Troubleshooting a Newly Built AMD PC: From Setup to Unexpected Failures
Building a new personal computer can be an exciting project, but it often comes with unforeseen challenges. Recently, I embarked on assembling my first custom PC from scratch, and while the initial setup went smoothly, I encountered perplexing hardware issues shortly after. This article shares my experience and offers insights into diagnosing and resolving common problems encountered during a new build.
System Specifications
- Motherboard: ASRock B850 Steel Legend WiFi
- Processor: AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D
- RAM: G.Skill Trident Z5 Neo RGB 6000 32GB
- Graphics Card: ASRock Radeon RX 9070 XT
- Power Supply: Corsair RM850x White 850W 80 Plus Gold (2025 model)
Initial Assembly and Performance
The assembly process was straightforward, especially with guidance from an experienced friend. Upon powered initial boot, all components appeared to function correctly. I installed Windows 11, set the memory profile to EXPO-8000, and configured basic settings. For the first day, the system performed flawlessly. I played Final Fantasy XIV for approximately 16 hours, maintaining high frame rates and stable CPU temperatures around 60°C. The system was performing as expected, and I was optimistic about my build.
Unexpected Issues and Diagnosis
The following day, after a Windows security update, things took an unexpected turn. I started experiencing periodic lagging during remote work using Citrix Workspace, followed by disconnections while gaming—specifically, brief drops in connection during World of Warcraft Classic. Initial suspicions pointed toward networking issues; I switched from Ethernet to Wi-Fi, then to mobile hotspot, but the problem persisted.
Suddenly, the system froze entirely while gaming on the hotspot. The mouse and keyboard became unresponsive, and attempts to shut down via keyboard shortcuts failed. When I pressed the physical power button, the PC did not respond, and the monitor displayed no signal. Upon further inspection, the diagnosis was clear: a CPU failure indicator (CPU FAIL LED) was lit on the motherboard with no other error LEDs illuminated.
Troubleshooting Efforts
My troubleshooting process was meticulous:
- Power Cycling and Cables: Shutting down, unplugging the PSU, waiting, then powering back on. No change; the CPU fail indicator persisted.
- BIOS Reset: Attempted BIOS Chip Flashback, which was successful, but the problem remained
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