NEED HELP: DRAM_LED solid red

[eb2k]

Hey, so I built this pc around 2015 and its been 3 years strong ever since earlier today. I was feeling a little dangerous and used the ASUS EZ tuning wizard to try to overclock my cpu and ram. My cpu is watercooled with an h100i so I didn't see it much of a risk. My pc turned off after I hit the OK button to confirm auto tuning. When it turned back on there was no post, no display and no power to my peripherals. However, my case LED's, fans, and water block were fully functioning.

 

It was in that frozen state for about 5 minutes until I panicked and began ripping my pc open. I did my research and started fidgeting with my components, stripping the computer piece by piece to try to diagnose the issue. My motherboard's DRAM_LED is solid red and when I try the MEMOK button the computer just restarts and nothing happens. It's possible that I could have cooked my ram but I find that unlikely because it was working perfectly up until this day.

 

I've tried placing the ram sticks in different slots, clearing the CMOS battery, using the CLRTC and CPU_OV jumpers on my motherboard, reseating my ram, and holding the MEMOK button for 5 seconds

I have no spare parts to test my computer with as I attend a university away from home.

 

If you guys cant present a solution, I would still love to know exactly which part/s I need to replace. 

 

PC SPECS:

cpu : intel i7- 4790k @ 4ghz

gpu: evga gtx 780 acx 

mobo: ASUS sabertooth z97 mark 2

RAM: Corsair Vengeance Pro 16gb 8x2

cooler: Corsair h100i

PSU: Corsair RM750

Drives: - WD Caviar Black 1tb

 

My processor was running at 4ghz before my attempt at overclocking, not exactly sure how high it got before 

[corrado33]

Are you sure you're clearing the CMOS correctly? 

 

Shut the computer down, turn the power supply off, unplug it. Remove the CMOS battery, then use a piece of metal (a coin will work) to touch both metal contacts in the battery socket (the one on the bottom and the one on the side). Hold it there for 5-10 seconds. Then replace the battery and try to boot, while mashing Delete. 

[dgsddfgdfhgs]

2 minutes ago, corrado33 said:

then use a piece of metal (a coin will work) to touch both metal contacts in the battery socket (the one on the bottom and the one on the side). Hold it there for 5-10 seconds. Then replace the battery and try to boot, while mashing Delete. 

a guy told me a more simple way other than removing it and wait

just replace battery up side down and instantly should be reset.

 

for some old pcs, ram failure often comes first, then mobo.

take ram to check, it should have lifetime warranty

[corrado33]

5 minutes ago, dgsddfgdfhgs said:

a guy told me a more simple way other than removing it and wait

just replace battery up side down and instantly should be reset.

 

for some old pcs, ram failure often comes first, then mobo.

take ram to check, it should have lifetime warranty

Of fucking god fucking no. Do NOT do that. FUCK No. While the BIOS/CMOS chip MAY have backwards polarity protection, it also may not, and you could easily fry it by doing this. If done carefully you could probably avoid touching the side connection to the recessed bottom of the 2032... it's not worth the risk. You literally have a metal screwdriver in your hand, just use that. 

 

OP: According to your manual, if the DRAM_LED is lit continuously, you're supposed to A. make sure the RAM is installed correctly, then B. hold the MEM OK button until the DRAM_LED starts flashing. It'll take 30 seconds to test each new DRAM config. If the config fails, it'll restart and try again. Go read the manual on it. 

 

I would copy and paste from the manual, but for some reason I can't? It's weird. It's on page 1-25

 

https://dlcdnets.asus.com/pub/ASUS/mb/LGA1150/SABERTOOTH_Z97_MARK2/E8886_sabertooth_z97_m2_WEB.pdf?_ga=2.157724922.1734733440.1544337276-1655336425.1538422346

[eb2k]

Thank you for the quick reply, honestly I'm desperate enough to have tried that upside down CMOS battery. However, Ive tried the MEMOK function a couple times now, still no progress. It begins blinking, pc restarts a couple times, and then the same old results.

[eb2k]

And I'm 100% sure the RAM is seated correctly, Ive taken it out about 10 times now.

[eb2k]

@corrado33 Ive tried reseting the CMOS battery multiple times now, in that exact order. I've also used the jumpers in an attempt to fix the issue. Also, I feel as if mashing delete wont work because my keyboard is no longer illuminated.

[corrado33]

5 minutes ago, eb2k said:

Thank you for the quick reply, honestly I'm desperate enough to have tried that upside down CMOS battery. However, Ive tried the MEMOK function a couple times now, still no progress. It begins blinking, pc restarts a couple times, and then the same old results.

Same old results how? Does it eventually STOP restarting? Does the DRAM light blinking get faster every time it restarts then eventually just goes back to solid on?

 

In that case it's most likely your ram that's dead. You sure you don't have a friend you could bum a stick off of for testing? 

[corrado33]

Also, you are trying this with a only a single stick of ram installed, correct? And in the correct slot? (Slot 2) (2nd closest to the CPU).

 

It's just odd, I've rarely seen ram fail. 

[eb2k]

yea so im currently sitting here with the pc and when i press the MEMOK button it restarts and the light begins to flash. After some flashing the light goes back to solid red and the computer restarts with yet another solid red DRAM light.  Holding the MEMOK button does nothing for me except repeatedly turn the pc on and off until i let go. I have to click it. I just find it odd how suddenly my ram stops working. I would think that an ez tuning software from my motherboard manufacturer is trustworthy enough to not fry my components. 

[eb2k]

After about what seemed like 2 restarts from the MEMOK program, my pc is now sitting here powered on, with the same DRAM LED solid red. Im going to try the same process yet again but with my other 8gb stick.

[corrado33]

18 minutes ago, eb2k said:

After about what seemed like 2 restarts from the MEMOK program, my pc is now sitting here powered on, with the same DRAM LED solid red. Im going to try the same process yet again but with my other 8gb stick.

For the love of all that is holy if you get it to start go into the BIOS and restore safe defaults. 

 

EDIT: I'm also going to bed, good luck!

[deeledee]

25 minutes ago, eb2k said:

After about what seemed like 2 restarts from the MEMOK program, my pc is now sitting here powered on, with the same DRAM LED solid red. Im going to try the same process yet again but with my other 8gb stick.

 

i just spent over 30 hours troubleshooting with a similar issue as yours, what q-code do you see from your MB if there's one? CC/3F/55/01>03?

 

I googled freaking hard and somewhat i think that helped me, you need to make sure you didn't over tighten your AIO block on your cpu, after that, test your ram sticks 1 at a time and see if it would post.

i removed/installed my waterblock+thermal paste at least i would say 15 times, test my ram sticks over 10 times on my 4 dimm slots and eventually it posted with 1 stick, then i put in another stuck for dual channel and it posted without any problems

[eb2k]

Im currently trying the bios flashback option on my motherboard. Unfortunately I can't gut the system because I don't have thermal paste at the moment. As for your recommendation, why would the hardware suddenly act up because of a tight AIO block if it was good all this time?

[deeledee]

i just googled a bunch of stuff and came across this link, so i just kept trying and trying

 

https://major.io/2014/08/22/asus-maximus-vi-gene-error-55/

[eb2k]

Finally got this baby to work. Guess my bios was corrupted or something. Although I went crazy and reseated almost all my components, all I did was try a different usb drive for the usb bios flashback and it worked flawlessly. Thank you ASUS for this beautiful feature!