory and graphics card weren't still ok. I'd at least try them to see. I've seen a lot of people smoke their boards over the years by doing exactly what was done here and in most cases the rest of the hardware was still either partially or entirely ok.
I have a i9 10900K and MSI Z490 Gaming Plus,

as the title indicates the CPU light on ezdebug lights up when I turn on my computer.
When I turn on the computer the LED lights I have (and the debug led) will light up for a split second and my computer will immediately turn off. I’m going through the process of troubleshooting right now.
(I’ve cleared the CMOS, reseated all my components, made sure everything was properly plugged in, and a few other things) also I’ve only judged notice the CPU LED coming on after I cleared the CMOS.
I think it might be fried because my last motherboard I had (same kind) I was very dumb and didn’t plug the CPU power pins in correctly and there was a spark.
Is my CPU fried or is there something else wrong?


The motherboard being damaged would be a LOT more likely than the CPU. While both are possible, the board is somewhat "sacrificial" in that it will usually fail first, potentially preserving other more expensive hardware. Not always to be sure, but often enough.

My biggest question here is why you think the motherboard you had "was very dumb" if you were the one that plugged in the CPU auxiliary power incorrectly? Stuff happens, especially when you're first learning about hardware and just beginning to put it into practice. But the fact is that if you plugged something in wrong, that's squarely on you, not the hardware. It is what it is. We've all done it. No big deal. As long as you only make the same mistake ONCE, and you don't do it with any of MY hardware. LOL.

So, anyhow, full specs would be helpful here.
 
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Jan 30, 2021
5
0
10
The motherboard being damaged would be a LOT more likely than the CPU. While both are possible, the board is somewhat "sacrificial" in that it will usually fail first, potentially preserving other more expensive hardware. Not always to be sure, but often enough.

My biggest question here is why you think the motherboard you had "was very dumb" if you were the one that plugged in the CPU auxiliary power incorrectly? Stuff happens, especially when you're first learning about hardware and just beginning to put it into practice. But the fact is that if you plugged something in wrong, that's squarely on you, not the hardware. It is what it is. We've all done it. No big deal. As long as you only make the same mistake ONCE, and you don't do it with any of MY hardware. LOL.

So, anyhow, full specs would be helpful here.
I meant to say that I WAS the one being dumb Lol. You’re about it being on me for that one haha

when there was a spark I 100% fried my MB but was able to get a new one so i have a new MB but the same brand/model

I have a;

GTX 1080
16 gigs of Corsair 2x8 3000 hertz ram
EVGA 750 watt 80+ Bronze
i9 10900K
MSI Z490 Gaming Plus
NH-D15S CPU Fan
 
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How, EXACTLY, did you "plug the CPU pins in wrong"? What, exactly, DID you do that caused that to happen? This is important in helping to determine what is likely damaged and how badly.

Also, the rest of your specs? Power supply (Exact model or at least exact series and brand), memory, drives, etc.?
 
Jan 30, 2021
5
0
10
How, EXACTLY, did you "plug the CPU pins in wrong"? What, exactly, DID you do that caused that to happen? This is important in helping to determine what is likely damaged and how badly.

Also, the rest of your specs? Power supply (Exact model or at least exact series and brand), memory, drives, etc.?

This motherboard has 2 cpu power sockets an 8 and a 4 pin. My psu has a 4+4 strip labeled cpu power. I was confused and put 1 of the 4 pin into the the 4pin connector and used a 6+2 cabled I plugged into the psu to power the 8 pin connector, and when I took apart my sytem I discovered that the +2 wasn’t fully plugged into the 8 connector. I saw the spark happen near to where the cpu power connector is.
GTX 1080
16 gigs of Corsair 2x8 3000 hertz ram
EVGA 750 watt 80+ Bronze
i9 10900K
MSI Z490 Gaming Plus
NH-D15S CPU Fan
500 gig Corsair m.2
seagate 2tb HHD
 

DSzymborski

Curmudgeon Pursuivant
Moderator
This motherboard has 2 cpu power sockets an 8 and a 4 pin. My psu has a 4+4 strip labeled cpu power. I was confused and put 1 of the 4 pin into the the 4pin connector and used a 6+2 cabled I plugged into the psu to power the 8 pin connector, and when I took apart my sytem I discovered that the +2 wasn’t fully plugged into the 8 connector. I saw the spark happen near to where the cpu power connector is.
GTX 1080
16 gigs of Corsair 2x8 3000 hertz ram
EVGA 750 watt 80+ Bronze
i9 10900K
MSI Z490 Gaming Plus
NH-D15S CPU Fan
500 gig Corsair m.2
seagate 2tb HHD

Yeah, that was pretty bad. And even a little worse than you think. The problem wasn't that you didn't fully plug the +2 into the CPU connector but that it shouldn't have even been in there in the first place. CPU plugs are never 6+2. Those are PCIE plugs for the GPU. They are not the same pinout and if you plug that into the motherboard, you're likely going to destroy the motherboard (and possibly more).

You didn't do this again with your replacement motherboard, I hope. Because if you did, you may have destroyed that as well.
 
In short - you fried your old motherboard and CPU with it. New motherboard VRM-s detected shorted CPU power rails and terminated POST procedure with CPU LED kept lit. You can dump this CPU now and purchase a new one. And get a new PSU ASAP. Current one you mentioned 1) have bad quality by design (EVGA Bronze :( ) and 2) most likely is faulty.

Fun facts about CPU and PCIe 12V connectors. They have +12V and ground pins at exactly opposite rows. However due to connector key design it is possible to plug in PCIe cable into CPU socket.

Spsgx.png


PCIe connector have voltage sense pins so PSU can detect shorted PCIe connector and if it is smart enough - under/overvoltage in PCIe 12V rail. CPU power rail does not have extra detection though in case of 12V shorted to ground PSU must detect that and abort switching on. However bad/faulty PSU may "ignore" short in 12V rail, turn on and do total mayhem in itself, connected MOBO and all things in it through ATX power connector. Honestly I would not trust to anything what was in your old system anymore.
 
Like I said, modern motherboards are HIGHLY "sacrificial". Meaning they are somewhat designed to be the failure point if something goes wrong, so that you don't destroy everything, as is the power supply. While it is, of course, entirely POSSIBLE for there to be extensive damage, I'd be pretty surprised if the CPU, memory and graphics card weren't still ok. I'd at least try them to see. I've seen a lot of people smoke their boards over the years by doing exactly what was done here and in most cases the rest of the hardware was still either partially or entirely ok.
 
Solution
Jan 30, 2021
5
0
10
Like I said, modern motherboards are HIGHLY "sacrificial". Meaning they are somewhat designed to be the failure point if something goes wrong, so that you don't destroy everything, as is the power supply. While it is, of course, entirely POSSIBLE for there to be extensive damage, I'd be pretty surprised if the CPU, memory and graphics card weren't still ok. I'd at least try them to see. I've seen a lot of people smoke their boards over the years by doing exactly what was done here and in most cases the rest of the hardware was still either partially or entirely ok.

ok thank you, either way my system isn’t staying on when I turn in the power button, does my PSU need to be replaced?
 
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Karadjgne

Titan
Ambassador
Decent psu @ $100.
I9 10900k @ $500.

You already know the psu got hit, it's a 750w B2, has minimal protections and was never designed to be pushing that cpu or gpu or combo in the first place. If there was a question of possibly replacing as to unreliability or possible damage, is there really a decision to be made?

I know for a fact (to me) it'd be a No Brainer as to what gets replaced first, regardless of possibility of damage or not.

You don't mess around with the psu. If there's Any doubts, questions, worries, Anything that even remotely considers burning a midnight thought in your head that there could possibly be a psu issue, get a better psu. No ifs, ands or butts.
 
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Power supply and motherboard should be replaced just as a matter of course since they are the most probable sacrificial points in general. I wouldn't trust either of them after that. Maaayybe the power supply if you can test it with a multimeter and everything checks out, and there are no burnt connectors or melted wires. Do not use a cable set from a different power supply with any other power supply unless you know for a FACT that the pinouts for every single cable type are 100% exactly the same at both ends, which generally, most are not.
 
Jan 30, 2021
5
0
10
Power supply and motherboard should be replaced just as a matter of course since they are the most probable sacrificial points in general. I wouldn't trust either of them after that. Maaayybe the power supply if you can test it with a multimeter and everything checks out, and there are no burnt connectors or melted wires. Do not use a cable set from a different power supply with any other power supply unless you know for a FACT that the pinouts for every single cable type are 100% exactly the same at both ends, which generally, most are not.

will do thanks for your help and everyone’s help on this!