I have an Intel i5-11th-generation CPU without integrated graphics, an RTX 4060, an ASUS B560M-E motherboard, and 16 GB of RAM. For the past five days, the computer has behaved inconsistently. Sometimes an orange motherboard light comes on and the fans spin, but there is no display and the USB ports do not power my keyboard or mouse. Other times it appears to pass POST with no diagnostic lights, yet I still get no display or USB power. I have reseated the RAM, GPU, SSD, and CMOS battery, checked the CPU and motherboard pins, replaced the thermal paste, cleared CMOS using the jumper, and tried different RAM slots and combinations. Starting the system without RAM brings back the orange light, but I still cannot determine which component is failing. What should I check next?
1 Answer
Check the four diagnostic LEDs near the 24-pin motherboard power connector. They should indicate whether the problem is with the CPU, DRAM, VGA, or boot device, which can narrow down the faulty component. Make sure you identify the exact light that is illuminated rather than assuming every orange light is a diagnostic code.
The confusing part is that the orange light I see does not have a label beside it. I can see the four diagnostic LEDs, but none of those light up; the orange light is positioned below them.