Error appears suddenly when trying to access POST + DRAM error light.
Error appears suddenly when trying to access POST + DRAM error light.
Hello!
I have recently started to encounter an issue where my system will not post. My monitors read "no signal" and the the motherboards DRAM light is illuminated with a stable yellow color. The system have mostly been running stable up to this point (see detailed description below troubleshooting).
System specs:
Windows 11
2x monitors
ASUS TUF GAMING b650-PLUS Wifi
AMD RYZEN 7 9800X3D
GIGABYTE RADEON RX 7800 XT GAMING OC
Corsair Vengeance RGB DD5 5600 MHz, 32gb (two sticks 16gb)
Corsair RMe Series RM750e PSU
ASUS TUF GAMING LC II 240 CPU cooler
Attempted troubleshooting:
- Checked DP cables on another system - both are working.
- Checked with HDMI cables instead of DP - did not solve.
- Checked both monitors on another system - both are working.
- Unplugged everything from PC - did not solve.
- Tried booting with individual ram sticks in every available slot - did not solve.
- Reset CMOS by shorting the pins on motherboard - this enabled the pc to post and I was able to enter BIOS.
As mentioned in the troubleshooting section, I was able to boot up the system after I reset the CMOS. I then went back into BIOS and attempted to enable the EXPO II profile for the RAM. This made the issue reappear - no successful post. I have so far not attempted to run the system at any of the other EXPO profiles, or manual overclock settings. I assume if I were to reset CMOS again, the system will be stable.
I want to stress that this issue appeared
suddenly
. I was using my computer yesterday without any issues, and today when i attempted to start it, it wouldnt post. The system was built and sent to me by a reputable shop here in Norway. Ever since I received it (around march this year), I have
not
changed any components in the system, or tweaked any of the BIOS settings prior to the issue. Never updated BIOS. Easier said, the system has been in the same state as I received it. Perhaps worth mentioning that I recall a windows update a couple of days ago, but I have been successfully booting the system after the update and before the issue appeared. I never checked what EXPO profile or manual overclock settings the system shipped with, but i suspect they did have it set it to one of the standard EXPO profiles (although the technician i spoke to at the shop where i bought the pc, said they usually dont tune in any overclock settings).
From my understanding, if the system suddenly wont boot with an EXPO profile, that would likely suggest faulty ram sticks? If it was software related, or that the current system isnt able to run stable with overclocked RAM, it wouldn't just suddenly start having issues? Also worth mentioning that over the course of my ownership of this rig (6 months or so), i have had several occasions where the monitors did not turn on after waking up the PC from sleepmode. This happened maybe 1-2 times per month, and I had to force-restart the pc in these occasions. Never checked to see if DRAM light was illuminated in these occasions, unfortunately.
What more can I attempt in order to narrow down the source of the problem? And is there even a problem, because after all, it seems to run fine without an EXPO profile? But that raises the question again - why did I suddenly start having problems, that were cleared by resetting the CMOS? Hopefully someone can shed som light on this.
Clear CMOS using the steps described in the motherboard's User Guide/Manual.
Swap the CMOS battery with a new one.
= = = =
You might discover hints through Reliability History/Monitor and Event Viewer.
Search for error codes, warnings, and any informational messages that started appearing shortly before or at the time of the issues or when the problems first occurred.
Current BIOS version in my system: 3203 x64
Here is the link for the RAM kit: https://www.komplett.no/product/121...kk...0mhz-32gb#
I checked my motherboards QVL list and noticed that the RAM I’m using isn’t listed. Could I be missing something?
This has already been addressed during my troubleshooting. I mentioned this in the list.
Current BIOS version in my system is 3203 x64.
Are you sure that's correct? If so, then proceed with the following steps.
The model listed at the provided link does not appear to be present, which could indicate a recent BIOS update was removed due to stability concerns. It remains advisable to update the BIOS to the latest version, which is currently 3281, using the BIOS FlashBack feature on the rear panel.
You can refer to this guide: https://youtu.be/frQApIktgyM
Is this the correct motherboard manual?
Asus Tuf-Gaming B650 Manual
Make sure you located the relevant guide and that you followed the steps in Paragraph 13 on Pages 1-5 to reset CMOS.
My worry is that if the CMOS wasn't cleared as instructed, you might have caused damage to the board or other parts, as warned.
Thank you for the suggestion, I will definitely attempt to update the BIOS!
The version I found matches exactly what’s in the BIOS setup and the ASUS Armory Crate app—3203. It seems like this might be the correct one.
I understand your concern, but I’m not sure why it isn’t showing up in the ASUS website’s previous versions list.
I’m not trying to argue, but could you clarify how an old BIOS can lead to sudden instability issues? I’d like to learn more.
I can't reach your link, but based on the title I should note that I have the "B650 PLUS wifi", not the regular B650, right? Yes, I followed the exact directions in the manual that came with my MB. I turned off the power for the PSU, unplugged the power cord, and then placed a screwdriver between the two metal pins that read CLRTC. Held it there for about 10 seconds a few times. After that, I turned on the comp, and it booted up successfully. Unless I enable an EXPO profile, the system is running normally so far. I’m currently using the computer without any problems. So I’m unsure how I could have caused any damage.
The warning in the instructions seems a bit odd. It just advises not to short the pins unless you’re clearing the CMOS. Why would I be shorting them? It makes me wonder if they mean never shorting them while the system is running, which is confusing.