CPU red LED activated abruptly along with DRAM
CPU red LED activated abruptly along with DRAM
Hello, first of all, I'm sorry if my message doesn't match the Forum's tone. This is my first attempt at posting, and I usually find what I need in existing resources. I tried everything possible, but now I'm here. My PC has been running for almost two years, and everything was functioning perfectly: CPU (Intel I7-11700k), GPU (Zotac RTX 3070ti), RAM (2x8GB at 3600Mhz). About a month ago, I added another identical 2x8GB 3600Mhz RAM module.
My motherboard is MSI Z590 Plus with an SSD (Windows 10, Samsung 980 Pro 1TB M.2 NVMe), a 7200rpm HDD (Seagate Barracuda), and a Crucial MX500 250GB SSD. The PSU is Corsair CX750M.
One day I pressed the power button expecting Windows to start, but nothing happened. Instead, the Windows Boot screen froze. I tried troubleshooting—restarted, went into BIOS, checked OS files, changed a few settings—but nothing fixed it. After rebooting, it worked. I thought I’d resolved it, but two days later it happened again. Then I forced shutdown and restarted, but the same problem persisted.
After cleaning the PC thoroughly, changing thermal paste, and inspecting the CPU socket and pins, everything seemed fine. I cleaned the CMOS battery, reset it, and even tried resetting BIOS settings. Once I cleaned everything up, it booted once more. Then I removed all RAM except one, replaced the CMOS battery, and put a different stick in. It worked.
After saving my data from the NVMe drive and reinstalling Windows 10 (which froze twice), everything functioned properly. I updated drivers and restarted several times, but it still failed after a couple of restarts. The CPU red LED was on, fans were running, and everything seemed normal.
I’m unsure what’s causing the issue now. My main questions are:
- What might be wrong?
- Can I fix it myself?
Please let me know if you can help.
Identify the RAM modules in your setup by looking at the revision number on the side of the DIMMs. Ensure both kits share the same revision to avoid compatibility issues, even if manufacturers update their ICs or design while retaining the same model name.
I faced a comparable issue with a 10850K. It’s going to be challenging, but if you return to the BIOS and adjust CPU settings—turning off C-State, EIST, and Intel Speedshift—it might help. I can’t promise it will work, but your setup seems very similar and disabling those changes restored functionality for me.
Hello, thanks for your input. After reviewing, all appears to be in order except for the "ver X.XX" values on the stickers. The RAM sticks are indeed Corsair Vengeance 2x8 (x2) with CAS 18 and 3600Mhz. If RAM were the problem, the orange LED would typically indicate it instead of the red CPU one.
Thanks for your kind words. I'll proceed immediately and let you know the results, provided I can reach the BIOS.
Have you attempted to start the system using only the compatible version packages? Check the behavior of the CPU RED LED, which can indicate RAM issues. Make sure to reset CMOS during RAM setup to refresh memory configurations.
Thank you! I'll attempt to use the older methods first once the CMOS is cleared, then provide an update.
After testing in the lab, I removed the GPU which blocked access to the jumper and CMOS battery. I cleared all RAM and reinstalled the matching versions after resetting the CMOS. I performed five attempts for each pair. Version 5.30 showed one CPU red light and one DRAM orange light; three boots succeeded, two froze during the OS Ver 8.35 stage—two with frozen windows and a loading screen. It seems the issue isn’t RAM-related. I still need to follow Harmsway1283’s advice now that CMOS clearing isn’t necessary, unless you have other ideas.
I can check the RAM kits on another system to confirm compatibility and performance.