If your Intel Pentium G3258 system on a Gigabyte GA-H97N-WIFI starts rebooting after an overclock, clear CMOS and restore BIOS defaults first. GIGABYTE’s manual identifies incorrect overclock or overvoltage settings as a possible reason the board will not boot and recommends clearing CMOS. A loop does not, by itself, prove the CPU is damaged.
Clear CMOS and restore BIOS defaults
- Turn the PC off, switch off and unplug the power supply, then allow the system to discharge.
- Use the CMOS-clear procedure in the manual for your exact GA-H97N-WIFI board revision. Do not guess which jumper pins to short.
- Reconnect power and start the system with BIOS defaults. If it reaches BIOS or boots normally, leave overclocking disabled while checking that the stock configuration is stable.
GIGABYTE’s manual recommends clearing CMOS values and resetting defaults when incorrect overclock or overvoltage settings prevent boot. See the GA-H97N-WIFI manual.
If it still loops, test a minimal POST configuration
A failure to POST is different from an operating-system boot problem: the system may reset before it can hand off to a drive. Reduce the setup to the components needed to start and enter BIOS, then add devices back only after it works.
- Power off and unplug the PC before changing components.
- Disconnect drives and unnecessary USB devices or other peripherals.
- Check that the 24-pin motherboard power lead and CPU power lead are fully seated. Check that the cooler is mounted correctly and its fan is connected.
- Try one memory module at a time, reseating it and testing the board’s two DIMM slots individually. The board specification lists two DDR3 DIMM sockets and support for DDR3-1600 and DDR3-1333 memory.
- Try starting the system with onboard video if applicable, and note whether it resets immediately, repeatedly trains memory, reaches BIOS, or begins loading the operating system.
These are isolation steps, not a diagnosis of a specific failed part. Record any beep codes or status indicators if your particular board revision provides them.
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- LGA1150
- Chipset: Intel H97 Express
- Memory: 2x DDR3-1600/1333 DIMM Slots, Dual Channel, Non-ECC, Max Capacity of 16GB
- Memory Support: 2 x DDR3 DIMM; MAX 16GB; Support for DDR3 1600/1333 MHz memory modules
- Onboard graphics: 1 x DVI-I port,2 x HDMI ports, Support for up to 3 displays at the same time
Use the point of failure to choose the next check
- Defaults restore POST: Keep the system at stock settings and isolate the overclock change before attempting another tune.
- It resets before BIOS: Continue with the one-DIMM and minimal-hardware checks, and verify power and cooler connections.
- It reaches BIOS but not the operating system: The system has passed POST; investigate the next stage separately rather than treating it as the same failure as a pre-BIOS reset.
- Minimal hardware still will not POST: Consider component substitution or repair only after the isolation checks. The information available here does not establish whether the board, CPU, memory, or power supply is at fault.
Check board revision and BIOS before considering an update
GIGABYTE lists the GA-H97N-WIFI as an H97 Express LGA1150 motherboard supporting Intel Pentium processors, but exact CPU and BIOS compatibility should be checked against the CPU support list and the board’s printed revision. Its support page lists BIOS versions F2 through F9b; F9b is marked beta, dated March 3, 2016, and described as including a memory compatibility fix. That listing does not reveal which BIOS is installed on your board or show that an update will fix this boot loop.
GIGABYTE warns that BIOS flashing can cause system malfunction and advises against updating when the current BIOS works without problems. Treat an update as a compatibility-specific step: confirm the board revision, installed BIOS, and CPU support information first, and do not flash simply because a later version exists. Check GIGABYTE’s GA-H97N-WIFI support and BIOS listings.
Rank #2
- Memory Support: 2 x DDR3 DIMM; MAX 16GB; Support for DDR3 1600/1333 MHz memory modules
- Onboard graphics: 1 x DVI-I port,2 x HDMI ports, Support for up to 3 displays at the same time
- LAN: 2 x Gbe LAN
Resume overclocking cautiously
Once the computer boots reliably at stock settings, change only one setting at a time and keep a known-good recovery path. There is no single stable G3258 frequency or voltage established for every system: results depend on the individual CPU, cooling, board revision, power supply, and memory. If a change brings the loop back, clear CMOS again rather than assuming the processor has been damaged.
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- CPU: Support for Intel Core i7 processors/Intel Core i5 processors/ Intel Core i3 processors/Intel Pentium processors/ Intel Celeron processors in the LGA1150 package
- Memory: 4 x DDR3 DIMM sockets supporting up to 32 GB; Support for DDR3 1600/1333 MHz memory modules
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- Memory support: 4 x DDR3 DIMM; MAX 32GB; Support for DDR3 1600/1333 MHz memory modules
- onboard graphics: 1xD-Sub; 1 x DVI-I port,1 x HDMI ports, 1xDisplay port; Support for up to 3 displays at the same time
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