Why Does My PC Only Boot with One RAM Stick in the Fourth Slot?
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TechWiz42
Hey everyone, I'm having a bit of a strange issue with my PC. I've got an MSI B650 Tomahawk motherboard and 32GB of DDR5 G-Skill Trident Z RAM. My setup includes an AMD Ryzen 7600 CPU and an RX 6700XT GPU, and a 650W PSU. The weird part is, the PC only boots when I have one RAM stick installed, specifically in the fourth slot. If I try to boot with two RAM sticks in any slot, the motherboard lights up red and yellow, which I think means there's a DRAM error. The GPU fans also don't spin when this happens. I've tested each stick individually and made sure they're seated properly, but they only work in that fourth slot. I've tried updating the BIOS and tweaking RAM settings, but nothing seems to help. Anyone have any hints on what's going on or what I can do?
Answers
Just to confirm, did you check the CPU and motherboard connections? Make sure everything is seated properly. If you’ve already reseated the CPU without finding any bent pins, it might be time to consider testing with a different motherboard.
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Sounds like a tough situation. If both RAM sticks work separately but not together, it might be an issue with the motherboard. I know that’s not the best news, but sometimes the slots can fail.
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Have you tried updating your BIOS? You might be able to do it directly from the BIOS menu instead of using the flashback feature. Sometimes that solves a lot of issues with RAM compatibility.
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I see you’ve updated the BIOS and tried the Expo mode. Since you’re still having issues, maybe the memory controller can’t handle the current RAM speed, or there could be a fault with your board. It’s frustrating, but sometimes sticking to one stick of RAM is the answer until you can get new hardware.
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TechWiz42: Thanks for the tip! I managed to update the BIOS through the settings, and it booted fine. Unfortunately, it still only recognizes one RAM stick.