[SOLVED] PC won't start after switching RAM slots

Feb 11, 2020
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About two weeks ago my apperetly not so tech savvy friend told me to switch slots for my RAM to fix a Memory management BSOD. Apart from somehow solving the BSOD 3 days ago my PC stopped booting completely, not even a short burst of fans. I have lights on my mother board and everything seems to be in order. It has randomely booted up twice since that, working perfectly for several hours. Once with the wrong setup for RAM slots and once after switching back to what the manual for the motherboard suggests.

Mother board: Rampage IV black edition
RAM: Corsair Vengeance Pro
PSU: Corsair something with 850 W
Rig is about 5-6 years old mainly built for editing but also gaming. I can try to look up more specs if needed.

I'm even less tech savvy than my not so tech savvy friend so I humbly beg for your help!
 
Solution
@Jibberlicious
This sounds like a failure of the motherboard or the power supply. It is possible that you bumped something and a connector is making poor contact now. It is also possible that something is touching where it shouldn't and causing a short (I had a screw stuck under the motherboard once). Without special equipment, testing the power supply usually means attaching another one.

My next step would be to UNPLUG the computer and then remove everything (video card, memory, hard drives, fans, USB, etc) on the motherboard except the CPU and heatsink. Plug it back in and see if I can get the computer to get through POST, then I start adding components back on one by one. You say your not tech savy, so I don't how...
Your friend's suggestion was not the worst. Your BSOD is probably related to a bad stick of RAM or an issue with the memory controller. Moving the sticks to other slots might change the memory channel (of which your board has 4) your RAM is running on and thus possibly bypass the issue (ie ... it was worth a shot before you go out and spend money).

The recommended RAM slots are just that ... a recommendation. The computer should start with the RAM in most any configuration (should!), it just that that configuration might not give you top performance.

My guess is your not getting the RAM to seat all the way.
  1. UNPLUG YOUR COMPUTER. Even with the computer shutdown, there is power to the motherboard.
  2. With that board, the RAM goes in on the non-clip side first and then you push down on the clip side. There should be an audible click. Sometime the non-clip side will rise up. Make sure the notch on the side of the memory stick is in it's holder.
  3. For testing ... I would only install one stick of memory. You can start with the recommended slot (D1) and try others if that fails. Once you feel you have a stable system, then add a 2nd stick. Rinse and repeat. If adding a stick causes instability, then you might have a bad stick or a bad slot.
Hope this helps.
 
Feb 11, 2020
5
0
10
Your friend's suggestion was not the worst. Your BSOD is probably related to a bad stick of RAM or an issue with the memory controller. Moving the sticks to other slots might change the memory channel (of which your board has 4) your RAM is running on and thus possibly bypass the issue (ie ... it was worth a shot before you go out and spend money).

The recommended RAM slots are just that ... a recommendation. The computer should start with the RAM in most any configuration (should!), it just that that configuration might not give you top performance.

My guess is your not getting the RAM to seat all the way.
  1. UNPLUG YOUR COMPUTER. Even with the computer shutdown, there is power to the motherboard.
  2. With that board, the RAM goes in on the non-clip side first and then you push down on the clip side. There should be an audible click. Sometime the non-clip side will rise up. Make sure the notch on the side of the memory stick is in it's holder.
  3. For testing ... I would only install one stick of memory. You can start with the recommended slot (D1) and try others if that fails. Once you feel you have a stable system, then add a 2nd stick. Rinse and repeat. If adding a stick causes instability, then you might have a bad stick or a bad slot.
Hope this helps.

I might have some other kind of that perticular mother board model, I do have 8 slots. Il look inte to the RAM not beeing in the right position, but i know of the click sound you're speaking of and I think I did it properly. I have tried starting it with just one of the RAMs slotted, same thing there. I've also been careful and unplugged the computer.

Worth mentioning could be that only parts of the LEDs on the mother board lighted up most of the time in the other RAM setup, like the system was struggling with power, maybe.

[Edit] I want to also add the his suggestion was to move bot RAMS to one side, slot 1-3 or 2-4. Manual says 3-6.

Thanks for your reply, really appreciate it!
 
Last edited:
I might have some other kind of that perticular mother board model, I do have 8 slots. Il look inte to the RAM not beeing in the right position, but i know of the click sound you're speaking of and I think I did it properly. I have tried starting it with just one of the RAMs slotted, same thing there. I've also been careful and unplugged the computer.

Worth mentioning could be that only parts of the LEDs on the mother board lighted up most of the time in the other RAM setup, like the system was struggling with power, maybe.

[Edit] I want to also add the his suggestion was to move bot RAMS to one side, slot 1-3 or 2-4. Manual says 3-6.

Thanks for your reply, really appreciate it!
It's a nice motherboard, lots of options. I would suggest you read page 1-29 to 1-36 in your manual to give you a better understanding of what the LEDs mean. Not really sure what you mean by struggling with power.

Also, page 1-25 gives information about memory compatibility checks.

https://dlcdnets.asus.com/pub/ASUS/...CK_EDITION/E8670_Rampage_IV_Black_Edition.pdf
 
Feb 11, 2020
5
0
10
It's a nice motherboard, lots of options. I would suggest you read page 1-29 to 1-36 in your manual to give you a better understanding of what the LEDs mean. Not really sure what you mean by struggling with power.

Also, page 1-25 gives information about memory compatibility checks.

https://dlcdnets.asus.com/pub/ASUS/...CK_EDITION/E8670_Rampage_IV_Black_Edition.pdf

Looked through the pages a few dozen times. When I flip the circuit break at first only the logo and maybe start and reset light up on the mother board. If I flip it on and off maybe 2 more times everything that should light up lights up except the Q LEDs and HD LED, of which my guess is only lighting up during booting sequence and onward.

Tried booting in Slow Mode, DirectKey, MemOK!, starting on Mother board Start button and switching to BIOS default 2.

No luck yet!..
 
@Jibberlicious
During POST (power on self test) the Q LEDs should light in rapid succession. They will only stay lit if there is an error with that component.

Do you get any Q codes from the digital output near the start button?

What I would expect to happen ...
  1. You turn on the power supply (or plug it in) and the Start button should illuminate.
  2. If you push the start button, one of the BIOS lights should come on and the Mem-Ok LED might blink.
  3. Next the Q LEDs should light in rapid secession.
  4. Numbers should start scrolling on the Q Code output.
  5. Finally, the HDD LED should start blinking.

If I understand your description, your not getting past number 2.
 
Feb 11, 2020
5
0
10
@Jibberlicious
During POST (power on self test) the Q LEDs should light in rapid succession. They will only stay lit if there is an error with that component.

Do you get any Q codes from the digital output near the start button?

What I would expect to happen ...
  1. You turn on the power supply (or plug it in) and the Start button should illuminate.
  2. If you push the start button, one of the BIOS lights should come on and the Mem-Ok LED might blink.
  3. Next the Q LEDs should light in rapid secession.
  4. Numbers should start scrolling on the Q Code output.
  5. Finally, the HDD LED should start blinking.
If I understand your description, your not getting past number 2.

BIOS light is on before I press start, can't see anything happening after pressing start. Mem-Ok LED does not blink. So yes kind of?
 
@Jibberlicious
This sounds like a failure of the motherboard or the power supply. It is possible that you bumped something and a connector is making poor contact now. It is also possible that something is touching where it shouldn't and causing a short (I had a screw stuck under the motherboard once). Without special equipment, testing the power supply usually means attaching another one.

My next step would be to UNPLUG the computer and then remove everything (video card, memory, hard drives, fans, USB, etc) on the motherboard except the CPU and heatsink. Plug it back in and see if I can get the computer to get through POST, then I start adding components back on one by one. You say your not tech savy, so I don't how comfortable you would be with that.
 
Solution
Feb 11, 2020
5
0
10
@Jibberlicious
This sounds like a failure of the motherboard or the power supply. It is possible that you bumped something and a connector is making poor contact now. It is also possible that something is touching where it shouldn't and causing a short (I had a screw stuck under the motherboard once). Without special equipment, testing the power supply usually means attaching another one.

My next step would be to UNPLUG the computer and then remove everything (video card, memory, hard drives, fans, USB, etc) on the motherboard except the CPU and heatsink. Plug it back in and see if I can get the computer to get through POST, then I start adding components back on one by one. You say your not tech savy, so I don't how comfortable you would be with that.

Ok! Massive thanks for the help. I can probably test that with the help of some poeple from the Uni i go to.