Question CPU light flickering on motherboard

[bananapancakes]

When booting up the computer, the CPU light on motherboard turns on faintly then turns off and keeps repeating for 4-5 minutes. After a while more, the computer starts to boot and sometimes the boot failure detected would pop up but after loading the optimized default, the computer would run normally. The same thing would happen whenever i turn off the computer for a long time. I have tried resetting bios but the problem still persists. This problem has been happening for a week now since i clean off the dust. I don't think i short anything since the computer is still able to run smoothly after it turns on. Thanks for the help in advance!


Have this set up for about 11months now
Specs:
CPU: Intel i5 14600K
CPU cooler: Thermalright peerless assassin 120 se argb
Motherboard: Z790 AORUS ELITE AX (rev. 1.1) BIOS :FK
Ram: G.SKILL RIPJAWS S5, 32GB (16gbx 2), DDR5-6000 DIMM MEMORY, F5-6000J3636F
SSD/HDD: WD_BLACK SN850X 1TB
GPU: ASUS Dual OC GeForce RTX™ 4070 12GB
PSU: Corsair rm850x shift
Chassis: lian li lancool 216
OS: Microsoft windows 10 Home
Monitor: Dell 27 Gaming Monitor - G2724D

 

[Lutfij]

I have tried resetting bios but the problem still persists.
I would try and reflash the BIOS, then clear the CMOS. With the latter, disconnect from the wall and display, then remove the CMOS battery, press and hold down the power button for 30secs to drain any residual power, then reseat the battery after 30mins.

As for your drive, you might want to make sure you're on the latest firmware for your WD SSD.

This problem has been happening for a week now since i clean off the dust.
Can you elaborate on your cleaning process?

 

[bananapancakes]

I just wipe the dusty areas like the fans with a dry wipe

 

[Otto Levin]

Since the problem started after dusting, I suggest carefully checking that all cables, especially the PSU and motherboard connectors, are securely seated. Also, inspect your RAM sticks and GPU to ensure they are firmly inserted into their slots. In addition to reflashing the BIOS and clearing the CMOS as suggested by Lutfij, consider testing with only one RAM stick at a time to rule out memory issues. If the problem persists, did you notice any unusual noises or smells during boot attempts? That could hint at deeper hardware issues.