I built this PC about a year ago, and today it suddenly stopped displaying anything. The fans and LEDs turn on, but I cannot reach the BIOS or even see the ASRock logo. The motherboard debug LEDs cycle through red and orange, then remain green, which seems to indicate a boot-drive problem. My system has an ASRock B850M Steel Legend, Ryzen 7 9700X, Radeon RX 9070 XT, 32GB Kingston Fury DDR5, and a Samsung 980 EVO Plus 2TB SSD. I have tested the monitor and cable with another device, tried each RAM stick individually, removed the GPU and SSD, cleared the CMOS, attempted to use the integrated graphics, and reseated every component and cable except the CPU. What else should I check before a technician looks at it?
2 Answers
Since you are not seeing the motherboard logo at all, this is probably happening before the system gets far enough to check the SSD. A BIOS reset or Flashback is worth trying, but make sure the reset procedure is completed correctly and that the monitor is connected directly to the motherboard video output when testing the integrated graphics. If possible, test with one RAM module in the board's recommended slot and leave the GPU and SSD disconnected. The green light may be misleading if the CPU or memory controller is failing.
A failing CPU memory controller or a RAM-training problem can sometimes produce a boot-drive LED even when the drive is not the real cause. This can happen with unstable EXPO settings or with a CPU that is beginning to fail. Try a completely cleared BIOS with EXPO disabled, one memory stick, no SSD, and no graphics card if the integrated graphics are connected correctly. If it still gives no display or BIOS screen after those minimal tests, the CPU or motherboard becomes much more likely than the SSD. Similar systems have eventually required a CPU replacement or warranty claim after progressively worsening boot hangs.
I already tried the BIOS reset and Flashback, plus testing the monitor through the motherboard output. I still do not get the ASRock logo, and I do not have another computer available to test the SSD.