New build with i5-6600k doesn't POST

[2032]

Over the last month I've put together a new build with the following specs:

CPU i5-6600k
MB ASRock Z170 Gaming-ITX/ac
PSU Silverstone SX500-lg (500 watts)
RAM 2x8gb HyperX 2666mhz DDR4
GPU EVGA GTX 970 sc (refurbished blower cooler version)
SSD 500gb 850 Evo
Cooling for CPU Noctua NH-U9S
Case Cooler Master ATX Mid Tower from 2005 (waiting for NCASE delivery)

When I first put all of this together a week or so ago, it would POST and boot off a USB drive with the Windows 10 installer, but the installation process would always fail with friendly modern BSODs. One of the error codes was IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL and I should probably try to find the crash dumps on the SSD.

I tried using different Windows 10 ISO downloads, switching to a different flash drive, connecting to the integrated GPU, using each RAM stick by itself, disconnecting the SSD and reseating the power connectors, but nothing worked. The last thing I did before it stopped POSTing was to hold down the CMOS reset button for about 10 seconds. After that, it would power on but no display output, etc.

After that I assumed the motherboard must be at fault since both the shipping box and the retail box it arrived in were pretty badly banged up, though there was no obvious damage to the mobo itself. So I sent back the mobo and got a replacement of the same type, but the situation is still exactly the same. I tried pressing the CMOS reset switch again, plus all the other stuff I tried with the last mobo, and nothing worked.

I'm not sure sure where to go from here beyond RMA'ing the CPU, the PSU, and maybe the RAM DIMMs. Could it be something about my case? The only thing wired into the MB from the case now is the power button, though I used to have the whole system panel header hooked up in addition to the case speaker. I haven't tried connecting any of the other headers except for a couple fans.

Thanks to anyone that has ideas about what might be wrong!

 

[Burpo]

If it posts, make sure you have newest bios update for that motherboard (3 weeks ago).
http://www.asrock.com/mb/Intel/Fatal1ty Z170 Gaming-ITXac/?cat=Download&os=BIOS

If it's not posting at all with just the cpu & ram, could be the CPU..

 

[2032]

Thanks for your response!

Edit: Why do you say the CPU?

 

[Burpo]

We have seen Skylake CPU failures.. but it is also possible you zapped your memory handing it so much.

 

[2032]

How much is too much handling exactly, and what is the likelihood that both dimms are now damaged at the same time?

 

[LTC8K6]

Try with no ram. See if it gives the "I don't have any ram" alarm.

 

[2032]

It appears to do the same thing without any RAM at all. So is the CPU the likely problem here?

 

[LTC8K6]

With the speaker connected, and no ram, you get no beeps?

I'd go for the easiest thing first. The power supply.

 

[2032]

With the speaker connected, and no ram, you get no beeps?

I'd go for the easiest thing first. The power supply.

No beeps. I have a free year of Newegg premier so I'm just going to RMA the ram and the Psu while I still can. The CPU is out of Amazon's return window though.

 

[flexy]

It's *likely* some hardware conflict causing BSODs unable to boot - or something else, like a BIOS setting.

Disable as much onboard devices (onboard network, USB, firewire, sound etc.) as you can from BIOS. Also try resetting BIOS/CMOS (check your manual how) and load default values.

There is no need to RMA your memory if you don't know FOR SURE that the ram is causing a problem. You can test this by creating a bootable USB or CD with memtest. Doesn't make sense to randomly RMA components UNLESS you know for sure something is defective.

Even if your RAM should cause those problems, there is also a chance that BIOS settings, RAM timings etc. can solve it.

Edit: I had that many time with "unexplainable" BSODs, especially IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL, just recently three weeks ago when I built a PC for wife and installed Windows 7. It always crapped out with exactly this error. Worse, I couldn't continue the install afterwards. I googled and then found some trick how someone changed a registry value from the recovery console being able to continue the installation and after some time i finally managed it to have Win 7 installed. Obviously the PC itself, hardware etc. has no problems whatsoever. 99% it's Windows, an obscure BIOS setting or whatever and RARELY that really hardware is defective.

Edit: Just to check....it DOES POST and you can actually boot onto a stick or CD....problem only when installing Windows?

Edit 2: Also try the obvious stuff, like the two sticks of RAM in the other slots, reseating your cards etc...double checking power connections...fans etc...

Edit 3: PSU, Here too, you RMA just guessing it might be the PSU? If you can boot onto a stick and run some Windows off a stick or CD it obviously is not the PSU or any hardware. While *possible* I think the chances for a bad PSU are rather slim. Do your fans and drives spin, LEDs light up etc?

**

"it would power on but no display output"

Last but not least...make sure the PC is not hanging BEFORE POST with some error msg and actually giving out a signal on the VGA port, you just can't see it with your monitor plugged in via DVI. (I had this happen more than I can count). PC seems "dead" and not booting, but there is a picture on the VGA port, "CMOS corrupted press F1" or whatever. This is likely seeing that your latest action was a CMOS reset.

 

[2032]

It's *likely* some hardware conflict causing BSODs unable to boot - or something else, like a BIOS setting.

Disable as much onboard devices (onboard network, USB, firewire, sound etc.) as you can from BIOS. Also try resetting BIOS/CMOS (check your manual how) and load default values.

There is no need to RMA your memory if you don't know FOR SURE that the ram is causing a problem. You can test this by creating a bootable USB or CD with memtest. Doesn't make sense to randomly RMA components UNLESS you know for sure something is defective.

Even if your RAM should cause those problems, there is also a chance that BIOS settings, RAM timings etc. can solve it.

Edit: I had that many time with "unexplainable" BSODs, especially IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL, just recently three weeks ago when I built a PC for wife and installed Windows 7. It always crapped out with exactly this error. Worse, I couldn't continue the install afterwards. I googled and then found some trick how someone changed a registry value from the recovery console being able to continue the installation and after some time i finally managed it to have Win 7 installed. Obviously the PC itself, hardware etc. has no problems whatsoever. 99% it's Windows, an obscure BIOS setting or whatever and RARELY that really hardware is defective.

Edit: Just to check....it DOES POST and you can actually boot onto a stick or CD....problem only when installing Windows?

Edit 2: Also try the obvious stuff, like the two sticks of RAM in the other slots, reseating your cards etc...double checking power connections...fans etc...

Edit 3: PSU, Here too, you RMA just guessing it might be the PSU? If you can boot onto a stick and run some Windows off a stick or CD it obviously is not the PSU or any hardware. While *possible* I think the chances for a bad PSU are rather slim. Do your fans and drives spin, LEDs light up etc?

**

"it would power on but no display output"

Last but not least...make sure the PC is not hanging BEFORE POST with some error msg and actually giving out a signal on the VGA port, you just can't see it with your monitor plugged in via DVI. (I had this happen more than I can count). PC seems "dead" and not booting, but there is a picture on the VGA port, "CMOS corrupted press F1" or whatever. This is likely seeing that your latest action was a CMOS reset.

I don't have a VGA port on either the motherboard or my 970. To clarify, it doesn't POST (the actual title of the thread), I cannot boot from anything, and I cannot disable any onboard devices. It WAS posting, but Windows would fail installation with BSODs or just regular error messages. By the time I had made a bootable flash drive with Linux Mint, it wouldn't POST at all. This happened after I reset the CMOS battery with the onboard button, but I probably reset the RAM or whatever before that. I'm sure whatever it is that's wrong is my fault.

Also, I'm not "randomly RMAing" things. I RMA'd the mobo because the shipping box and the retail box were very beat up when I received them, and it turns out that makes no difference. Now, I am RMAing 2 things at once, because with Newegg Premier it probably costs me nothing or very little, and to return the CPU I will have to deal with Intel at this point because it's out of Amazon's return Window.

The only other PSU I have to test with is from 2005 and it doesn't have an 8 pin CPU connector or whatever the # of pins ATX connectors are up to now. The only other desktop RAM I have, also from 2005, is DDR original and isn't compatible. Finally, I do not have any other socket 1151 CPUs or 100 series motherboards. I guess I am a big shot with 10s of dollars to throw away on RMA's instead of waiting another month.

Edit: I could have tested the PSU with my rig from 2005, since it is backwards compatible with the older power connectors, but it's too late now and I don't really care anyway.

Edit 2: Also, by the time I RMA either the RAM or PSU by itself and receive a replacement, I will probably be out of the return window for one of them.