Char Jackson wrote:
This is a new system build that fails to boot from the SATA HDD.
Instead, it appears to power down and restart, in a loop.
Mobo: ASRock Z390 Taichi (original BIOS P1.20, since updated to P1.80)
*RAM: G.Skill Ripjaws F4-3200C16Q-64GVK (4x16GB)
*CPU: Intel Core i7-8700
Asus optical drive scavenged from parts drawer
Samsung 2TB 5400RPM SATA HDD scavenged from parts drawer
PS2 keyboard
USB mouse
Onboard video (also tested with older PCIe video card)
*The CPU and RAM are on ASRock's approved compatible list for this mobo.
With all parts on hand, I built the new system on a non-conductive
table, using the mobo's non-static envelope for additional protection. I
like to do the initial build outside of a case to make sure everything
works before I go to the trouble of physically installing everything
inside the case.
The CPU and stock cooler installed without issue, with the stock cooler
coming from the factory with heat transfer compound already applied. I
installed a single memory module in slot A1 (closest to CPU). I
connected a known working PSU (Corsair vx550w), the PS2 keyboard and the
USB mouse. I connected a monitor via HDMI to the onboard video and fired
it up. No optical drive or HDD connected at this point. The PSU is
connected by the standard 24-pin connector and the 8-pin EPS12v
connector. The mobo has a separate 4-pin ATX12v connector, which remains
unconnected. ASRock tech support says that's fine.
With no boot devices connected, the system came up directly in the BIOS
screen, where everything looked normal. The CPU and RAM were recognized;
the CPU fan RPM was reported as about 1580 RPM and CPU temp at 34C
(later stabilizing at about 38-45C, depending on activity).
I shut it down, plugged in a USB thumb drive with Memtest+ 6.00 on it,
and started back up. As the only available boot device, the system
automatically booted into the Memtest program. (Fast forward here, but I
tested an individual RAM stick in slot A1, then B1, then A2, and finally
B2. Then I jumped ahead and installed all 4 memory modules and let
Memtest run overnight. Absolutely no issues so far, but I removed all
but the A1 module before proceeding to the next test.)
Next, I removed the Memtest USB thumb drive and connected the optical
drive via SATA. I inserted a known good Linux Mint 19 disc and started
the system. The 'live' Linux environment came up without any issues. I
temporarily connected the breadboard system to my LAN and browsed the
net for a period of time to watch for issues, but everything was fine.
Next, I shut down and connected a single Samsung 2TB 5400 SATA HDD and
restarted the system. Again, I booted the Linux live environment, but
this time I elected to install Linux to the HDD. That completed without
issue. The next step would be to boot into that new Linux install.
When I was ready, I removed the Linux disc from the optical drive and
rebooted, expecting the system to boot into Linux from the HDD. I got to
the expected grub menu, where I have 4 choices and the first choice is
the default: Linux Mint 19. Pressing Enter or allowing the timer to
expire, the next thing that happens is all of the LEDs (there are quite
a few on this mobo) go out, the CPU fan stops spinning, and after 2-3
seconds, the system powers up again, repeating the behavior described.
It gets to the grub menu, then whether I intervene or not, it powers
down and restarts, in a loop.
===
Status so far:
Stable in the BIOS screens with no storage devices connected.
Stable in Memtest when run from USB thumb drive.
Stable in the live Linux environment when run from optical disc.
**Unable to boot into Linux from the SATA HDD.**
===
I grabbed a second Samsung 2TB SATA HDD and different SATA cable, then
installed Linux to that drive. I got exactly the same behavior described
above.
Next, with the SATA HDD still connected, I chose the Memtest option from
the grub menu. A slightly older version comes up, 5.01 rather than the
6.00 that I have on the USB thumb drive, but Memtest comes up and runs
successfully.
Thinking it's possibly a too-weak PSU at 550W, I swapped in the 650W PSU
from another working system, a Corsair tx650w, but it made absolutely no
difference, so I went back to the 550W unit. Online PSU calculators tell
me that I need between 230W and 340W, depending on the calculator, so
adding a bit for headroom they think I should be OK with 350W to 450W,
indicating to me that 550 and 650 are well into the safe area.
Thinking it's an overheated CPU, I can see in the BIOS screen and in
Memtest that the CPU temp hovers at 38-45C, but usually stays right
around 40-41C. The heat fins on the CPU cooler appear to be at room
temperature, but then I'm only running Memtest or viewing the BIOS
screens, so not any appreciable load. (Yes, it's UEFI, but I'm used to
calling it BIOS.)
Thinking it's RAM that's not being properly recognized, I see in the
BIOS that it's recognized as exactly what G.Skill says it should be:
"DDR4-3200 PC4-25600 CL 16-18-18-38 1.35v"
ASRock suggested RMA'ing the mobo and Newegg agreed, so I did. When the
replacement arrived the other day, I repeated all of the steps listed
above and eventually arrived at exactly the same place:
===
Status so far:
Stable in the BIOS screens with no storage devices connected.
Stable in Memtest when run from USB thumb drive.
Stable in the live Linux environment when run from optical disc.
**Unable to boot into Linux from the SATA HDD.**
===
Beginning to doubt the integrity of the Linux DVD, even after its
integrity check was successful and it's a disc that I've used
successfully before, I downloaded and burned the latest Windows 10 ISO.
Booting from the Windows 10 disc, I get to the point where it starts to
copy files to the HDD, then the system powers down, LEDs and CPU fan
off, then 2-3 seconds later it powers up again and starts the Windows
install from scratch. Even though I was able to install Linux twice on
the first HDD and once on the second HDD, I couldn't get the system to
stay up long enough to get Windows installed. I also tried burning the
Windows 10 ISO to a USB thumb drive, but I couldn't get the system to
stay up long enough to get Windows installed that way, either. BTW,
there are 8 SATA ports on the mobo, 6 on one controller and 2 on another
controller. I tried SATA ports from both groups.
I'm currently on page 58 of 491 pages on the ASRock forums, and so far
I've seen two others with a "system powers down and restarts" issue, but
no resolution provided.
I've built at least several hundred PC systems for people since the
early 1990's, most of which have gone smoothly, but this one currently
has me stumped. This build is supposed to be for me, if I can get it
working.
At this point, I'm not sure where to go next.
- Is it running out of power? Do I need a newer, bigger, PSU?
- Is there an issue with the CPU?
- Should I chalk this expensive mobo, my first ASRock, up to experience
and go with something from ASUS or Gigabyte?
With no drives drives connected, just 1 memory module, and using onboard
video (BIOS configured to use the i7 CPU's graphics), the 550W PSU would
be more than sufficient to provide power to that minimal non-bootable
setup. You can load GRUB which is in the bootstrap code of the MBR, so
the HDD is getting enough power for its surge current to start spinning.
There's enough power for that but as soon as you try to run an OS from
the HDD then you get the power loss.
Mint runs from a USB boot drive. Presuming that loads the CPU the same
as for Mint on an HDD, the CPU is ruled out, like the paste being absent
or badly applied, no contact with the heatsink, or its fan not spinning.
CPU temperature is okay. CPU fan RPM seems low but if the temps are
okay then hopefully the BIOS' range on CPU RPM goes lower than 1500 RPM
before it does a safety shutdown. I'd still look at the thermal
settings in BIOS to be sure they were okay with the hardware setup.
The Corsair vx550w has only one +12V rail. No having to balance loads
across rails. I was thinking you could try using one of the Molex power
connectors with an adapter to a SATA power connector to put the HDD on a
different rail, but there isn't another rail. This isn't a modular PSU,
so a big mess of cabling coming out of it. Have you tried a different
SATA power connector from the PSU? The VX is their value series, so not
top of the line models. That PSU is probably way outside its 5-year
warranty (looks like it showed up around 2007). Many PSUs lose about 5%
of their rated capacity per year (assuming they ever could sustain the
rated capacity in the first place). By now, it might be down to 56% of
its rated capacity. I'd check the mobo's specs, for 1 memory module,
and the i7 CPU to see if their total power draw was under 312 watts.
Unless I paid $200 for a high-quality PSU, I'd probably replace the PSU
along with the CMOS battery after 6-8 years (users have been holding
onto the PCs for longer, and the same with their cars, so before it
wasn't an issue regarding gradual capacity loss since most PCs got
replaced before 6 years old).
Remember that Corsair does not manufacturer anything. They spec out
what they want from the factory and sell on their brand name. No idea
who actually made that Corsair PSU. Maybe looking inside might reveal
the maker from from stickers inside. A lot of PSUs are made by CWT
(Channel Well Tech,
http://www.cwt.com.tw/), like for Thermaltake (poor
but depends on who is the OEM for a model) and Corsair (fair to good).
Quite often the same OEM produces varying quality produces which is
dependent on the requirements specified by the designer/customer
(whomever is stamping their brand on the PSU). I don't know they have
changed their style from the past when you could tell CWT was the OEM
because of all the green tape inside the PSU for many of their models
(their brand or rebranded), for example:
http://s3.amazonaws.com/hs-wordpress...38/370_071.jpg
You might also look at the label on the transformer to see "CWT" there.
You might discove the OEM by looking inside. If it is an 80-plus
certificed PSU, there should be a report, and that will identify who is
the real manufacturer. I like to stay with PSUs whose brand is the same
as the manufacture or they actually design the PSU and require the plant
they hire to build to specs (e.g., FSP who underrate their PSUs,
Enermax).
https://www.tomshardware.com/reviews...er,2913-4.html
Note: The charts may be too small to read, even when clicked to enlarge.
Click on an image, right-click on it, open in new window, and then
magnify.
Yellow = OEMs - who actually manufacturers the PSU (and may sell under
their own name while also doling out for rebranding).
Orange = Design/spec the PSU but have someone else make it.
Gray = No tech involvement, just reselling something usually unknown
or low end (value models).
Notice FSP is a design & manufacture brand. Corsair is a design &
someone-else-manufacture brand (CWT, Seasonic, Chicony, Flextronics).
The landscape may have changed since that article was published. I
don't refer such charts (but found one this time). Instead I just
remember a few OEMs that also sell under their own brand, like FSP,
Enermax, HEC, Seasonic. Not every model they've ever made is perfect
but generally they produce good to excellent PSUs. That also doesn't
mean Corsair isn't good, just that they don't produce but just spec out
what they want produced, or they select existing products that meet
their specs. They rebrand. The same for OCZ products that a lot of
users like to buy.
Oh, you aren't overclocking the CPU in the BIOS settings, are you? Just
start out with the default settings and use SPD for memory timings.
From all our testing, my guess it you need to test with a newer and
perhaps better PSU.