Question Solid red CPU light on motherboard until I restart?

[Zelix]

So I'm running into a bit of a weird issue. Whenever I cold boot my PC, the mobo displays a solid red CPU light and doesn't post (the fans are spinning and lights are on). I always fix it by hitting the restart button on my case once and it then proceeds to boot normally. It also doesn't run into any problems once booted (everything detected, no crashes, games run etc.). I have re-applied TIM to the CPU and re-set it. I have also re-set the ram, unplugged/re-plugged both the CPU 8-pin and mobo 24-pin, and reset the CMOS a couple times all to no avail. I should note that this issue only appeared once I installed my new GPU, even though I don't know how that would affect the CPU light. Could just be an extremely poor timed coincidence but might as well mention it. Any help on this is appreciated. Specs below

• MSI B450 Gaming Pro Carbon AC (Latest Bios 7B85v1B )
• Ryzen 5 2600x (stock clock)
• ASUS ROG Strix RTX 2070 Super (drivers up-to-date)
• Flare X 2x8gb 3200 cl14 (running XMP profile)
• EVGA Supernova G3 750w
• 860 EVO 500gb (C: Drive)

Update: RMA'd the GPU and got a replacement. Issue is still occurring so let the record show that the GPU was not the issue. I have no idea what it could be at this point.

 

[Iron Woode]

So I'm running into a bit of a weird issue. Whenever I cold boot my PC, the mobo displays a solid red CPU light and doesn't post (the fans are spinning and lights are on). I always fix it by hitting the restart button on my case once and it then proceeds to boot normally. It also doesn't run into any problems once booted (everything detected, no crashes, games run etc.). I have re-applied TIM to the CPU and re-set it. I have also re-set the ram, unplugged/re-plugged both the CPU 8-pin and mobo 24-pin, and reset the CMOS a couple times all to no avail. I should note that this issue only appeared once I installed my new GPU, even though I don't know how that would affect the CPU light. Could just be an extremely poor timed coincidence but might as well mention it. Any help on this is appreciated. Specs below

• MSI B450 Gaming Pro Carbon AC (Latest Bios 7B85v1B )
• Ryzen 5 2600x (stock clock)
• ASUS ROG Strix RTX 2070 Super (drivers up-to-date)
• Flare X 2x8gb 3200 cl14 (running XMP profile)
• EVGA Supernova G3 750w
• 860 EVO 500gb (C: Drive)

Update: RMA'd the GPU and got a replacement. Issue is still occurring so let the record show that the GPU was not the issue. I have no idea what it could be at this point.

flash back to the previous BIOS and see if the issue goes away.

It's also possible your MB needs to be RMA'd.

 

[Zelix]

flash back to the previous BIOS and see if the issue goes away.

It's also possible your MB needs to be RMA'd.

Yeah I'm thinking it has to be the bios at this point. I just wish the problem didn't show up the second I get a new piece of hardware. That really threw me for a spin.

 

[Furious_Styles]

Yeah I'm thinking it has to be the bios at this point. I just wish the problem didn't show up the second I get a new piece of hardware. That really threw me for a spin.

So if you put the old gpu it still boots up w/o issue?

 

[Zelix]

So if you put the old gpu it still boots up w/o issue?

I wasn't having problems till I got a new gpu. I figured the gpu had to be the problem so I RMA'd it. Issue is still happening with replacement so it has to be something else.

 

[Furious_Styles]

I wasn't having problems till I got a new gpu. I figured the gpu had to be the problem so I RMA'd it. Issue is still happening with replacement so it has to be something else.

I agree, it is most likely the mobo.

 

[Steltek]

Probably a stupid question, but how old is your EVGA G3 power supply?

The 2070 Super will pull significantly more wattage than the 1060 did, and if the board is booting with the old 1060 but not with the 2070 it could indicate your power supply isn't working up to snuff.

I'm sure you've checked the connectors for the PCIe video card power cables at the power supply to ensure they are snugly attached, but did you also try to move the video card power cables to the VGA3 and VGA4 connectors on the power supply (in case you have a bad PSU cable connector)?

 

[Zelix]

Probably a stupid question, but how old is your EVGA G3 power supply?

The 2070 Super will pull significantly more wattage than the 1060 did, and if the board is booting with the old 1060 but not with the 2070 it could indicate your power supply isn't working up to snuff.

I'm sure you've checked the connectors for the PCIe video card power cables at the power supply to ensure they are snugly attached, but did you also try to move the video card power cables to VGA3 and VGA4 on the power supply (in case you have a bad PSU cable connector)?

I've made sure everything is secured into both the psu and the gpu. I've kept the VGA cable plugged into VGA1. I know my psu definitely has enough wattage to power this thing though. One thing that is now different with this video card is that I now have to use the additional 6 pin on the vga cable. My 1060 only required the 6 pin. Could be that I guess. Thing is, I'm not sure how these VGA issues could be tied to the cpu light being on. It's also weird that my pc works perfectly fine once I get it booted. No issues whatsoever (Knock on wood though lol).

 

[Pinstripe]

I've made sure everything is secured into both the psu and the gpu. I've kept the VGA cable plugged into VGA1. I know my psu definitely has enough wattage to power this thing though. One thing that is now different with this video card is that I now have to use the additional 6 pin on the vga cable. My 1060 only required the 6 pin. Could be that I guess. Thing is, I'm not sure how these VGA issues could be tied to the cpu light being on. It's also weird that my pc works perfectly fine once I get it booted. No issues whatsoever (Knock on wood though lol).

Hello, have you figured out since then what the error was?

I have the same Mobo, and the same problems started to occur since I've plugged in a new video card, but only a couple weeks afterwards. A CMOS battery removal seems to fix this issue, but only for days or maybe weeks, then the whole Cold boot /POST issue starts anew.

 

[Zelix]

Hello, have you figured out since then what the error was?

I have the same Mobo, and the same problems started to occur since I've plugged in a new video card, but only a couple weeks afterwards. A CMOS battery removal seems to fix this issue, but only for days or maybe weeks, then the whole Cold boot /POST issue starts anew.

I never figured out the fix and have been dealing with it ever since to this day. I have no clue what the deal is unfortunately :/. Everyday, without fail, it does the same thing and I have to press the reset button to get a boot. It's honestly become part of my routine at this point lmfao.

 

[Pinstripe]

That's too bad. Well, I'll keep playing and trying around and update this thread if I ever find a permanent solution. And please do the same if you ever discover anything new!

 

[Zelix]

That's too bad. Well, I'll keep playing and trying around and update this thread if I ever find a permanent solution. And please do the same if you ever discover anything new!

I will definitely update if I find any fix granted I haven't really been trying to fix it. Have just given up at this point and have been living with it. The only thing I haven't tried is to fully reset and do a clean install of Windows but that is something I'd rather not do if I can help it.

 

[Muadib]

Did either of you try the latest Bios, 7B85v1C?

 

[Zelix]

Did either of you try the latest Bios, 7B85v1C?

I have not. I am still on 7B85v1B. Though, the fixes listed in the new bios are don't seem like they would fix my issue but I will give it a try. It's the only option I've got left at this point.

 

[viivo]

When you installed the GPU, was the PSU off/unplugged and any remaining energy discharged by pressing the "on" button a few times?

 

[Zelix]

When you installed the GPU, was the PSU off/unplugged and any remaining energy discharged by pressing the "on" button a few times?

Yes everything was off. Everything runs and works fine but I just have to deal with the boot issue everyday.

 

[Pinstripe]

Did either of you try the latest Bios, 7B85v1C?

No, but I did upgrade from an older pre-Zen 2 version (v14), which started to exhibit the same problems. PC ran normally for over a year and then suddenly the boot issue pop out of nowhere. BIOS update to v1B didn't change that.

And once the cold boot issues arise again, the same happens once I restart from Windows. Just black screen and I must eitehr hard-reset a couple times, or switch the PC off, wait a bit, then switch on again for it to boot. A CMOS battery removal only seems to alleviate this issue for a few days.

 

[Muadib]

I have not. I am still on 7B85v1B. Though, the fixes listed in the new bios are don't seem like they would fix my issue but I will give it a try. It's the only option I've got left at this point.

You have one last option, and that is to contact MSI. They will work with you, and if it’s the motherboard, then they should RMA it.

 

[Muadib]

No, but I did upgrade from an older pre-Zen 2 version (v14), which started to exhibit the same problems. PC ran normally for over a year and then suddenly the boot issue pop out of nowhere. BIOS update to v1B didn't change that.

And once the cold boot issues arise again, the same happens once I restart from Windows. Just black screen and I must eitehr hard-reset a couple times, or switch the PC off, wait a bit, then switch on again for it to boot. A CMOS battery removal only seems to alleviate this issue for a few days.

You should also contact MSI. Hopefully you still have some warranty left.

 

[Pinstripe]

MSI answered me that it might be the PSU, that it can't build up enough Voltage at boot. Seems unlikely though due to its irregularity. Also I once had a failing PSU a long time ago and that manifested itself differently through boot-loops (Boots up, down, up, down, then finally up). The voltages in HWInfo are all in order.

What I've also tested: Switching the PSU off overnight and pull the power plug. Then the next day the PC boots up immediately. Tested this again with same result. Then I shut down the PC but let the PSU on for 15 min. Then I start the PC, and I must use Reset 1-2 times to boot again.

I'll keep testing and observing this for a little while. I must be sure whether it's the Mobo or PSU that's at fault here. I'm going to RMA the Mobo if I don't find something reproducible here. The Asus ROG Strix B450-E Gaming seems an interesting alternative...

 

[Pinstripe]

Update: I've RMA'd my MSI board as the issue started to return again, and replaced it with an Asus ROG Strix B450-E board. All problems vanished, so I'm 99% sure the fault was with the MSI board.

 

[KodzghlyCZ]

Surprissingly this has solved my problem, but did it only once, since then I don't get CPU LED error no more and the system starts just fine