No, you can't have a bad motherboard. It's a hardware component, so its condition is physical.
No, you can't have a bad motherboard. It's a hardware component, so its condition is physical.
Here’s a clearer version of your explanation:
I started with a new PC using an AMD5 setup. There were several problems—bad game performance, crashes, stuttering, freezing, and a BOSD. I tried running Memtest86 to check the RAM, but the DIMM in slot B2 failed, while the one in A2 passed. I decided to format and restart, using just one stick of RAM until new RAM arrived on the 17th. Then came another issue: watching a video on one monitor while playing a game on the main screen caused it to freeze completely. I thought it was a graphics driver problem, so I reinstalled it. After rebooting or formatting again, Windows wouldn’t boot, so I had to format once more and reinstall everything.
I documented each step because I wanted to figure out what was wrong. Something strange happened with my RAM RGB—its colors weren’t syncing properly, even though it worked before. It wasn’t the usual issue, and I was new to RGB settings.
I cleaned up Windows a bit, removed some apps like Skype and Groove, and then plugged in Ethernet to boot into offline mode. I installed AMD drivers, updated chipset, and reinstalled the OS. During this process, I tried several fixes: updating drivers, disabling startup options, and using the GCC tool to fix errors. I also ran SFC scans, cleaned up the system, and followed updates for games and Windows.
Despite these efforts, my RAM still didn’t sync correctly, and the monitor’s RGB flickered oddly. I tried changing colors to match my GPU’s lighting, but the issue persisted. Eventually, I downloaded a different RGB profile and set it to match my GPU’s LED pattern. After that, I ran the game again and noticed it froze instantly.
I also checked for driver issues, rolled back to an older version of the display driver, and tried reinstalling Adrenalin. Still, the problem remained. I looked into Asus support and found that my RAM was outdated compared to the motherboard, which might explain some of the glitches.
In short, it seems my RAM and motherboard compatibility issues are causing more trouble than just the RAM itself. I’m still trying to figure out the exact cause and what needs fixing.
Yes, BIOS is current. I’ll add stats later—initially I needed to use the USB Flashback tool after the first install because it didn’t post automatically. Once the downloads and setup are done, I’ll restart the PC and verify the BIOS version to confirm it’s 0821, which matches my motherboard. The restart didn’t affect the RGB error.
I attempted to start the game and encountered an immediate crash due to AMD identifying a "Driver Time out." This might point to additional driver problems, possibly related to the GPU. It seems the graphics card is up to date, so rolling back drivers isn't working. The error message "Version of Adrenalin is not compatible" is appearing, making it tricky to proceed.
This drive is quite old, and there’s something already mounted on it. It provides useful smart information for both of your drives.
Everything is brand new. I even tested the Mx500 drive by unplugging it for some checks, but it still had crashes and other issues. Right now, the drive shows nothing, and I haven’t added anything yet during this installation. This is similar to my fifth fresh Windows setup, which is making it hard to keep track. Are there tools like Memtest86 that work specifically for M.2 drives? I’m also wondering if the RAM might be causing driver problems too.
Consider installing a LiveUSB of an OS like Linux Mint, which closely resembles Windows. Experiment with it and use Steam if available. If the system functions properly, you likely have a corrupted Windows installation. If it fails completely, it may indicate faulty hardware, as Linux is much more forgiving of damaged components. This advice applies specifically to your Windows setup, since third-party programs can cause issues there but are rare on Linux.