posts and can boot to bios but windows won't load | Linus Tech Tips | Page 1

stiff linden Aug 30, 2023, 8:50 AM

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System Specs:
3200g
B450 Tomahawk non max
16GB hyper X 2666mhz cl16

Error:
I've been trying to install windows on this machine, however when trying to it just gets stuck on loading and won't go much further than that, it just straight up freezes.

I've tried loading a windows installer, that didn't work, tried booting to a 120GB sata ssd, that didn't work either, tried using clone zilla to clone the 120 GB to the 250GB Nvme SSD, that didn't work.

Any help would be much appreciated, I've been trying to figure this out but still keep getting stuck

stiff linden Aug 30, 2023, 10:06 AM

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.

shrewd bobcat Aug 30, 2023, 11:03 AM

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With the windows installer are you booting from a usb connected and set as your boot option 1?

stiff linden Aug 30, 2023, 11:13 AM

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Yes

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tried it 2 ways

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set it up as #1 boot

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then try it with boot override

vital idol Aug 30, 2023, 11:40 AM

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You're gonna need to recreate the windows installation media from another pc, sounds like it corrupted or some shii Bites

stiff linden Aug 30, 2023, 11:50 AM

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thing is

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the installer works for other pcs

vital idol Aug 30, 2023, 12:48 PM

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Still won't hurt to redo it to double check, make sure partition type is gpt or it may not play well with uefi systems

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Could also set up ventoy on it, and see if you can get that to boot; if you can, just throw the iso onto it and you're vibin

stiff linden Aug 30, 2023, 12:53 PM

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aaaaaaa

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could go about it that way

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I did try 3 times reformating the USB and redoing the windows instlaler maker thing

stiff linden Aug 30, 2023, 4:02 PM

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going to try ventoy tonight

stiff linden Aug 30, 2023, 5:35 PM

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stiff linden Aug 30, 2023, 5:52 PM

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loading windows iso from ventoy doesn't work either

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tried booting into ubuntu try mode

stiff linden Aug 30, 2023, 6:17 PM

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Tried all it's just nope.

spark sinew Aug 30, 2023, 6:27 PM

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if you're still within a return period I would just send everything back if you can't fix it

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some things you could maybe try before that:

reseat everything (especially cpu and power connectors)
remove cable extensions if present

stiff linden Aug 30, 2023, 6:31 PM

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it's bought from ebay unfortunately

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weird that it boots to bios but not windows

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and seems to get stuck

signal horizon Aug 30, 2023, 6:39 PM

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@stiff linden Have you tried clearing CMOS?

stiff linden Aug 30, 2023, 6:40 PM

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yep aaaaaaa

signal horizon Aug 30, 2023, 6:40 PM

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Damn. Latest BIOS revision?

vital idol Aug 30, 2023, 6:43 PM

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Actually just had an idea, have you tried clearing secureboot keys/disabling secureboot entirely and also updating bios to latest?

stiff linden Aug 30, 2023, 6:43 PM

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bios is already updated to the latest one

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I've tried both secure and unsecure boot

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CSM and UEFI

vital idol Aug 30, 2023, 6:44 PM

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blacklisting hash errors typically relate to secureboot keys, it shouldn't ever actually prevent booting from a usb though if you've trusted the efi file

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damn i would push ebay support for a return then

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personally

stiff linden Aug 30, 2023, 6:44 PM

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cant

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I've won it on a bid

vital idol Aug 30, 2023, 6:45 PM

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Even if it's a bid, you should still be able to return it for being mislabeled/"arrived not working as expected"

stiff linden Aug 30, 2023, 6:45 PM

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me thinks this specific CPU is the problem

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it's "untested" ✨ ✨✨

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took a gamble

vital idol Aug 30, 2023, 6:45 PM

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Yeah i wouldn't have gambled that one

stiff linden Aug 30, 2023, 6:45 PM

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no bent pins or anything

vital idol Aug 30, 2023, 6:45 PM

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xD

signal horizon Aug 30, 2023, 6:45 PM

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stiff linden it's "untested" ✨ ✨✨

Oh cool, in other words it doesn't work

vital idol Aug 30, 2023, 6:46 PM

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In a lot of scenarios, "untested" is just a funny replacement word for "not working"

stiff linden Aug 30, 2023, 6:46 PM

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seller said they didnt have resources to test it

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yep knew that but like ugh

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it's such a pain

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I just want this build done for a friend man

signal horizon Aug 30, 2023, 6:46 PM

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Well I hope you didn't pay too much for it

stiff linden Aug 30, 2023, 6:46 PM

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15 GBP for the CPU

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20 GBP for the mobo locally

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20 GBP for the ram also locally

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Mobo seller is chill was actually his old part that was used with a 2700x

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ram can't remember how I got a hold of it

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but I tested it on my main intel system and it works

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The weirdest thing to me is the fact that it boots to bios but not windows or any OS

signal horizon Aug 30, 2023, 6:51 PM

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That would be because everything the CPU needs is on the motherboard itself, it can boot to BIOS no problem but has an issue with reading drives of any kind that are connected.

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Now... Assuming you've tried every SATA port and every M.2 port and just...

stiff linden Aug 30, 2023, 6:52 PM

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the funny thing is

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it booted to window one time

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so I plugged in my m.2 to clone the ssd since the installer won't work

signal horizon Aug 30, 2023, 6:53 PM

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Well let's say that it's very unlikely for all of them to have been broken on the motherboard all of a sudden

stiff linden Aug 30, 2023, 6:53 PM

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then it flat out freezes

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and the drives are recognized in the bios

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hdd light isn't on either

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Oop its on but no blinks

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Which would indicate activity

stiff linden Aug 30, 2023, 7:30 PM

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might sound crazy but ill try it with a gpu in it

stiff linden Aug 30, 2023, 7:46 PM

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welp

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that didn't work either

signal horizon Aug 30, 2023, 7:49 PM

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Doesn't really surprise us..

stiff linden Aug 30, 2023, 7:51 PM

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one last thing

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replace the cmos

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wait

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that did something

signal horizon Aug 30, 2023, 7:55 PM

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are you kidding me?

stiff linden Aug 30, 2023, 7:56 PM

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erm

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what the fuck is actually wrong with this system

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it booted to windows

signal horizon Aug 30, 2023, 7:56 PM

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are

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you

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kidding

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me

stiff linden Aug 30, 2023, 7:56 PM

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then I restarted it just to double check

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fuckign pranked

signal horizon Aug 30, 2023, 7:58 PM

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I...

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What

stiff linden Aug 30, 2023, 7:59 PM

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i don't even know what to say...

signal horizon Aug 30, 2023, 8:00 PM

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All this because of a CMOS battery??

stiff linden Aug 30, 2023, 8:00 PM

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it's still not booting normally

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it booted once

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only once into windows

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now I've restarted it

signal horizon Aug 30, 2023, 8:01 PM

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So...

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Not all because of a CMOS battery?

stiff linden Aug 30, 2023, 8:01 PM

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it won't boot again

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it keeps getting frozen

signal horizon Aug 30, 2023, 8:02 PM

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Replacing the battery most likely cleared the CMOS which caused it to be able to try and boot again.

stiff linden Aug 30, 2023, 8:02 PM

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gonna try powering it on without CMOS

signal horizon Aug 30, 2023, 8:02 PM

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But since the problem is still there, we're back to square one.

stiff linden Aug 30, 2023, 8:07 PM

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Here's my system settings

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and here's what happens

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vital idol Aug 30, 2023, 8:17 PM

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Do you by chance have a cpu, ram, psu, etc.. to swap temporarily in order to test?

stiff linden Aug 30, 2023, 8:18 PM

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I have loads of parts except another ryzen cpu

vital idol Aug 30, 2023, 8:18 PM

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Would def start by just swapping ram with known good sticks to see if it just sends, after that test with a different psu

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if either don't work.. time to get a new cpu and find out PAIN

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