Son's computer only goes to motherboard screen!? MSI H81M-E34 motherboard

Toggle sidebar Toggle sidebar
G

Guest

Guest
Hi, Hoping someone can help and thanks in advance too. ;)
My son had a friend build him a gaming computer at Christmas. It's been running smooth up until yesterday. He went to use it and it only showed the motherboard screen. which gives the options for the motherboard, overclocking, M-flash, save/load BIOS, Hardware monitor and board explorer settings.
Now I don't really know what I'm doing except trying to fix my son's broken heart but, I did look up some things on the internet and am wondering if I should start in BIOS? Which I've already looked at and there are 6 overclocking profiles, 1 OC profile save to USB and 1 OC profile load from USB. (Each of the 6 profiles says, "None" for the setting name, BIOS version, Build date and build time) see photos here. (hopefully....)
https://momwants2batechie.shutterfly.com
So, if you have any ideas how to get him back up and running, the entire family would appreciate it! Ty sooo much!
 
Sort by date Sort by votes
3ogdy

3ogdy

Distinguished
Jul 13, 2009
738
24
19,315
This has nothing to do with overclocking. Your Pentium G3250 is running at 3.2GHz, which is the stock clockspeed for that CPU.
You entered the overclocking section, but right above the MSI Golden Star logo, you have a horizontal list of icons which represent the boot device priority list. The first one in your photos is the hard disk drive, which should carry the windows installation. What happens when you click on that first icon? You need to make the computer start from the hard disk drive and see if there are any errors after you get it to do that.

Have you tried exiting the BIOS even without changing anything just to see what happens next? What happens when, right after turning the computer is turned on, you hit F11 repeatedly until you get image on the screen?
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
G

Guest

Guest
Not a thing.
I did go to boot settings and took another pic. Boot option #1 says SATA4:WDC WD10EZEX-00BN5AO https://momwants2batechie.shutterfly.com/
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
3ogdy

3ogdy

Distinguished
Jul 13, 2009
738
24
19,315
I see the first boot device is a Western Digital HDD. In the latest screenshot you've taken I see the "Full screen logo display" option Enabled. Please disable that, save changes and exit bios to restart PC. See what appears on the screen after that (sometimes the info might be hidden behind the full screen logo).
Apparently the (main) HDD seems to be set as the first device to start from. Are there any USB devices connected to the computer other than mouse and keyboard? If so, please disconnect them as the PC might for whatever the reason want to try and boot from them.
Also, in the Hard Disk Drives BBS Priorities and "UEFI Hard Disk Drive BBS Priorities" see if you can :
1. disable every single device from the list except the WDC HDD.
2. if not, then try to set the WDC as the ONLY device on the list (if the only option to achieve that in the BIOS is to set the WDC unit as a boot device as many times as you can to fill the boot list, do so, although the motherboard should allow you to disable most boot devices from the list. (do so for both UEFI and non-UEFI (the 2 options at the bottom of the screen).
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
G

Guest

Guest
Ok.
Did restart. Opens with MSI Military Class 4 Star Medal and says the words Military Class Motherboard and at the very bottom says press <Del> to run BIOS Setup, or <F11> to run boot menu. (The "page" flashes off the back on every couple of seconds.)
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
SkyNetRising

SkyNetRising

Titan
Jan 4, 2016
29,826
3,847
111,640
I don't see error message there.
47a6da11b3127cce98548a7e721800000037100AYtGLlo2aN2Kg

What happens after that?
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
G

Guest

Guest
3ogdy, I did the f11 and went to the WDC. I thought it was going to work for a second there but it went to the black page with the specifics. (The latest photo from a couple of minutes ago. Still flashing. But doesn't flash at the Motherboard screen (My 1st pics) Ty for all your help too. I really appreciate it.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
3ogdy

3ogdy

Distinguished
Jul 13, 2009
738
24
19,315
The last screenshot you posted is usually the one that makes everyone say "OK....now what?" The computer shouldn't remain in that state. It should either throw an error or continue to boot normally. What that tells us is the computer's not overclocked at all, that you have 1xKeyboard, 1xmouse and....3 hubs? Aren't your keyboard and mouse the only devices connected through USB to your computer?
The HDD where Windows is supposedly located is on SATA port4. But after the HDD is detected, does anything else happen? You tell me how the PC reacts to the F11 menu.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
3ogdy

3ogdy

Distinguished
Jul 13, 2009
738
24
19,315


Try entering the BIOS again and resetting it. The option might be in the SETTINGS area from this screenshot.
It might be called "Load Default Values".

At this point it's either an HDD problem or a motherboard issue.
Have you ever opened a PC up? Could you choose a different SATA port on the motherboard to connect the hard drive to?
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
G

Guest

Guest
You said; The last screenshot you posted is usually the one that makes everyone say "OK....now what?" The computer shouldn't remain in that state. It should either throw an error or continue to boot normally. What that tells us is the computer's not overclocked at all, that you have 1xKeyboard, 1xmouse and....3 hubs? Aren't your keyboard and mouse the only devices connected through USB to your computer?
The HDD where Windows is supposedly located is on SATA port4. But after the HDD is detected, does anything else happen? You tell me how the PC reacts to the F11 menu.

I believe that the mouse and keyboard are the only things connected... I see the power supply and a Blue connection that looks to me like it's going to something connected to the motherboard(?) https://momwants2batechie.shutterfly.com
There is no DVD/CD player in his unit. He downloaded windows 8.1 by briefly connecting a cd player. His friend told him he didn't need one since he would be down loading games via the computer. So his friend took back with him the DVD/CD unit.
BIOS settings seemed to be in the OC profile of the picture u sent back to me. I had to give it a name, which I did and then load overclocking profile. the profile now does have a BIOS version E7817IMS V17.5 instead of saying "None + it also gives a "Build" date and time which previously also said none. I saved and rebooted to no avail it gives me the blinking black screen with the same earlier specifics.

You asked; Have you tried both options there, using both the Windows Loader and the SATA option to see if there's any difference?
Windows loader took me to the same black screen...

the SATA option has taken my to a non blinking screen asking my to : Reboot and Select proper Boot device
or Inse4rt Boot media in selected Boot device and press a key_
This is the first time I have seen this screen.
(
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
G

Guest

Guest
I rebooted (turned the computer off, then on) just goes to the same black screen (pic of mine that SkyNetRising reposted above.) SkyNetRising, the computer still runs but the black screen that show the specifics, it "blinks" or "flashes" the specifics are only seen for 2 seconds and goes black for 20 seconds. If I hit f11 it will take me to start up options (which so far haven't worked) and if I hit the delete button it will take me to the settings page which I have been referring to as the mother board screen.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
3ogdy

3ogdy

Distinguished
Jul 13, 2009
738
24
19,315
I've seen your pic with the open PC case. Let's try resetting the BIOS by removing the battery from the motherboard:
http://goo.gl/TF6QHw
That's your motherboard. The little rounded battery sits below the fan - between the fan and the graphics card, to the left of the "msi" logo. You can press the little piece of metal next to it to make it pop out. Make sure you do this with no power cable connected to your PC (it should be switched off, then after removing your power cable, press the power button to drain whatever is left in the capacitors before removing the battery) After removing the battery leave the PC like that for 10 minutes. Then try powering it on without the battery and see if anything changes at all.

If after 10 minutes, the PC doesn't work without the battery (you're either with a black screen or in the same situation where it restarts or freezes at the BIOS), plug the battery back in and retry booting the PC.
If it still doesn't work, I've seen your motherboard has an integrated graphics port (blue one). You may want to remove the graphics card (the one your monitor cable with the blue connector goes in) by taking out a screw and removing it from the motherboard. Connect your monitor to the blue VGA port on the back of the motherboard and check whether the PC boots up properly without the GPU connected.

While we're at it, I don't know what graphics card this PC has, but by the looks of it, it shouldn't require a PCI-Express cable from the power supply. Anyway, this is how the PCIExpress power connector looks like on a graphics card - it's always in the upper right corner of the graphics card - after removing the graphics card to test with your integrated graphics, please see if your GPU has this connector on it (it can have either 6 or 8 pins)
http://www.legitreviews.com/images/reviews/730/sapphire_radeon4850_power.jpg
If the card has the connector, a cable from the power supply must be connected there (in the photo with the hardware inside your computer there's one such cable to the right of the picture - black connector with yellow wiring and 6 pins)
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
G

Guest

Guest
ok, powered up without battery. That black specifics page is up and not "blinking" AND it now says all settings were reset to default values.
press F1 to run setup
press F2 to continue
Which should I choose?
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
G

Guest

Guest
3ogdy, you said, "After removing the battery leave the PC like that for 10 minutes. Then try powering it on without the battery and see if anything changes at all." did go to black screen with the option. Chose F2 like you said, went to military class motherboard screen with <DEL> to run BIOS setup, or F11 to run boot menu (which flashes about 10 seconds of motherboard screen then to black for about 10 seconds) reset battery, rebooted and it does the same thing.

you said, "You may want to remove the graphics card (the one your monitor cable with the blue connector goes in) by taking out a screw and removing it from the motherboard. Connect your monitor to the blue VGA port on the back of the motherboard and check whether the PC boots up properly without the GPU connected." we have the card out and the blue connecter to the motherboard and it too goes to the same page.
you said, "While we're at it, I don't know what graphics card this PC has, but by the looks of it, it shouldn't require a PCI-Express cable from the power supply. Anyway, this is how the PCIExpress power connector looks like on a graphics card - it's always in the upper right corner of the graphics card - after removing the graphics card to test with your integrated graphics, please see if your GPU has this connector on it (it can have either 6 or 8 pins)"
I don't think it does but I took a pic if you'd like to have a look. https://momwants2batechie.shutterfly.com/pictures
So, the card is still out. Shall I put it back and toss out the computer? ; )
Again, Thanks for your help so much!

 
Upvote 0 Downvote
3ogdy

3ogdy

Distinguished
Jul 13, 2009
738
24
19,315
Alright. We've eliminated a few things from the equation. It's not your motherboard BIOS. The CPU doesn't seem faulty, the graphics card seems OK in your situation.
As a last pair of things I'd try is changing the connector through which the hard disk drive is talking to the motherboard. (you have 4 of them in 2 sets. Pick one from the other set and connect the cable coming from your HDD to one of those 2 ports from the other set. That's one thing.
v4b64m

The last one I would try is: remove the memory module from the slot and connect it to the second one (I believe you have 1x8GB module - the motherboard has 2 memory slots - to the right of the CPU fan). If this doesn't work, I'm afraid you might have a motherboard issue.

Please keep the following into account: your Windows installation could've been corrupted by a virus - the hard drive is detected, so if you happen to have a USB stick around , you could get a copy of Windows onto it, boot the computer from the memory stick and try to install Windows onto the WDC Hard Disk. That's literally the last thing to do before sending the motherboard (it's what I'd bet my money on, even thought I'm not 100% sure) for replacement under warranty terms. (I usually prefer ASUS or Gigabyte).

https://pix.sfly.com/v4b64m

You may want to give updating the BIOS a try. You'll need a USB stick, though. Once you just put the file on the stick, enter BIOS-> MFlash (lower left side of the screen, usually)
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
G

Guest

Guest
3ogdy, Sincerely, thank you so much for your time and many responses to try and help me with my boy's computer. I appreciate it so much. I'm going to try what you've said but I will have to do so a little bit later or perhaps in the am. I will respond again with an update on what worked or not.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
You must log in or register to reply here.

TRENDING THREADS

Latest posts

Moderators online

Share this page

COMPANY
RESOURCES
FOLLOW
Top Bottom