Black screen on boot

[Zolcos]

mobo: asus p9x79 deluxe
gpu: nvidia geforce gtx 680
My computer was working fine for months until I had to move it to do something to my desk. After putting the machine back on the desk and reconnecting everything I noticed a strange behavior where the computer would go into sleep mode whenever windows would turn off the monitor for idle (windows is configured to only turn off the monitor after a certain time but never go into sleep mode).
This morning, the computer would no longer boot, it would stick on a black screen with "b2" status on the led display. I read that this is due to a corrupted bios so I updated the bios. Now, the status led ends at "A2" which is apparently the OK status, but:
- I still get a black screen trying to boot -- it shows the asus logo and the list of drives then goes black
- I get a black screen trying to enter the bios 99% of the time. Rarely, it works. Once in the bios, I often get a black screen trying to enter advanced mode.

I can re flash the same version of the bios I was previously using and nothing changes. I found some people saying this kind of issue is a problem with the monitor but the bios has both worked and not worked with all 4 monitors I tried (1600p lcd, 1080p lcd, low-res lcd, and a crt).
I've tried clearing the CMOS and not clearing the CMOS after each bios update but it doesn't seem to make a difference.

Can't run memtest because the black screen freeze happens before it tries to boot anything.
I've tried re-seating the RAM and video card too.

Rarely, instead of the drive list coming up, immediately after the asus logo I will get a screen saying "reboot and select proper boot device or insert boot media in selected device". But in the rare occasion I can get into the bios, the boot order seems to be the same as when everything was working.

What could be the problem?

 

[Ketchup]

Hello Zolcos, let's see if we can narrow this down a bit (not in any particular order):

1. Have you tried the other pci-e slots on your board?
2. What power supply do you have?
3. When you go into the BIOS, does it keep the current time and date?
4. Are you sure your 'clear CMOS' method is working?
5. Have you tried different video cables?
6. What power supply do you have (actually your other system specs might be helpful here)
7. Does the computer sound like it is rebooting or anything, or does the screen just go black?
8. Have you verified that your fans are spinning (mainly video card and CPU fans)?
9. Can you feel your hard drive(s) spinning when you turn on the computer?
10. Last, but not least, have you looked inside to make sure no cables came loose, esp. the 2 video card connectors and the 4-(or pin motherboard connector?

 

[denis280]

did you try with another wire.from pc to lcd.when that happen do the hdd light blink or is it solid.

 

[Ketchup]

Denis, I hope he answers your post before he starts on mine, lol.

 

[denis280]

Denis, I hope he answers your post before he starts on mine, lol.

Michael.They are about the same.but mine is shorter

 

[Zolcos]

did you try with another wire.from pc to lcd.when that happen do the hdd light blink or is it solid.

I tried 2 different dvi cables to both of the smaller lcds. The larger lcd is connected with a DisplayPort cable. (I'm doing all these tests with only 1 monitor connected at a time of course).

I tried running it again to check for HDD light activity. It looks like it's giving the boot device error every time now and never showing the drive list anymore. So unsurprisingly the HDD light never comes on at all.

 

[denis280]

What are all your system spec.

 

[Zolcos]

Hello Zolcos, let's see if we can narrow this down a bit (not in any particular order):

1. Have you tried the other pci-e slots on your board?
2. What power supply do you have?
3. When you go into the BIOS, does it keep the current time and date?
4. Are you sure your 'clear CMOS' method is working?
5. Have you tried different video cables?
6. What power supply do you have (actually your other system specs might be helpful here)
7. Does the computer sound like it is rebooting or anything, or does the screen just go black?
8. Have you verified that your fans are spinning (mainly video card and CPU fans)?
9. Can you feel your hard drive(s) spinning when you turn on the computer?
10. Last, but not least, have you looked inside to make sure no cables came loose, esp. the 2 video card connectors and the 4-(or pin motherboard connector?

I got it to show me the drive list again but even then no activity on the hdd light

1. I haven't. I'll try that in a bit
2. Kingwin LZP-1000
3. Tried many more times but can no longer get into the bios to check :/
4. Yes. When I press the cmos clear button on my mobo and start it up again, I get a special AMI error screen saying that I must enter the BIOS menu once in order for default settings to be written to the blank cmos. Once I do that, I will continue to get that screen with the error "CPU fan error" because I have Noctua fans with a wide range of normal operating speeds which can go below Asus' default minimum. I have to lower the minimum fan speed in Advanced Mode to make the error go away so it's a dead giveaway for when the settings go back to default.
5. Yep tried 3 cables
6. psu: Kingwin LZP-1000 - Boot raid: 2xPlextor M3 Pro - cpu: i7-3960x - ram: mushkin 994029
7. When the screen goes black it doesn't make any more sounds, the only sounds comes from the fans
8. fans are still spinning on the CPU, GPU, PSU, and case.
9. Yes. Actually my boot raid is 2 SSDs but I do have a HDD in there too and it does spin up when the system is powered on
10. I've ensured a proper connection for all the cables in the case -- the only one I forgot about was the CPU power connector but I just did that one now and no change

 

[Zolcos]

1. Have you tried the other pci-e slots on your board

OK, I just moved the video card to the other pciex16 slot and no difference

 

[denis280]

I tried running it again to check for HDD light activity. It looks like it's giving the boot device error every time now and never showing the drive list anymore. So unsurprisingly the HDD light never comes on at all.

check your connection.

 

[Zolcos]

check your connection.

just to be extra sure I disconnected and reconnected all the sata cables, got the reassuring click on each one
no difference in behavior

 

[denis280]

Yes. Actually my boot raid is 2 SSDs but I do have a HDD in there too and it does spin up when the system is powered on

Are you getting any power on the main one

 

[Ketchup]

Zolcos, I appreciate you doing all that checking (esp when I asked you about the power supply twice).

Is the computer in the same place it was, and is it behind a battery backup/surge protector? Have you tried plugging it straight into the wall?

Barring those, I would probably see if the basics are working next:
1. Unplug every external connection except the power supply and the screen
2. Unplug every internal connection (power data USB) except for the mobo power connections, video card connections, and 1 stick of RAM (this includes removing SATA connectors on the mobo and the like).

Let's see if we can get to a consistent 'no boot device found'.


P.S. - Make sure there is nothing in the CD/DVD Drive.

 

[Zolcos]

Interesting development-
The computer was plugged into a UPS (APC XS 1500). I tried plugging it directly into the wall... and both boot and bios work fine -- except I would always get a BSOD 10 seconds after logging in to windows complaining about the USB3 driver. I fixed that by reinstalling the USB3 driver (not the first time that has happened) and now everything works great
...but only without any USB devices plugged in save for keyboard and mouse. However, I tried each one individually and no single USB device seems to be preventing the boot. It seems as though the chance of a successful boot goes down as I plug more devices in. With everything in (using all of my rear usb ports) it is guaranteed to freeze either at the drive list screen, or at a black screen right after the drive list (or at a black screen trying to get into the bios). But with only the keyboard and mouse plugged in, it works fine every time.

Swapping the power cable didn't change anything.

It seems like a power issue but my psu is way bigger than needed (I planned for SLI but never did it). Maybe the psu is damaged somehow? and perhaps it is the fault of a malfunctioning ups?

 

[Ketchup]

I can see a UPS causing issues like that. I do not see one damaging anything. I would say about once a month we have a customer call in with what turns out to be a failed UPS. Never have I seen hardware damaged because of this.

If you trust [H], they had a glowing review of your Power Supply:
http://www.hardocp.com/article/2012/01/04/kingwin_lzp1000_1000w_power_supply_review/9

But that doesn't mean a bad one could fall through the cracks, and of course that could damage your hardware.

I know that is not answering your question, but hopefully helpful in some way.