Hello,

I cannot install the OS on my first PC build because it keeps rebooting. See:

https://linustechtips.com/topic/1380...eps-rebooting/

Does anyone have any advice for me?

It's been making me feel pretty bad, even though I know it's not the end of the world.

Thanks.

There are many things that can be wrong, but it is extremely tough to find out if you don't have other parts.

I see you have xmp disabled and the ram running on 2133MHz. I don't think it is the ram if you have tried different configurations with a single stick. They're onlikely to be bad both of them.

Maybe find some cheap second hand parts to swap out. Buy some 4GB ram stick that runs at 2400MHz. Should cost you 15$ or so

If the PC is rebooting before even getting into bios, take out the SSD and see if that helps

Thanks for your reply.

Based on a little searching I did, I got the impression that when you use RAM not on the mobo's QVL, there's a small chance that the RAM actually won't work even if all of the specs look right. So I guess even if my RAM is not defective, there is a chance that my problem is caused because my mobo dosen't like my RAM. My mobo did have a yellow Q-LED on which is supposed to mean the most probable cause of error is the DRAM.

I've been e-mailing Asus support asking about RAM compatibility, but so far they just sent me troubleshooting steps that it looks like the worker just copy and pasted.

Buying cheap parts to swap out sounds like a good idea. Thanks, I forgot that I could do that.

My PC gets into BIOS fine. It doesn't crash in BIOS and it looks like it detects everything fine.

OK, so that sounds like a ram incompatibility. Even though it is weird it won't even work @ 2133MHz. Just get a 4GB stick Samsung/Hynix/Kingston of 2133/2400 MHz. People are dumping them and they are compatible with every board. Maybe you can lend one from a local tech shop

I've very rarely seen ram incompatibility and never ever seen it with vengeance lpx ram
did you update the bios? mobo might not support Ryzen 5th gen out of the box
asus have what they call EZ flash updates, i.e. you don't need a cpu mounted to update the bios, there are instructions in the manual on which specific usb port to use, you download the uefi version you need from their site, put it on a stick, must be formatted in a certain way, I think FAT32 and only have that file on

Yes, I successfully updated to the most recent BIOS using the Asus BIOS FlashBack before I even tried to install Windows.

I know it's frustrating right now but these problems always fix themselves eventually, sometimes out of the blue.

I would start by trying to get the system to boot with only the bare essentials, no ssd in, no fans except for cpu fan connected, 1 ram stick in various positions. actually try removing the leads from the front case IO, the small stuff like power/restart and short the pins yourself to start it

it can be smth as small as a bad cable somewhere or imo more likely some electrical factory defect on the mobo. I don't think it's impossible TUF doesn't play well with corsair ram but very unlikely imo.

do you have error codes or error leds on that mobo?

https://www.asus.com/support/FAQ/1042678/

The system can boot into BIOS fine. It doesn't crash in BIOS and it seems to detect all of the parts fine. I don't really understand what you wrote there. You mean I should try doing those while trying to boot from my USB Windows installation media?

Yes. A few times, I noticed that after rebooting in a loop several times for a few minutes, the display went off (but the fans still on) and the yellow Q-LED light on the motherboard was on. It is supposed to mean the most probable cause of error is the DRAM.

oh so it lets you boot into uefi and from the usb drive as well but it won't let you finish installing windows?

uhm, put windows on that usb stick again, follow the same process, mby some files got corrupted on the way, if not try with another usb stick
try with a linux distro, like ubuntu, similar process to put that on a usb stick, at least you're trying to get into an operating system where you can better test individual components

It's most likely a dodgy RAM stick, but I do have one machine that likes to randomly reset its XMP settings every so often and this results in the machine going unstable (due to undervolting the RAM I think) until you go into BIOS and set them back again.

Juk

ye could be 1 bad stick of ram or 1 bad slot on the mobo, but there has to be 1 combination of stick+slot used where it works

I got a response from Asus Product Support:
Thoughts?

I guess I should buy some cheap RAM that is on my mobo's QVL and if using it gets my PC to work, then I will buy 32 GB RAM that is on my mobo's QVL. Or do you think I should take a gamble and just skip buying cheap RAM for testing?

I would appreciate it if someone gives me suggestions for cheap RAM and for 32 GB RAM that are on my mobo's QVL (link to my pcpartpicker list, link to mobo's QVL).

I did not try anything new, but after a few rebooting loops, I got 'lucky' and I was able to get pretty far in the Windows 10 installation. It did the rebooting after I selected the region and then keyboard layout. I got the BSOD a few times (PAGE_FAULT_IN_NONPAGED_AREA, PHASE1_INITIALIZATION_FAILED, DRIVER_IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL, KERNEL_SECURITY_CHECK_FAILURE). Now most times I try to start the PC, it reboots basically the same as usual, except this time there is "Preparing Automatic Repair" under the Windows dots loading and the TUF Gaming logo.

I saw in my BIOS that it had my DRAM Voltage at 1.200 V. I changed it to 1.35 V, but that didn't seem to help. When I enable Profile#1 D.O.C.P DDR4-3200 16-20-20-38-1.35V (which also doesn't help), the BIOS changes the following:
I don't know what the [Auto] values are, but I think the other values are right. But none of this changed the rebooting symptoms, and I don't know if there is anything I can change in the BIOS to fix my problem.

Thanks for everyone's help.

so when Asus says 3000 Mhz ram works but 3200 doesn't, I'm guessing they're using the same automated response since 1st gen Ryzens, when the cpu only worked with 2933 Mhz ram for a while and after some updates, accepted 3000. Really shouldn't be the case with 5th gen Ryzens.

1.2V is less likely to crash than 1.35v
disable xmp for now, let it run at default 2133 Mhz

did you try to put W10 on the usb drive again? or used another usb stick? mby some files got corrupted first time you did it

I guess if you're out of options, buy ram that's on the qvl list, you can return it if it doesn't work, if it does the job keep it and sell the one you got now

and if it's not the ram, it's the mobo, RMA it and they'll give you another one

I think they are both 3200 MHz. Link to pcpartpicker comparison: https://ca.pcpartpicker.com/products...W6ndnQ,DMn8TW/

Yes, that is the default which is what I had for most of my attempts.

Yes, I formatted the drive and put W10 on again a couple times a few days ago. It did not seem to change anything. If I want to try another usb, then I would need to buy one. I did not try Linux though. But yesterday, I got 'lucky' and I got far enough in the Windows installation so that W10 is now on my SSD I think. I see in the BIOS that it now boots from the SSD. But still it reboots basically the same as usual, except this time there is "Preparing Automatic Repair" under the Windows dots loading and the TUF Gaming logo.

ok now try 1 new stick of ram from the qvl list to make super sure

Forget the exact steps but get to the trouble shooting prompt and try the installing by ignoring signatures on drivers option. Have you tried disabling secure boot ?

Option 2 at this link describes what I am suggesting

https://www.howtogeek.com/167723/how...igned-drivers/

Other than your mobo QVL list, you can also verify the compatibility lists of the RAM manufacturers.

For example for Corsair
https://www.corsair.com/us/en/Catego...ycompatibility

Unfortunately, even after trying cheap RAM (PSD44G240081) which is on the mobo's QVL, my computer still gets the same rebooting symptoms. I also got various BSODs.

I was able to try option 2 on that link, but it didn't help. I did not try disabling secure boot.


I also tried to boot Linux Mint from my USB (and I selected GPT partition on Rufus), but the computer keeps restarting a second or two after selecting start (both regular and compatibility mode).

I tried a few more things two days ago, but they didn't work. I reset the CMOS, uninstalled and reinstalled the CPU (the pins looked clean and unbent), and I took out the 8-pin CPU power and plugged it back in.

Today, I did not really change anything (all I did was plug in the PSU into a receptacle on a wall instead of an extension cord), and the restarting still happened, but somehow after a few times, I was able to finish the Windows 10 installation and picked a name and password, and I got onto the desktop. I was only able to stay on the desktop for a few seconds and then the computer restarted without me doing anything. I was able to get to the desktop two more times but each time the computer would restart after a few seconds. Now I can't seem to get in again.

In the BIOS, my CPU Temperature is 55 degrees Celsius, and the VDDCR CPU Voltage is 1.456 V or 1.472 V. This is fine, right?

What parts do you think are the most likely to be causing the problem? What parts can we rule out or are unlikely (RAM I guess because I tried RAM on the QVL)?

I don't want to buy more PC parts to swap out (and I don't have access to any) and I'm already sick of all of the time I spent. I am probably going to give up soon. What would be the best way to give up? Try to sell all of the PC parts? Pay someone to troubleshoot and fix (would I need to worry about getting ripped off)? Is it possible to sell all of the parts to a PC building pro and then without obligation if they get it working, then I can buy the PC?

Thanks.

Surely you can find a tech shop where they have Ryzen PCs and a maintenance service.

If you have a multimeter, you can test the voltages of the PSU, but I really don't think a premium Seasonic will crap out on you. So my money is on the motherboard.

You bought all these parts? Can't you return them ?

Also lol at the support you are getting from the linus forum

my money's on the mobo too
take the whole thing to a pc shop, most should have a "can't fix or figure it out, you don't pay" policy
if it turns out board is faulty, you can RMA it and get a new one or your money back

these are quite high
not up to the point of bricking anything or interfere with windows installing

mby try 1 or 2 different bios versions

Welp not a driver issue then.

Why are you not disabling secure boot on your mobo for a clean install? It might solve your problems. Linux Mint also uses secure boot, so you're not going to see a difference between windows 10 and mint as mint won't install properly if secure boot is enabled on your mobo.

Installing from a rufus usb drive means you're going to need to boot into UEFI (because rufus) and disable secure boot (because windows and your mobo).

I ran into this on a windows 10 clean install myself recently.