Question RAM won't post when PC is upright.

[astir]

I have had some issues with my RAM (the second slot not giving me a click on each side, while the other slots do), but I clicked it in well and even after the error LED and it booted without problem. However my PC was laying flat down, since it makes it way easier to slot in. I turn my PC upright while in BIOS and the screen freezes. Power off, power on, RAM post LED. It just won't boot while the case is upright. This affects the second slot only. I was able to boot from both RAMs in the fourth slot separately.

I'm seriously at a loss. When I put it upright I check every cable, every connection, it's all tight and in place. I ran memtest64 for 15 minutes (maybe a bit too little) and no issues. I screwed most things until met with resistance and followed the CPU contact frame guide (albeit its very loose and jiggly, but googling showed that that's normal?) so I don't think its an overtightening issue.

These are my specs;
i7-14700KF
NZXT N7 Z790
DDR5 32GB 6400MHz RAM from Teamgroup (T-Create)
Corsair RM1000e
RTX 2070 (waiting for GPU prices to go down..)
inside a Fractal North Mesh Case
Fans and CPU Cooler are from be quiet!, Dark Rock 4 and Dark Rock Silent Wing 4's
Additionally Thermal Grizzly CPU Frame and Kryosheet

Thank you in advance 🙏

 

[Darkbreeze]

If the memory is not seating, ie "clicking in at both ends", like the other slots, then there is a problem with the board and there MUST be a reason for it. This is also certainly relevant to the fact that it is not wanting to POST while upright. The weight of the DIMM itself, while not a lot, is enough probably to allow it to break the connection. You could test this by gently pushing the DIMM down into it's slot while holding the opposite side of the case to ensure the force is applied and the case does not move, while having somebody else press the power button to turn it on. If the retention of the DIMM is the problem this SHOULD allow it to POST and should tell you this is the entire reason why it won't.

If it does not, then you have gremlins, or some other issue such as maybe the weight of the CPU cooler pulling down and putting stress on the CPU socket which on very heavy coolers or coolers where the backplate or mounting hardware is not 100% correctly installed with no slack and evenly all the way around, because that can break the connection to one or more pins and cause it to act in a variety of ways including not POSTing at all, POST but problems or memory problems where one or more slots refuse to work. Your cooler is very heavy and it would not be surprising if this was the problem despite the retention mechanism in the DIMM slot as NZXT tends to have thinner PCB material on their motherboards than some other models which normally might not be a big deal but which CAN be with very heavy coolers like the DR4, NH-D14, etc.

You might try removing the DR4 and using the stock cooler or a different, lighter cooler, to see if this affects your problem.

 

[astir]

If the memory is not seating, ie "clicking in at both ends", like the other slots, then there is a problem with the board and there MUST be a reason for it. This is also certainly relevant to the fact that it is not wanting to POST while upright. The weight of the DIMM itself, while not a lot, is enough probably to allow it to break the connection. You could test this by gently pushing the DIMM down into it's slot while holding the opposite side of the case to ensure the force is applied and the case does not move, while having somebody else press the power button to turn it on. If the retention of the DIMM is the problem this SHOULD allow it to POST and should tell you this is the entire reason why it won't.

If it does not, then you have gremlins, or some other issue such as maybe the weight of the CPU cooler pulling down and putting stress on the CPU socket which on very heavy coolers or coolers where the backplate or mounting hardware is not 100% correctly installed with no slack and evenly all the way around, because that can break the connection to one or more pins and cause it to act in a variety of ways including not POSTing at all, POST but problems or memory problems where one or more slots refuse to work. Your cooler is very heavy and it would not be surprising if this was the problem despite the retention mechanism in the DIMM slot as NZXT tends to have thinner PCB material on their motherboards than some other models which normally might not be a big deal but which CAN be with very heavy coolers like the DR4, NH-D14, etc.

You might try removing the DR4 and using the stock cooler or a different, lighter cooler, to see if this affects your problem.

I shall try! Thank you so much. What's most confusing for me is that even while laying down it's a 50/50 whether it POSTs or not. Oh well. I will report back when I've figured it out.

 

[Darkbreeze]

I think the FIRST thing you should do is pull the CPU cooler and the CPU and check to make sure that both there are no bent pins on the motherboard AND that your backplate is fully, and evenly, seated and tightened. If that all looks good, then try removing the backplate for the DR4 and try the stock cooler. If you have no problems using the stock cooler then your problem almost has to be with the DR4 weight or installation.

Also, look VERY closely into the problematic DIMM slot and make certain there is nothing in there. No bits of fuzz, or plastic, or anything, and that there are no pins/wires in there that look "off" or bent. You might need a magnifying glass or reading glasses to really get a good look at those.

 

[astir]

I think the FIRST thing you should do is pull the CPU cooler and the CPU and check to make sure that both there are no bent pins on the motherboard AND that your backplate is fully, and evenly, seated and tightened. If that all looks good, then try removing the backplate for the DR4 and try the stock cooler. If you have no problems using the stock cooler then your problem almost has to be with the DR4 weight or installation.

Also, look VERY closely into the problematic DIMM slot and make certain there is nothing in there. No bits of fuzz, or plastic, or anything, and that there are no pins/wires in there that look "off" or bent. You might need a magnifying glass or reading glasses to really get a good look at those.

https://imgur.com/a/tyDYumk

View: https://imgur.com/a/tyDYumk
I assume this is the culprit. That bottom clip is just jiggling around. Since it's on the bottom when the PC is upright, it's probably loosening the connection? Bummer. In that mesh case I could just leave it laying, since no glass panel = hot air can leave. I could put some feet on the side and call it a day, but this does feel quite bad.

 

[astir]

Actually, I guess I can just use the 1st and 3rd slot since I have cooler clearance? I'll try that after reinstalling my cooler

 

[Darkbreeze]

No, you shouldn't use the 1st and 3rd slot. By design it is INTENDED that you should use the 2nd and 4th slots ONLY when using only two DIMMs. EVERY board manufacturer specifies that in their population rules. Using the 1st and 3rd slots when the 2nd and 4th slots are not already populated can cause a variety of problems including not recognizing all of the memory, not running in dual channel, not running at the correct profile frequency/speed, not recognizing one of the DIMMs or any of a few other potential problems including SEEMING to work fine, but then introducing random or unexplained errors or problems.

THIS, is why: https://forums.tomshardware.com/thr...-2nd-and-4th-slot-first.3195865/post-19720591

 

[astir]

Yeahh I found out too, about the either daisy chaining of RAM versus some T version. And I just assumed my board doesn't have some fancy RAM routing so, I sent it back and got a different one. Took a look at it yesterday and it's night and day. What do you mean motherboards aren't supposed to be crunchy and tight! Damn. Putting in RAM was way easier. I don't think I'm generally physically strong enough to click it in both sides at once anyways, but I was able to just easily move the RAM until the mechanism and the little slot? That was already a fight before.

 

[Darkbreeze]

So, problem fixed now and it was simply the board?