[SOLVED] RAM not booting PC

[A Stunned Wookie]

Semi-old build here, Parts ranging from as far back as 2014 here to 2017. Computer has been sitting in the garage for a good while but has been cleaned and dust free. Recently trying to get it working to see it to a friend but has been running into some issues that I suspect is the RAM.

Mobo: Asus Z97-Pro Gamer LGA 1150
RAM: Corsair Vengeance Pro Series 16GB (2x8GB) 1866Mhz (CMY16GX3M2A1866C9R)
OS: W10
GPU: EVGA 980TI FTW Edition SLI
CPU: i5 4690K
PSU: Corsair HX1000i
Monitor: Samsung CHG70 27'' (LC27HG70QQNXZA)
HD: Toshiba 7200 RPM 2TB

Cleaning the PC (getting rid of dust) seemed to fix the issue(not being able to boot) and I was able to boot it up and factory reset it so I could sell it to a friend but I was not able to fully reset it due to PC no longer displaying anything. I was able to initiate the factory reset and could see the percentage of 2% out of 100% but I unplugged the DP and resumed using my own PC so it could finish. When I waited around 3 hours which was more than enough time for this nothing was displaying anymore. It was not a display issue with my own monitor as I tested various monitors and TV's and cables(HDMI, VGA, DP) just to get a image but nothing popped up. Let the PC sit still for a few days before trying again to see if I could get an image but to no avail. Now that I am trying again i'm getting the previous error prior to being able to reset my PC as if I had no issue of possibly faulty RAM. Not sure if I corrupt the HD by not being able to fully factory reset it via windows settings.

At startup PC boots up and everything lights up, shortly turns off after the motherboard diagnostic light reaches the RAM the PC turns off and keeps rebooting trying to boot up. Nothing else has changed nor has any part been swapped. The RAM slots are placed according to the MOBO manual in slots 2,4. RAM was never overclocked, and I can not gain access to the BIOS either.

I spoke to a Computer Maintenance teacher from my local highschool who is a close friend to my dad and he suggested it was a MOBO issue prior to today's unfortunate event of PC not being able to boot and showing signs of faulty ram. Given it is 2 AM I don't expect a response until later today.

Anyone have past experience with this issue that can bless me with some advise?

 

[Darkbreeze]

Try this, first. And don't change monitors, or swap the drive into another machine, at any point during or after the installation. The Windows installation is ONLY intended for the hardware that it was attached to when it was installed. Changing hardware, even just the monitor, during the middle of an installation can have unexpected results for both the BIOS and the installation.

BIOS Hard Reset procedure

Power off the unit, switch the PSU off and unplug the PSU cord from either the wall or the power supply.

Remove the motherboard CMOS battery for five minutes. In some cases it may be necessary to remove the graphics card to access the CMOS battery.

During that five minutes, press the power button on the case for 30 seconds. After the five minutes is up, reinstall the CMOS battery making sure to insert it with the correct side up just as it came out.

If you had to remove the graphics card you can now reinstall it, but remember to reconnect your power cables if there were any attached to it as well as your display cable.

Now, plug the power supply cable back in, switch the PSU back on and power up the system. It should display the POST screen and the options to enter CMOS/BIOS setup. Enter the bios setup program and reconfigure the boot settings for either the Windows boot manager or for legacy systems, the drive your OS is installed on if necessary.

Save settings and exit. If the system will POST and boot then you can move forward from there including going back into the bios and configuring any other custom settings you may need to configure such as Memory XMP, A-XMP or D.O.C.P profile settings, custom fan profile settings or other specific settings you may have previously had configured that were wiped out by resetting the CMOS.

In some cases it may be necessary when you go into the BIOS after a reset, to load the Optimal default or Default values and then save settings, to actually get the hardware tables to reset in the boot manager.

It is probably also worth mentioning that for anything that might require an attempt to DO a hard reset in the first place, IF the problem is related to a lack of video signal, it is a GOOD IDEA to try a different type of display as many systems will not work properly for some reason with displayport configurations. It is worth trying HDMI if you are having no display or lack of visual ability to enter the BIOS, or no signal messages.


IF that does not resolve your issue, then follow the instructions here:

How To - Motherboard bench testing

Finding the problem through bench testing If you are here then it’s likely you have encountered a serious hardware issue and have been unable to resolve it using the standard no-POST troubleshooting procedures. If you have not yet attempted to resolve your issues using the no-POST...

forums.tomshardware.com

 

[A Stunned Wookie]

I've run into another issue. So I reset the CMOS and it no longer shuts off after a few seconds and repeating that cycle trying to catch a boot as it did before. I've tried two things, leaving the RAM slots in 2,4 and the DRAM LED light is solid red and nothing displays. So I switched the RAM to slots 1,3 and the LED light goes away but shifts to another one, the SB LED at the very bottom. Meanwhile my monitor is trying to display something (via DP) but it stays black and keeps repeating the cycle trying to display something but nothing does. I guess I have to try a HDMI? If so, do I connect it to the GPU (i do run SLI so do I try both cards?)

Sorry for the late reply, work is hectic with the covid 19 as a essential worker.

 

[Darkbreeze]

First thing you need to do is pull the secondary card out of the motherboard and try booting with only one graphics card installed. The whole problem might be a weak or faulty power supply that is over taxed by two GPU cards, or a faulty GPU card. If it doesn't work with one, swap it for the other one. See if you get any love that way.

And trying with HDMI versus DP is always a potentially required step. Sometimes one type doesn't work, or a bad cable, or whatever.