New CPU would not start up. Solid red DRAM LED light.

tedhungkk

Honorable
Dec 18, 2013
4
0
10,510
I have just got a new Intel Core i7-3770K Quad-Core Processor 3.5 GHz 8 MB Cache LGA 1155 to replace my old Intel Intel® Xeon® Processor E3-1230
(8M Cache, 3.20 GHz). Both are LGA1155. My motherboard is an ASUS pbz68-v le. When I installed the I7 into the motherboard and started it up, It gave me a red solid light on the DRAM LED. After a couple of hours, it still showed the same thing, it boots up for a few seconds, shuts off, then boots up for another few seconds, followed by another shutting down, repeating once more. No video is shown during the whole time. I put back my old CPU and everything worked fine, except it was so much more slower. What do I do?
 

DjGabriro

Honorable
Jan 8, 2014
3
0
10,510
Hello!
I write here what worked for me. I had looked for DAYS for a solution to this. My problem had been that my pc (6 months old, personally assembled after loooong compatibility checks) would boot up and shut down normally for an entire night of use and then, OUT OF NOWHERE, the next day it would not boot whatsoever. The day after it would, the day after that it would not, once again.

Completely at random.

My specs:
ASUS p9x79
Intel i7-3820
4x4Gb DDR3 Corsair Vengeance (compatible: checked)
ATI 7700
solid state samsung hard drive
Antec Kuhler H2O 620 Liquid Cooling System

I found out that the DRAM led was solid red each time the system didn't start. I begun informing myself.

This is what I tried (I enlist only for your amusement: if you want to skip to the solution, just go ahead):
- removed the ram modules one by one and tried ALL the f****g possible combinations (one that worked TWICE, was A1, A2, C1, D1; dunno why!);
removed all the external connected devices;
- unplugged the graphic card;
- cleaned with alcohol the ram
- reverted to the original CPU fan by Intel
- installed an internal speaker: no sounds whatsoever
- re-set the conductive paste
- flash-updated the bios
- plugged all the possible pins that I thought useless (such as power button led and front-case audio jacks)
- re-set the cpu and cooling system four times, checking for bent pins
- tried different wires from the alimentator (600W, btw)
- punched the mobo with kong-fu internal techniques
- RMA's the vendor of the mobo.


Then I casually read a - alleged - stupid comment on another forum that said it was worth to try to loosen a bit the screws that hold the modo to the case, as it may cause some contacts...

Result: I'm writing on a perfect functioning machine once again.

I can't explain what happened.

Hope it will work for you as well!
DjGabriro