New build won't power on

James Andrews · 24 May 2021 at 20:18

Hi all and thanks for your help in advance.

I am in the process of building a new HTPC and can't get the system to post or even boot. I am using a Asus B560f motherboard with brand new case, psu, ram and fans and a used Intel 10700 and GTX 1660 super (tested and working before removal)

I assembled the system in the case without any sata devices attached and did a power on test, all seemed well and the mobo powered on, all fans spun and the status leds seemed to perform normally, I then proceeded to install the sata devices and plug the pc into the TV via HDMI, it powered on again as before but was not displaying on the TV. I scratched my head and moved the gfx card to the other slot and now the system will not boot at all.
I have tried everything I can think of, removed the mobo from the case, disconnected everything except vital components but still no joy, all I get is the strix rgb logo lit up when I turn on the psu.
I have tried another brand new psu and cables and am bypassing the case power switch, just jumping the power switch pins on the front panel connector. I am not getting any beeps or leds except the strix logo. I have tried jumping cmos but this made no difference.

I do have 2 m2 drives installed but have not yet tried removing these.

Any help gratefully received!

James

Mr Mcgoo · 24 May 2021 at 20:47

is this a fresh windows install?

James Andrews · 24 May 2021 at 20:56

Hi there. Haven't even got that far yet, as I said the motherboard won't power up.

Mr Mcgoo · 24 May 2021 at 21:01

After reading your post again (misread somehow) having 2 m.2 drives installed will disable 2 sata ports each. so if you have your m.2 drives in but need a sata drive then you will need to remove the m.2 drive linked to the sata port your using. check your mobo manual for which sata port they are disabling

mickyflinn · 24 May 2021 at 21:05

Check the cpu socket on the motherboard for bent pins.

James Andrews · 24 May 2021 at 21:07

Hi there. I was aware of the shared bandwidth issue that you mentioned but I have not got any sata devices plugged in at all right now and the motherboard still doesn't turn on, there is nothing else connected apart from ram, cpu and cooler and I've tried with and without a gfx card installed all with the same result. The mobo is getting power of some description as the rgb strix logo lights up but nothing else happens at all. Cheers, James

Mr Mcgoo · 24 May 2021 at 21:09

as mickey mentioned, check for bent pins on the cpu socket to be safe. Also remove mobo from case in case you have a grounding issue.

James Andrews · 24 May 2021 at 21:24

Hi there. CPU and socket both look OK. The motherboard is already out of the case. Thanks, James

Mr Mcgoo · 24 May 2021 at 21:26

can you try removing all hdd/ssd/m.2 drives and try again?

Journey · 24 May 2021 at 21:30

James Andrews said:
Hi there. CPU and socket both look OK. The motherboard is already out of the case. Thanks, James

So you have no fully completing POST cycle at all?

If that is the case, build the board, CPU, plus one RAM module, outside of the case and use the onboard GPU if you have one (no CPU model mentioned) if you can get this to POST, then you need to flash to the latest BIOS. There have been some teething issues with B560 boards, I've mainly seen them with Gigabyte, but I helped another fella on here and I believe his was an ASUS board.

EDIT: Here is a link to the latest BIOS for the ASUS B560f Strix, you can always use the BIOS flashback tool on the motherboard if you can't get it to POST as well.

"Before running the USB BIOS Flashback tool, please rename the BIOS file (SB560F.CAP) using BIOSRenamer.""

Mr Mcgoo · 24 May 2021 at 21:31

good call journey on the bios update. that could well be an issue depending on your cpu

James Andrews · 24 May 2021 at 21:57

Thanks for your replies. I have now reassembled everything (still outsole the case) and removed both m2 drives and still no luck. There is only one ram module in it and I've tried it in different slots. The system does not even attempt to post, just get the lonely strix rgb logo flashing when I turn on the cpu. I've tried the bios update and it doesn't work, ie the led doesn't light up like its supposed to after pressing the button on the IO for 3 seconds . I don't get any fan spin at all and none of the motherboard leds near the ram slots light up either. Could it be that I have a defective board or I've killed it somehow? As I mentioned at the start even when the system powered on successfully I didn't get any display on the TV (yes the HDMI was connected to the gfx card and not the board) I have and intel 10700 without on-board gfx and the gpu is a 1660 super. Thanks again. Ps I have built several pcs in the past without such issues so I'm not a complete novice but not in anyway an expert!

Journey · 24 May 2021 at 22:01

Are you flashing the board with no components installed? If not that is how you need to do it, no CPU, or RAM etc. If it still does not work then you have a faulty board or PSU.

James Andrews · 24 May 2021 at 22:10

I've now removed every last thing. And it still doesn't attempt to post or allow me to do the bios update. Are we thinking it's definitely fubar?

Journey · 24 May 2021 at 22:12

James Andrews said:
I've now removed every last thing. And it still doesn't attempt to post or allow me to do the bios update. Are we thinking it's definitely fubar?

I very much sounds like you have an issue with the board, can you rule out the PSU in another system at all?

James Andrews · 24 May 2021 at 22:18

I've tried a brand spanking new one today that I bought for troubleshooting purposes and it made no difference unfortunately

Journey · 24 May 2021 at 22:24

James Andrews said:
I've tried a brand spanking new one today that I bought for troubleshooting purposes and it made no difference unfortunately

Well, I'm all out of ideas for tonight, but it sounds like your board is dead, the questions is what caused it to die, was it normal early life failure of a component on the board (seen many times) or was it something that you installed into/on to the board that caused the failure. Either way I'd get the board RMA's and get a replacement, out of interest why did you buy such a high end B560 board, as B560 is the bargain chipset?

mickyflinn · 24 May 2021 at 22:25

James Andrews said:
I've tried a brand spanking new one today that I bought for troubleshooting purposes and it made no difference unfortunately

Did you format the usb drive in fat 32 and rename the bios file as journey mentioned ?

James Andrews · 24 May 2021 at 22:28

Yes I did!

Plec · 24 May 2021 at 22:29

James Andrews said:
I've tried a brand spanking new one today that I bought for troubleshooting purposes and it made no difference unfortunately

You really have tried everything and all roads appear to point to a DOA board.

James Andrews said:
I have tried jumping cmos but this made no difference.

As a last Hail Mary I would unplug the system and deplete all residual power by jumping power pins and then remove the battery for 30 minutes. I wouldn't hold your breath but it sometimes yields a Lazerus like miracle...