Iterative desktop upgrade

heywood on 14/6/2015 at 17:22

My bet is on a bad mobo. That is assuming the CPU was new in box when you got it. Very unusual to have an Intel CPU fail right out of the box.

faetal on 14/6/2015 at 17:26

WEll based on all I have read, the 3 second shutdown/startup cycle might be because the mobo isn't detecting a CPU fan, which can be down to the fan or the motherboard. I'm hoping the cooler I ordered sorts it as I'd like to avoid a motherboard RMA process.

One other possibility is this: (http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/answers/id-2194950/build-restart-loop-powered-gigabyte-z87-d3hp.html)
I don't know if my BIOS is at F6, which is the one which supports my CPU.

heywood on 14/6/2015 at 18:44

Gigabyte site says F6 was released 2014/01/24. The board has been available since Q2 2013, so if yours was sitting on a shelf for a while it's probably on an earlier BIOS version. Doh. Sometimes the product sticker on the box will have the BIOS version on it.

Never heard of CPU fan detection being required for booting. People with small form factor boards and lower power CPUs often use big passive heat sinks with no fan. Some people with custom water cooling setups don't use the CPU fan header either.

faetal on 14/6/2015 at 21:05

Product sticker doesn't mention the BIOS.
:/
If it's that, then I'm up shit creek really.

[EDIT] One option I may ave would be to buy this chip: (http://www.amazon.fr/Intel-Celeron-Processeur-LGA1150-BX80646G1820/dp/B00HCM8QQE/ref=sr_1_1?s=computers&ie=UTF8&qid=1434316902&sr=1-1&keywords=Celeron+G1820T)
Get in to update the bios and then try the new one.

bikerdude on 15/6/2015 at 10:52

just download the latest bios and the bios update utility and try again.

heywood on 15/6/2015 at 11:45

Need a working CPU to upgrade the BIOS unfortunately

bikerdude on 15/6/2015 at 12:31

Quote Posted by bikerdude

just download the latest bios and the bios update utility and try again.

Quote Posted by heywood

Need a working CPU to upgrade the BIOS unfortunately

Ah, take it to a local computer shop or a mate who has a lower end cpu.</strike>

Ignore all the above, this only applies to some AMD/mobo combinations.

faetal on 15/6/2015 at 14:23

I've lived in Lyon less than one year so can count the number of people I know socially on one hand. The only processor I have is the one in my old machine, which is a different socket I think. Would buying the €40 celeron processor work? Because if so, I can take the hit. I think taking it to a repair shop will likely just result in a €100+ fee and probably the same end result, assuming I've found the problem (it fits better than anything else so far).

heywood on 15/6/2015 at 21:51

Well, if the BIOS version is currently at F5, buying the Celeron CPU is probably a cheaper fix than taking it to a shop. But it might be worth an email to Gigabyte to see if they can help identify the current version by serial number or something.

bikerdude on 16/6/2015 at 07:40

<strike>Assuming the only reason the mobo isnt firing up because of the newer cpu, then yes - sticking a compatible cpu (said cheap ass celeron) will then allow the board to fire and then enable you to upgrade the bios.</strike>

I forgot this is an intel system, I can guarantee its not a cpu/mobo compatibility issue. Remove the mobo from the case and place it on a non-conductive surface, and with the CPU/ram/gpu/psu all plugged in see if it fires up. To power on the mobo just use a small screw driver to touch/short the power pins where the power switch normal connects.

If it all powers up, then have a look at the small metal stand-off's in the case and make sure that 'none' of them are in the wrong location (if any are this would cause a short, and the PSU/mobo would detect this and not power up properly - Ive been there, done that)