My PC initially started restarting by itself, and Windows became corrupted. I created a bootable USB drive to install Windows 11, but later that day the computer stopped displaying anything at all. The CPU powers on, the fans spin, and the motherboard RGB lights up, but my monitor remains completely black—even before Windows or the BIOS appears. I have already tried removing the CMOS battery for 10–15 minutes, shorting the CMOS reset pins, and reseating the RAM, but the issue remains. My hardware is a Ryzen 7 5700G, MSI B550M Gaming Plus motherboard, one 16GB XPG Spectrix D50 RAM stick, and no dedicated graphics card. What should I check next?
3 Answers
Because you cannot see the BIOS screen, Windows and the USB installer are probably not the cause. The system is failing its hardware startup check. Check the motherboard’s diagnostic LEDs, especially the CPU, DRAM, VGA, and BOOT indicators, if your board has them. The light that stays on can point to the failing component. Also confirm that the monitor cable is connected to the motherboard’s video output, since the 5700G’s integrated graphics must be used without a dedicated GPU.
Try a minimal boot outside the case if possible: motherboard, CPU and cooler, power supply, one RAM stick, and the monitor only. Disconnect the drives, USB devices, and other accessories. Test the memory stick in the recommended slot, then try the other slot if there is still no display. Make sure the 24-pin motherboard power connector and the 8-pin CPU power connector are both firmly attached.
Since clearing the CMOS did not help, the likely suspects are the RAM, power supply, motherboard, or CPU. If you can borrow compatible parts, test with another DDR4 stick and another power supply first. The earlier random restarts could indicate unstable memory or a failing power supply. Avoid repeatedly reinstalling Windows until the machine can reliably reach the BIOS.
I already cleared the CMOS and reseated the memory, but I’ll check the diagnostic lights and test the system with only the essential components connected.