New Build Constant Restart with RAM

[andronimus2002]

Hi guys,

I've built three systems before and going for my 4th and having a problem I haven't seen before. Much appreciated if anyone has any ideas.

I'll spare all the system details as don't think they come into play yet.

Got my components and started building today. Using a Asus P9x79-WS board with a i7-4930 and a H100i cooler. Big 1375W thermaltake psu.

Put together the bare bones (just mobo, cpu, and cooler) just to make sure nothing was dead. Powered up fine and got an LED code saying there was no memory and PC speaker gave one long, two short beeps (memory issue). Since I hadn't plugged in any RAM, so far so good I thought.

Here's where the problem comes in. I added one stick of G Skill f3-19200cl10q-32gb in the D1 slot as recommended in the mobo manual and tried to start. System made no audible sounds (before as indicated it had made a memory error code), flashed through some LED codes for about 5-10 seconds and then immediately powered off and instantly restarted. The last LED I could read before restart I believe was 9A but it didn't correspond to anything seemingly related in the manual and might be a red herring.

Long story short tried all 4 sticks I had in all 8 different slots with same results. Am positive not all my RAM is bad. Tried clearing CMOS with no luck. Always resets after a few seconds if any RAM is in. If you take it all out, system will get to the memory step and hang indefinitely (don't think it's a PSU/heat/CPU issue as everything seems to work and run as long as I need if I don't have any RAM in).

Since can't do anything else I'm sort of stuck. Can't seem to find any clear data if my RAM is incompatible with this board but reviews on newegg were saying it was. Before I go out and buy a different brand or type of RAM, anyone have any ideas?

Thanks again.

 

[Frisbee_68]

The Asus P9X79 should have a MemOK button close to the memory slots. Try inserting 1 stick into the slot closest to the processor, and hold the MemOK button for a few seconds with the power off. Hope this helps.

 

[andronimus2002]

No luck. Just will not start with any RAM in any slot.

I got a new motherboard (ASUS Rampage 4 Black) and borrowed some RAM. *exact same issue* with both the new board and new RAM. System will start and hang (this time at "CPU Microarchitecture not found" according to the Q-code) indefinitely, but as soon as a single stick of RAM is inserted anywhere on the board it goes into the power off/power on/restart cycle again and again.

Busted CPU? I've never seen anything like this. Have to rule out the boards and RAM since I've now tried two sets with the same issue. I think the cooler is working as the CPU can run indefinitely if no RAM is installed...

 

[Frisbee_68]

Sounds like a possible CPU issue but that is very strange...

 

[andronimus2002]

Completely baffled. The cooler is pumping and I can feel fluid moving in the tubes. The motherboard and RAM have both already been replaced/tested.

Just to clarify again for anyone reading -- if no RAM, the system will power on and stay sitting at an error code endlessly (but fans are running, board stays lit, pump is going, etc). As soon as a single stick of RAM inserted, goes into instant-reboot mode (with the new board, it makes it maybe about 3 seconds through the boot before restarting and just continues indefinitely).

Does the CPU not get 'tested' if there's no RAM installed and that's why it doesn't restart if there's no RAM in? I thought it could possibly be overheating but it's happening so fast (within 3 seconds) and the cooler appears to be working that it just seems unlikely. I suppose maybe I could have used too much AS5 but I've done this before and I only put a tiny blot.

 

[andronimus2002]

Did some more experimenting and was actually able to get past the RAM check once or twice before the system shut down and rebooted. Makes me think it's not anything to do with the RAM and perhaps a PSU issue. I have a Thermaltake Toughpower XT 1375W. Brand new. It definitely powers the board and seems to start -- the fan does not spin though (though I've read this won't happen if there is less than 50% load). Any easy way to tell if its a PSU issue or CPU before I start ordering new things? Anyone have experience with this?

 

[Frisbee_68]

Do you have another computer you could test the PSU on? You could also manually test it using a multimeter if you happen to have one.

 

[andronimus2002]

Sadly no other computer right now as I'm in the process of moving. I should get a multimeter but it'll take a while to get here.

Some more updates:

I cleaned and reapplied AS5 to the CPU and made sure there wasn't any excess on it. I then breadboxed the entire machine and started it with nothing but PSU, CPU, and cooler. System made it to the same point it had in the case, stuck on error code 59 ("CPU Micro Code is not found"). As a note, I don't know if that is normal for an Asus Rampage IV Black board -- i.e. what code it should 'get' to with just a CPU and cooler installed. If anyone has any info on that Q code, please let me know.

Anyways, add any stick of RAM anywhere and immediately it just goes back into restart mode, constantly switching on and off after 3 seconds or so, occasionally making it 8-10 seconds before restarting.

Things I've done:
1) updated BIOS
2) cleared CMOS
3) tried different RAM/slots
4) tried a new Mboard

Given that there is nothing else connected to the system, I don't know what else it could be. Am I missing something crazy simple and just not realizing it? I have a 24-pin, 8-pin, and 4-pin plugs on the board that are all connected to PSU. CPU_FAN is connected. At a loss...hard to believe the PSU could be dead in this weird manner of turning on but turning off only once RAM starts going in...similarly hard to believe CPU was just a straight out dud...

 

[andronimus2002]

Anyone got any other thoughts?

 

[Frisbee_68]

2 more thoughts and then I'm all out of ideas. First, try breadboxing again, this time keeping 1 stick of RAM in for the entire test (so take out video card/hard drive/etc.). Second, check all the motherboard headers, all the screws on the motherboard, and check that the fan on your PSU is actually running. Hopefully something works out, sounds like youre having a really tough time 🙁