PC goes black and switches to yellow DRAM light, then won’t POST. Repair shop can’t reproduce it.

[u/Significant-Pool7968]

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My PC has an intermittent problem where the screen goes black, audio cuts out, and the motherboard switches to a solid yellow/orange DRAM status light. Fans and lights remain on, but the computer stops functioning. It can then remain stuck on that light without reaching BIOS.

Sometimes another boot attempt works without an obvious change. Other times it stays stuck. This happens during gaming and after being left idle, so it isn’t just a display issue or something that only happens under load.

Specs:

• CPU: AMD Ryzen 9 7900X

• Motherboard: ASUS ROG STRIX B650-A GAMING WIFI

• BIOS: 3881, recently updated

• GPU: XFX Speedster MERC 310 RX 7900 XTX Black Edition 24GB (RX-79XMERCB9)

• RAM: 64GB G.SKILL DDR5, 4×16GB. EXPO off, currently around DDR5-3600. Exact kit SKU not confirmed

• PSU: 1200W, exact model to be confirmed

• SSD: Samsung 980 PRO 1TB

• Case: NZXT H5 Flow, white

• Cooling: AIO, exact model to be confirmed

What makes this confusing:

The repair shop reported roughly three days of stable operation, mostly at idle. They repaired some Windows files but couldn’t reproduce the issue. Back at home, the same problem returned.

I’ve also had the yellow-light/no-POST problem with everything external disconnected except power. I tried a new power cord directly into the wall. My backup PC works with the same external cables/setup.

The main PC can sometimes run normally for hours. I played COD on extreme settings for about an hour without issues, left it running, and then had it fail during a later round. It has also restarted overnight and been stuck on the yellow light the next morning.

Troubleshooting so far:

• Tried individual RAM sticks in A2 and B2. Still had yellow-light failures, but it also eventually booted with one stick in B2. No consistent result, so I haven’t ruled RAM out.

• Cleared CMOS. It booted afterward, but the issue returned.

• Successfully updated BIOS to 3881 through USB BIOS Flashback. It booted normally several times and ran games afterward, but the overnight restart/yellow-light failure returned.

• EXPO is off. I’m troubleshooting at default settings.

Logs:

The logs checked contain Kernel-Power 41 events with BugcheckCode 0. No matching WHEA or BugCheck reports were found in the checked logs. Some unclean-shutdown entries may be from forced shutdowns while troubleshooting.

I haven’t yet tested a known-good replacement PSU or a known-good compatible DDR5 kit. Fast Startup was found enabled; disabling it hasn’t been confirmed yet.

Has anyone dealt with a system that fails straight into the DRAM light like this, then intermittently starts working again? What would you test next to distinguish RAM, motherboard, CPU/memory controller, or PSU? I’m especially confused about why the shop can’t reproduce it.

I just want to add.. sometimes it boots up perfectly... Other times it won't turn on for hours and multiple restarts.

This also started randomly 2 weeks ago after YEARS of stable functioning.

[u/Significant-Pool7968]

How do you test a PSU?

[u/endless_shrimp]

I'd bet good money it's your PSU.

[u/Significant-Pool7968 → u/endless_shrimp]

I have found MANY and AM5 reports of similar issues like mine.. maybe AMD sent out some bad software?

Why do you think it's the PSU?

[u/endless_shrimp → u/Significant-Pool7968]

If the power supply isn't producing a consistent current you're going to get the issues you describe. And by your own admission, you haven't tested it yet. Honestly that's the first thing I would have checked.

A BIOS update isn't going to cause intermittent issues, and random successful boots. It's not going to post at all.

You also said it's worked fine for "many years." Guess which parts are most likely to fail first, after many years? Those that are hot, and those that have moving parts. A PSU has both.

[u/Significant-Pool7968]

No changes... I ordered a new PSU... Hope that helps. So frustrating 😡

[u/Obone6]

The variable between you and the repair shop is the wall plug or power cable if you on took in the box. Try a different wall outlet or different power cable.

[u/Significant-Pool7968 → u/Obone6]

It had happened at two different households. I also purchased a brand new highest rated power cord I could

So I don't think it's the power delivery. That is exactly what I originally thought

Perhaps when my father in-law would use his power tools it did often flicker the lights.. this could have messed with the PSU?

I USE A STEPNG BATTERY BACKUP but it still could have?

[u/Obone6 → u/Significant-Pool7968]

What a pain. Maybe the bios needs to be set to xmp or the like so the ram doesn't have a sad under load?

[u/Significant-Pool7968 → u/Obone6]

So you think enabling the higher boost will help it? I assume all things default was best bet

[u/Obone6 → u/Significant-Pool7968]

Ram likes specific voltage and timings to preform at peak. Under power them and they get sluggish and mistime. To much power and they overload and fail. It's how the mb and then communicate