I've been having some trouble with my PC build after trying to clean it and switch to a new case. I have an AMD 2600X with an ASUS Prime B450M-A motherboard, two 8GB DDR4 3200 RAM sticks, and an NVIDIA GT710 GPU. While applying new thermal paste, the CPU came out with the cooler because the old paste acted like glue. I inspected the CPU and found no bent or missing pins. After reassembling everything, my system won't POST. Here's what I've tried so far: I've disconnected everything and only tested with one stick of RAM and the GPU, reseated the memory, CPU, GPU, and power supply connectors, tried different RAM slots, bench-tested the setup outside the case, swapped in another GPU and PSU, and even purchased a new Biostar B450MHP motherboard to try with my old CPU. I also tested a new Ryzen 5300G CPU in both motherboards, but nothing seems to get the system to POST. I'm starting to wonder if I could have damaged the motherboard and CPU during this process, and now the new motherboard is also unresponsive. Any thoughts on whether the B450MHP might need a BIOS update for the Ryzen 5300G? I'm feeling stuck and would appreciate any suggestions!
2 Answers
Have you tried resetting the CMOS battery or replacing it? That can sometimes help with POSTing issues. If your setup isn't responding at all, it might be worth giving that a try. It’s a quick fix that could save you a lot of hassle.
It sounds like quite a mess! First off, I totally get how frustrating it can be when things don't go as planned like that. When you pulled out the CPU with the cooler, it's possible some pins got damaged even if they looked okay at first. Preheating is indeed a good tip for next time! As for your new mobo and CPU, both should technically work together if they are compatible, but if there’s an underlying issue, it might not POST even if everything appears fine on the surface. You could consider trying a different motherboard, like an A520, just to rule out compatibility issues, but really check for any signs of damage to the old CPU first—those could be hiding and impacting everything else.
Good advice! Also, make sure to check your power supply connections—they're easy to overlook. Sometimes the issue might just be as simple as a loose connection somewhere.
Oh, I actually did that already, but thanks for the suggestion! I'm thinking the problem might be deeper than that.