Extreme4 Z77 Won't Boot, No beeps, Fans turn on

[elmuchogrumpy]

Howdy!

I've been having trouble with an ASRock Extreme4 Z77 that will not boot. My setup was working without any issues for several months and suddenly stopped working. I was seeing some power fluctuations in my apartment and thought that it might be power surges that fried my motherboard. I performed extensive troubleshooting and the only thing that I can imagine is that there is still something wrong with the mobo even after an RMA to ASRock and replacing the CPU. I know for a fact that the PSU is not the issue.

Symptoms:

• My CPU and case fans power up, but when I attach a HDD the HDD doesn't spin up. Nothing appears on the display.
• None of the lights on the mobo turn on. Dr. Debug doesn't turn on either. The mobo is being powered with both the 8-pin and 24-pin power from my PSU and the CPU fan is plugged in.
• There are no beeps (I have my mobo speaker plugged in), even when there's no RAM inserted.
• The fans won't turn on sometimes and I'll have to reset the CMOS or remove the power cable and re-insert it to get the fans to start again. I'm using the power button on the motherboard to turn it on.
• Once I hit the power sometimes the fans will run for about 30seconds or even for over 20 minutes before turning themselves off again. It seems like a random amount of time.

Here are my specs:

• ASRock Extreme4 Z77
• Intel Core i5 3570K
• OCZ ZS 750W PSU
• 8GB Patriot IEM DDR3 1600 (2x4GB)
• ZOTAC Geforce GTX 560Ti
• Sandisk Extreme 240GB SSD
• Windows 7 64-bit

Troubleshooting Performed:

• All of the components were disconnected (HDD, GPU, etc) except for the PSU, mobo, CPU, and RAM. I breadboarded the mobo and removed it from the case and put it on a cardboard box, but it still wouldn't boot. It doesn't look like a shorting/ESD issue.
• I started by trying to remove one stick RAM and putting it into different slots, but it still wouldn't boot. It doesn't seem like the RAM is the issue.
• I removed the RAM completely and didn't hear any beeps with my mobo speaker attached. This was a sign to me that the mobo was the problem.
• I RMA'd the motherboard and received a new one from ASRock, but the new mobo didn't boot either after performing the same troubleshooting.
• I then thought it might be my OCZ ZS 750W PSU so I tested the PSU by measuring the voltages from all of the rails with a multimeter, but they were all within tolerances. I have another computer and hooked up the OCZ 750W PSU to that computer and have been using this OCZ PSU in the other computer for a few months now. I've also tried hooking up an Antec Neo HE 550W PSU and it showed the same symptoms. It's definitely not the PSU.
• I assumed the the RMA'd mobo I received from ASRock was functioning so the only other possibility was the CPU (since there was only the mobo, CPU, and PSU), which are typically unlikely to fail. I RMA'd the CPU and received a new one, but the problem still persisted with the new CPU and the computer wouldn't boot.

My only conclusion is that the mobo they sent me was damaged during shipping and was DOA. They said that they tested the RMA mobo they sent me and it booted into Windows, but perhaps it was damaged in transit. Does anyone have any thoughts? I'm probably going to have to RMA the motherboard again by the looks of it. I know that it can't be the CPU, RAM, or PSU, which leaves only the motherboard. Thank you!

[therube]

Re: Extreme4 Z77 Won't Boot, No beeps, Fans turn on

Worth a check (for bent pins), New build will not post Asrock Z77 Extreme6.

[elmuchogrumpy]

Re: Extreme4 Z77 Won't Boot, No beeps, Fans turn on

I'll have to give that a try. Thank you for the recommendation!

[renegade44]

Re: Extreme4 Z77 Won't Boot, No beeps, Fans turn on

I just bought this board and had a few issues getting started. What I found to be the best feature of this board was DR Debug. Thats the flashing led next the BIOS chip and the power switch. stop on code 55 and reseated the memory. Then it stopped on another code draggged out the manual and the code was video related and reseated the Video card. Stop on anothe code and reseated the Keyboard and... everything worked. If its not working read the code and find out what it represent in the manual... You know RTFM

4.2G on i5-3570K stock fan.

[elmuchogrumpy]

Re: Extreme4 Z77 Won't Boot, No beeps, Fans turn on

Ahh, thank you for the recommendation, however I can't actually get any error codes from Dr. Debug. The LCD on the mobo never lights up or comes on :(

[renegade44]

Re: Extreme4 Z77 Won't Boot, No beeps, Fans turn on

Ahh, thank you for the recommendation, however I can't actually get any error codes from Dr. Debug. The LCD on the mobo never lights up or comes on :(

Guess I should have RTFP LOL You should haved RMA'd it when Dr Debug didn't light up

[elmuchogrumpy]

Re: Extreme4 Z77 Won't Boot, No beeps, Fans turn on

Hehe, no problem. I did RMA the first board it actually. This is the second board that is having problems and I don't know whether this might be coincidence or if it might be something else. Although, I don't know what else it can be. I RMA'd my CPU and know that my PSU is good because I'm using it right now in another computer.

[profJim]

Re: Extreme4 Z77 Won't Boot, No beeps, Fans turn on

PSU compatibility might be a problem, even though your OCZ psu works with another system.
Are you sure that your Antec Neo HE 550W psu is working properly? Was it powering your other system?
Try testing your motherboard outside of the computer case with another power supply where you use a minimal hardware setup.
You might need to test with a different brand of compatible memory from the motherboard's memory compatibility list.

Only use one memory module in the correct slot, PS/2 keyboard, cpu + heatsink/fan, use the integrated graphics output and don't install your graphics card.
Use the stock Intel cpu cooler instead of an aftermarket unit.
Test with the 8-pin EPS12V power cable connected and if needed, connect the 4-pin ATX_12V psu cable connected instead.
Make sure that each of the connected individual power supply wires are not loose.
Don't connect any wires to the front header panel connectors and carefully short the 2 power on/off pins to start your system.

Do NOT power on your motherboard with an anti-static bag or mat underneath the motherboard.
When I'm building a new system, I place the motherboard on a cardboard box beside the computer case before I turn it on.

[renegade44]

Re: Extreme4 Z77 Won't Boot, No beeps, Fans turn on

SNIP

Don't connect any wires to the front header panel connectors and carefully short the 2 power on/off pins to start your system.

Do NOT power on your motherboard with an anti-static bag or mat underneath the motherboard.
When I'm building a new system, I place the motherboard on a cardboard box beside the computer case before I turn it on.

The ASrock Extreme4 has an on/off switch. No need for the screwdriver switch. And yes when you get the new board try all new parts if you can. Did you inspect the CPU pins before sending it back?

And big thumbs up on not using the Anti static bag. My motherboard is on top of the Motherboard box while I'm waiting for my heatsink.

[profJim]

Re: Extreme4 Z77 Won't Boot, No beeps, Fans turn on

In post #1 the OP said "I'm using the power button on the motherboard to turn it on."
I intentionally mentioned shorting both of the header panel's power on/off pins to ensure that the motherboard's on/off button was not part of the problem.

For those who don't know, an anti-static mat or bag is electrically conductive to prevent static electriity from damaging hardware and you don't want a conductive surface under the motherboard when you turn on the power.

[elmuchogrumpy]

Re: Extreme4 Z77 Won't Boot, No beeps, Fans turn on

Hi profJim,

Yes, the Antec Neo HE 550W power supply is working properly. It has been reliably powering my other system for over two years. There really shouldn't be any issues with supplying power to the board since any ATX power supply will power any ATX motherboard, right? I'll try powering the system again with the other power supply and a minimal setup. And I'll make sure to short the two power on/off pins to start the motherboard. I can try different RAM in my motherboard, but when I plug in my motherboard with no RAM at all, shouldn't it be beeping and telling me that there is no RAM? I feel like until I can get beeps from the mobo that there is no RAM, then it seems like a moot point to be trying all of these different setups and components. I'll still give these setups a try, but it seems like the problem is more fundamental if I can't even get it to complain that there's no RAM.

I already have the new RMA'd motherboard and unfortunately haven't checked the CPU pins yet. I'll definitely check the pins before doing these setups. Thank you for the recommendations! It's nice to think this over with some other people.

[profJim]

Re: Extreme4 Z77 Won't Boot, No beeps, Fans turn on

In theory, every functioning psu should power any modern ATX motherboard. I've seen a few threads where a name brand psu will power one motherboard but won't power a different brand of motherboard due to some kind of incompatibility. I don't know if your board will beep or provide an LED error code if the 8-pin EPS12V or 4-pin ATX_12V psu cable is not connected to the motherboard or if there is a problem with this connection.

When you check for bent cpu socket pins you should also view the pins from a low angle with your eyes near the edge of the motherboard where you are looking for pins that might be slightly lower than the rest of the pins. In a recent thread the OP found 1 cpu socket pin that was about 1 mm lower than the rest of the pins. After he carefully raised the pin, his system would boot.

Page 43 in your mobo user manual shows the following LED codes for memory errors: 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, and 55.
Code 55 = Memory not installed.
This doesn't help if the board's LED's remain off.

Test the case speaker that is attached to your motherboard in another system to ensure that the speaker works.
I didn't find any beep error code descriptions in the motherboard manual.
Yes it's good to have several people thinking things through, but you're the one who has to do all the grunt work.