I just built a new PC after nearly a decade and it won't boot with more than one stick of RAM. I have a 5080 Founders Edition GPU and I've updated the BIOS using Flashback. When I turned it on for the first time, the motherboard showed a DRAM error light. I managed to boot fine with just one stick of RAM, but when I added the second stick, it either shut off automatically or stuck with the DRAM error light. I double-checked the RAM slots, and they were set up according to the motherboard manual, but no luck trying different configurations. I've also reseated the CPU and checked for bent pins, but everything seems fine. The BIOS had my RAM set at 4800MHz instead of 6000MHz, and undervolted it too, but once I adjusted those settings, it worked with one stick. I'm wondering if this is a CPU or motherboard issue and if it's worth trying to RMA the CPU? If I can only use one stick, would that be okay, or should I rather buy a single 32GB stick instead of messing with the two 16GB sticks?
2 Answers
Definitely double-check the placement of the RAM sticks to ensure they’re in the right slots. If you’re still having trouble, a different RAM brand might resolve the issue. Some motherboards can be picky about RAM compatibility, even if it seems like they should work together. If you can get a single 32GB stick, that could be a decent temporary fix until you sort out the dual-stick situation!
It’s essential to use dual sticks for better performance, especially for gaming. If those sticks aren’t on your motherboard’s QVL, that could be the issue. I’d recommend picking up a set that is listed there; it generally helps with compatibility and stability. Also, try isolating the issue by testing each stick individually in different slots just to see if one of them is failing.
I agree! I didn't realize that being on the QVL could make such a difference. I’ll definitely look into getting a compatible set.
Thanks for the tip! I’ll consider getting a single stick for now and see how it goes.