Did I buy incompatible hardware? Grateful for help!

DigitalBrian · 23 Mar 2019 at 00:46

Any help with this would be massively appreciated. I built a PC for my son but it is constantly crashing (freezing) and I am worried I have bought incompatible RAM or otherwise am just failing to identify what I've done wrong.

The spec is as follows and the freezes happen whether bios is in default settings or with various tweaks.

Asus ROG STRIX B450-F GAMING AMD B450 DDR4 ATX Motherboard - Socket AM4
AMD Ryzen 5 2600 3.9GHz Six Core
1 x Corsair CMK16GX4M2B3200C16 Vengeance LPX 16GB (2x8
MSI Radeon RX 580 ARMOR 8GB Graphics
Corsair CP-9020133-UK TX550M 550 W 80+ Gold Power Supply

I don't know if I have fundamentally mismatched the hardware, have faulty hardware or need to change bios settings. Any help giving me comfort that I haven't bought incompatible hardware would be hugely appreciated before I go back to redoing the settings (and reinstalling windows for the 100th time....)

DigitalBrian · 23 Mar 2019 at 18:45

Thanks both. It is reassuring to know the hardware should at least work in theoty; Unfortunately after messing about with it all day it has got even worse!

Upgraded BIOS and now cannot get windows to install. It always hangs 2/3 of the way through. BIOS wont downgrade so can't roll it back.

In the past the original problem with the PC was that it "froze" randomly (not a bsod, just a frozen screen which was not responsive) but now I can't get windows to even install on it.

Tried different ssds, one stick of ram, the other stick, both sticks - none of them. Checked RAM was in correct slots per motherboard manual and power cables in right place. No odd peripherals, just fans. Computer even seems very fussy about which USB key it will try and install windows from Have to keep swapping and remaking them.

I think I am going to point at the motherboard as the culprit and try a different one and then if that doesn't work I will assume it is the RAM. Too late to send anything back so am stuck with the dodgy products - wish I had bought pre built now!! Any suggestions on replacement ram types or motherboard?

Many thanks

DigitalBrian · 23 Mar 2019 at 20:02

LuckyBenski said:
Just to confirm, what speed are you running the RAM at? Ryzen won't automatically be stable at a stick's rated speed. Hence suggestion of bios update above. For stability I'd run at stock 2133 while installing windows and testing.

I have tried at various speeds but the bios always ends up running it at 2133 (ie: after crashes, that is where it ends up - but it still crashes afterwards!)

DigitalBrian · 23 Mar 2019 at 20:22

lee32uk said:
You can check the QVL list and see that it is on there. Last kit on the 3200 list.

Ryzen 2000 series is the one to download

Thanks for that. Interestingly my original RAM isn't on that list. Is that perhaps a pointer?

DigitalBrian · 24 Mar 2019 at 19:38

OK - tried different RAM from the compatability list in the same motherboard - no improvement.

I then tried a new motherboard - a B450 Tomahawk (https://www.msi.com/Motherboard/B450-TOMAHAWK)

Again, no difference - can get into the BIOS and see RAM and CPU working, but can't install windows. Random BSDs every time it boots to the USB stick.

Tried remaking the windows boot USB stick several times on several sticks - no joy.

The process of putting everything on the new motherboard presumably rules out loose connections and so on (especially given that I am seeing the same symptoms as on the other motherboard.)

So I am coming to the conclusion that if it isn't the RAM, the motherboard, the SSD or the windows media then it pretty much has to be a problem with the CPU. Would that make sense?

One thing I am now confused about is when I set the boot priorities, I seem to get two different options for the boot USB - one of them labelled UEFI and one of them not. Neither of them work but it's a bit of a mystery to me.

Thanks for any help again, and thanks for your patience.

DigitalBrian · 24 Mar 2019 at 20:12

Quartz said:
Have you properly installed the CPU cooler? Or, is the CPU overheating?

Yes, CPU fan is turning nicely and CPU is reporting temperature of 35 degrees in BIOS (same on both boards) and motherboard 26 degrees

DigitalBrian · 24 Mar 2019 at 20:28

No - I only have the one graphics card unfortunately. I suppose I felt it was more likely that the CPU would be blocking a windows install than the graphics card?

DigitalBrian · 25 Mar 2019 at 21:41

Bought a cheap graphics card. It was recognised in BIOS but still cannot install windows.

Tried an HDD instead of the SSDs and that doesn't work either.

So I next it's the CPU, and if that doesn't work then who knows what happens next.

Please say a little prayer for me!

DigitalBrian · 25 Mar 2019 at 22:22

Thanks - I'm using Windows 10 using the windows media creator .

I don't understand the UEFI thing - when I had a working PC (albeit with freezes) I had just used the windows media creator to install from a USB drive and it was fine.

I have tried booting from the USB marked UEFI and also not UEFI and neither work. But when I installed it first time I didn't really see any UEFI option marked?

DigitalBrian · 26 Mar 2019 at 21:04

Put a new CPU in and it all worked perfectly. Quite unbelievable, but there you go.

Now all i have to do is RMA the CPU and I've got a second PC sat in the office with all the replacement parts!!!

Thanks for the advice and encouragement on here which was much appreciated.