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Wonderring what the DRAM light on motherboard means and how to fix it?
This is a diagnostic orange or red light that can give you a bit of information about the issue that your PC is facing in the boot process. The red light is usually located in a small cluster of lights primarily found towards the right edge of motherboards. This position can vary depending on the model.
If you try to boot up your desktop computer and the red or orange light is visible, then you have an issue with the DRAM configuration. This article will guide you through the required steps to fix this issue.
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How to Fix the DRAM Light on Motherboard
The problem of the DRAM Light on the motherboard can be fixed by correcting the DRAM configuration of your PC. The diagnostic orange or red light is an indicator of DRAM or memory issues that are preventing your PC from completing its POST or bootup process.
In order to fix this orange light issue, you can try to remove and re-insert the memory sticks, change their faulty RAM slots, or change the channel configuration that you are running. You can also try to boot up with a single memory stick in order to reset the bootup process. This issue can also be fixed by clearing the CMOS of your motherboard.
Check This: How To Test A Motherboard
Reasons for DRAM Light on Motherboard
Of course, there can be several reasons for this visible DRAM light on your motherboard. Most of these reasons are related to the memory modules or their configuration, either in the BIOS or in the RAM slots themselves.
Unstable RAM
One of the key reasons why your motherboard might be displaying a DRAM light can be unstable memory. This can be caused by both unstable memory frequency and memory latency.
If you have been overclocking your RAM and have set unsuitable parameters in terms of speed and latency, then you might be faced with this error code when booting your system.
Unstable memory can also be caused by physically damaged memory modules, or modules running at improper voltages. In fact, the latter is usually the most common cause of unstable memory.
Incompatible RAM
Another major reason for the DRAM light error is the installation of incompatible memory. If you have installed memory modules that are not supported by the motherboard by default, then the orange/red DRAM light will be activated to let you know of the problem.
In order to check the motherboard’s supported memory speeds, you can consult the product page of your particular motherboard or the motherboard’s manual.
Many motherboards offer a bit of flexibility in this regard, and you might be able to boot up with faster memory than is officially supported, but that is generally considered an outlier.
Incompatible memory can also be due to improper overclocking attempts. If your manually set speed and latency are not supported by the motherboard or the CPU, then you will be faced with the DRAM light upon booting up.
Mismatched Memory
You may also encounter the DRAM error light if you install mismatched memory sticks that do not have the same frequency and/or latency. This is not as much of an issue in modern motherboards, but early DDR4 and older DDR3 motherboards are still very sensitive to mismatched memory.
Ideally, your RAM sticks should be running the exact same frequency and latency. If not, the system automatically defaults to the lowest common denominator, i.e. the slowest memory stick in the system.
However, sometimes this may not be a straightforward process and the system might throw out the DRAM error code when you try to POST it.
Misconfigured BIOS
Of course, a misconfigured BIOS can present you with a host of problems in the POST and boot-up process, but the DRAM error message is one of the more common ones.
You may find some pre-configured XMP or DOCP settings in the BIOS once you have installed your memory, but these settings might not always work straight away with every CPU and motherboard.
Furthermore, misconfigured overclocking settings of both CPU and memory can cause your motherboard to show the DRAM light on POST. Other advanced settings in the BIOS can cause the same result.
Wrong RAM Stick Placement
A red or orange light near the DRAM indicator might also indicate the wrong installation of RAM sticks in your particular motherboard.
If you are planning to install 2 sticks of RAM in a motherboard with 4 DIMM slots, then there is a proper way to install those sticks to make use of the dual-channel capability.
You have to install the sticks in a staggered manner, leaving one slot empty in between the sticks. This configuration is mentioned clearly in the user manual included with your motherboard.
Failure to follow the correct troubleshooting steps while installing the new RAM module can result in the DRAM error light on POST. So make sure that ram sticks are seated properly.
Low Power Supply
The power supply is responsible for powering all of your PC’s components. If your components are drawing more power than is being supplied by the PSU, there may be error codes on the motherboard that indicate this mismatch.
The DRAM light may turn on if the memory sticks are not being supplied adequate stable power from the motherboard, which may be a result of a faulty or underpowered power supply.
Damaged Parts
Finally, there is always the possibility of damaged parts when dealing with a motherboard error code or debug light. If your RAM sticks are damaged or faulty in any way, then this is a very straightforward reason for the motherboard DRAM light.
Other faulty or damaged pc components can include the CPU itself, the motherboard DIMM slots, and the CPU socket pins that are located on most Intel LGA motherboards.
Steps to Fix the DRAM Light on Motherboard
Once you have encountered the DRAM light on your particular motherboard, you can try various steps to fix the issue. The following methods can be tried one by one until the issue is resolved.
Remove and Re-insert RAM Sticks
The first step that you should try is removing and reseating the RAM sticks. Oftentimes, the error can just be solved by this simple step, as it can trigger a soft reset of memory configuration.
Just turn off the PC completely, remove the power from the power supply, and reseat the RAM sticks one at a time. Upon rebooting the PC, your DRAM light issue may be solved.
Change RAM Slots
The second step you can try is to change the DIMM slots that your memory sticks are installed in. This can be helpful if you have a suspicion of bent pins in the DIMM slot or a damaged RAM slot entirely.
If you are using the 1st and 3rd DIMM slot for your dual-channel configuration, then move the sticks to the 2nd and 4th slots respectively. Turn off your PC, remove the power from the power supply, and shift the memory sticks one slot at a time.
Reboot the PC to see if the DRAM light persists.
Boot Up with One RAM Stick
One of the best methods to fix the DRAM light issue is to try to boot the system with just one stick of RAM. This completely wipes the misconfigured memory settings that may be preventing the POST procedure to be done correctly.
Simply power down your PC completely by removing the power from the PSU. Then, remove all sticks of RAM and just install one stick into the 1st slot of Channel 1. This slot is usually the first slot from the right in motherboards that have 4 DIMM slots.
You can also consult the motherboard’s manual to find out the correct configuration of your slots. After doing this, try to boot up your PC again. The DRAM light should be off now.
If you have successfully solved the DRAM light issue, you can now power down your PC again and install the rest of your RAM modules. Remember that you will have to reconfigure your BIOS settings after doing this procedure.
Change Configuration
You can also try to shuffle the configuration of your memory modules to solve this issue.
Sometimes, the different memory sticks can cause a conflict with each other, especially if you are using two different sets of memory modules for different channels.
If you do have to use two different sets of memory modules, it is ideal to install the same brand/speed/latency modules in the same channel. If you encounter the DRAM light issue, you can try changing the configuration of your memory sticks to see if it works.
Memory modules are quite sensitive to their layout and configuration, therefore it is best to purchase the same modules for all 4 of your slots in order to minimize errors.
Clear CMOS
The CMOS of your motherboard (Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor) is a small battery that powers the BIOS and essentially is responsible for maintaining the BIOS settings even when your PC is powered off.
Changes in the BIOS settings and misconfigurations can cause the memory to malfunction in the POST process, thus causing the memory light to turn on. To fix this, we can reset the CMOS of the motherboard.
Method 1 (Battery Cell)
Here’s a general method of how to reset your CMOS:
- Completely power down the computer and unplug all the power sources.
- Press and hold the power button for 5-10 seconds to remove any residue charge in the capacitors.
- Locate the CMOS battery on your motherboard. It is usually present below the CPU socket, below the first PCIe slot, and beside the chipset heatsink.
- You can locate the CMOS battery using your motherboard’s manual as well.
- Remove the CMOS battery with your hand or with the help of a tool. Note the side that was facing upwards while removing.
- Keep the battery out of the system for a short time.
- After a few minutes, reinstall the CMOS battery.
- Boot up the system using the power button.
The DRAM light should be gone and the system should boot up as normal.
Method 2 (CMOS Button)
You can also reset the CMOS using other methods. Some motherboards have dedicated “CMOS Clear” buttons on the motherboard PCB or on the rear I/O. However, this feature is often only present on premium motherboards.
Method 3 (CMOS Pins)
Most motherboards also allow you to clear the CMOS by shorting some pins using a screwdriver. These pins are located towards the lower half of the board and are hard to locate using the naked eye. The motherboard manual can help you in this regard.
Change Hardware Parts
Finally, if all else fails, the problem might come down to faulty or damaged memory modules. Among internal hardware faults, you can also suspect damaged DIMM slots, bent pins in the CPU socket, or a damaged CPU as well.
You can try to fix the issue by replacing the memory modules first of all, as this is the cheapest route. If that fails, then you might have to replace the motherboard and/or the CPU as well.
FAQs:
How to clear CMOS?
You can clear the CMOS of your board by removing the CMOS battery cell for a few minutes and then re-installing it. Other motherboards might also allow you to clear the CMOS using dedicated buttons on the PCB or on the rear I/O.
Can I mix and match RAM speeds?
You can mix and match RAM speeds but only to a certain extent. All the different RAM speeds should be officially supported by the CPU and the motherboard. The system will default to the slowest memory speed of the bunch.
Can I use DDR4 RAM in a DDR5 motherboard?
It is not possible to use DDR4 RAM in a DDR5 motherboard since the slots and the modules are physically different.
The Intel 12th Gen processors do support both DDR4 and DDR5 memory at the time of writing, but you have to choose the platform beforehand since both memory generations cannot be used on the same motherboard.
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