Installing Flight Simulator bricked my PC

PiX06 · 20 Aug 2020 at 15:52

I've been trying to install the new Microsoft Flight Simulator and each time, it would get about half way through and the screen would go black and not respond to input but the fans were still all spinnning. Each time I was able to power cycle the machine and it booted up.

Its just happened again except now it won't boot up and just enters the same state - nothing on the screen, no error beeps, fans spinning but nothing happening.

*** Specs ***
AMD Ryzen 7 3700
16GB DDR4-2400
MSI B450M-A Pro Max AM4

What I've tried

Disconnecting external devices
Removing the GPU and plugging the monitor into the built in hdmi port.
Removed cmos battery to reset cmos

None of these things helped. Any suggestions welcome.

PiX06 · 20 Aug 2020 at 15:53

The pc has been working fine for months and I've done lots of intense gaming etc.

mickyflinn · 20 Aug 2020 at 16:24

Have you tried to install it in safe mode ? Latest drivers for gpu.

https://www.gosunoob.com/guides/microsoft-flight-simulator-errors-crashes-stuck-at-downloading/

PiX06 · 20 Aug 2020 at 16:25

mickyflinn said:
Have you tried to install it in safe mode ? Latest drivers for gpu.

https://www.gosunoob.com/guides/microsoft-flight-simulator-errors-crashes-stuck-at-downloading/

I can't do anything like that, the computer no longer boots

mickyflinn · 20 Aug 2020 at 16:46

Try remove the cmos battery and us the clear cmos jumper on the motherboard, make sure the power cable to is disconnected .

Put the clear cmos jumper back to the correct position before you put all back together.

jigger · 20 Aug 2020 at 17:16

The 3700X has no integrated graphics. Re install the graphics card.

PiX06 · 22 Aug 2020 at 16:35

jigger said:
The 3700X has no integrated graphics. Re install the graphics card.

Thanks, I've now swapped out the motherboard and psu for new parts and tried two different GPUs and I still get nothing on the screen but no error beeps.

PiX06 · 22 Aug 2020 at 16:36

mickyflinn said:
Try remove the cmos battery and us the clear cmos jumper on the motherboard, make sure the power cable to is disconnected .

Put the clear cmos jumper back to the correct position before you put all back together.

I had previously removed the cmos battery to clear the cmos, that didn't work, I've now swapped the motherboard out for a brand new one and I still have the same issue

VortexA1 · 22 Aug 2020 at 17:13

Unfortunately faulty memory issue maybe? Have you tested the sticks of memory one at a time ?

PiX06 · 22 Aug 2020 at 17:20

VortexA1 said:
Unfortunately faulty memory issue maybe? Have you tested the sticks of memory one at a time ?

I've only got one 16GB stick. I was thinking of just ordering another to see if its the RAM that's broken. If not it would still be good to have the extra stick I guess

Kanpai · 22 Aug 2020 at 17:51

Maybe do a clean Windows install it might help?

mickyflinn · 22 Aug 2020 at 17:56

Are you getting anything , fans spinning led power light on motherboard ?

Take the ram out and try it in the other slot.

Can you confirm the monitor works.

andy_mk3 · 22 Aug 2020 at 18:10

Somewhere along the right edge of the motherboard next to the RAM slots should be some LED status lights, CPU, RAM etc.. have a look and see where it gets stuck while booting.

FloppyPoppy · 22 Aug 2020 at 18:24

PiX06 said:
I've been trying to install the new Microsoft Flight Simulator and each time, it would get about half way through and the screen would go black and not respond to input but the fans were still all spinnning. Each time I was able to power cycle the machine and it booted up.

Its just happened again except now it won't boot up and just enters the same state - nothing on the screen, no error beeps, fans spinning but nothing happening.

*** Specs ***
AMD Ryzen 7 3700
16GB DDR4-2400
MSI B450M-A Pro Max AM4

What I've tried

Disconnecting external devices

Removing the GPU and plugging the monitor into the built in hdmi port.

Removed cmos battery to reset cmos

None of these things helped. Any suggestions welcome.

Don't take this question as a nefarious question. But was this copy a legitimate copy or was it a pirated copy. This game has gathered so much attention even within the general public ( the bbc are doing bits on it for god sake ) that there are no doubt people out there baking in some dodgy/pc breaky stuff into these pirated copies just for the lols of it.

Again not attacking you or accusing you of pirating the game it would simply be useful information. As a system of that age that has been stable for months should not be breaking like that during the install of a game.

PiX06 · 23 Aug 2020 at 10:36

KoN1ch1wA said:
Maybe do a clean Windows install it might help?

The machine doesn't even POST so that's not an option.

PiX06 · 23 Aug 2020 at 10:37

mickyflinn said:
Are you getting anything , fans spinning led power light on motherboard ?

Take the ram out and try it in the other slot.

Can you confirm the monitor works.

I've tried the RAM in the other slot - didn't make a difference, have ordered another 16GB stick which will arrive tomorrow. The monitor works as I'm using it with my old PC at the moment.

PiX06 · 23 Aug 2020 at 10:38

FloppyPoppy said:
Don't take this question as a nefarious question. But was this copy a legitimate copy or was it a pirated copy. This game has gathered so much attention even within the general public ( the bbc are doing bits on it for god sake ) that there are no doubt people out there baking in some dodgy/pc breaky stuff into these pirated copies just for the lols of it.

Again not attacking you or accusing you of pirating the game it would simply be useful information. As a system of that age that has been stable for months should not be breaking like that during the install of a game.

It was a legit copy installed via Xbox Game Pass.

PiX06 · 23 Aug 2020 at 10:39

While taking the machine apart and trying things - when I was reconnecting the CPU cooler and case fans I noticed that there was a chance I may have previously had them connected to the opposite connectors. Wondering if this could have caused the CPU to burn out - e.g. if it was getting hot so it tries to spin up the CPU fan but just spins up the case fan?

PiX06 · 23 Aug 2020 at 10:42

no idea what said:
Somewhere along the right edge of the motherboard next to the RAM slots should be some LED status lights, CPU, RAM etc.. have a look and see where it gets stuck while booting.

I don't think my motherboard has this feature :/

Quartz · 23 Aug 2020 at 11:44

PiX06 said:
I've been trying to install the new Microsoft Flight Simulator and each time, it would get about half way through and the screen would go black and not respond to input but the fans were still all spinnning. Each time I was able to power cycle the machine and it booted up.

My first thought is that FS2020 is a 150 GB download and you might have run out of space.

PiX06 said:
Wondering if this could have caused the CPU to burn out - e.g. if it was getting hot so it tries to spin up the CPU fan but just spins up the case fan?

Yes, you can cook a CPU.