So. Many. Problems. [First Ryzen Build]

[Flashie]

I've built a lot of PC's. This is my first Ryzen build.

My client's old LGA1150 i5 build was killed by a power surge, He wanted something cheap as a replacement, and thus switched to AMD for his gaming.

I built the system for him.

It has an MSI A320M PRO-M2 V2 motherboard (Bios unflashable because MSI apparently does this really cheap "Retail BIOS flashing not permitted" thing... Would've solved all my problems by now).

It has 8GB HyperX 3200MHz RAM,

A Ryzen 3 2200G,

And a Galax GTX 960 EXOC.

 

I've installed the GPU drivers probably around 4 or 5 times now by this point [uninstalled them prior by using DDU]

I've installed the chipset drivers several times too in trying to fix this.

 

The GPU outputs to 2 monitors. 1 over DVI (to VGA adapter), and the other over HDMI.

For the past week the HDMI just gave up. Its not the cable, as that works with any other device you plug into it.

Its also not the GPU driver, because i've reinstalled that several times.

Windows does not even detect the HDMI monitor when its plugged in.

 

IGPU Multi-monitor is not an option on this board, so plugging it into the mobo wont help.

 

I've worked on, serviced, and built a few hundred PC's (I was a tech in a local PC Shop back in the Windows 10 upgrade period), but never has a brand new PC given me as many problems as this build.

If you can figure this out, You'll be God himself.

 

[tl;dr] I'm at wits end, and angry at computers. F'ing Ryzen...

[LogicWeasel]

Did you test if the GTX 960's HDMI port died?  Try the card in a known-good system?  May just need to try a different GPU in the system. 

 

That'd be my go-to considering it's just a video problem and I don't see how that's a Ryzen CPUs fault (since you're not using the iGPU anyway).

[Neftex]

how did you come up with the conclusion its the CPU fault is beyond me

[Flashie]

6 minutes ago, LogicWeasel said:

Did you test if the GTX 960's HDMI port died?  Try the card in a known-good system?  May just need to try a different GPU in the system. 

 

That'd be my go-to considering it's just a video problem and I don't see how that's a Ryzen CPUs fault (since you're not using the iGPU anyway).

 

2 minutes ago, Neftex said:

how did you come up with the conclusion its the CPU fault is beyond me

Yesterday my client messaged me to tell me that the board suddenly lost internet connectivity, and HDMI signal to the monitor. Only picking up the DVI monitor. He went to device manager to find 6 devices showing as having driver issues.

 

 

Now i have never heard of one GPU port dieing and taking down a bunch of mobo devices with it and then coming back to full functionality a few hours later, And that is how i came to the conclusion it was the CPU/Mobo combo.

 

[Agent47.exe]

i assume you're using the previous graphic card so wehen there is a Power surge there is a high chance that hdmi port on the graphic card must have died

Have you tried plug in to the on board hdmi port just to check this will simply give ans about where the problem is

Cable, graphics card

If it works fine  its problem bwith Ur graphic card

 

One more point did u check monitor with other source it will also help you locate problem

 

 

There is a good chance for mobo problem too

[Eastman51]

18 minutes ago, Flashie said:

It has an MSI A320M PRO-M2 V2 motherboard

A320 is total garbage when it comes to gaming. You want a B350 at a minimum. Last I heard, those MSI boards were among the worst of the A320 boards; could be the source of your problems.

[NunoLava1998]

Just now, Flashie said:

 

Yesterday my client messaged me to tell me that the board suddenly lost internet connectivity, and HDMI signal to the monitor. Only picking up the DVI monitor. He went to device manager to find 6 devices showing as having driver issues.

 

 

Now i have never heard of one GPU port dieing and taking down a bunch of mobo devices with it and then coming back to full functionality a few hours later, And that is how i came to the conclusion it was the CPU/Mobo combo.

 

It's probably the motherboard. Ryzen is really wonderful, sucks that he's having issues.

[NunoLava1998]

Just now, Eastman51 said:

A320 is total garbage when it comes to gaming. You want a B350 at a minimum. Last I heard, those MSI boards were among the worst of the A320 boards; could be the source of your problems.

the MSI B350 is literal garbage

id get the b450

[Eastman51]

Just now, NunoLava1998 said:

the MSI B350 is literal garbage

id get the b450

lol, unsurprising. But I never strictly recommended the MSI one, I've been running an Asus Strix B350-F on my 2600x and its been good to me.

[Flashie]

1 minute ago, Agent47.exe said:

i assume you're using the previous graphic card so wehen there is a Power surge there is a high chance that hdmi port on the graphic card must have died

Have you tried plug in to the on board hdmi port just to check this will simply give ans about where the problem is

Cable, graphics card

If it works fine  its problem bwith Ur graphic card

 

One more point did u check monitor with other source it will also help you locate problem

We tried the same monitor that isnt being detected by the GPU on his laptop which worked fine, using the same HDMI cable

[Flashie]

2 minutes ago, Eastman51 said:

A320 is total garbage when it comes to gaming. You want a B350 at a minimum. Last I heard, those MSI boards were among the worst of the A320 boards; could be the source of your problems.

 

2 minutes ago, NunoLava1998 said:

the MSI B350 is literal garbage

id get the b450

From what I could find, It was the cheapest option, and the only option he could afford  

[NunoLava1998]

Just now, Flashie said:

 

From what I could find, It was the cheapest option, and the only option he could afford  

What about the ASROCK B450M-HDV R4.0? 59$

[Eastman51]

Just now, Flashie said:

From what I could find, It was the cheapest option, and the only option he could afford  

You could try to RMA the board and hope the replacement isn't faulty, otherwise you'd be better off trying a totally different board. 

[Flashie]

19 minutes ago, LogicWeasel said:

Did you test if the GTX 960's HDMI port died?  Try the card in a known-good system?  May just need to try a different GPU in the system. 

 

That'd be my go-to considering it's just a video problem and I don't see how that's a Ryzen CPUs fault (since you're not using the iGPU anyway).

I'll have him test the GPU in a different mobo and plug HDMI into there to test, If still the same result I'll try and get out to him with my personal rig's 970 to test that. Guess there's another callout  

[Mister Woof]

He got hit with another power surge he just wants to blame it on you instead of buying another pc

[aezakmi]

It's not "fucking ryzen" because the problem is clearly a faulty motherboard, not the 960, not the monitor.

 

faulty PCI slots

no internet

unable to flash

 

everything points to it.

8 minutes ago, NunoLava1998 said:

the MSI B350 is literal garbage

id get the b450

if it's from MSI it'll be the same as the 350, MSI fucked up and starting making garbage a long time ago when all this shitty RGB and "gamers" trend started and they starting bloating the boards with crap unless on focusing on performance

 

I'd go for ASUS and forget about it.

[Flashie]

Just now, Plutosaurus said:

He got hit with another power surge he just wants to blame it on you instead of buying another pc

Hehe, He's a personal friend of mine too. I doubt that is his intentions, as he is aware I am in the rat-race too and cant afford to buy him new parts We installed a surge protector on the outlets that his electronics are connected to after the first surge fried the first board. They're only rated for so much of a surge though, and they happen constantly here because of rolling blackouts

[Mister Woof]

5 minutes ago, Flashie said:

Hehe, He's a personal friend of mine too. I doubt that is his intentions, as he is aware I am in the rat-race too and cant afford to buy him new parts We installed a surge protector on the outlets that his electronics are connected to after the first surge fried the first board. They're only rated for so much of a surge though, and they happen constantly here because of rolling blackouts

I remember reading somewhere that the surge protectors aren't very useful at protecting against large surges (lightning strike, blackouts, etc.), and a higher quality power supply protects against the type of surges surge protectors protect against better anyway.

 

But I could be wrong. This story for me is on the same level of that time cousin Joe told me about his vasectomy. Filled with regret.

 

 

[Flashie]

Just now, aezakmi said:

It's not "fucking ryzen" because the problem is clearly a faulty motherboard, not the 960, not the monitor.

 

faulty PCI slots

no internet

unable to flash

 

everything points to it.

if it's from MSI it'll be the same as the 350, MSI fucked up and starting making garbage a long time ago when all this shitty RGB and "gamers" trend started and they starting bloating the boards with crap unless on focusing on performance

 

I'd go for ASUS and forget about it.

The inability to flash is because of a retail bios being installed from factory, which they simply out right refuse to even go anywhere near (https://forum-en.msi.com/index.php?topic=290677.0) I agree with you on MSI being trash. I run an ASUS board on both my personal rigs and haven't had issues. 

[NunoLava1998]

5 minutes ago, Flashie said:

Hehe, He's a personal friend of mine too. I doubt that is his intentions, as he is aware I am in the rat-race too and cant afford to buy him new parts We installed a surge protector on the outlets that his electronics are connected to after the first surge fried the first board. They're only rated for so much of a surge though, and they happen constantly here because of rolling blackouts

I would invest in an UPS then.

[Eastman51]

1 minute ago, Flashie said:

The inability to flash is because of a retail bios being installed from factory, which they simply out right refuse to even go anywhere near (https://forum-en.msi.com/index.php?topic=290677.0) I agree with you on MSI being trash. I run an ASUS board on both my personal rigs and haven't had issues. 

A320 boards are meant for business use, doesn't really surprise me they would install a retail BIOS.

[Flashie]

3 minutes ago, Eastman51 said:

A320 boards are meant for business use, doesn't really surprise me they would install a retail BIOS.

What would be the recommended chipset on a budget-AM4 socket board for gaming? You and @NunoLava1998 both mention the B450 boards. I've let my client know to test the card, and RMA the board if the card is good. 

 

MSI claims that it isnt their OEM boards with the retail BIOS's on them, but rather boards made and sold to order to specific big-name vendors.

Could this mean that the vendor i bought it from (Or even their supplier), is selling these to-order boards with the retail firmware on?

 

I do not trust this vendor as far as i can throw them (They're pretty big here, and i even bought my personal rig from them 5 years ago, But since then they've gotten scummy with their marketing and pricing tactics.)

[NunoLava1998]

3 minutes ago, Flashie said:

What would be the recommended chipset on a budget-AM4 socket board for gaming? You and @NunoLava1998 both mention the B450 boards. I've let my client know to test the card, and RMA the board if the card is good. 

 

MSI claims that it isnt their OEM boards with the retail BIOS's on them, but rather boards made and sold to order to specific big-name vendors.

Could this mean that the vendor i bought it from (Or even their supplier), is selling these to-order boards with the retail firmware on?

 

I do not trust this vendor as far as i can throw them (They're pretty big here, and i even bought my personal rig from them 5 years ago, But since then they've gotten scummy with their marketing and pricing tactics.)

B450 is the best gaming board for anything below a 2700, x470 otherwise

For OCing on B450, get the GAMING PRO CARBON, TOMAHAWK or MORTAR only if above ryzen 5 1400

[Flashie]

22 minutes ago, NunoLava1998 said:

I would invest in an UPS then.

I've been looking into this for my own setup here, Both for the switches, routers, nas, and the PC's. At the rate these rolling blackouts are happening though, (2-3 times per/day for 2 and a half hours at a time [4 hours at a time in the cities]) it may even be more advantageous to invest in an Inverter/Solar package

My test bench's PSU is a victim of this electrical-outrage too. The list of casualties gets longer. 

Edited March 18, 2019 by Flashie
Inverter not inventer

[aezakmi]

28 minutes ago, Flashie said:

The inability to flash is because of a retail bios being installed from factory, which they simply out right refuse to even go anywhere near (https://forum-en.msi.com/index.php?topic=290677.0) I agree with you on MSI being trash. I run an ASUS board on both my personal rigs and haven't had issues. 

you're not supposed to "update" A320s tho that's why that option is locked.

 

About the outages and surges same happens to me and I had to go for an UPS and some protectors of my own design (I'm on 3rd year of EE) for the computers

also a diesel generator since outages usually last for days (or more) 

I looked up solar kits and here it costs both kidneys and outputs little power compared to fuel not to mention the space it takes to install and that it depends on the sun of course.