Gigabyte Z370 Aorus Gaming 7 - CPU Led on and turns off

vsavatar

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Nov 8, 2017
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I'm getting really frustrated with this. I installed the CPU properly, put thermal grease on it and installed a Noctua NH-D15 cooler. I connected the fans, put all the power supply connectors in properly, installed the RAM, which is on the memory support list, and when I go to turn the system on, the CPU light turns red, and after about 2-3 seconds, it powers off. Then it will power itself on again all on its own a few seconds later, then turn off again, and the cycle repeats. Any ideas?
 

vsavatar

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Nov 8, 2017
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Yes, and nothing in there particularly helps, short of replacing parts. But now that I've looked at the system board, I think, but I can't tell for sure because of how tiny they are, that one of the CPU pins might be bent inward, but that would be impossible, unless it came that way from the factory, because there was no significant force at all used to get the processor in there, and I know for sure that I put it in the right way. This isn't my first build. Sadly, if that's the case, it's new motherboard time.
 

vsavatar

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Nov 8, 2017
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That's a 50 USD minus! However, sadly it seems to be my only practical option. I don't have steady enough hands to bend microscopic pins back into place.
 

publickstews

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Nov 9, 2017
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I've never posted here before but I wanted to chime in because I just had EXACTLY the same problem as you (same Mobo, same cooler). CPU and fans would start for a second, then stop, then start, and continue this sequence. Red CPU light would come on and off.

Although I've changed out every part of a build other than the mobo before, I've never built completely from scratch. My problem tonight was that I had put the two 4-pin CPU power connectors on in the wrong order (the little tabs on the top weren't meeting in the middle, but rather were on opposite ends). Then, I noticed I the other end of that cable had become dislodged from the PSU and was only halfway in. Everything boots fine now. You're probably not dumb like me, but maybe just double check those?
 

vsavatar

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Nov 8, 2017
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This ended up being the case. Sure enough, I was right, and the damn pins were bent. I didn't do a damn thing that I haven't done 50 times over on that board, yet somehow they managed to bend. $45 to Gigabyte to fix it, and $45 more to ship it to them. Ouch!
 

iancarlo.lopez7

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Nov 24, 2017
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Hello, i have the same problem with my z270 gaming k5, but i posted and unfortunately was given no help at all. I saw this post and gladly i wasnt the only one, i myself have had the problem, but i do not know if it is the pins or if there is tiny specks of hair or something inside the motherboard itself or if it is damaged.
 

shaon_rng

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Nov 26, 2014
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Damn guys! I just bought a 8700k and Noctua NH-D15s cooler and almost going to order the Gigabyte z370 Gaming 5 mobo but now I am confused. Gigabyte is advertising that their mobo's cpu pins are "15µ Gold Plated" which suppose to be robust. Now what mobo should I buy now???? Any one faced this cpu pin bending issue with Asus's z370 mobos??
 

tonyzhx0430

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Nov 25, 2017
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I think the biggest problem is the Noctua cooler. We all get pearity same problem, and both using Noctua cooler. I just replaced my z370 gaming7 and get other cooler. Maybe things will go well after I make those changes.
 

shaon_rng

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Nov 26, 2014
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Which cooler you are using now?

 

tonyzhx0430

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Nov 25, 2017
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I mean I was using that, but now I am considering use liquid cooler, like corsair hydro series h100i.
 

ma121hunterbeta

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Nov 30, 2017
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Bought a Gaming 5 last week and many pins came bent. I'm very distressed because I paid a lot for it and the quality control is pretty bad, apparently.
 

shaon_rng

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Nov 26, 2014
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Are the pins weak or it is just poor quality control? If it's the 2nd reason then I can get the mobo from a local store and check the cpu socket before buying. Also, I'm thinking of Asus STX Z370-E but I really want the gaming 5's rgb lighting also I'm reading that the STX boards has some kind of Load Line Calibration problem which causing huge vcore voltage drop. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hCAQpvFhiUs




 

gdf55

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Dec 8, 2017
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I wanted to pass along another solution, since I had the exact same symptoms - CPU light flashes, then MEM light stays lit a few seconds, then the board resets and the process starts over. The comments here about bent CPU socket pins had me concerned, so I pulled the cooler off (I _hate_ having to do that because it means wiping thermal grease off of stuff), pulled out the CPU, inspected the socket to see that it had no obviously bent pins, then reseated the CPU.

Now everything works fine. So my cautious advice is to first reseat the CPU.

 

gliptak

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Dec 27, 2017
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I'm having the same exact problem with this board. New build (not my first), i7 8700k with a Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO cooler. The machine boots to bios, recognizes my Windows 10 boot USB, begins the install process, then the CPU fan begins cycling on and off, and the red CPU error indicator light comes on.

Is this definitely the mobo or could it be a faulty CPU? I'm confused because it's booting fine and I've been able to cycle the power, reboot and I get the same exact behavior. Any suggestions would be MOST welcome, aside from returning the board :/
 


It might be a cooling issue. Check the CPU temperature in BIOS.
 

gliptak

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Dec 27, 2017
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So unfortunately I spoke to soon! After completing the build with the replacement board, everything appeared to work fine. I installed Windows 10, got the chipset drivers working, had several normal reboots and I'm thinking I'm in the clear. Then, after maybe an hour the exact same behavior began again... the board shuts down, the CPU error indicator turns on and the CPU fan cycles on and off for 30 seconds or so, then the machine boots right back up as if nothing is wrong (on the last "defective" board, the machine would NOT reboot).

This cycle repeats randomly. It might take an hour, it might take 15 minutes for the same behavior. The CPU temps are fine. I ran a load test and under 100% load the temp maxed out at 60C. I cannot figure out what this could be other than a bad motherboard, but given this is my 2nd build with the same board and now same symptoms, could this be something else? Would a "bad" CPU cause this or could there be a PSU issue?

My only idea to troubleshoot is to try the same build with a different motherboard to rule out something else, but I'm at my wits end here! any advice would be most welcome.

UPDATE: I ran an Intel CPU Diagnostic Utility and everything was fine with the chip...
 

gliptak

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Dec 27, 2017
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UPDATE: I've got a Corsair RM850x modular PSU. I thought i'd try plugging the CPU power cable into a different module/node on the back of the PSU. This seems to have solved the problem as the system has been stable for 15+ hours.

Conclusion: bad "module/node" in a brand new PSU?? This doesn't explain the different behavior from two different motherboards, although the first "bad board" definitely had at least one bent pin. I'm still confused and skeptical but will post any updates :)