No signal sent, red LED lights up on motherboard before failure
No signal sent, red LED lights up on motherboard before failure
Hello! I assembled a PC but it doesn’t power up. When I flip the PSU switch it spins the fans and the HDD starts for about six seconds before shutting down. The power button on the case stays silent, and pressing it doesn’t make any difference. On the motherboard, the red LEDs for CPU and DRAM light up. After a couple of seconds the CPU LED turns off while the DRAM LED stays on for a few more seconds before the system powers down, leaving only the motherboard logo illuminated. From what I found online, it looks like memory initialization failed, causing the system to crash before reaching the ready state. When I turn off and back on the PSU switch the same pattern happens. Could this indicate a faulty motherboard or is there another solution you recommend? Thanks in advance. What I’ve tried so far: BIOS sticker shows version 12.12, which supports my Intel 14th gen CPU. I’ve re-seated the board and PSU connections. Checked CPU chip and motherboard socket for damage. Ran RAM tests; specs match what the board claims. Used different slots, single vs dual, various RAM brands, and reset CMOS each time. Built a PC with these specs: ASRock Z790 Riptide, Intel i5-14600K, Kingston Fury DDR5 2x32GB, Gigabyte UD750GM (750W), Samsung 990 Evo Plus 2TB SSD. Warm regards, xtinknl
When the system attempts to start and stop by itself, did you pause to observe further actions? This might indicate DDR5 memory training. If you're familiar with this process, you can ignore the rest. Are you aware of memory training? Is your CPU new or used? 14th generation Intel chips are prone to silicon wear, so your CPU may already be showing signs. Have you tried booting without the SSD just in case the problem lies with the drive? The computer should still be able to access the BIOS screen even without a boot drive. Did you verify that all connectors are properly connected and all cables are correctly attached? You can also test each component individually on another machine to confirm functionality. If everything checks out, the fault likely lies with the motherboard. Good luck!
Based on your notes, the system starts up but struggles during memory testing. RAM issues are unlikely after you've swapped slots and brands. Consider these steps: reset CMOS via jumper or short battery removal. Upgrade BIOS to the newest release, not just the sticker version. Sometimes older microcode is needed for proper startup. Try a basic DDR5 kit such as 1x16 or 2x16 to check if it boots. If it still powers down with CPU and memory lights on, the problem likely lies with the motherboard or power supply during testing.
Thank you for your help, Sawa and Filippos. I’ve followed all your suggestions, yet I’m still stuck on getting to the BIOS. I’ve placed an order for a different motherboard from another manufacturer. I’m hoping that will work better!