Solved Boot issue, likely hardware problem

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tanton

PCHF Member
Mar 24, 2021
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Hey guys I've been trying to deal with this issue for my desktop for about a year now because I have too much pride to take it to a store and pay for it to be fixed.

Around March of last year I let my mother work on my desktop and during that time this issue would occasionally arise where the PC would turn on and just display a black screen with a blinking underscore on the top left. At the time it would only happen every now and then and just rebooting the pc enough would usually fix it temporarily.

Now this issue happens on 95% of attempted boots so it's become slightly unusable.

Parts:

mobo: M5A78L-M PLUS/USB3

CPU: AMD FX-8350 4 GHz 8-Core Processor

GPU: AMD Radeon r9 270

PSU: ARESGAME AGV 650 W 80+ Bronze Certified ATX Power Supply

RAM: 2x8 gb DDR3 Corsair valueselect, 2x4 gb DDR3 corsair valueselect

HDD: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1 TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive

CPU cooler: Deepcool GAMMAXX 400 Blue 74.34 CFM CPU Cooler



I have tried every software fix I can find. I have reinstalled different windows images. I have run countless diagnostics. I have formatted this hard drive and a second and installed new windows on both and that has not helped. I have gone through the BIOS options many times and cannot find any issues with boot priority. This happens BEFORE any sign in or option to go into the BIOS, and any windows repair functions I have tried have been unsuccessful.

I have replaced the PSU. I have tested booting with each combination of 1,2,3 or 4 sticks of RAM in different slots. I have thoroughly dusted every port. I have reset the BIOS, and the CMOS. I have swapped cables and monitors many times.

I am at the stage where I'm fairly confident that my issue is with either my motherboard or my GPU for a few reasons. The USB 3.0 ports on the motherboard no longer function while the USB 2.0 ports do. The GPU is also fairly old now.

I also wonder if the case it's housed in is causing issues, since sometimes the power button doesn't work quite right (you would hold the button to turn the system off, but once it goes dark and you release the press the machine reboots as if you had pressed the button a second time).

Just wanted some advice before I spend a few hundred on a new mobo and gpu.
 
Do you have a different GPU you can use to test.
The motherboard on board vga will not work with your processor.
The GPU needs a 500W power supply - From here Click On Me you cover that with your PSU - However it is a Budget model.
I have replaced the PSU
Click to expand...
With what
since sometimes the power button doesn't work quite right
Click to expand...
Try shorting the on button on the motherboard.
If you can get into windows
Can you go here and download speed fan and install Click On Me .
Run speed fan then click on the Exotics tab > show the magic. post a screen capture.

Cheers
PeterOz
 
PeterOz said:
Do you have a different GPU you can use to test.
The motherboard on board vga will not work with your processor.
The GPU needs a 500W power supply - From here Click On Me you cover that with your PSU - However it is a Budget model.

With what

Try shorting the on button on the motherboard.
If you can get into windows
Can you go here and download speed fan and install Click On Me .
Run speed fan then click on the Exotics tab > show the magic. post a screen capture.

Cheers
PeterOz
Click to expand...
I do not have a secondary GPU to test, this is why I was going to buy a new one likely.

Sorry I hadn't said that clearly. This PSU is the new one. The old PSU was an EVGA 500w PSU

I've shorted the motherboard without using the power button, there was no difference.

I restarted the pc like 11 times but I was able to get in and get this screenshot
Screenshot (1).png
 
tanton said:
The old PSU was an EVGA 500w PSU
Click to expand...
at 500w good chance you could have caused some damage to the GPU - Not definite but it is the minimum
tanton said:
The USB 3.0 ports on the motherboard no longer function
Click to expand...
Basically tells you the MB is on it's way out.
With the price of GPU today it might be best to replace th MB first.
I will ask another tech Bruce to have a look and see if he can notice anything we may have missed.
Your temps all look good

@Bruce
 
I would also be guessing that the mobo is at fault.

first thing I would do is take it all apart and assemble everything on a piece of cardboard either on the floor or table.

if no improvement the first part I'd replace would be the motherboard, purely on the logic of the USB3 ports and powering on issues.
but of course, the problem could just as easily be with the CPU or GPU, but in all my years I have only ever seen 2 dead CPU's, they simply aren't a common failure point that I've witnessed.

I'm happy we can rule out the PSU and the memory, and you have done a thorough job on the hard drive front. so it really only leaves the mobo, GPU and CPU as likely candidates.

pity you can't get your hands on some used parts (friend, family, neighbour, work) to troubleshoot before going down the path of buying replacements.
 
Just took it out on some cardboard. Same issues, so I'm going to get a new mobo. Thanks for your help guys I really appreciate it
 
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