Does installing a GPU trigger the DRAM fault LED to illuminate?
Does installing a GPU trigger the DRAM fault LED to illuminate?
MoBo:
MSI B650 Tomahawk is installed with AMD Ryzen 5 9600X processor, Noctua NH-U12S CPU cooler, PowerColor 9070XT Reaper GPU, and Crucial Pro DDR5 RAM 32GB kit at 6000MHz. The PSU is Corsair RM850x, paired with a Lexar EQ790 2TB SSD. The case is Fractal Design R3. All parts are new except the case. The operating system runs Fedora KDE BIOS version 7D75v1P5 (latest).
The system operates normally with integrated graphics and multiple reboots. Booting with the GPU inserted works, including gaming. After a second boot, the PC fails to POST, displaying a DRAM fault LED. The power button stops working; shutting it down requires using the PSU main switch. Once this happens, the CPU and DRAM fault LEDs appear, and the system neither POSTs nor shows BIOS. Clearing CMOS does not resolve the issue, suggesting memory training is unlikely.
Restoration involves removing the GPU, updating the BIOS via USB, and clearing CMOS. This pattern repeats with other GPUs and non-beta BIOS versions. There seems to be no standard solution beyond these steps.
I’ve already contacted MoBo to find a model that boots without issues, as I don’t want to repeat this process again.
Welcome to the forums, newcomer!
Check if lowering the BIOS version to 7D75v1O affects your setup.
When the GPU is connected, the PC boots properly and works as intended for gaming. After the second boot, the system fails to POST and the DRAM fault LED lights up.
Just to be clear, are you inserting and removing the GPU between boots?
Make sure the GPU is securely placed in the slot. It's a good idea to place the case on its side before inserting the GPU into the first PCIe slot. Speaking of slots, do you have any PCIe risers, cables, or adapters?
All components are new except the case.
This issue has been seen with several GPUs and isn't specific to your BIOS version.
Have you tested the connections by breadboarding the parts to check for a short circuit?
Thank you for the welcome and the troubleshooting guidance. I discovered the fix was related to the Displayport cable. It was roughly eight years old and had a pin 20 problem, with pin 20 mistakenly connected to power where it shouldn't be. This causes voltage to loop back from the monitor to the motherboard through the GPU, disrupting the boot process. My older 3600X/5700XT system didn’t seem affected by this pin 20 issue, but the newer AM5 platform appears to be more vulnerable.
Thank you for responding with a solution. This will benefit the community and any other users facing similar challenges.