I've built a new system with a Ryzen 7 9800X3D, MSI B850 Gaming Pro WIFI6E motherboard, 2x16GB V-Color Manta XSky DDR5-6000 CL30 memory, and a Corsair RM850x PSU. The RTX 3070 Ti and NVMe drive are currently removed for troubleshooting, and I'm testing from the motherboard video output using the CPU's integrated graphics.
The system powers on, runs for anywhere from about one to ten seconds, then shows the DRAM and CPU debug LEDs before shutting down. The exact sequence varies: sometimes the first LEDs briefly light, then DRAM and CPU appear; occasionally DRAM clears and the BOOT LED flashes briefly. There has never been any display output.
Without RAM installed, the board stays powered on with the DRAM LED lit, as expected. One memory stick behaves almost exactly like having no RAM installed, while the other triggers the DRAM LED followed by a CPU warning and shutdown. I tested both sticks individually in DIMMA2 and DIMMB2.
I've tried two power supplies, connected both CPU EPS cables, cleared CMOS, flashed the latest BIOS using the Flash BIOS Button, reseated the CPU, inspected the socket for bent pins, loosened the cooler, verified the standoffs, and allowed several minutes for memory training. The original PSU was a Gigabyte GP-P850GM, while the current one is a new Corsair RM850x.
Could this be faulty memory, a bad motherboard, or a defective CPU memory controller? I don't have spare AM5 parts for cross-testing and would like to identify the most likely faulty component before requesting an RMA.
2 Answers
A failed board or CPU memory controller is still possible, but there isn’t enough here to distinguish them without swapping parts. Since one stick behaves differently from the other, I’d test the kit in another compatible system or borrow a known-good DDR5 module first. If known-good memory produces the same shutdown pattern, the motherboard would be the next component I’d RMA, followed by the CPU if a replacement board behaves the same way.
The CPU and DRAM LEDs appearing together isn’t necessarily abnormal. The board may be failing during memory initialization and then reporting both the memory and CPU-related checks. The different behavior between the two sticks makes the RAM a strong suspect, especially since DDR5-6000 kits can occasionally be incompatible or defective even when they’re new. If possible, test with a known-good single DIMM, ideally a basic JEDEC-speed module, before replacing the motherboard or CPU.
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