I shipped my PC overseas in a custom hard case with most components removed, then reassembled it after arrival. The system has a Ryzen 9 9950X3D, PNY RTX 5080, MSI X870E Carbon WiFi 7 motherboard, 64GB of DDR5 memory, a 1300W Super Flower PSU, and a Noctua AIO cooler. The GPU is fully seated, its RGB turns on, and I tested all three DisplayPort outputs, but there is no image. The GPU fans are not spinning, though I understand they may remain stopped at idle. I do not currently have an HDMI cable to test the motherboard video output. The motherboard's high-speed USB ports also appear inactive, and my Samsung T7 SSD does not light up when connected. The system was last used several weeks ago, although someone else powered it on before shipment. The motherboard's diagnostic display seems to pause around codes 31–33, or possibly 30, and the behavior changed after removing one memory stick: it then showed code 00 with a green boot indicator. What should I check first to determine whether this is a memory-training problem, a CPU initialization issue, or something damaged during shipping?
1 Answer
POST codes in the 31–33 range commonly point to memory initialization or training on boards like this, so the system may be failing before it ever gets far enough to initialize the graphics card or USB devices. Start with a complete power-off, then remove both memory modules and reinstall them in the two slots recommended by the motherboard manual—usually A2 and B2, which are the second and fourth slots from the CPU. If that does not work, test one module at a time in A2, trying each stick separately. A single-stick boot can reveal whether one module or slot is causing the problem. You can also clear the CMOS by disconnecting power and using the board’s clear-CMOS method or removing the battery for several minutes. After a CMOS reset, give the first boot extra time because DDR5 memory training can take a while. The USB ports and external SSD may simply remain inactive because the machine is not completing POST; check them again once the system boots normally.
I may have misread the display. It could have been code 30 rather than 31–33, and now it sometimes stops at 00 with the green boot light. I’m going to recheck the exact code and reseat the memory, CPU power connections, cooler connections, and GPU before assuming anything is permanently damaged.
I have two 32GB modules installed in the second and fourth slots, so they are not next to each other. I’ll test them individually and try clearing the CMOS. Removing one module later caused the display to show 00 with the green boot indicator, so I’m not sure whether that was related or just a coincidence.