New system won't boot, CPU light, VGA light, and BOOT light are all on.

[android_developer_39]

I have an ASUS ROG STRIX z690-A WIFI D4 and this is my first time building a PC.

 

My full parts list is below:

https://pcpartpicker.com/list/dyktBj

 

I have no spare parts or integrated graphics for troubleshooting purposes so I feel pretty in the dark here.

 

I have already used BIOS flashback to update to the latest version found on the ASUS site, which supports 13th gen CPUs. I feel like I have tried many of the common troubleshooting methods. I have reconnected all of my PSU cables, reconnected the GPU multiple times, taken the CPU out and put it back in, tried to boot with only one stick of RAM, ensured my display was connected to my GPU instead of the MOB. I am running out of ideas. Is there anything I can try next to get my system to boot up?

[An0maly_76]

RAM SKU (part #) isn't listed on the board's QVL list. May or may not be a factor.

[Mark Kaine]

do you have a hard disk connected?  

cpu fan or aio cooler (connected to the motherboard header)?

 

cpu power cable? actually make sure its the right one, labeled "cpu" or similar. (not gpu or vga)

 

otherwise this still kinda sounds to me like one or several cables may be connected wrong... try to check that with mobo and psu manual... maybe build it on a cardboard box outside of the case? (ive never done that but it seems to make it easier for people to spot stuff...)

 

 

edit: 

5 minutes ago, An0maly_76 said:

RAM SKU (part #) isn't listed on the board's QVL list. May or may not be a factor.

oh... or its that!

[android_developer_39]

28 minutes ago, Mark Kaine said:

do you have a hard disk connected?  

cpu fan or aio cooler (connected to the motherboard header)?

 

cpu power cable? actually make sure its the right one, labeled "cpu" or similar. (not gpu or vga)

 

otherwise this still kinda sounds to me like one or several cables may be connected wrong... try to check that with mobo and psu manual... maybe build it on a cardboard box outside of the case? (ive never done that but it seems to make it easier for people to spot stuff...)

 

 

edit: 

oh... or its that!

I have 2 NVMe M.2 SSDs connected. My AIO cooler is connected to the 'CPU_FAN' MOB header. The CPU cable going to PSU is indeed labeled CPU. I feel like I have tripled checked my cables but will once again make sure they are plugged in correctly.

[Mark Kaine]

4 minutes ago, android_developer_39 said:

I have 2 NVMe M.2 SSDs connected. My AIO cooler is connected to the 'CPU_FAN' MOB header. The CPU cable going to PSU is indeed labeled CPU. I feel like I have tripled checked my cables but will once again make sure they are plugged in correctly.

i see, well just making sure... btw maybe there's a header for "aoi" or "pump" on the motherboard... thats the only thing that may be not right there (not sure but worth checking) 

 

also if the ram really isn't on the qvl, that could  be an issue

 

ps: ALSO try removing 1 ssd... might be a conflict there (its possible) 

[android_developer_39]

7 minutes ago, Mark Kaine said:

i see, well just making sure... btw maybe there's a header for "aoi" or "pump" on the motherboard... thats the only thing that may be not right there (not sure but worth checking) 

 

also if the ram really isn't on the qvl, that could  be an issue

 

ps: ALSO try removing 1 ssd... might be a conflict there (its possible) 

 

35 minutes ago, Mark Kaine said:

i see, well just making sure... btw maybe there's a header for "aoi" or "pump" on the motherboard... thats the only thing that may be not right there (not sure but worth checking) 

 

also if the ram really isn't on the qvl, that could  be an issue

 

ps: ALSO try removing 1 ssd... might be a conflict there (its possible) 

Thanks for the suggestions. I tried removing 1 SSD and that didn't change anything. There is an AIO pump header, and I tried plugging into that instead of the CPU fan header, no luck. The AIO pump and fans are integrated cables, and I believe Arctic calls for it to be installed in the fan header, but I tried it anyways. Nothing changed, and I switched it back to the CPU Fan header.

[paddy-stone]

Can you get into the bios settings?

do you have a keyboard connected? and does it light up during POST?

 

I believe there should be a setting in bios that disables the "halt on keyboard error".

 

Also, if your monitor has the inputs, try switching to HDMI/DP depending on whatever you're connected to at the moment.

 

 

Could you please post some pics of your connections to the mobo too, we might be able to spot something that's not correct.

[android_developer_39]

50 minutes ago, paddy-stone said:

Can you get into the bios settings?

do you have a keyboard connected? and does it light up during POST?

 

I believe there should be a setting in bios that disables the "halt on keyboard error".

 

Also, if your monitor has the inputs, try switching to HDMI/DP depending on whatever you're connected to at the moment.

 

 

Could you please post some pics of your connections to the mobo too, we might be able to spot something that's not correct.

I cannot access a BIOS screen at all. The keyboard does light up after I switch it on. The monitor only has an HDMI input, and I am connecting that up with my GPU.

[Mark Kaine]

ok, just a wild guess... have you tried with only one cpu power connector?  ive seen that being an issue for people when they connected both cpu power connectors for some reason (although i don't know if your cpu needs both, but probably not...)

 

and are you sure you installed the right BIOS...? (BIOS version 2004) <-- from partpicker 

 

 

Like, you never got into bios at all?

just wondering if something went wrong there... or if it's actually the right BIOS 

 

ps... btw the ram stick... have you tried the closest slot to the cpu? because I don't think that's the right slot, typically the mobo expects the closest slot to the cpu being used first... (also just a guess, but yeah that look a bit weird to me) 

[android_developer_39]

6 hours ago, Mark Kaine said:

ok, just a wild guess... have you tried with only one cpu power connector?  ive seen that being an issue for people when they connected both cpu power connectors for some reason (although i don't know if your cpu needs both, but probably not...)

 

and are you sure you installed the right BIOS...? (BIOS version 2004) <-- from partpicker 

 

 

Like, you never got into bios at all?

just wondering if something went wrong there... or if it's actually the right BIOS 

 

ps... btw the ram stick... have you tried the closest slot to the cpu? because I don't think that's the right slot, typically the mobo expects the closest slot to the cpu being used first... (also just a guess, but yeah that look a bit weird to me) 

Yes, only one CPU power cable does not work either and produces the same result. And yes, the BIOS version I flashed was downloaded from the latest BIOS version you could get from ASUS, where it explicitly stated compatibility for gen 13 CPUs. Lastly, I checked the MOB recommended configuration for a single stick, and it is indeed the second closest to the CPU (the A2 channel).

[Mark Kaine]

1 hour ago, android_developer_39 said:

Yes, only one CPU power cable does not work either and produces the same result. And yes, the BIOS version I flashed was downloaded from the latest BIOS version you could get from ASUS, where it explicitly stated compatibility for gen 13 CPUs. Lastly, I checked the MOB recommended configuration for a single stick, and it is indeed the second closest to the CPU (the A2 channel).

oh ok, i mean it does sound like you didn't do anything wrong... im outta ideas i guess, hopefully someone else can think of something.

 

and well, there's still all debug lights on basically?  that's the weirdest part... if it was only one we'd have something to go by at least!

 

and ah, ok i didn't know that, never used a single stick of ram (knowingly) 

[Mark Kaine]

So i thought id look this up... but there's no entry for several leds being on... (which is really weird)

https://www.asus.com/us/support/FAQ/1042678/

 

so basically,  the dram led isnt on?

 

from all the suggestions,  resetting cmos seems to be the only feasible one... did you try that?

 

 

otherwise you can go through all the steps on that asus website,  or simply return the mobo, because it does seem like something is indeed faulty, i wouldn't know why 3 debug leds should be lit at the same time, just seems... unlikely,  if there's no fault with the motherboard. 

 

[android_developer_39]

19 minutes ago, Mark Kaine said:

So i thought id look this up... but there's no entry for several leds being on... (which is really weird)

https://www.asus.com/us/support/FAQ/1042678/

 

so basically,  the dram led isnt on?

 

from all the suggestions,  resetting cmos seems to be the only feasible one... did you try that?

 

 

otherwise you can go through all the steps on that asus website,  or simply return the mobo, because it does seem like something is indeed faulty, i wouldn't know why 3 debug leds should be lit at the same time, just seems... unlikely,  if there's no fault with the motherboard. 

 

Correct, all lights are on except the DRAM. If I try to boot with no RAM at all, I get the DRAM LED and that's it. I reset the CMOS and reflashed the BIOS, and again I get the 3 LEDs as before. Almost everyone on all the forums have told me that my MOB may be bad. I am getting a z790 in a couple days (this time it will be compatible with my i7-13700KF out of the box). Hopefully the issue does not persist and I can return my z690.

 

[Mark Kaine]

Yeah, good luck!

[paddy-stone]

On 12/2/2022 at 1:21 PM, android_developer_39 said:

Snip!

Yeah I can't see anything wrong with your build at all. I would just try reset CMOS by itself though, one last time. Also, what does your build do after flashing bios? just asking because it could be that you thought bios flash was done, but actually you interrupted the flashback possibly. So could try flashback again, and just leave it for like 10 mins, then remove USB, and restart.

[android_developer_39]

On 12/4/2022 at 4:02 PM, paddy-stone said:

Yeah I can't see anything wrong with your build at all. I would just try reset CMOS by itself though, one last time. Also, what does your build do after flashing bios? just asking because it could be that you thought bios flash was done, but actually you interrupted the flashback possibly. So could try flashback again, and just leave it for like 10 mins, then remove USB, and restart.

I did that and no luck! However, I bought a z790, set up everything exactly the same way and it worked without issue and I now have my completed build. I guess I had a bad motherboard to begin with.

[android_developer_39]

On 12/3/2022 at 9:47 AM, Mark Kaine said:

Yeah, good luck!

Thanks! I bought a z790, did everything the same and it worked perfectly fine. I will try and return my z690.