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YSK if you've built a computer and it won't boot, sometimes the issue can be resolved by taking the memory out and putting it back. (self.youshouldknow)

submitted 8 months ago by LesserAbe to c/youshouldknow

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Or by only putting one stick of memory in, or changing the slot you're using.

I was assembling a computer and everything seemed to be correct, the fan would spin up, I'd get some lights, but there was no image on the screen, not even the BIOS. I saw someone else make this suggestion and didn't think it was likely to work, but it did. First I just tried one stick, and it booted. Then I tried both sticks and it didn't work, but I reseated and then it did.

(Also worth pointing out that your motherboard should have diagnostic lights which if you check the documentation may point out which component has an issue)

Thinking about Lemmy's demographics many here may have heard of something like this, or have more helpful suggestions about troubleshooting which would be welcome. But thought I'd write out a little post about my experience to contribute to Lemmy SEO supremacy.

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[–] JATtho 1 points 8 months ago

I put too way too much effort in this reply... Yes.. it's nerve racking, especially if you are resorting to BIOS flashback to boot the CPU on an older (new) board.

Can't get visuals (except maybe leds/indicators on the motherboard itself) when your CPU is incapable of accessing the ram or the devices yet. All external devices normally communicate through the RAM. (And by external, I mean not on the CPU package) Yet, the CPU has to solve out this chicken-and-egg problem of how to progress from the cold-boot without knowing what external RAM is installed. There are plethora of timing/clock-cycle/voltage settings for one stick of ram, which are tested on POST. Establishing sane DDR5/4 parameters is non-trivial. (I think it is order of +20!, twenty factorial: 2432902008176640000, if there were no starting point of XMP, JEDEC etc.)

I use hand tuned settings for DDR4, and on cold boot, the BIOS adjust the settings which I didn't forbid it to do. Unless I unplug the PSU from the wall, the BIOS won't retrain the memory again. I suspect my settings still aren't 100% stable. (over period of years) Non-cold-boot assumes the ram works 100% same on each power up. If some OC setting drifts past a threshold once the system is heat soaked or receives more EMI interference, this could provoke a crash/BSOD etc. in absurd theory having a busy wifi router next the ram could cause the bios to select more robust/conservative settings to counter the EMI interference. Would be fun to know, if this would be true.