Question PC won't boot up (DRAM light stays on) ?

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JVLasters

JVLasters

Sep 8, 2022
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I tried to apply thermal paste to my cpu and now the dram light of my motherboard constantly shows when i try to turn on the pc. The motherboard has lighting, the fans and the ram light up but i cant update my bios through the bios flashback feature cuz the bios light won't even turn on when the button is pressed.

Specs:
Mb - asus rog strix b550f- wifi
Cpu - ryzen 5 5600x
gpu - rtx 3060 evga xc
ssd - samsung 2tb
 
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JVLasters

JVLasters

Sep 8, 2022
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kurdtnz said:
With the BIOS flash feature, you should be able to flash the BIOS without the cpu in place. Is this a new build? What BIOS version are you trying to upgrade to?
Click to expand...

I've had the pc for about a year now, i haven't been upgrading the bios since i initially bios flashed the day i made the pc (oct 2021 or so). I've been trying to update to the latest bios 2022 . While my pc start up is stuck on the dram light i thought i could probably do a bios update with a formated usb. But the flashback light won't even turn on when clicked. i honestly don't know what to do. I think the mb is fried.
 
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MEMOFLEX

MEMOFLEX

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Did the computer work before you applied the thermal paste or was this a new CPU?

Can you list which RAM kit you are using?

When trying to upgrade the bios I gather you used the correct USB slot and held the button down for at least 3 seconds? Just trying to rule things out.

I have had usb sticks in the past that did not seem to work when attempting to flash the BIOS. Have you tried a different one? I think it should be a USB 2.0

Bios was renamed after download?
 
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JVLasters

JVLasters

Sep 8, 2022
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MEMOFLEX said:
When trying to upgrade the bios I gather you used the correct USB slot and held the button down for at least 3 seconds? Just trying to rule things out.

I have had usb sticks in the past that did not seem to work when attempting to flash the BIOS. Have you tried a different one? I think it should be a USB 2.0

Bios was renamed after download?
Click to expand...

I believe i put my usb in the right port, for me it's the port with a box outline.
i haven't tried a different usb yet i will try that now. I just can't possibly understand why there's no light when i click and hold the flash back button tho.
 
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MEMOFLEX

MEMOFLEX

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JVLasters said:
I believe i put my usb in the right port, for me it's the port with a box outline.
i haven't tried a different usb yet i will try that now. I just can't possibly understand why there's no light when i click and hold the flash back button tho.
Click to expand...
Sorry I edited my response to add in whether the computer was working prior to you adding thermal paste?
 
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JVLasters

JVLasters

Sep 8, 2022
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MEMOFLEX said:
OK. Did you do the thermal paste and then try and update the BIOS before trying to boot as normal or was the BIOS update tried because the system wouldn't boot after the thermal paste application?
Click to expand...

i tried to update bios after the thermal paster application cuz the pc boot was stuck on the dram light. i'm honestly just gonna buy a mac laptop and work off that. the mb is def fried no reasom for the flashback light to not work other than it being dead.
 
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MEMOFLEX

MEMOFLEX

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JVLasters said:
i tried to update bios after the thermal paster application cuz the pc boot was stuck on the dram light. i'm honestly just gonna buy a mac laptop and work off that. the mb is def fried no reasom for the flashback light to not work other than it being dead.
Click to expand...

It could well be your usb stick rather than the motherboard. I wouldn't give up yet and if the motherboard was dead then replacing that would be a considerably cheaper option than buying a mac laptop!

I take it you have tried clearing the CMOS?
 
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JVLasters

JVLasters

Sep 8, 2022
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MEMOFLEX said:
It could well be your usb stick rather than the motherboard. I wouldn't give up yet and if the motherboard was dead then replacing that would be a considerably cheaper option than buying a mac laptop!

I take it you have tried clearing the CMOS?
Click to expand...

i haven't done this yet no, i'd just have to take oyt the battery for about 10 mins right?
 
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MEMOFLEX

MEMOFLEX

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JVLasters said:
the cmos didnt work either still no bios light and still stuck at dram light on boot. its time i give up thx for your help tho. I appreciate it.
Click to expand...
That is your choice bud but I take it you did reseat the ram to make sure it wasn't accidently knocked when removing the cooler?

Ram has been tried in different slots and with single sticks?

The cooler was not over tightened when putting back on?

Pins were checked on the CPU to confirm that none are bent?

The BIOS flash was tried with a confirmed USB 2 as stated in the manual? BIOS flash was tried without CPU present?

If you have not tried any or all of these then there are plenty of things to try before giving up.

Ultimately it is you system though but happy to continue to try and help.
 
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JVLasters

JVLasters

Sep 8, 2022
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MEMOFLEX said:
That is your choice bud but I take it you did reseat the ram to make sure it wasn't accidently knocked when removing the cooler?

Ram has been tried in different slots and with single sticks?

The cooler was not over tightened when putting back on?

Pins were checked on the CPU to confirm that none are bent?

The BIOS flash was tried with a confirmed USB 2 as stated in the manual? BIOS flash was tried without CPU present?

If you have not tried any or all of these then there are plenty of things to try before giving up.

Ultimately it is you system though but happy to continue to try and help.
Click to expand...

i've tried all of these man i told you it's a lost cause. i'll try to put the ram in different slots again, (this was the first thing i did).
 
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MEMOFLEX

MEMOFLEX

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OK bud. I have had a look around for similar issues on ASUS boards and the only other key things I could find which matched your problem were :

Ensuring usb is formatted to fat32 (NTFS can cause issues sometimes)

Removing all components from motherboard except for power and 1 memory stick and then trying to flash
 
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JVLasters

JVLasters

Sep 8, 2022
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MEMOFLEX said:
OK bud. I have had a look around for similar issues on ASUS boards and the only other key things I could find which matched your problem were :

Ensuring usb is formatted to fat32 (NTFS can cause issues sometimes)

Removing all components from motherboard except for power and 1 memory stick and then trying to flash
Click to expand...

Ok i'll give the 2nd one a try. Would i have to remove all the cables as well?
 
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MEMOFLEX

MEMOFLEX

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Is it strange that the BIOS flashback will not even attempt to work. I don't think I asked this but after you repasted, turned back on and got the DRAM led did the flashback ever work when you tried it? Did it light up and attempt to update the BIOS or it just never worked?
 
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MEMOFLEX

MEMOFLEX

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If it never turned on after you had the dram error then that implies that no BIOS update was conducted and this may not be a BIOS issue at all.

The problem from the beginning here was that there were 2 potential issues tied up into one.

The first being the DRAM issue after pasting and the second being the believed BIOS issue.

As the BIOS was not updated and the flashback does not seem to be activating or working then this implies that the BIOS is not the issue.

As you have effectively dismantled the computer I would put the computer together again to the minimum you need :

CPU (Checking again that no pins are damaged)
1 memory module (might be worth trying both sticks individually and in different slots if things do not work first time)
Cpu cooler (making sure it is not overtightened)
Graphics card
Power to cpu motherboard and GPU

See if the same error persists.

Can you confirm your PSU model? Should have asked this before I went down the BIOS rabbit hole
 
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JVLasters

JVLasters

Sep 8, 2022
15
0
10
MEMOFLEX said:
If it never turned on after you had the dram error then that implies that no BIOS update was conducted and this may not be a BIOS issue at all.

The problem from the beginning here was that there were 2 potential issues tied up into one.

The first being the DRAM issue after pasting and the second being the believed BIOS issue.

As the BIOS was not updated and the flashback does not seem to be activating or working then this implies that the BIOS is not the issue.

As you have effectively dismantled the computer I would put the computer together again to the minimum you need :

CPU (Checking again that no pins are damaged)
1 memory module (might be worth trying both sticks individually and in different slots if things do not work first time)
Cpu cooler (making sure it is not overtightened)
Graphics card
Power to cpu motherboard and GPU

See if the same error persists.

Can you confirm your PSU model? Should have asked this before I went down the BIOS rabbit hole
Click to expand...

Psu- SeaSonic FOCUS Plus Platinum 750 W 80+ Platinum Certified Fully Modular ATX Power Supply

Ssd- Samsung 870 QVO 2 TB 2.5" Solid State Drive

Ram - Corsair Vengeance RGB Pro SL 16 GB (2 x 8 GB) DDR4-3200 CL16 Memory

You're right bios might not even be the issue. The ram rgb turns on but the pc is still stuck on dram light at start up.
 
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