Motherboard issues

Hey there. So, I’m running a P5KPL-AM motherboard, and honestly, everything was working just fine until about two days ago. I decided to go in and give the whole rig a deep clean—took everything apart, dusted it all off, put it all back together... you know how it goes. Everything seems to be functioning properly on paper, but now when I hook up the monitor, I’m getting absolutely nothing. It’s like the graphics card just gave up the ghost or something, though I really don't think it actually died. Any ideas? Please, I could use some help here.

Did you get some fresh thermal paste on the processor yet?

It hasn't been installed since I swapped things out recently, but honestly, I don't see how that even touches my issue. If you think it matters, maybe explain why

Does the GPU need an extra power connection? Did you forget to plug something in?

You don't need an extra power cable for the card since there aren't even any 8-pin connectors on it. It's just a GTX 1050, which I guess is such a low-power component anyway.

John Johnson15 said:I didn't apply it because I just swapped things out recently—but honestly, I don't see how that connects to the issue I'm having. If you think it matters, could you walk me through why?

So, just to be clear—after you finished cleaning everything out, did you actually separate the heatsink from the processor?

Are you plugging the monitor directly into the graphics card? 🙂

Look, I did separate them. I know what I'm doing here. It isn't like this is my first time messing with hardware; every single time I’ve done this in the past, everything worked perfectly fine. But now, suddenly... :O I mean, how was I supposed to realize there was no signal hitting the monitor because I hadn't plugged into the VGA port? And just to be clear, all the pins on the cable are totally fine—I checked. When I hook it up to my laptop, the picture shows up just fine.

That motherboard has Integrated Graphics. Have you tried using it? Then go into the BIOS...

You might want to take a look at your RAM; there’s a chance one of the modules has finally kicked the bucket. If you're running two sticks, pull them both out and try testing them one at a time, or better yet, track down a different module somewhere just to rule it out. It isn't always the case that the PC will give you a warning beep when the memory starts acting up. I've definitely run into situations where the system simply refuses to output an image if the RAM is being temperamental. If that doesn't turn up anything, try checking the CMOS battery. Pop it out while everything is completely powered down and unplugged, leave it out for a few minutes, then pop it back in. It might just need a little reset to clear its head.

Could someone please give me a hand? I'm working with this motherboard http://www.cnet.com/products/asus-p5...ibby0g0eay00z/
—or at least, that's close to what it's called. Looking at this page, there are two different versions listed under the same name, but the specs vary; one says it supports up to 1333 MHz, while the other tops out at 800 MHz.

I recently went out and picked up 4 GB of RAM rated for 1333 MHz. The guy selling it to me insisted that as long as it was DDR3, I'd be fine, so I figured I'd take his word for it. Honestly, I'm not an expert on all this hardware stuff, and I was actually a little nervous about just grabbing any random DDR3 stick, which is why I specifically asked him about frequencies and compatibility. But despite my hesitation, I ended up buying this RAM and it’s just not working. My system won't even boot up with this new module I bought today.
It's incredibly frustrating because I don't quite get it. If DDR3 is supposed to run at 1333 MHz by default and that's basically all they sell now, why does this specific motherboard claim a maximum of 800 MHz? I'm feeling pretty overwhelmed by the whole situation. The RAM itself is perfectly fine—my brother tested it on his computer and it works flawlessly—but for some reason, it just won't work on mine. Does anyone have any idea what I should do next?

If that motherboard is the one from the link, then it should be running at 1333 MHz without any issues... or perhaps you've got two sticks of RAM where one is rated for 1333 MHz and the other is a slower speed, which would definitely cause you some headaches.

Thomas Wells5 said:If that motherboard is actually the one from the link, it really should be running at 1333 MHz. It’s possible you might have a mismatched pair where one stick is rated for 1333 MHz and the other is slower, which could be causing all this trouble.

Hmm, I see what you mean. The older manual only lists 1333, but the newer version mentions support for 1066, 1333, and even 1600.
My old setup works just fine, though when I jump into the BIOS, the only options I ever see are 800 MHz or Auto.

Looking at the link provided, if you click on the related models, you find the exact same board, but then the RAM support section down in the description specifically says 800 MHz, so I'm honestly feeling pretty lost here.
http://www.cnet.com/products/asus-p5...ibby0g0eay00z/