Hey everyone! I could really use your expertise here. My sister's laptop is out of commission, and she's getting her hands on our brother's old desktop. It's been sitting in the garage for a few months, but it used to run great! Here's what I'm working with:
- Intel i5-6400
- GTX 980 4G
- MSI B150 mate
- 2x8GB Gskill DDR4-2400 C17
- A brand new SSD for her OS
The issue? The computer powers on, meaning the fans are running, but the "CPU DEBUG" light is on and won't turn off. I've tried several things to troubleshoot:
1. I tested with just one stick of RAM in the second slot, but the CPU light remains.
2. I removed all RAM sticks to see if the "DRAM" light would turn on, but it didn't—only the CPU light is on.
3. I did a CMOS reset by removing the battery for about 10 minutes.
4. I even took out the CPU, cleaned it, and applied new thermal paste. It looks fine, no damage.
Any guidance on what else I could try? Thanks a lot!
2 Answers
It sounds like it might be a hardware issue with either the CPU, motherboard, or power supply. Do you have any spare parts you can swap in to pinpoint which one it could be?
Make sure the CPU is seated properly and there are no bent pins on the socket. Sometimes even a slight misalignment can cause the CPU debug light to stay on. Also, try using a different power outlet just in case there’s an issue there.
I only have a spare power supply available, but I thought that was unlikely to be the problem.