pc locked up, stuck on boot, no bios swapped cpus with sim build, both work?

[mookie1590]

Ok, got a bizzare issue I'm trying to understand. tried to start pc black screen, stuck on boot light, num lock doesn't react, no bios access. Nothing. Tried to fix for a while. Pulled out all drives

I took my pc over to my brothers that has a similar build. We both have 3900x, different motherboards mine is steel legends asrock ,his is strix e-gaming. They both use x570

We tested and tested swapped ram first didn't fix it. Then we swapped cpus. He put his 3900x in my machine and my machine booted up once more. I thought it was a mobo issue at first but it started working. Assumed bad cpu. Then just for the hell of it, I put my "bad" 3900x in his motherboard, and it booted up as well.

So doing a cpu swap, they both work. I was like weird. So I put my "bad" cpu back in my machine and the error happened again, black screen, no boot, no bios. I did reseat everything a couple times prior.

 

So as it sits now. I can not use my 3900x in my motherboard at all. locks up. I'm using my brothers. But my cpu that stopped working, works in his.

 

We've stress tested both machines, was wondering if a core went bad. But they both passed. He's using all 4 ram slots so was wondering if a ram connection died in the cpu chipmunks  itself, but that isnt it.

 

So I want to know, what the hell? What happened? My only working theory is that my bad cpu had something fry within the die, and my brothers motherboard doesn't use that circuit. But it makes no sense at all. I used that cpu in my motherboard since these chips dropped.

 

I'm kinda tempted to just rebuild my pc, move up to ddr5. Just because of this weird issue I dont want to strike again. r if my mobo did something, dont want to damage my brothers cpu. I'm using his chip right now, hes using mine.

 

bonus points, a fans bearing went bad and windows updated within the same period this issue arised with my machine

[Nominal Animal]

Are you sure his isn't 3900X (100-000000023) and yours 3900XT (100-000000277)?  The former is supported by ASRock X570 Steel Legend in all BIOS versions, but the latter requires P2.80 or later.

Asus ROG STRIX X570-E Gaming WiFi II supports both, in all BIOS versions.

While this is basically just a guess based on your descriptions, it does fit, if your Steel Legend motherboard has an older BIOS on it.
When running on the working CPU, do check (and update) the BIOS.  (It could also be a motherboard BIOS and microcode update compatibility issue, which updating the BIOS while running on the working CPU should also fix.)

I'd also check that the memory you use on the Steel Legend is listed in the Memory QVL (Matisse/Matisse 2) for Steel Legend.  Some memory chips might be marginal and happen to work initially, but now that some of the caps etc. have had a nice good toasting (due to insufficient airflow), the memory no longer works.  Unlikely, but theoretically possible.

[Whales]

On that note, is it possible for a dual BIOS image system (one current, one factory) to decided that the current image has a bad checksum and restore from factory?  That would change CPU support.

[mookie1590]

Yes, 100% they are the same chips, we bought them in the same day too when we were discussing parts.
Memory all is all supported, and works fine
Neither of us has updated in bios in like a year. So hard to say

I might look into bios, says there is an update. But I did have to update when I first bought the motherboard. It shipped with 1.6 that didn't seem to support my 3900x. Bought a cheap cpu to get into bios and update. But this was years ago. I'm assuming it shipped with 1.6 because there is a sticker on the bios chip itself labeling that. but I did update years ago. I dont remember the current version right now. But its always worked.
I normally dont update bios unless I have to, still dont have a PSU and our transmission lines are old and sometimes the power goes out.

I need to look into updating bios, just dont want to touch it now. It works for now. But well see what happens.

[mookie1590]

Possible, but my factory is 1.6, which either cpu shouldn't work then. I remember having to update bios when I built it because the 3900x would not work at all.
I dont have a duel bios, but my brother does have a duel in his motherboard.

It did do this after a windows update when I was asleep. So after windows reset the machine. So it could be a possible bios issue.
IT woke me up at like 4 am too. Because I thought I heard hdd clicking sounds like a bad drive in my dreams. Woke me straight up. But was a bad fan bearing that was rhythmic.
Honestly hilarious the fan went bad at the same time as this.

[wraper]

I had a weird issue with Ryzen 3700X on Asus PRIME X370-PRO motherboard. While I had my old 1700X CPU I updated it with a first bios release which supported 3700X. Then installed my old CPU into another computer which I gave to my sister who was visiting Latvia at the time (she lives in UK). While I was waiting a new CPU to arrive for a few weeks as it was just released was using a laptop instead. So CPU arrived, installed it and it worked ok. Changed some settings, I think memory related and I could not boot it anymore. Resetting bios settings by taking out the battery, using jumper and leaving only single memory module did not help. So in the end I bought cheapest Athlon CPU, updated the bios to a newer version which came out while I was waiting for CPU and it worked fine with 3700X again.

[mookie1590]

That Is a weird issue. Hell I guess mine might be bios related too. But that fact I took another 3900x from my brothers pc and it worked again just through me for a loop.
I did reset the bios as well, didnt help me at all. I removed the battery and also jumped the jumped after I put the coin cell back in to be sure. Still could not access my bios.

I really dont understand much between bios and cpu communications.
Depending how the nvidea 4xxx goes. I may just upgrade or wait on the ryzen 7xxx series. And not worry about it anymore

[wraper]

The problem might be in CPU microcode. It gets updated with some bios releases. So two of these same model CPUs may have a different microcode.

[Nominal Animal]

The problem might be in CPU microcode. It gets updated with some bios releases. So two of these same model CPUs may have a different microcode.

(Actually, microcode might be updated as part of the OS updates, too.)  This, too, fits the symptoms, and ought to be fixed by a BIOS update.

[mookie1590]

All right thanks everyone. Nice to know about that. Didnt know.
I'll look into updating. But might not feel like swapping cpus for a little bit. But will in the future