Potentially bricked my MB and need a cheap "tide me over"

Hello there,
I recently purchased a RX480 (XFX GTR 8GB) as a belated birthday present.

My MSI Z68A G43 (G3) running my trust Sandybridge i5 2500K then only gave me a blank screen so to cut a long story short, did a BIOS update using MSI live update in Windows 10. The update bricked the MB and now cant even post! The fans spin for a second, then switch off then try again ad infinitum.

I have sent the MB to someone who may be able to bring it back to life by soldering in a new EPROM with the latest BIOS on it.

However, not wanting to put all my eggs in one basket, I have to consider the good likelihood that it is dead. In that event, I could pillage my backup box which the kids are using to play webgames (AMD Athlon 835 around 6 years old) but this would probably make life unbearable.

I am just looking for a CPU and motherboard to tide me over until Zen or Kaby Lake come out in a couple of months and I can decide which way to jump.

Primary use will be for running a three screen trading box and hopefully some gaming and then can either be sold or passed on to the kids to replace the Athlon. So, either a cheap Celeron or AMD CPU and MB that uses DDR3 as I have everything else.

Many thanks.

BTW, no budget per se but as little as possible to limit the loss unless it offers a big upgrade to the Athlon

I think you're going to struggle to find a replacement on the website. What you need is any Z68 or Z77 motherboard and your best bet will be fleabay or Gumtree - unless you have access to the MM.

The 2500k is still a good chip, I wouldn't spend any money on a replacement set, just a replacement board. You could probably get one in the region of £30-£35

snips86x said:

I think you're going to struggle to find a replacement on the website. What you need is any Z68 or Z77 motherboard and your best bet will be fleabay or Gumtree - unless you have access to the MM.

The 2500k is still a good chip, I wouldn't spend any money on a replacement set, just a replacement board. You could probably get one in the region of £30-£35

Click to expand...

If OP doesn't want to overclock then some LGA 1155 boards can be had cheap but anything like Z77 or Z68 seem to cost a bomb, looking at £50.

This is one of the reasons I won't touch MSI motherboards. They seem incapable of providing any method of updating the bios that doesn't have a high chance of bricking the board. Never seen this from any other manufacturer.

Unfortunately you are limited to whatever you can pick up second hand now if you want a Z68/Z77 and this is keeping the price high. If you are not bothered about overclocking there are still some brand new H61 boards left in stock at some retailers but they are few and take some hunting down.

Doogles said:

If OP doesn't want to overclock then some LGA 1155 boards can be had cheap but anything like Z77 or Z68 seem to cost a bomb, looking at £50.

Click to expand...

That is what I have found. £50 or more. I could get a new Celeron or AMD A6 combo for £100 to £120 and then I have a "spare" which can either replace the Athlon or be sold for hopefully 50% plus on what I paid as it would be three or four months old.

So, to get to the original question, I have Win7 64bit, 8GB Crucial Ballistix RAM, HDD, RX480 8GB, monitors etc. To run my three trading screens and do some gaming if possible, should I look to go for an AMD or Intel solution and which combo?

I haven't looked at this end of the market so not sure which is the least undesirable.

Something like this https://www.overclockers.co.uk/amd-a6-7400k-black-edition-3.50ghz-socket-fm2-w-radeon-r5-graphics-dual-core-processor-ad740kyb-cp-39j-am.html

or this https://www.overclockers.co.uk/intel-pentium-dual-core-g4400-3.30ghz-skylake-socket-lga1151-processor-retail-cp-593-in.html

and a MB using DDR3 to match?

The frustrating thing is that unless I get my original MB repaired or I get an exact replacement, I am going to have to reinstall Windows 7 again to do my Windows 10 upgrade and then reinstall all the bloody software again from scratch because my backup won't work with the new CPU/MB.

pastymuncher said:

This is one of the reasons I won't touch MSI motherboards. They seem incapable of providing any method of updating the bios that doesn't have a high chance of bricking the board. Never seen this from any other manufacturer.

Unfortunately you are limited to whatever you can pick up second hand now if you want a Z68/Z77 and this is keeping the price high. If you are not bothered about overclocking there are still some brand new H61 boards left in stock at some retailers but they are few and take some hunting down.

Click to expand...

If I cannot overclock, no point. Truthfully, it hasn't been overclocked as yet but is the reason for purchasing the K series.

Noughtboy said:

The frustrating thing is that unless I get my original MB repaired or I get an exact replacement, I am going to have to reinstall Windows 7 again to do my Windows 10 upgrade and then reinstall all the bloody software again from scratch because my backup won't work with the new CPU/MB.

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You won't be able to do the free upgrade anymore as the offer has ended now

I'd say if you find a decent z68\z77 mobo for between £50 - £70 snap it up - that's not a bad deal at all. I have seen some z77 boards go for £100+ recently, even the mid tier stuff. Saw two sabertooths on the bay go for over £130 last week!

If the guy you sent it to is good with an 'iron then replacing the chip should work. I don't know why MSI -

1. Stopped using removable bioses, if they had no recovery mode.
2. Had no recovery mode.

I guess it's because soldered on chips are cheaper than a socket one.

But yeah, if you've potatoed the bios replacing the chip should work.

implosiveturnip said:

You won't be able to do the free upgrade anymore as the offer has ended now

I'd say if you find a decent z68\z77 mobo for between £50 - £70 snap it up - that's not a bad deal at all. I have seen some z77 boards go for £100+ recently, even the mid tier stuff. Saw two sabertooths on the bay go for over £130 last week!

Click to expand...

I have already done the free upgrade. I did call MS though who confirmed that if I have my copy of Windows 7, which is tied into the upgrade to Windows 10 it will carry through (although I may have to call them in the event it is not automatically allowed with my call reference number).

You are correct the free upgrade offer has ended...however, you are also incorrect that the free upgrade has ended https://www.cnet.com/news/microsoft-windows-10-free-upgrade-offer-assistive-features/

Not that I am suggesting you do it, just saying

Your points on the Z68/Z77 MB prices is correct. £70 - £100 is not unlikely and then postage therefore, my original question...my cheap "tide me over". That way, I will sell the i5 2500K to offset some of the cost and then either sell the CPU/MB once Zen/Kaby Lake come in or pass it onto the kids instead of the Athlon 645.

So, can I get a suggestion for a CPU/MB combi to tide me over in the £100-£120 range that will run the RX480 and uses DDR3?

Thanks

AMD (a little over budget)

My basket at Overclockers UK:

• 1 x Asus A88XM-PLUS AMD A88X (Socket FM2+) DDR3 Micro ATX Motherboard= £58.99
• 1 x AMD Athlon X4 860K Black Edition 3.70GHz (Socket FM2+) Kaveri Quad Core Processor (AD860KXBJABOX)= £68.99

Intel (also a little over budget)

My basket at Overclockers UK:

• 1 x Intel Pentium K Anniversary G3258 Socket LGA1150 Processor - Retail= £64.99
• 1 x Gigabyte Z97P-D3 Intel Z97 (Socket 1150) DDR3 ATX Motherboard= £67.99

Intel (under budget) This H81 board should be able to clock the G3258.

My basket at Overclockers UK:

• 1 x Intel Pentium K Anniversary G3258 Socket LGA1150 Processor - Retail= £64.99
• 1 x Asus H81M-PLUS Intel H81 (Socket 1150) DDR3 Micro ATX Motherboard= £49.99

B-grade Z97 board. Just keep in mind all you may recieve is the bare board with no accessories.

My basket at Overclockers UK:

• 1 x **B Grade** Asus Z97-P Intel Z97 (Socket 1150) DDR3 ATX Motherboard= £45.00

That's what you get for updating your BIOS from Windows instead of doing it from the actual bios.

mistersprinkles said:

That's what you get for updating your BIOS from Windows instead of doing it from the actual bios.

Click to expand...

Live and learn. I was going to do it in the BIOS UEFI but under the download it told me Live Update does it and through B Windows. So tried it out. It then told me that the BIOS had been updated and showed me "old version" and " new version ".

I then rebooted at which point it started to "update" and then died.

Have you tried a cmos reset incase the update has messed up your overclock settings?

mistersprinkles said:

That's what you get for updating your BIOS from Windows instead of doing it from the actual bios.

Click to expand...

With MSI boards it makes little difference. Even their forum tool that is the recommended way of updating their bios will brick the board. It's just unbelieveable that they have never sorted this problem out.

Apparently, the BIOS has been repaired and he is going to post it back. I will report back when I receive the MB and update you.

Really hope that is the case as it will save me a lot of time and and pain reinstalling Windows 10. If that is the case, i will be happy to recommend the guy and pass on his details to the forum. Could save other people too.

Otherwise, Pentium Anniversary edition here we come.

Out of interest, did you try this?
https://service.msicomputer.com/msi_user/support/techfaqdetail.aspx?formid=3046

darael said:

Out of interest, did you try this?
https://service.msicomputer.com/msi_user/support/techfaqdetail.aspx?formid=3046

Click to expand...

I did. However, I never got the MB to POST at all. All that ever happened was the fans spun up, the the system rebooted, spun up and rebooted ad infinitum so the USB stick was never seen. I hope the BIOS repair worked as I really dont feel like a buying new components so close to both companies updating their product lines and then re installing Windows 10 on the replacement and then on the new CPU/MB when they come out.

A lot of wasted time and energy.

Hoping the MB arrives today or tomorrow and will let you all know the outcome.

Well, got the MB back and the fans spin for a little bit longer but keeps on resetting before getting to the actual BIOS screen. Will maybe give Darael's suggestion another go to see if that does anything.

I have taken it back back to the original configuration bar the CPU cooler which is a new one. Only thing I can think off is to swop the RAM out but not holding out much hope for that as a BIOS upgrade is hardly likely to have bricked the MB.

So annoyed

Thar be Life me hearties.

Things are looking up. After trying everything else, I took off my new CPU cooler and installed the Intel retail back again with new Thermal paste and only IGP on no HDD or DVD connected.

I got to the BIOS screen. So, at this early stage before adding in the various components, it looks like it is good to go.

There is a new BIOS installed so the guy did do it but in hindsight now, whether it needed that in the end I do not know. All I can surmise is a poorly fitted CPU cooler causing the CPU to oveheat and switch off within 2 seconds before sending the MB in for the BIOS change and then reinstalling the CPU cooler again and 6-8 seconds before powering down.

Hold thumbs as I slowly put in the components.

There has been a resurrection.

My PC is up and running. Essentially, after discovering that the new CPU cooler was the cause of the rapid reboots, I was able to get into the repaired BIOS.

What then followed was a succession of driver installations, driver uninstallations, before finally getting the RX480 going. Then some tweaking of the Radeon settings to configure the monitors. Then the RAM back into XMP. Etc.

It is all now up and running. When I get the intended DP to DVI instead of the two HDMI to DVI I ordered in error, I will be happy as still running the third monitor on the IGP.

Cheers guys for all the advice on this Odyssey. It is great to be able to share ones concerns knowing that 300 heads are better than one.

If anyone is interested, I can share the details of the BIOS repair man I used which may very well help those people in the future who will be updating their GPU's and suffer similar fates to mine.

Regards

NB