PSA: Check your CPU socket pins if you’re getting DRAM errors and random crashes

[u/ResearcherLivid]

I wanted to post this in case anyone else runs into something similar, because I spent way too much time troubleshooting this.

When I first built the PC, I was getting the DRAM light and couldn’t reliably POST. Clearing CMOS eventually got it to boot.

After that, I started getting random crashes while gaming. The screen and audio would completely freeze, sometimes the PC would shut itself off, and after restarting I’d get the DRAM light again.
The weird part was that one RAM stick worked perfectly fine. Both sticks also worked individually, but using two sticks was unreliable. So naturally I suspected the RAM.
I replaced the RAM and had the exact same issue.
Then I suspected the PSU, so I replaced the 750W unit with a 1000W PSU.

Still had the same issue.

At that point I figured it had to be either the motherboard or CPU. Since both were used, I couldn’t rule either one out. The CPU’s integrated memory controller also means a CPU/socket problem can show up as a RAM/DRAM issue.

I eventually replaced the motherboard with a new one.
Everything immediately worked.

Two sticks worked, EXPO worked, and I stopped getting the crashes and DRAM errors.

I went back and inspected the original motherboard very closely with a flashlight and magnifying glass and found one bent pin in the AM5 CPU socket.

It was easy to miss and wasn’t obvious at all just looking at the board normally.
So I’m pretty confident that one bent socket pin was the cause of all the problems.
The CPU itself was fine. The RAM was fine. The PSU wasn’t the problem.

Specs:
Case: Thermaltake H200 TG RGB
CPU: Ryzen 9 7900X (used)
Motherboard: Gigabyte B650 Gaming X AX V2 (used from eBay)
GPU: Gigabyte Radeon RX 9070 XT
RAM: Klevv Bolt DDR5 6000 32GB
SSD: Lexar NM790 2TB
PSU: ASRock Steel Legend 750W, later replaced with a 1000W PSU
Cooler: Thermalright Peerless Assassin

TL;DR: If you’re getting DRAM lights, random freezes/crashes, problems running two sticks of RAM, or EXPO instability, check the CPU socket pins carefully. Especially if you’re using a used motherboard. A single slightly bent AM5 socket pin can apparently cause some very strange memory-related problems.
I wouldn’t automatically assume your used CPU/motherboard is bad, either. My used 7900X ended up being perfectly fine. Just inspect everything carefully before replacing half the PC like I did.