Do test boot w/o ram?

[popes2]

Hello everyone! I made the unfortunate mistake of purchasing incompatible ram for my first build and have to send it back in exchange for the correct ram. Since I have all the other parts for the build my question is can I boot my computer up just to see if everything works and no defective parts, without ram installed? Also if it does would it be enough of a boot up to know whether the other parts are not defective? I just want to make sure everything works when the ram arrives. Since this is a 2011 socket motherboard I am using I unfortunately have no ram replacement I could try lying around the house.

 

[GhislainG]

You need RAM to boot. Without RAM, it won't even POST.

 

[constepatdyak]

Only thing you can do is to get new Ram. no ram, no boot

 

[popes2]

Thanks for the input! Yeah I might be stuck with waiting right now, but I do have one more question. While I wait for my ram to come, I know a family member of mine has a few ddr3 sticks in their desktop (most likely of an 1155 socket type). Is it possible to just boot test a desktop that is 2011 type with such ram? They are both ddr3, but I don't know what makes 1155/1156 ram different from 2011 ram. Does somebody know the difference and if a stick from that desktop could work just for a test boot? My motherboard is an Asrock x79 Extreme 4

 

[zdbc13]

There is one thing you can test with no ram.

If you have a speaker, either on the motherboard, in the case, or one of those little add-on speakers that attaches to your motherboard you can power it up and listen for the beep codes. It should give a memory beep code. Google "ami beep codes" or whichever bios you have and you can find out what they mean. This isn't very helpful but I do it sometimes just to make sure the motherboard powers up. Don't forget to install your cpu and cooler before you do this.

Good luck.

 

[zdbc13]

ddr3 should work ok. you can look on your motherboard Qualified Vendor's List (QVL), and find out if it's approved. Sometimes they publish the list in the manual, otherwise look it up on your motherboard's site.

 

[popes2]

Thanks for the mention of the QVL list, I had no idea they did these kinds of lists. Unfortunately I didn't see the ddr3 ram I have listed on there though, so I suppose it is probably safest to just wait until the new ram comes in . I guess at most I can run the beep test and see if everything before the ram passes.

 

[popes2]

Best answer selected by popes2.

 

[nikorr]

This topic has been closed by Nikorr