Problem encountered during installation of the latest model.
Problem encountered during installation of the latest model.
So here’s what I’ve been gradually improving my PC for professional use in the film industry. It started with RAM, then moved on to the processor, cooling solutions, and power supply. Below are the changes I made:
PSU: Changed from a Bronze 750 EVGA to a Gold 850 XPG
RAM: Switched from 2 sticks at 3200MHz to 4 sticks at 3200MHz (only added 2 more)
CPU: Updated from Ryzen 3700 to Ryzen 5900
Cooler: Replaced AMD Wrath Prism with NZXT Kraken X53
RAM Upgrades:
- Corsair 3200 16GB (total 32GB) → Corsair 3200 16GB (total 64GB, bought two extra)
Storage:
- 3 SATA drives: one M.2 Samsung 980 Pro 1TB, one XPG 512 GB (Windows)
- Asus TUF X570 Wi-Fi Plus
- Gigabyte Eagle 12GB
GPU: NVIDIA 3080
The main problems began when installing the new RAM sticks. Initially, they wouldn’t boot at 3200MHz. After a BIOS update and adjusting their positions, the system would freeze for a while before finally starting normally. Once cooling, CPU, and PSU were updated, everything ran smoothly until recently.
About a couple of days ago, while rendering in Premiere Pro, the computer restarted itself abruptly. The American Megatrends screen appeared briefly before Windows booted again—no issues afterward. I tried restarting with DOCP off and using my original 32GB RAM, which worked perfectly. But then it started the same reset again, showing that same ugly screen.
Eventually, I had to shut down the PC completely and try again. This time it functioned flawlessly. After some work, the screen vanished entirely. Now I’m exhausted and feeling mentally, financially, and physically drained from all this troubleshooting. I truly believe my PC is powerful enough for complex projects like Premiere and After Effects, but I’m struggling to get it to cooperate.
Right now, I’m considering buying new 32GB 3600MHz RAM sticks from GSKill and a second 1TB M.2 drive from Samsung to reinstall Windows and start over. I’m not sure if this will solve the problem, but I really need guidance.
Have you checked various RAM configurations? It might point to a RAM problem. Are these two types identical in specifications?
Usually you purchase a RAM kit in pairs or fours, tested together. With a pair, timing tends to be faster than with four sticks. Using XMP/DOCP won't work in that case. Even if the kits look the same in speed and timing labels, they aren't identical—identical models are needed for exact setup. To make it function, either lower the auto timings to a slower speed or download Aida64 to review the timing tables for both dimm sets. In Aida, place kit 1 in slot A1 B1 and kit 2 in A2 B2 (no mixing). Then manually enter the timings in motherboard, choosing the highest values from both kits, set frequency and DRAM voltage yourself.
They aren't the same specification; in fact, they're quite distinct. That's why I believed eliminating the new RAM modules would fix the problem, but it continues even when using just the original ones (which is odd since it didn't happen before the change).
It's helpful to know purchasing two or four units, I wasn't aware of that before. I attempted to use just the new set and relied on the old one for stability, but the same AM screen kept appearing as before I added the other two. Currently, I'm considering getting two sticks from G Skill, though I'm unsure if that will fix the problem.
Have you attempted to reset the CMOS between tries? If not, consider resetting it when working with just one configuration at a time.
Restarting everything back to defaults would likely return it to its original state, preserving the previous BIOS version.