I'm building a new PC with a B650E motherboard, but it won't boot and the CPU and DRAM diagnostic LEDs stay on. I've reseated the processor, tested with one RAM stick at a time in every slot, and tried other basic troubleshooting steps. I also attempted updating the BIOS through USB because I heard some boards require it, but the issue remains. What else should I check?
2 Answers
Check the CPU socket very carefully for bent or missing pins, even if the processor has already been reseated. If the socket looks intact and the RAM and CPU have both been tested properly, the motherboard is the most likely failure point. Defective CPUs and memory are less common, so replacing or returning the board may be the sensible next step.
On the first boot, AM5 systems can take a minute or two to train the memory, so it’s worth waiting a while before shutting it down. If the lights appear immediately and stay on well beyond that, though, memory training probably isn’t the only issue. A BIOS update through USB may be necessary on some B650E boards, but since you’ve already tried that, double-check that the correct file and flashback procedure were used.
I waited considerably longer than that, and the diagnostic lights come on almost immediately. I also tried flashing the BIOS through USB, but it didn’t change anything.
I inspected the socket and confirmed that the pins appear intact.