Z170 Monitor turns off when loading Windows, I've tried everything I can think of

[micromatikal]

Hello all,

I have an ASUS Maximus VIII Hero board and a 6700K processor. It is a very strange problem I am having where the system posts fine, shows the windows loading screen, then as soon as it should hit the desktop it turns the monitor off. I've tried everything I can think of. Doesn't seem to matter if it is overclocked or not, like 70% of the time I turn the computer on it will post, start to load windows, then as soon as it gets to the desktop my monitor turns off. The keyboard and mouse are on for sure, I use them to restart the system with the screen still off. Then when it reboots it comes back fine every time.

Here are things I have tried:

Different video card, original is nvidia 980 ti, tried also radeon r290, both do it which I couldn't believe, so it isn't just drivers.

Different memory, I have three sets of DDR4, all three do it.

Verified latest bios, it also did it with the earlier bios too.

Reinstalled windows completely, including to a different disk.

Tried many video drivers, made sure monitor drivers were loaded, removed all hidden devices.

Disabled onboard video to be 100% sure it wasn't somehow coming on.

Nothing makes a bit of difference. It's crazy because that other 30% of the time it will turn on the first time just fine.

Has to be a funky board right? Maybe this dang ASUS is going back and I'm getting a Gigabyte Gaming 7!

Thanks for any help and input.

 

[Ubrales]

Check your cables; all cables, including the 110 VAC cables. Unplug them and then re-insert them back into the sockets.

One cable is making marginal contact.

 

[micromatikal]

Check your cables; all cables, including the 110 VAC cables. Unplug them and then re-insert them back into the sockets.

Hello and thanks for the reply. Not a bad idea, I will try and re-seat everything to see if somehow that is it.

To me though it wouldn't be something like that because the reboot fixes it literally 100% of the time, it always comes back when I reboot. If it was a loose cable or funky power it would have more issues.

To me it has to be something with how the Windows / drivers / motherboard are working all together at that initial boot. For some reason its like it forgets my monitor exists or something, the video card seems to be there but it just doesnt display anything.

Maybe somehow it is power related? I noticed this board has a weird feature where if I touch a button on the keyboard it will turn the computer on. Not when it is asleep mind you, but when it is fully OFF. I went into the BIOS and made sure everything is turned off for keyboard power on, somehow it still does it.

So this makes me think it isn't even fully going off or something, it's some weird hybrid sleep and windows is trying to wake up? Just thinking out loud... it's driving me crazy I can't figure out what it could be.

EDIT - I should have added, I can unplug and replug in the monitor and it will suddenly work. That's even more of a pain then rebooting though. But wanted to add that strange bit, I can unplug the display port cable, replug it and the display comes on and everything is fine.

 

[Ubrales]

Try using a different display port cable. These are mass produced and a defective cable might have slipped through.

 

[micromatikal]

Try using a different display port cable. These are mass produced and a defective cable might have slipped through.

Thanks again for the reply, yes I did try that actually, I tried a different type of cable even with a DVI-D one. It still does it with both type of cables, only the dvi one you can't unplug and replug to get it back... the display port one you can. I even tried multiple display port cables at first, then tried dvi-d lol, same thing.

 

[Ubrales]

It certainly looks like you are losing power. If the cables are OK, I would check the PSU. There will be a surge in power during start-up, and if the PSU is marginal you will see erratic behavior.

 

[micromatikal]

It certainly looks like you are losing power. If the cables are OK, I would check the PSU. There will be a surge in power during start-up, and if the PSU is marginal you will see erratic behavior.

Hrmm ok interesting, maybe it is somehow a weird power thing. I have a bad boy EVGA 1000 W supernova which is only a few months old so it should have plenty of power. However I will try some other cables from the power supply and different plug ins on the power supply, all that just to see if somehow that is it.

Definitely not a bad idea... thats something I haven't messed with much.

 

[Ubrales]

The EVGA PSU that you have is a great model, however, even the best of products do fail occasionally. Try a different PSU. Just changing PSU cables might not do the job.

 

[micromatikal]

The EVGA PSU that you have is a great model, however, even the best of products do fail occasionally. Try a different PSU. Just changing PSU cables might not do the job.

True I will mess with that. Still I'd think if it was power it would be flaky sometimes on a reboot, it is 100% functional after a reboot every time.

BUT talking about this made me think of something. I do have a modified bios on my video card which changed the voltage and clocks a bit. I wonder if somehow it is not the right voltage or I should just go back to stock to see if that takes away the problem.... This makes way too much sense, I bet somehow it is my modded bios on the video card, it did change power values and voltage. Oh man that'd be awesome if that was it.

 

[Ubrales]

Yes there might be a spike in power requirements that makes the PSU output marginal. The BIOS changes might be responsible.