Hi all,
Thanks in advance for the assistance! First time building a PC (or any computer). I've checked other posts on the forum, but haven't found a similar problem (though I may have missed something). Here is my partial parts list (I can list the other components too, if folks want them, but honestly I can't get past the EZ Debug LEDs for the CPU and DRAM, which I'll explain below, so I haven't installed anything else):
Mobo: MSI ATX Z370-A PRO
CPU: Intel Core i3-8100 Desktop Processor 4 Cores 3.6GHz LGA1151 300 Series 65W BX80684i38100
Memory: Crucial 8GB Kit (4GBx2) DDR4 2400 MT/S (PC4-19200) SR x8 Unbuffered SODIMM 260-Pin Memory - CT2K4G4SFS824A
Okay, so my mobo has the EZ Debug LED notification system.
I connect the CPU (with the fan) and nothing else (no memory, no VGA, no drives, etc., just the CPU) and power on the machine to test that the CPU is recognized by the mobo. When I do this, the system and CPU fans run, and the EZ Debug LED cycles through the CPU light and stops on the DRAM light (the CPU light is off). This makes me think that the mobo is recognizing the CPU (to head of some questions, I have installed, uninstalled, and reinstalled the CPU a number of times now to look at the pins and make sure there aren't any bent, and I haven't found any).
I power off and install one 4GB memory stick (again, to pre-answer any questions, I've tried each memory sticks individually in each of the slots already, and neither appears to work), and the EZ Debug LED doesn't cycle past the CPU light (doesn't reach the DRAM light).
I've tried this both in the case (with the mobo standoffs in place) and outside of the case on the mobo box (to make sure I'm not accidentally getting a short that I can't see in the case).
In short (pun intended), I'm not sure what else to try to discern where the problem lies.
Initially cycling past the CPU LED makes me think the CPU is okay, but then it stays on when I install either of my two memory sticks. Could this mean the memory is bad and is causing an issue with the CPU start up? I would think the DRAM LED would light up if that's the case. Do I need to keep putting together the machine for the whole process to cycle through correctly (meaning it's sitting on the CPU light because I haven't installed the VGA)? I would think the VGA LED would light up if it's a VGA (not installed) failure.
Lastly, I'm (hopefully) doing all of this in a static-free environment (touching everything to the static-free plastic wrap the case came in).
Again, thanks in advance for any advice/input you are able to provide. Have a great day and weekend!
Thanks in advance for the assistance! First time building a PC (or any computer). I've checked other posts on the forum, but haven't found a similar problem (though I may have missed something). Here is my partial parts list (I can list the other components too, if folks want them, but honestly I can't get past the EZ Debug LEDs for the CPU and DRAM, which I'll explain below, so I haven't installed anything else):
Mobo: MSI ATX Z370-A PRO
CPU: Intel Core i3-8100 Desktop Processor 4 Cores 3.6GHz LGA1151 300 Series 65W BX80684i38100
Memory: Crucial 8GB Kit (4GBx2) DDR4 2400 MT/S (PC4-19200) SR x8 Unbuffered SODIMM 260-Pin Memory - CT2K4G4SFS824A
Okay, so my mobo has the EZ Debug LED notification system.
I connect the CPU (with the fan) and nothing else (no memory, no VGA, no drives, etc., just the CPU) and power on the machine to test that the CPU is recognized by the mobo. When I do this, the system and CPU fans run, and the EZ Debug LED cycles through the CPU light and stops on the DRAM light (the CPU light is off). This makes me think that the mobo is recognizing the CPU (to head of some questions, I have installed, uninstalled, and reinstalled the CPU a number of times now to look at the pins and make sure there aren't any bent, and I haven't found any).
I power off and install one 4GB memory stick (again, to pre-answer any questions, I've tried each memory sticks individually in each of the slots already, and neither appears to work), and the EZ Debug LED doesn't cycle past the CPU light (doesn't reach the DRAM light).
I've tried this both in the case (with the mobo standoffs in place) and outside of the case on the mobo box (to make sure I'm not accidentally getting a short that I can't see in the case).
In short (pun intended), I'm not sure what else to try to discern where the problem lies.
Initially cycling past the CPU LED makes me think the CPU is okay, but then it stays on when I install either of my two memory sticks. Could this mean the memory is bad and is causing an issue with the CPU start up? I would think the DRAM LED would light up if that's the case. Do I need to keep putting together the machine for the whole process to cycle through correctly (meaning it's sitting on the CPU light because I haven't installed the VGA)? I would think the VGA LED would light up if it's a VGA (not installed) failure.
Lastly, I'm (hopefully) doing all of this in a static-free environment (touching everything to the static-free plastic wrap the case came in).
Again, thanks in advance for any advice/input you are able to provide. Have a great day and weekend!
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