Motherboard/CPU/RAM/PSU Booting issue!!!!

[Coolbreeze]

Hi Guys!

I built my friend a rig last August, here are the specs:

Motherboard - MSI Z77A-GD55

CPU - Intel core i5 3550

RAM - 2x4GB Kingston HyperX 1600MHz

GPU - MSI GTX 660Ti

PSU - Corsair CX600 (600 Watt)

Last night he turned it off and it shutdown perfectly normally but then when he tried to boot it this morning, he gets an infinite loop of power cycling. I've tried disconnecting everything so that it's just the Motherboard, CPU and RAM connected but the problem persists. It doesn't even get as far as a POST beep.

I then tried removing the RAM to try and coax some kind of response. With no RAM in the system, it gives the 3 short beeps, indicating that there was an issue with the memory. I then tried a stick of my perfectly functioning RAM and the same problem, not even a POST. I think this would rule out the RAM as being the problem. It would also indicate that the CPU is functioning properly to be able to detect that there is no RAM.

Lastly I tested the PSU by disconnecting everything and then shorting the power switch pins so that the PSU ran by itself. Doing this, it ran perfectly without stopping and starting. To me, this would mean it's the motherboard that's the problem. I have a friend bringing round some testing equipment tonight to test the Voltage check points on the motherboard and the PSU to rule out as many problems as possible.

If anything here is wrong or you have any other tests or advice you could give me it would be greatly appreciated as he doesn't have the money to buy a new motherboard at the moment!

Cheers!!

[Dave :)]

Have you cleared the CMOS by removing the battery on the motherboard for 30 seconds? It could be a BIOS-related malfunction. Did he update the BIOS / install recent drivers prior to shutting down?

[Coolbreeze]

Have you cleared the CMOS by removing the battery on the motherboard for 30 seconds? It could be a BIOS-related malfunction. Did he update the BIOS / install recent drivers prior to shutting down?

Thanks for replying so quickly!

Just tried it. No change =[

[MTROB]

What OS is it? He could have corrupted some Windows files, if it gets as far as booting into windows then shutting down then cycling. But it does sound like a hardware issue.

[Paperchase]

Sounds like a "no-post" situation.

According to what you've told us it seems to be very likely a motherboard issue.

I don't think that one of the Windows/Linux/MAC OS bootfiles are corrupt, because the machine doesn't even give off a post beep. (Have you checked the beep microphone btw)?

Are you sure your buddy hasn't spilled any drinks/food inside the case somehow? It happened to me once, I managed to spill a bowl of popcorn on top of my PC. I cleaned it all away, but after a couple of weeks the salt from the popcorn had started "eroding"(?) on my motherboard. The consequence for me was that i had to switch out my motherboard for a new one. After switching it out, my computer worked fine again, and has until this day! :) *knock on wood*

[Coolbreeze]

He's on Windows 7 but it doesn't even get as far as the BIOS splash screen so I wouldn't have thought it was anything to do with that =[

Where he keeps it it'd be extremely difficult for anything like that to get in the top. I'm pretty sure it is the motherboard now. The POST speaker works fine as if I remove the RAM it gives off the 3 short beeps you would expect.

Cheers for the help!

[mgsstar]

He's on Windows 7 but it doesn't even get as far as the BIOS splash screen so I wouldn't have thought it was anything to do with that =[

Where he keeps it it'd be extremely difficult for anything like that to get in the top. I'm pretty sure it is the motherboard now. The POST speaker works fine as if I remove the RAM it gives off the 3 short beeps you would expect.

Cheers for the help!

Did you try going into the bios and resetting the settings? It could also be your boot order that is misconfigured?

[Coolbreeze]

It won't even get as far as the BIOS. It powers down again before outputting anything to the screen, either from the GFX card or the onboard video =[

Thanks for all the help guys!