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New system build - reboot loop when attempting to boot from SATA HDD
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? |
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