Question Troubleshooting My MSI Pro B650M-A WiFi Build - Stuck on DRAM Light, Monitor Shows No Signal

[Silicon Bargain Hunter]

Hey everyone,

I could really use some help with a build I’m working on. I’m running into a frustrating issue and would appreciate any advice or guidance you can offer.

Build Details:

• CPU: Ryzen 5 7600 with stock cooler (new)
• GPU: Asrock Phantom RX 6800 (used, tested and worked fine at the seller’s place)
• RAM: XPG Lancer Blade 32GB (2x16GB) DDR5 6400MHz CL32 (new)
• • Model: AX5U6400C3216G-DTLABBK
• Motherboard: MSI Pro B650M-A WiFi (used, bought on eBay, still under PayPal warranty)
• PSU: EVGA 1000 GQ 80 Plus Gold (used, tested with a meter when purchased)
• SSD: WD_BLACK 2TB SN770 (Amazon "Like New")
• Case: Thermaltake Versa H18 (new, but I haven’t mounted the motherboard yet)

The Problem: When I power on the system:

1. The PSU and GPU fans start up, and the GPU’s RGB lights come on.
2. For the first few seconds, the CPU red light and the DRAM yellow light are both on.
3. After about 20 seconds, the CPU red light turns off, leaving only the DRAM yellow light (I’m not sure if it stays on solid or flashes—can check again if needed).
4. The monitor stays black and shows “No Signal” (connected via HDMI to the GPU). I’ve tested the monitor and HDMI cable with my laptop, and they work perfectly.

Steps I’ve Taken:

• BIOS Flash: I tried flashing the latest BIOS using the USB BIOS Flashback feature. The white light stayed on until it blinked, so I assumed it finished, but the issue persisted.
• RAM Troubleshooting: I tested each stick of RAM individually in all four slots, but the problem stayed the same.
• Checked PSU: The PSU fan stays on, and I confirmed it was working with a meter when I bought it.
• Inspected CPU Pins: I checked the CPU for bent pins. This is my first time doing this, so I’m not entirely sure, but nothing looked obviously bent. I can provide pictures if that helps.
• Out-of-Case Testing: I’ve been doing all of this testing with the motherboard out of the case, using only the essential components (CPU, one or two sticks of RAM, GPU, and PSU). I haven’t mounted the motherboard into the case yet.
• RAM Compatibility: I checked MSI’s official QVL (Qualified Vendor List), and this RAM model is listed as compatible.

Additional Info:

• Most of the parts in this build are used, except for the CPU, RAM, and case. The GPU, PSU, and SSD were purchased used (or "like new"), and the motherboard was bought from eBay.
• I don’t have another system to test the RAM, PSU, CPU, or GPU, so troubleshooting has been tough. I’m considering buying a different brand of 16x2 DDR5 RAM on Amazon just to see if the RAM is the issue.
• I’ve tried reaching out to ADATA/XPG support, but I haven’t had any luck. Their U.S. phone number says they’re moving and can’t take calls, and their online support form wouldn’t submit on Firefox or Chrome. If anyone knows a Canadian phone number for ADATA/XPG support, I’d really appreciate it.

Questions:

1. Could this be a compatibility issue between the RAM and the motherboard, even though the RAM is listed as compatible?
   • Even though the RAM is listed on the motherboard’s Qualified Vendor List (QVL), it’s still possible to encounter compatibility issues. Sometimes BIOS updates are required to fully support certain RAM modules, especially at higher speeds like 6400MHz (although I believe base clock speed is lower than 6000 Mhz?). Additionally, even compatible RAM can have issues if there are subtle differences in the memory's firmware or if the motherboard's BIOS has bugs. Could this issue be resolved with a different set of RAM, perhaps at a lower frequency?
2. What other troubleshooting steps should I try?
   • Given what I've already tried, are there other methods I should consider? Like, could this be an issue with the PSU delivering power inconsistently? Any insights or additional steps would be greatly appreciated.
3. Does anyone know the Canadian phone number for ADATA/XPG support?
   • If anyone knows a reliable way to reach their support team from Canada, whether it’s a phone number, an email address, or another method, I’d be very grateful!

I’m pretty stuck here and could really use some help. Thanks in advance for any advice or suggestions!
Cheers!
Edit : completed the questions

 

[Aeacus]

using only the essential components (CPU, one or two sticks of RAM, GPU, and PSU).

When breadboarding, pull the GPU as well, since all Ryzen 7000-series CPUs have iGPU in them. This narrows things down.

PSU: EVGA 1000 GQ 80 Plus Gold (used, tested with a meter when purchased)

Really bad idea to buy used PSU.

Also, way overkill on wattage wise and PSU itself, at best, is mediocre quality unit.

Since PSU is already used, there is no telling what kind of abuse it has seen thus far. And my question is, IF the PSU is sound, why does the seller sold it in the first place? Didn't the cryptocurrency mining pay off anymore? Since 1kW unit is used either for RTX 4080 system (which i doubt the seller had) or in cryptocurrency mining.

Also, testing PSU on idle doesn't tell 0 about it. You have to test it under load. But proper PSU test equipment costs a lot of money and only few people have it.

What other troubleshooting steps should I try?

During breadboarding, don't use the GPU. Use iGPU inside the CPU instead (hook the monitor to MoBo). Look if there is any image shown.

Other than that, and if still no dice, symptoms show dead MoBo. Could be dead CPU as well, but MoBo is usually the culprit.
Since MoBo was bought used, it has 0 warranty. And i suspect used MoBo the most currently.


So, new MoBo + new PSU are in order.

For MoBo, any AM5 socket one will do, except A620 chipset, since that is bottom of the barrel.

For PSU, good PSUs to go for, are: Seasonic Focus/Vertex/PRIME, Corsair RMx/RMi/HXi/AXi, Super Flower Leadex Gold/Platinum/Titanium.
For your setup, 750W range is more than enough. No need to have 1kW unit.

Keep in mind: since PSU powers everything, it is the most important component inside the PC!
And you do not want to cheap out on PSU, nor buy used PSU.

 

[JohnBonhamsGhost]

I don’t have another system to test the RAM, PSU, CPU, or GPU, so troubleshooting has been tough

if you don't have someone who can assist(friends, family, coworkers, etc) with another viable system then taking them to a local shop is always an option.

you should especially have all "used" items tested.

even the PSU, whatever reading may be shown using a multimeter, can still be a damaged or malfunctioned product.

anyone know the Canadian phone number for ADATA/XPG support?

• If anyone knows a reliable way to reach their support

just go through the XPG.com support portal.
you can select whatever region you wish from the bottom of their homepage.

but it shouldn't matter what country you reside in, the support team should guide you to what/where you need to be.

 

[Silicon Bargain Hunter]

When breadboarding, pull the GPU as well, since all Ryzen 7000-series CPUs have iGPU in them. This narrows things down.

unfortunately, the RX 7600 doesn't have an iGPU 😔. By memory, the 7600X does have one, but not the 7600!

 

[bignastyid]

unfortunately, the RX 7600 doesn't have an iGPU 😔. By memory, the 7600X does have one, but not the 7600!

The 7600 does infact have an igpu.
https://www.amd.com/en/products/processors/desktops/ryzen/7000-series/amd-ryzen-5-7600.html

 

[Silicon Bargain Hunter]

Other than that, and if still no dice, symptoms show dead MoBo. Could be dead CPU as well, but MoBo is usually the culprit.
Since MoBo was bought used, it has 0 warranty. And i suspect used MoBo the most currently.


So, new MoBo + new PSU are in order.

For MoBo, any AM5 socket one will do, except A620 chipset, since that is bottom of the barrel.

For PSU, good PSUs to go for, are: Seasonic Focus/Vertex/PRIME, Corsair RMx/RMi/HXi/AXi, Super Flower Leadex Gold/Platinum/Titanium.
For your setup, 750W range is more than enough. No need to have 1kW unit.

Keep in mind: since PSU powers everything, it is the most important component inside the PC!
And you do not want to cheap out on PSU, nor buy used PSU.

Thanks a ton for the advice! 😊 Yeah, it’s looking like the motherboard is the most likely culprit here. Fortunately, I bought it on eBay using PayPal, so I’ve still got that 6-month warranty to lean on.

So here’s my game plan:

1. Try to get a refund for the mobo through PayPal – Fingers crossed! Not a guarantee, but definitely worth a shot! 🤞
2. Buy a new mobo on Amazon and test it out.
   • 2.1 If it works, awesome! 🎉
   • 2.2 If it doesn’t, return it and grab a new PSU instead.
     • 2.2.1 If the new PSU works, hooray! 🍾
     • 2.2.2 If it doesn’t, I might have to swallow my pride and head to a computer repair shop for a diagnosis... or maybe try a new set of RAM from another brand?

What do you think of these steps? I’m trying to stay optimistic here, but any more advice would be super appreciated! 😅

 

[Silicon Bargain Hunter]

The 7600 does infact have an igpu.
https://www.amd.com/en/products/processors/desktops/ryzen/7000-series/amd-ryzen-5-7600.html

Thank you for pointing that out! 😊 You're absolutely right—the Ryzen 5 7600 does have an iGPU. I must have gotten mixed up there. I'll give it a try without the dGPU now and see what happens.

Edit: I decided to test the system without the discrete GPU (dGPU) and instead used the integrated GPU (iGPU) that comes with the Ryzen 5 7600. Unfortunately, the issue remains:

• The monitor still shows no signal and stays black.
• The CPU red light stays on for a few seconds before turning off.
• The DRAM yellow light begins flashing, cycling on for 10 seconds and off for 10 seconds repeatedly.

Based on these results, I'm now considering the following as the most likely culprits, in order of probability:

1. Motherboard (bought used)
2. Power Supply (PSU) (bought used)
3. CPU (bought new)
4. RAM (bought new): Initially, I suspected the RAM, but feedback suggests it might be less likely given the symptoms. fyi This is my 1st build!

Any further thoughts or suggestions on how to proceed would be greatly appreciated!

 

[Silicon Bargain Hunter]

Hey everyone,

I wanted to provide an update on my troubleshooting journey with the MSI Pro B650M-A WiFi build. Thanks for all the advice so far—it's been incredibly helpful! Below are some pictures of the key components and what I've done so far to diagnose the issue. Any further insights or suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

https://imgur.com/a/2g96j3r

View: https://imgur.com/a/2g96j3r

https://postimg.cc/gallery/k6Zv7v1

1. CPU Pins Check:​

Here’s a close-up shot of the CPU pins. This is my first time inspecting pins, so I’m not entirely sure if I’m missing something obvious. If anyone with a sharper eye could take a look and let me know if anything seems out of place, that would be amazing!

2. DRAM Yellow Light:​

This picture shows the DRAM yellow light that flashes on and off every 10 seconds. That's after getting a first 10-20 seconds of the DRAM yellow light and CPU light staying on.

3. Motherboard Setup:​

Here’s how I’ve set up the motherboard outside of the case. I’ve kept only the essential components connected (CPU, stock CPU cooler (Wraith), RAM (I tried 1 and 2 sticks, 1 stick was tried in each of 4 slots), PSU) to simplify the testing. If there’s anything about this setup that could be causing issues, please let me know.

4. Monitor and GPU Setup:​

Here’s how the monitor is connected to the GPU via HDMI. I’ve tested the monitor and HDMI cable with my laptop, and they work fine, but the system still shows “No Signal” when connected here.

 

[Aeacus]

Here’s a close-up shot of the CPU pins. This is my first time inspecting pins, so I’m not entirely sure if I’m missing something obvious. If anyone with a sharper eye could take a look and let me know if anything seems out of place, that would be amazing!

LGA pins in CPU socket looks fine to me.

This picture shows the DRAM yellow light that flashes on and off every 10 seconds. That's after getting a first 10-20 seconds of the DRAM yellow light and CPU light staying on.

Holy bible of PCs, page 45, does say for yellow light:

DRAM - indicates DRAM is not detected or fail.

And since you've tested both RAM DIMMs individually and in all 4x slots, it would be safe to say that it's the used MoBo issue.

Here’s how I’ve set up the motherboard outside of the case. I’ve kept only the essential components connected (CPU, stock CPU cooler (Wraith), RAM (I tried 1 and 2 sticks, 1 stick was tried in each of 4 slots), PSU) to simplify the testing. If there’s anything about this setup that could be causing issues, please let me know.

Yes, that's how proper breadboarding does look like.

Spoiler: Here's how mine looked back in 2016. (Click here to view the image)

Initial breadboarding of my Skylake build components.

I’ve tested the monitor and HDMI cable with my laptop, and they work fine, but the system still shows “No Signal” when connected here.

Most likely, MoBo issue. Since chances that brand new CPU would be DOA - are slim.

 

[Silicon Bargain Hunter]

Thanks for taking the time to check out those pictures—really appreciate the extra set of eyes! 😊

Glad to hear the CPU pins look good (I was sweating bullets over those!). As for the "Holy bible of PCs," page 45 is definitely not my favorite chapter right now. 😅 It sounds like all signs are pointing to the used motherboard being the troublemaker here.

I guess it’s time to start the search for a new mobo and possibly kiss this one goodbye. Thanks again for all the guidance—seriously, it’s been a lifesaver in navigating this first build.

 

[Aeacus]

it’s been a lifesaver in navigating this first build.

For a 1st build, i'd actually suggest going with all brand new components. While they may cost more, you have warranty safety net, where to fall on, if any of the components should not work.

Building used PC is more for experienced builders, who know how to troubleshoot all and any kinds of hardware issues, that used hardware might present.

And for 1st timer, using pcpp would also help a lot, since it has many compatibility checks in it,
link: https://pcpartpicker.com/list/

With pcpp, you can't go wrong and e.g pair Intel CPU with AMD MoBo. Or pair DDR4 RAM with DDR5 RAM MoBo. It also checks clearances (e.g CPU cooler clearance within PC).

 

[Silicon Bargain Hunter]

Absolutely, I completely agree with you! For a first build, going with all brand-new components would have definitely been the safer route. I guess I decided to jump into the deep end with this one! 😅

You’re spot on about the warranty safety net—something I’m already starting to appreciate more and more with each hiccup.

Cheers!