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CPU Debug light on Motherboard

OneKnightStand
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TL:DR CPU Debug light has been lit on three motherboards two of them of the same type and brand So I've been trying to build my first gaming computer for awhile and I haven't had much luck. The debug light for the CPU on three separate motherboards have been stopping me from using my computer. The previous motherboards was a MSI Z370 Gaming Plus motherboard I originally got it from Best Buy then exchanged it for another after Geek Squad told me it has to be the motherboard since ALL the parts were brand new but that motherboard had the same debug light problem the current motherboard I have right now is an ASUS Rog Strix Z390-E gaming. None of the pins in the LGA 1511 socket are bent so worst case scenario is that the CPU is a dud. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Also the computer will turn itself off and restart I think? (My apologies about the wall of text this my first time ever doing something like this)

 

Current hardware: Case: Rosewill Stryker M

GPU: Gigabyte 1050 ti 4Gb

CPU: i5-9600k

CPU Cooler: MSI Core Frozr L 71.27 CFM 

RAM: Patriot Viper Steel 32Gb (2x16Gb) DDR4 -3200

Motherboard: ASUS Rog Strix Z390-E

Power Supply: EVGA 500w

15773965654387851011917219750985.jpg

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In theory it could also be the PSU, if the CPU is not getting enough power (via the 8 pin EPS connector in the top left of the board) it would also probably spit out a CPU error.

Try eliminating variables, by only using 1 stick of memory, no GPU installed, no storage devices, only a monitor and keyboard installed. Just the bare essentials.

6 minutes ago, OneKnightStand said:

Also the computer will turn itself off and restart I think?

The only items that can be responsible for this are:

- Case: if the power button just randomly activates.

- Motherboard: if it decides "hey, I should turn on".

- PSU: that is of course the part in the PC that gives everything power.

"We're all in this together, might as well be friends" Tom, Toonami.

 

mini eLiXiVy: my open source 65% mechanical PCB, a build log, PCB anatomy and discussing open source licenses: https://linustechtips.com/topic/1366493-elixivy-a-65-mechanical-keyboard-build-log-pcb-anatomy-and-how-i-open-sourced-this-project/

 

mini_cardboard: a 4% keyboard build log and how keyboards work: https://linustechtips.com/topic/1328547-mini_cardboard-a-4-keyboard-build-log-and-how-keyboards-work/

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14 minutes ago, minibois said:

In theory it could also be the PSU, if the CPU is not getting enough power (via the 8 pin EPS connector in the top left of the board) it would also probably spit out a CPU error.

Try eliminating variables, by only using 1 stick of memory, no GPU installed, no storage devices, only a monitor and keyboard installed. Just the bare essentials.

The only items that can be responsible for this are:

- Case: if the power button just randomly activates.

- Motherboard: if it decides "hey, I should turn on".

- PSU: that is of course the part in the PC that gives everything power.

I've looked it up on PC part picker and the recommended wattage is about 347 or 350 which the 500w should definitely be giving enough BUT I shall still try your idea.

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1 minute ago, OneKnightStand said:

I've looked it up on PC part picker and the recommended wattage is about 347 or 350 which the 500w should definitely be giving enough BUT I shall still try your idea.

The wattage is really not something I am worried about. It's just that the issues could be PSU related too.

I say that because the random startup issue could be PSU related and the 'CPU' debug LED could be PSU related too.

"We're all in this together, might as well be friends" Tom, Toonami.

 

mini eLiXiVy: my open source 65% mechanical PCB, a build log, PCB anatomy and discussing open source licenses: https://linustechtips.com/topic/1366493-elixivy-a-65-mechanical-keyboard-build-log-pcb-anatomy-and-how-i-open-sourced-this-project/

 

mini_cardboard: a 4% keyboard build log and how keyboards work: https://linustechtips.com/topic/1328547-mini_cardboard-a-4-keyboard-build-log-and-how-keyboards-work/

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6 minutes ago, minibois said:

The wattage is really not something I am worried about. It's just that the issues could be PSU related too.

I say that because the random startup issue could be PSU related and the 'CPU' debug LED could be PSU related too.

Alrighty so I tried your idea no GPU, one stick of RAM, and no storage devices but it still had the Debug light for the CPU on.

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3 minutes ago, OneKnightStand said:

Alrighty so I tried your idea no GPU, one stick of RAM, and no storage devices but it still had the Debug light for the CPU on.

That was mainly about trying to eliminate your issue. The only components in the PSU at that point were:

- motherboard

- CPU

- 1 stick of RAM

- PSU

- Case I guess too

 

Since the motherboard has been replaced, the RAM has its own debug light and the case is not the issue (because otherwise it would just not turn on), you are only left with a CPU and PSU problem.

CPU's are not often the issue (although I won't rule that out of course), but PSU is also still left. If at all possible, do you perhaps know someone who you could borrow their PSU from? I am not familiar with how Best Buy's technical support works, but perhaps they can just quickly hook up your CPU+MOBO+RAM to a PSU at their workshop and see if that works. Because it basically must be a CPU or PSU problem at this point (or you had 3 dead Mobos I guess, highly unlikely).

 

But before you do any of that, I mean just thinking it could still be motherboard related.

On the packaging of the motherboard, does it explicitly somewhere mention Intel 9th gen compatibility? Because it could be that this board works with 8th gen and not 9th gen.

"We're all in this together, might as well be friends" Tom, Toonami.

 

mini eLiXiVy: my open source 65% mechanical PCB, a build log, PCB anatomy and discussing open source licenses: https://linustechtips.com/topic/1366493-elixivy-a-65-mechanical-keyboard-build-log-pcb-anatomy-and-how-i-open-sourced-this-project/

 

mini_cardboard: a 4% keyboard build log and how keyboards work: https://linustechtips.com/topic/1328547-mini_cardboard-a-4-keyboard-build-log-and-how-keyboards-work/

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21 minutes ago, minibois said:

That was mainly about trying to eliminate your issue. The only components in the PSU at that point were:

- motherboard

- CPU

- 1 stick of RAM

- PSU

- Case I guess too

 

Since the motherboard has been replaced, the RAM has its own debug light and the case is not the issue (because otherwise it would just not turn on), you are only left with a CPU and PSU problem.

CPU's are not often the issue (although I won't rule that out of course), but PSU is also still left. If at all possible, do you perhaps know someone who you could borrow their PSU from? I am not familiar with how Best Buy's technical support works, but perhaps they can just quickly hook up your CPU+MOBO+RAM to a PSU at their workshop and see if that works. Because it basically must be a CPU or PSU problem at this point (or you had 3 dead Mobos I guess, highly unlikely).

 

But before you do any of that, I mean just thinking it could still be motherboard related.

On the packaging of the motherboard, does it explicitly somewhere mention Intel 9th gen compatibility? Because it could be that this board works with 8th gen and not 9th gen.

The manual says that expansion slot socket 1151 for 9th/8th Gen Intel Core, Pentium, Gold and Celeron processors so I'm guessing it supports all of those types of processors?

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2 minutes ago, OneKnightStand said:

The manual says that expansion slot socket 1151 for 9th/8th Gen Intel Core, Pentium, Gold and Celeron processors so I'm guessing it supports all of those types of processors?

It supports it, provided it has the right BIOS.

All the 8th gen CPU's are supported since BIOS version 0224, but all the 9th gen CPU's have different BIOS numbers

 

Apparently on the motherboard box there should be a barcode sticker, the last 4 numbers of which are the BIOS version.

So that could be:

- 0224

- 0905

- 0702

- 1005

- 1302

- 1901

 

 

0224 is the first BIOS version, but the 9600K is supported (or rather tested) since version 1005.

"We're all in this together, might as well be friends" Tom, Toonami.

 

mini eLiXiVy: my open source 65% mechanical PCB, a build log, PCB anatomy and discussing open source licenses: https://linustechtips.com/topic/1366493-elixivy-a-65-mechanical-keyboard-build-log-pcb-anatomy-and-how-i-open-sourced-this-project/

 

mini_cardboard: a 4% keyboard build log and how keyboards work: https://linustechtips.com/topic/1328547-mini_cardboard-a-4-keyboard-build-log-and-how-keyboards-work/

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21 minutes ago, minibois said:

It supports it, provided it has the right BIOS.

All the 8th gen CPU's are supported since BIOS version 0224, but all the 9th gen CPU's have different BIOS numbers

 

Apparently on the motherboard box there should be a barcode sticker, the last 4 numbers of which are the BIOS version.

So that could be:

- 0224

- 0905

- 0702

- 1005

- 1302

- 1901

 

 

0224 is the first BIOS version, but the 9600K is supported (or rather tested) since version 1005.

I found the barcode sticker but no numbers that match the ones you've provided as far as I know.

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15 minutes ago, OneKnightStand said:

I found the barcode sticker but no numbers that match the ones you've provided as far as I know.

I apologize, it seems like I found a post online that referred to the wrong sticker.

There should be a sticker on your motherboard (someone said it was near the 24 pin ATX connector) that has a barcode (and possible a number too), the last 4 digits of that should be the BIOS version.

 

Is there any output on the screen, by the way? Sometimes it will say CPU error on screen too, but possibly BIOS version too.

"We're all in this together, might as well be friends" Tom, Toonami.

 

mini eLiXiVy: my open source 65% mechanical PCB, a build log, PCB anatomy and discussing open source licenses: https://linustechtips.com/topic/1366493-elixivy-a-65-mechanical-keyboard-build-log-pcb-anatomy-and-how-i-open-sourced-this-project/

 

mini_cardboard: a 4% keyboard build log and how keyboards work: https://linustechtips.com/topic/1328547-mini_cardboard-a-4-keyboard-build-log-and-how-keyboards-work/

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10 minutes ago, minibois said:

I apologize, it seems like I found a post online that referred to the wrong sticker.

There should be a sticker on your motherboard (someone said it was near the 24 pin ATX connector) that has a barcode (and possible a number too), the last 4 digits of that should be the BIOS version.

 

Is there any output on the screen, by the way? Sometimes it will say CPU error on screen too, but possibly BIOS version too.

No output on the screen at all and is this the barcode sticker? It's above the 24 pin connector

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5 minutes ago, OneKnightStand said:

No output on the screen at all and is this the barcode sticker? It's above the 24 pin connector

BIOS version 1105 should be compatible with the 9600K (Which was confirmed to work at BIOS version 1005. BIOS 1105 is from July of this year too, way past the release date of the 9600K).

In my mind, the only things that I remain unsure on being broken or not is the CPU and (again, sorry I do have to mention it again) the PSU.

"We're all in this together, might as well be friends" Tom, Toonami.

 

mini eLiXiVy: my open source 65% mechanical PCB, a build log, PCB anatomy and discussing open source licenses: https://linustechtips.com/topic/1366493-elixivy-a-65-mechanical-keyboard-build-log-pcb-anatomy-and-how-i-open-sourced-this-project/

 

mini_cardboard: a 4% keyboard build log and how keyboards work: https://linustechtips.com/topic/1328547-mini_cardboard-a-4-keyboard-build-log-and-how-keyboards-work/

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6 minutes ago, minibois said:

BIOS version 1105 should be compatible with the 9600K (Which was confirmed to work at BIOS version 1005. BIOS 1105 is from July of this year too, way past the release date of the 9600K).

In my mind, the only things that I remain unsure on being broken or not is the CPU and (again, sorry I do have to mention it again) the PSU.

Hopefully I can borrow an old CPU from a friend or something I greatly appreciate the help

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Just now, OneKnightStand said:

Hopefully I can borrow an old CPU from a friend or something I greatly appreciate the help

Anything 8th gen or 9th gen should work, Certain Celeron and Pentium CPU's will work too.

https://www.asus.com/uk/Motherboards/ROG-STRIX-Z390-E-GAMING/HelpDesk_CPU/

"We're all in this together, might as well be friends" Tom, Toonami.

 

mini eLiXiVy: my open source 65% mechanical PCB, a build log, PCB anatomy and discussing open source licenses: https://linustechtips.com/topic/1366493-elixivy-a-65-mechanical-keyboard-build-log-pcb-anatomy-and-how-i-open-sourced-this-project/

 

mini_cardboard: a 4% keyboard build log and how keyboards work: https://linustechtips.com/topic/1328547-mini_cardboard-a-4-keyboard-build-log-and-how-keyboards-work/

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8 minutes ago, minibois said:

Anything 8th gen or 9th gen should work, Certain Celeron and Pentium CPU's will work too.

https://www.asus.com/uk/Motherboards/ROG-STRIX-Z390-E-GAMING/HelpDesk_CPU/

Alrighty thanks I'll look through the list to see what's good on that board

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