Issue with Z390 Elite RAM Channel A (A1 and A2) malfunctioning
Issue with Z390 Elite RAM Channel A (A1 and A2) malfunctioning
Hey there! So everything seemed normal with my PC until I started a regular cleanup. I used just compressed air and reapplied thermal paste. Once I powered it on, it wouldn’t boot properly and the DRAM indicator lit up. I observed a pattern: CPU LED (0.2s) → DRAM LED (5s) and kept repeating until it stuck on the DRAM signal. After some troubleshooting—like adjusting the cooler, repositioning the memory cards, and checking the DIMM slots—I noticed they worked fine on channel B (B1 and B2). My motherboard even warned me it wasn’t using a dual-channel setup. I’ve tried various fixes but haven’t resolved the issue yet. Any suggestions? Thanks a lot!
Did you take the processor out during maintenance? Which type of compressed air source did you employ?
Weird, right? It seems you likely didn’t harm the board trace or cause static damage. Maybe there’s a bowing problem with the board and socket. Do you receive both channels when you just place the cooler on it without pressure? Would higher pressure help? The Hyper 212 still uses the scissors bracket, which isn’t considered a high-pressure setup.
Sure, happy to hear you tried both options. Removing the mobo and testing it outside the case didn’t help either. Let me know if you need further assistance.
That's quite unusual. You'll likely need to remove the CPU and carefully examine the pins and pads under magnification, check the RAM slots, and look at the board traces as well. The only other possibility I can think of is a small SMD part not fully soldered and dislodged by canned air, which seems unlikely. Probably you have either a faulty CPU or a defective board at this stage—it's a bad situation.
It seems the issue might be connected to the board itself. All the CPU pins appear to be functioning properly, and other components like memory are working correctly. I've tested with Intel's tools and third-party programs, and the IMC reports are consistent. Given my heavy usage, I might replace the board myself and take it to maintenance once the new one arrives. Thanks for your assistance!
I would rent the CPU to check if the issue lies with the CPU or the board. Unfortunately, without a verified functional CPU it's impossible to pinpoint the problem.