5 Reasons for MSI 970 Gaming Motherboard Not Booting!

You have been using MSI 970 Gaming Motherboard for a while and things are going well.

But disaster strikes one day when you see your motherboard is not booting. Even the proven pray and restart method is not working as well! So, you start asking yourself-

What is causing my MSI 970 Gaming Motherboard not booting issue?

The prominent reason for MSI 970 not booting is a BIOS issue. Additionally, CMOS failure is another significant cause of the motherboard not booting. Also, It can happen due to an incompatible RAM set. Also, insufficient PSU power or loose cables might prevent bootup. I/O issues might also trigger the same issue.

We have made a comprehensive troubleshooting article for your problem. Give us five minutes and your motherboard will be fixed in no time.

So, Let’s begin without stalling anymore.

5 Reasons Your Msi 970 Gaming Motherboard Is Not Booting

Troubleshooting a non-booting motherboard can be very troublesome and tiring. Finding the cause can take a long time and be boring. Worst case, your MSI 970 Gaming Motherboard won’t boot to BIOS.

Worry not, we got you covered. We have sorted out 5 major reasons and their solutions for the MSI motherboard boot problem. The solutions are simple like fixing an RTX 3000 series fan. So, let’s get started with them!

Reason 1: Corrupt Or Obsolete BIOS 

Perhaps, this is the most common reason for a boot problem. The motherboard BIOS/UEFI may become corrupted or unstable.

This can happen if the power goes out or if the settings are wrong. This may also happen due to aggressive OC profiling.

Solution

The easiest solution to this issue is resetting the MSI 970 Gaming Motherboard UEFI/BIOS to default settings. To do this follow these simple steps-

1. First, power up your pc and repeatedly press the boot key when the splash screen appears. The Boot key is typically displayed on the bottom of the screen.
2. After you get to the bios settings, look for a menu called setup defaults. This can be labeled as factory default in some cases.
3. Next, tap the load setup defaults option to revert to factory default settings.
4. Save the changes before exiting the bios settings. Then wait for the PC to restart.

This should fix your MSI 970 Gaming Motherboard booting issue if there is a corrupt BIOS.

Reason 2: Incompatible RAM

Another reason for no boot is incompatible ram sets. If you are not using a compatible ram with your motherboard, it won’t boot. 

This may cause you a lot of hassle to find out the root cause. Also, there could be a bad ram chip that keeps the motherboard from starting up.

Solution

First, check the MSI 970 Gaming Motherboard RAM compatibility list. If your rams don’t work together, you need to replace them with ones that do.

Also, check the ram slots and pins for any damages or breaks. Do not forget to check your rams separately to check if the ram piece is damaged or not. This can be identified by the Msi 970 Gaming Motherboard Not Booting MSI Motherboard beep codes. 

If your bios produce 2 or 3 beeps, that means there’s a memory issue. If it makes 2 beeps, the memory parity is corrupted. And if you hear 3 beeps, then there’s memory failure.

Now, if there is RAM damage, you’ve left with only one choice. And that is getting yourself a new replacement. However, it might be a pain in the ass to go through different options. That’s why we’ve done the work for you. 

Here are some of the top MSI 970 Motherboard-supported RAMs-

• Patriot 16GB(2x8GB) Viper III DDR3 1866MHz is undoubtedly a beast. They are quite durable and efficient.
• Corsair is a major player in making excellent RAMs. So, you can guess their Vengeance 16GB (2x8GB) DDR3 is not something that goes unnoticed.
• If you want something affordable like Patriot, G.Skill Ripjaws X Series 16GB is the one. It’s in the same price range with tons of great qualities.

If your motherboard gives no beep when removing the ram, you need to check the HDD connections.

Reason 3: Insufficient PSU And Power Connections

If you are using a low-end PSU, it can alone cause all the nuisance. The system may become unable to provide the necessary power due to power shortage.

This can make the motherboard unable to start up. Also, a loose power cable from the PSU end or Motherboard end might cause the problem.

Solution

If you are using a low-power PSU, you might disconnect non-essential peripherals. Or you can just get a PSU with more power.

Before doing all of that, check the MSI 970 Gaming Motherboard PSU compatibility. 

Also, make sure you check all the power connections. If there are loose connections, connect them properly. If there are any damaged cables, replace them with fresh ones.

Reason 4: I/O Issue With USB Ports

This is something that happens a lot with the USB ports of your MSI 970 Gaming Motherboard. If your peripherals are connected via USB ports, it might glitch.

This prevents the motherboard from booting up and the pc hangs up.

Solution

Luckily, the solution is pretty straightforward. The MSI 970 Gaming Motherboard has a legacy PS2 port. 

You can simply bypass the issue by connecting your peripherals to the PS2 port. 

However, do get your USB ports checked as soon as possible.

Reason 5: CMOS Failure

Another common reason for boot problems is CMOS battery failure. This can happen due to a voltage up-down or power outage.

Temporary data are being stored up in the CMOS battery in between startups. If there is a power failure, the data inside the CMOS battery might get corrupted and cause a BIOS error.

Solution

To solve any boot problems regarding MSI 970 Gaming Motherboard CMOS battery failure, you need to clear the CMOS battery. To do this, follow the steps given below;

1. Turn off your computer. Unplug the power chord from the PSU.
2. Remove the side panel of your CPU case. Wear an anti-static glove before proceeding. This will prevent any short circuit in the internal parts. 
3. Once you have opened the case, look for the CMOS battery. It looks like a silver coin.
4. Carefully remove it from the slot using a non-conductive object.
5. Keep the battery separated for 10-15 seconds. This will reset the CMOS memory from the motherboard.
6. After 10-15 seconds, carefully insert the CMOS battery into the slot. Then re-attach the side panel of the CPU case.
7. Power up and check if your motherboard is booting or not. 

Hopefully, this will solve any boot issues related to CMOS battery failure.

Tips And Tricks for MSI 970 Gaming Motherboard

Here are some tips and tricks to make your MSI 970 Gaming Motherboard operation smoother-

• Do check for bios updates. Sometimes it fixes known issues and gives a performance boost.
• Check your PSU and power connections regularly, if there are loose ends, tighten them.
• Check your ram compatibility with your motherboard before buying.
• Make sure your CPU has a good power source. Low voltages might damage the internal parts and prevent the computer from booting up.
• Always check the specifications before overclocking the motherboard. Take the help of professionals if needed. Overclocking can be dangerous and may cause boot failures.

Following these simple rules of thumb will ease up your computer operation by a good margin.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Here are some of the frequently asked questions you should look at-

Does the MSI 970 Gaming Motherboard Support M.2? 

Unfortunately, the MSI 970 Gaming Motherboard does not support M.2. It only supports the SATA III interface. Any SATA interface will easily work with it. However, if you want to use M.2 SSDs, you can opt for the MSI 950 Pro. 

Does the MSI 970 Gaming Motherboard Have a BIOS Reset Button?

Yes, it has one on the back of the motherboard. It clears the CMOS, which returns the BIOS to its original settings. This is helpful if something goes wrong with the BIOS preventing your computer from starting up. You can reset the BIOS without opening the case to get to the CMOS jumper.

Does the MSI 970 Gaming Motherboard Have ECC Memory?

No, the MSI 970 Gaming does not have ECC memory. ECC or error correcting code memory can detect data corruption and fix it. It is very useful in avoiding data corruption during vital operations. This is mostly used in servers and scientific data calculations.

Conclusion

That will be all regarding the MSI 970 Gaming Motherboard not booting issue. If you follow the above solutions, your motherboard will be back in action in no time.

One last piece of advice before you go! Try not to overuse your PC on every occasion. You’ll surely see the difference later on. With that said, you’re ready to go on the troubleshooting journey.