Question New Ryzen 5 3600 dead or am I missing something?

[Shraman Mitra]

Hello
This is going to be a super long post so please bear with me.
Recently I upgraded from a Ryzen 5 1600 to a Ryzen 5 3600 as my motherboard was the MSI B450 gaming plus, I upgraded the bios before swapping out the 1600 for the 3600.
On first try the system refused to boot in dual channel so I tried single channel with only one stick of ram and it posted, the moment I got into the windows OS with single channel memory my pc shut off power completely. I tried to boot again and crashed exactly at the windows sign in screen again.
Thus thinking it to be a cpu problem I decided to swap back my 1600 just to make sure. Strangely enough PC refused to boot this time with the CPU ez debug led solid red.
Swapping back to the 3600 now the system refused to boot even in single channel with the motherboard lighting the ez debug DRAM led solid red.

From then on whatever I've tried the system keeps giving me the DRAM led and refuses to post. Can't even get into the bios.

Things that I've tried :

1. Tried each stick in each DIMM slot, also tried various combinations but system refuses to boot with dram led on
2. Clearing CMOS through the battery removal process and the jumper process
3. Updating bios again through the msi bios flashback method
4. Tried both the RAMs on a seperate (INTEL) system and they worked normally
5. Changed my motherboard for the MSI B450 gaming pro carbon max wifi (which comes with ryzen 3rd gen ready out of the box)
6. Breadboarding the whole system to eliminate any shorts being caused in the case
7. Tried using an AIO and the ryzen stock cooler on the 3600
8. Disconnected all extra peripherals and tried to boot with just the CPU and GPU.
9. Checked and reseated my CPU atleast 10 times, there are no broken or discoloured pins. Everything looks fine.

Nothing worked and everytime the system lit up the DRAM led solid red and did not post. Could not get into the bios

I haven't yet tried a different PSU or haven't tried to RMA my 3600 yet.
Is it my PSU or is the CPU to blame?

So I'd be super super glad if someone here could help me with this problem which has been driving me crazy.

My complete system specs :
AMD Ryzen 5 3600 (upgraded from Ryzen 5 1600)
MSI B450 gaming pro carbon Max (changed from msi B450 gaming plus)
16 GB (8x2) of Corsair vengeance LPX 3000Mhz (CMK8GX4M1D3000C16)
RTX 2070
Corsair CX 650

Thanks 😀

 

[rocktalkrock]

Have you tried plugging your keyboard into a different USB port?
Have you tried hitting F11 to enter the motherboards Boot Menu?

 

[drea.drechsler]

Hello
This is going to be a super long post so please bear with me.
Recently I upgraded from a Ryzen 5 1600 to a Ryzen 5 3600 as my motherboard was the MSI B450 gaming plus, I upgraded the bios before swapping out the 1600 for the 3600.
On first try the system refused to boot in dual channel so I tried single channel with only one stick of ram and it posted, the moment I got into the windows OS with single channel memory my pc shut off power completely. I tried to boot again and crashed exactly at the windows sign in screen again.
Thus thinking it to be a cpu problem I decided to swap back my 1600 just to make sure. Strangely enough PC refused to boot this time with the CPU ez debug led solid red.
Swapping back to the 3600 now the system refused to boot even in single channel with the motherboard lighting the ez debug DRAM led solid red.

From then on whatever I've tried the system keeps giving me the DRAM led and refuses to post. Can't even get into the bios.

Things that I've tried :

1. Tried each stick in each DIMM slot, also tried various combinations but system refuses to boot with dram led on
2. Clearing CMOS through the battery removal process and the jumper process
3. Updating bios again through the msi bios flashback method
4. Tried both the RAMs on a seperate (INTEL) system and they worked normally
5. Changed my motherboard for the MSI B450 gaming pro carbon max wifi (which comes with ryzen 3rd gen ready out of the box)
6. Breadboarding the whole system to eliminate any shorts being caused in the case
7. Tried using an AIO and the ryzen stock cooler on the 3600
8. Disconnected all extra peripherals and tried to boot with just the CPU and GPU.
9. Checked and reseated my CPU atleast 10 times, there are no broken or discoloured pins. Everything looks fine.

Nothing worked and everytime the system lit up the DRAM led solid red and did not post. Could not get into the bios

I haven't yet tried a different PSU or haven't tried to RMA my 3600 yet.
Is it my PSU or is the CPU to blame?

So I'd be super super glad if someone here could help me with this problem which has been driving me crazy.

My complete system specs :
AMD Ryzen 5 3600 (upgraded from Ryzen 5 1600)
MSI B450 gaming pro carbon Max (changed from msi B450 gaming plus)
16 GB (8x2) of Corsair vengeance LPX 3000Mhz (CMK8GX4M1D3000C16)
RTX 2070
Corsair CX 650

Thanks 😀

Seems to me you've tried everything, and I won't insult your building skills by asking if you're sure you connected the CPU EPS connector to the board. I'm also assuming, since you tried the DIMM's in another board successfully, that you're confident you fully inserted them and in the correct sockets.

So the history of flashback BIOS updates on MSI board suggests there's a possibility that BIOS got corrupted in one of the updates. It would be great if you had another AM4 system handy to try at least the 1600 to see if it's good. But on the possibility your board's the culprit, and it's still in warranty, you could contact MSI tech support and get an RMA.

 

[Shraman Mitra]

Seems to me you've tried everything, and I won't insult your building skills by asking if you're sure you connected the CPU EPS connector to the board. I'm also assuming, since you tried the DIMM's in another board successfully, that you're confident you fully inserted them and in the correct sockets.

So the history of flashback BIOS updates on MSI board suggests there's a possibility that BIOS got corrupted in one of the updates. It would be great if you had another AM4 system handy to try at least the 1600 to see if it's good. But on the possibility your board's the culprit, and it's still in warranty, you could contact MSI tech support and get an RMA.

Hey thanks for the reply

Yes I double checked all the connections. Cpu 8 pin, Mobo 24 pin and pci-e 6+8 pin.

I tried the 3600 on another AM4 system and this time one that was ryzen 3rd gen ready out of the box. Got the same Dram error. So Mobo is ruled out I guess.

Now I'm stuck between the issue being either the memory controller on the CPU itself or the PSU crapping out on me.
Which one of the two would you think is more probable?

 

[Shraman Mitra]

Have you tried plugging your keyboard into a different USB port?
Have you tried hitting F11 to enter the motherboards Boot Menu?

I did. But sadly the motherboard doesn't get past the dram issue. So can't boot into bios. Keyboard isn't even detected.

 

[drea.drechsler]

...

I tried the 3600 on another AM4 system and this time one that was ryzen 3rd gen ready out of the box. Got the same Dram error. So Mobo is ruled out I guess.
...

The CPU has the memory controller so if the problem moves with the CPU it's the CPU. But...what about the 1600? did you try it in the other AM4 board?

 

[dorsai]

I'm with drea.drechsler in that it sounds like a bad BIOS flash...since even the 1600 no longer works.

Your board allows you to flash another BIOS without a CPU installed...I would try flashing one version prior.

 

[Shraman Mitra]

I'm with drea.drechsler in that it sounds like a bad BIOS flash...since even the 1600 no longer works.

Your board allows you to flash another BIOS without a CPU installed...I would try flashing one version prior.

@drea.drechsler was right most probably.
Probably seemed like a bad bios flash. The 1600 worked on the new board but I had to try thrice before it posted(before that it just gave me a debug cpu led and left it there). But the 3600 just refuses to work even on the new board.
The old board I've already sent in to RMA

I have a few questions right now.

1. Could this be a PSU problem and my unit is crapping out on me? Because of the random cpu and dram leds?
2. . My Ram is the Corsair vengence lpx 3000 mhz (CMK8GX4M1D3000C16). Is there any way that the memory is not compatible with ryzen 3600 or the motherboard which in turn lights the dram light?

 

[iiSlashr]

@drea.drechsler was right most probably.
Probably seemed like a bad bios flash. The 1600 worked on the new board but I had to try thrice before it posted(before that it just gave me a debug cpu led and left it there). But the 3600 just refuses to work even on the new board.
The old board I've already sent in to RMA

I have a few questions right now.

1. Could this be a PSU problem and my unit is crapping out on me? Because of the random cpu and dram leds?
2. . My Ram is the Corsair vengence lpx 3000 mhz (CMK8GX4M1D3000C16). Is there any way that the memory is not compatible with ryzen 3600 or the motherboard which in turn lights the dram light?

No, Ryzen 3000 CPUs support up to 3200MHz officially. Your motherboard is fine for that RAM, although I would try removing one stick, replacing it, and doing the same with the other stick. Then, try using different RAM slots. If switching RAM slots fixes it, it's most likely a motherboard issue.

 

[Shraman Mitra]

No, Ryzen 3000 CPUs support up to 3200MHz officially. Your motherboard is fine for that RAM, although I would try removing one stick, replacing it, and doing the same with the other stick. Then, try using different RAM slots. If switching RAM slots fixes it, it's most likely a motherboard issue.

I tried booting with the single sticks in all four slots but they do not work. The RAMs however work in another system. And most probably it's not the Mobo because this is the 3rd motherboard I tried that gave me the same problem.

I am going to RMA the cpu but is it worth checking it on a different PSU first? If that solves the issue. I've heard PSUs crapping out gives a host of random problems? And the psu is the only part I didn't swap out.

 

[rocktalkrock]

I tried booting with the single sticks in all four slots but they do not work. The RAMs however work in another system. And most probably it's not the Mobo because this is the 3rd motherboard I tried that gave me the same problem.

I am going to RMA the cpu but is it worth checking it on a different PSU first? If that solves the issue. I've heard PSUs crapping gives a host of random problems? And the psu is the only part I didn't swap out.

Unless the CPU has a bent pin, it is very unlikely the CPU is faulty.

 

[Shraman Mitra]

Unless the CPU has a bent pin, it is very unlikely the CPU is faulty.

Checked the CPU under a magnifying glass. No bent pins. I guess I'll try and test out a different PSU first thing tomorrow.
Can a bad PSU post this kind of a problem though?

 

[rocktalkrock]

Checked the CPU under a magnifying glass. No bent pins. I guess I'll try and test out a different PSU first thing tomorrow.
Can a bad PSU post this kind of a problem though?

It is possible your PSU is causing the problem, it just seems unlikely the PSU stopped working at the exact moment you switched to the new 3600 CPU. If it were the PSU causing the problem, i would suspect a damaged power cable. Have you checked all the power plugs and connectors for any dirt, lint or pet-hairs?

 

[Shraman Mitra]

It is possible your PSU is causing the problem, it just seems unlikely the PSU stopped working at the exact moment you switched to the new 3600 CPU. If it were the PSU causing the problem, i would suspect a damaged power cable. Have you checked all the power plugs and connectors for any dirt, lint or pet-hairs?

I checked the power cables too they're fine. Also the motherboard and all the led fans and the aio seems to be receiving power normally (fans spin up and the AIO lights up).