Question DRAM slots suddenly only work in specific combinations

[Reggie10]

I recently disassembled and then reassembled my PC to transport it across the country and have been having a very strange problem ever since.

My "legacy" components are as follows:
Motherboard: Asus Strix Z270E
RAM: G.Skill Trident Z RAM 2x8 (this model).
CPU: Intel Core i7-7700K
Boot drive: MyDigitalSSD BPX 240 GB
OS: Windows 10 64-bit

Brand new components I have just added to the build:
GPU: MSI RTX 2080 Ti Gaming Trio X
Power supply: Seasonic Prime 1000 Titanium
Cooler: NZXT Kraken X72
Secondary drive: Samsung 860 EVO 2TB
Case: Phanteks Evolv X

Initially, when I pressed the case's power button, the motherboard's yellow DRAM LED would come on and it would not post (all fans, the AIO, and everything RGB would still activate). After poking around the Internet a bit, I found this thread, wherein someone describes a similar problem with this motherboard. This user discovered that the system would post if he used a single stick of RAM in the board's B1 slot.

(A quick note on this motherboard: there are four available DRAM slots (A1; A2; B1; B2). If using a single stick of RAM, the manual recommends using A2; with two sticks, it recommends A2 and B2.)

After reading that thread, I put one stick in the B1 slot and VOILA! It posts. I update the BIOS, Windows, and a few motherboard drivers. I then shut down and reinstall my RAM in the correct configuration (i.e. with RAM in slots A2 and B2). It doesn't post, and now instead of just getting the yellow DRAM LED, I get both the yellow DRAM and a red CPU LED as well!

I eventually discovered that I can post with my two sticks of RAM in slots B1 and B2. This is NOT the way the manual indicates you should install two sticks, but CPU-Z and the BIOS seem to recognize that I have 16 GB of RAM on board. (As a sidenote, trying to boot with a single stick in A2 as indicated by the manual also results in the yellow and red LEDs and no post.)

So my questions are:

1. Would there be any performance impact of having my RAM installed in the "incorrect" slots? Would XMP still work (I have not tried enabling it since this whole fiasco started)?
2. Is this worth going through what I'm sure would be a very aggravating RMA process? The board's about two and a half years old and still under warranty. Would you agree that it seems like the A2 DRAM slot might be faulty?

I can't imagine any components were damaged during the move. Everything, motherboard included, were packed in their original packaging and kept in the trunk of my car. I'm pretty careful with how I handle my stuff.

Thanks for any help!

 

[rgd1101]

check for bend pin on the motherboard socket?

 

[lynx1021]

Make sure you don't have extra stand-offs underneath the board shorting something.