Question Gigabyte Z790 is showing amber CPU Status LED ?

[lonb]

Finished building a new systems this morning, the exact components are listed here. When I power on the machine, the power on looks good (fans spin, video card LEDs light up, however, the motherboard (Gigabyte Z790 Aorus Elite AX) gives a solid amber on the CPU status LED. In addition, there is no video output on the monitor either from the mobo on-board HDMI output or from the video card HDMI.

I read on various forums that it could be the memory, so I tried going down to one DIMM (in slot B1), but no change. I then read that it could be a compatibility problem and found out that this exactly variant (G.Skill Ripjaws S5 64gb (2 x 32gb) DDR5-6400 CL32 is not listed on the mobo's compatibility list. I also found out that the M.2 SSD I bought is not explicitly listed (I have the WDS100T2X0E, however the WDS100T1X0E is listed as supported). I have emailed Gigabyte but they have not responded to my tickets I opened early today.

Do you think it could be the wrong memory or M.2? Do you have other ideas on what to try?

Pic below of the status led. I appreciate your input!

 

[lonb]

Gigabyte wrote back for both and said for the RAM, "Technically it should work, but since it is not on the list, it has not been tested and verified.[...]But if it is not an exact match, then it has not been tested, so it is not guaranteed to work"

Does anyone have a more through explanation of the CPU status LED, what exactly does a yellow on that LED mean? If the SSD is not-compatible would that alone cause the yellow CPU status? Same question for the RAM, would that cause a yellow CPU status LED?

 

[DRagor]

what exactly does a yellow on that LED mean?

Means mobo stops booting on some CPU error. No way to tell exactly what the error was though. And CPU error can be caused by multiple reasons, including bad CPU, bad mobo, bad RAM.

If the SSD is not-compatible would that alone cause the yellow CPU status?

Never heard of such situation. Anyway since system does not need any drive to POST you can just unplug SSD to make sure it's not it.

Same question for the RAM, would that cause a yellow CPU status LED?

That is possible. However Intel system are quite resistant to problems caused by RAM incompatibility so I would look elsewhere first.

The whole "we can't help you because item is not on QVL" is just lame manufacturers excuse to avoid as many RMA as possible. Next time just tell them you used RAM that is on QVL, they have no way to check it.

 

[lonb]

Means mobo stops booting on some CPU error. No way to tell exactly what the error was though. And CPU error can be caused by multiple reasons, including bad CPU, bad mobo, bad RAM.

Thank you @DRagor! I haven't built a PC in a long time. Do you have any suggestions as to how to go about figuring out the next step? If it's a bad CPU or bad mobo? Is there anything I can do to work this out? I don't have a spare CPU or spare mobo to swap.

 

[DRagor]

I don't have a spare CPU or spare mobo to swap.

In this case you can't determine which part is faulty. Your options at this point are: RMA both mobo and CPU or take them to the repair shop to determine which part is a problem.

But first step would be to clear CMOS if you have not done it yet. Never hurts, may help.

 

[lonb]

Why clear CMOS? I can try it, just wondering it will make matters worse? Also, I've pulled out the CPU cooler, the SSD, and one of the DIMMs. The only things in there are the one DIMM (I believe in the correct slow, A2) and the CPU. I double checked that the RAM is clicked in and I removed the CPU and re-seated it.

Everything is the same...

Oddly, I also noticed there are no beeps when I start it up. Isn't that strange? I tried plugging in headphones into line_out on the mobo and headphones on the connected front panel, but still didn't hear anything.

 

[DRagor]

Why clear CMOS?

If mobo is hanging up on some device recognition step then clearing CMOS can help. It is one of those "not likely to help but hey it's only a minute to do it so lets try" fixes.

Oddly, I also noticed there are no beeps when I start it up

See below, but also it just means the board is not POSTing.

I tried plugging in headphones into line_out

That's not how it is done. To hear motherboard beeps you need to connect so called motherboard speaker to certain header. Hint: it is usually included with case rather then motherboard.

 

[lonb]

If mobo is hanging up on some device recognition step then clearing CMOS can help. It is one of those "not likely to help but hey it's only a minute to do it so lets try" fixes.

See below, but also it just means the board is not POSTing.

That's not how it is done. To hear motherboard beeps you need to connect so called motherboard speaker to certain header. Hint: it is usually included with case rather then motherboard.

Ah got it, thank you ! I'll try clearing the CMOS and see what happens. Unfortunately this case (Fractal Design North) doesn't have that speaker. Seems like such a cheap component, stinks that it's no longer onboard.

 

[lonb]

Ah got it, thank you ! I'll try clearing the CMOS and see what happens. Unfortunately this case (Fractal Design North) doesn't have that speaker. Seems like such a cheap component, stinks that it's no longer onboard.

Unfortunately it looks like clearing the CMOS didn't have any effect.

 

[lonb]

FYI... turns out I had to connect the two 8-pin (2x4) CPU power cables. I didn't realize! It's now working perfectly.

 

[luraybell]

FYI... turns out I had to connect the two 8-pin (2x4) CPU power cables. I didn't realize! It's now working perfectly.

Dude you are a legend. You had the exact same problem that I had and a lot of people tried to help you fix it, when you wound up figuring it out on your own, you shared that answer. THANK YOU FOR SHARING THE ANSWER