I built this PC about a year ago, and today it started powering on without producing any video output. The fans and LEDs come on, but I cannot reach the BIOS or even see the ASRock logo. The motherboard's diagnostic light changes from red and orange, then stays green, which seems to indicate a boot-drive problem.
I've tested the monitor and cable with another device, tried each RAM stick individually, removed the graphics card, tried booting without the SSD, cleared the CMOS, attempted to use the CPU's integrated graphics, and reseated all components and cables except the CPU.
The system uses an ASRock B850M Steel Legend motherboard, Ryzen 7 9700X, Radeon 9070 XT, 32GB Kingston Fury DDR5, and a Samsung 980 EVO Plus 2TB SSD. What else should I test before a technician checks it tomorrow?
2 Answers
A failing CPU memory controller or unstable memory training could cause misleading diagnostic lights, especially if EXPO was enabled. Try booting with EXPO disabled and only one RAM module installed in the motherboard’s recommended slot. There have also been cases where a failing AM5 CPU first appeared to be a boot-drive or memory problem before eventually stopping at a blank screen. If the basic tests don’t change anything, the CPU or motherboard may need to be tested or returned under warranty.
Since there’s no ASRock logo at all, the system probably isn’t getting far enough to initialize the display, so the green boot light may be misleading. Clearing the BIOS with the motherboard jumper or flashback procedure is worth trying, and make sure the monitor is connected to the motherboard video output when testing the integrated graphics. If possible, test the SSD in another compatible computer, although an SSD problem normally shouldn’t prevent you from entering BIOS.
I tried the BIOS reset and flashback, and the monitor and HDMI cable work with my laptop. I still don’t get the ASRock logo.