Threadripper won't post

[B.Rms]

Hey everyone. First of all, I did my share of Google on this and I found out everything I needed to know about it. But I have something more...

 

My TR build stopped posting for no good reason (MB: Aorus Pro WIFI, no OC). The little red leds jump from CPU to DRAM and stay on DRAM. Every 20sec or so, it goes to CPU for a short moment and back to DRAM.

 

I did all the troubleshooting Google found for me, tested every single piece of hardware in it, everything works fine with another MB+CPU, including the RAM. Most people diagnose it as a short somewhere on the board, so I've also taken the MB out of the case and ran it like that, same results. So I'm down to CPU or MB failure (or both).

 

But I was taking a closer look at the RAM sockets and I noticed 2 of them have some lighter spots (check the photo, socket on the left) and I'm pretty sure the plastic around those spots isn't very straight anymore. So my question is: has anyone seen this before and is this probably what's causing it? Could the RAM sockets short out and distort like that? Both sockets with those lighter spots weren't being used. Also every RAM socket has "1.2V" written on it, while the XMP of the RAM will kick it up to 1.35V. But I would think it can take that?

 

Also any chance a short in the RAM sockets can kill the CPU? I'll be getting a new mobo tomorrow (can't wait till they fix this one) and I'll test the CPU then, hoping it's just a dead mobo...

[Aakash_Ram]

2 minutes ago, B.Rms said:

Hey everyone. First of all, I did my share of Google on this and I found out everything I needed to know about it. But I have something more...

 

My TR build stopped posting for no good reason (MB: Aorus Pro WIFI, no OC). The little red leds jump from CPU to DRAM and stay on DRAM. Every 20sec or so, it goes to CPU for a short moment and back to DRAM.

 

I did all the troubleshooting Google found for me, tested every single piece of hardware in it, everything works fine with another MB+CPU, including the RAM. Most people diagnose it as a short somewhere on the board, so I've also taken the MB out of the case and ran it like that, same results. So I'm down to CPU or MB failure (or both).

 

But I was taking a closer look at the RAM sockets and I noticed 2 of them have some lighter spots (check the photo, socket on the left) and I'm pretty sure the plastic around those spots isn't very straight anymore. So my question is: has anyone seen this before and is this probably what's causing it? Could the RAM sockets short out and distort like that? Both sockets with those lighter spots weren't being used. Also every RAM socket has "1.2V" written on it, while the XMP of the RAM will kick it up to 1.35V. But I would think it can take that?

 

Also any chance a short in the RAM sockets can kill the CPU? I'll be getting a new mobo tomorrow (can't wait till they fix this one) and I'll test the CPU then, hoping it's just a dead mobo...

try that then also try new ram if it still. don't work

[B.Rms]

1 minute ago, Aakash_Ram said:

try that then also try new ram if it still. don't work

 

I did try different RAM which had worked with this MB in the past and is being used on another build now. No joy.

[CommanderAlex]

Have you tried checking the torque of the screws that hold the processor in? Use that tool they provide with the processor. 

[Aakash_Ram]

Just now, B.Rms said:

 

I did try different RAM which had worked with this MB in the past and is being used on another build now. No joy.

prob mobo then if not I don't want to say it  because that cpu expensive as f but the cpu may be dead or one of the pins may be bent

[Aakash_Ram]

1 minute ago, CommanderAlex said:

Have you tried checking the torque of the screws that hold the processor in? Use that tool they provide with the processor. 

why does it say u posted the same thing 2wice

[CommanderAlex]

1 minute ago, Aakash_Ram said:

why does it say u posted the same thing 2wice

That's strange...it only shows I posted once...I know I get notifications from peoples reactions or quoted me twice sometimes for some reason. 

[B.Rms]

2 minutes ago, CommanderAlex said:

Have you tried checking the torque of the screws that hold the processor in? Use that tool they provide with the processor. 

I reseated the CPU 3 times by now and I always did it very carefully using the Ryzen tool. Also checked the pins with a magnifying glass, they all seem to be just fine.

 

3 minutes ago, Aakash_Ram said:

prob mobo then if not I don't want to say it  because that cpu expensive as f but the cpu may be dead or one of the pins may be bent

That's my fear too. But it's still in the warranty and since I haven't OC'ed, I'm trying to figure out if those marks on the RAM sockets are normal because I can show the shop then that something went wrong with the mobo itself.

[CommanderAlex]

1 minute ago, B.Rms said:

I reseated the CPU 3 times by now and I always did it very carefully using the Ryzen tool. Also checked the pins with a magnifying glass, they all seem to be just fine.

 

That's my fear too. But it's still in the warranty and since I haven't OC'ed, I'm trying to figure out if those marks on the RAM sockets are normal because I can show the shop then that something went wrong with the mobo itself.

Ok, then its a probably cause the motherboard is defective. For those RAM slot discolorations...can you rub it off? Kinda looks like thermal pads that oozed a little bit. 

[WhitetailAni]

That looks like thermal paste to me on the RAM slots.

[B.Rms]

Just updating for future reference in case it can help anybody:

 

Mobo was definitely dead. I sent it back to the shop (it was only 2 months old). All other parts are alive and happy working on the new board: Asus Strix E Gaming.

 

I really feel a quality difference now between Asus and Gigabyte both in hardware and software. Even though the GB board is a bit cheaper, I think the price difference doesn't justify some of its drawbacks when I compare them both.

 

To be fair to the GB board, it did run cooler. The new Asus forced me to improvise an extra fan just next to the GPU because the chipset was hot as hell (around 80 C on idle) and its whinny fan was full speed driving me crazy. The heat from the GPU was killing it and I have a case with good airflow. With a 140mm fan blowing directly on that region now, the chipset stays at around 65 C and its fan noise is gone.

 

Case closed