Red Light On Motherboard | No Display On Monitor

What does it denote when you switch on the PC, and the red CPU light on the motherboard comes on? You may be wondering that it’s an indication of doom. In reality, though, it only denotes that something has to be checked on the inside of the PC.

It can happen for various reasons like RAM not being in the correct slots, overheating, CPU cooler not placed properly, faulty RAM, or the boot devices not being detected. Thankfully, there are a lot of methods to troubleshoot this issue and get back up and running again fast!

Many individuals get confused when they notice the red light on the motherboard, and the majority of them think it is related to the CPU, that they did not place the CPU correctly or something similar, but from our experience, that is not always the situation, usually it is a problem with other parts being out of order or not connected/placed properly. 

If the motherboard, in fact, has a label saying CPU and the red light appears there, in that situation, it really is related to your processor. But there can also be some diverse reasons for that, do not always assume an out-of-order CPU.

Read More: How To Get To BIOS On An MSI Motherboard?

Motherboards Red Light + No Display

Motherboards have the red light on them that’s utilized as the warning signals. The boards can have one or several lights on-board for warning the user about the hardware failure. Such lights turn red when some hardware gets corrupted or isn’t properly connected.

The old boards used to come with one light on them, and the user had to glance into all the hardware to check the issue. It was hectic; a fix was required because if your system does not start and the red light comes on, showing that there’s an issue with your hardware. 

Still, to find out the issue, you are needed to glance through all your PC parts to learn about the actual issue in your computer. Now the modern boards come with more than one red light. They have a light sign for RAM, CPU, Boot, or GPU.

Such numerous indicators have made it extremely simple for the user to figure out the issue and cope with it. It assists if your PC does not switch on, then you can glance inside the case and rapidly figure out which hardware part is causing the issue and then can cope with it accordingly. 

It can save all the time one will actually waste in locating the issue all by himself. Now we’ll talk about all of these diverse signs individually to figure out their meanings and what issues can cause such red lights to come on.

Boot

The light for the boot is glowing when your system can’t locate the boot device. A loose or corrupt boot device can be the cause for the red light on your motherboard to blink. A boot device is actually a storage device where the operating system of your computer is located, or if we make it simple for you, it’s where the window of your computer is saved. 

For fixing it, check the power connectors and the plugs of your device to check if they are loose. Once they’re connected correctly, switch on your computer again. If the issue still persists, then your storage device can be corrupt.

GPU

The blinking VGA or GPU red light on your motherboard shows that there’s some issue with the video card inserted in your motherboard. Either your card is corrupted, or it’s not plugged in properly.

The blinking red light on your motherboard near your GPU can be triggered by the video card itself or loose power connectors of your video card. It’ll also cause a glowing red LED light on your motherboard and no display on your computer. Check the power connectors and plug in your video card again to fix the issue.

DRAM Red Light

There’s also a red light on your board near RAM. It’s the RAM indicator meaning that there’s some issue with the Random Cases Memory of your computer. The computer does not switch on when there’s an issue with your motherboard and shows a red light on your board.

The issue can be triggered by corrupted RAM or loose RAM. The issue can simply be fixed by removing the RAM and then putting it back into its slot. Push the RAM into the slot until you hear the clamps clicking on and correctly enclose the RAM inside.

If you don’t hear the clamps clicking, it denotes that the RAM isn’t locked properly, which can cause the issue again. If the RAM gets locked in properly, and still you get a glowing red light on your motherboard, and no display or your computer does not start, then the RAM can be corrupted, and you have to get rid of the corrupt RAM. 

CPU Red Light

The CPU light on a board comes on when there’s an issue with the processor. Your processor is like the brain of your PC, and the PC would not switch on if there’s an issue with your processor. The red CPU light on a board can be triggered by any issue related to your CPU. 

Your CPU can be lost from the socket, or the fan over your processor can break down, causing the CPU indicator to glow. The display turns red when your CPU fan isn’t connected properly or is out of order. 

It’s because your CPU creates a lot of heat while functioning, and if the fan isn’t running properly, it can trigger severe damage. Another cause for your CPU red light to come on can be your empty CMOS battery. 

Your CMOS battery can cause issues while turning on your PC if it’s not charged, and this issue will cause your CPU red light to come on. These were the issues related to the red CPU light on a board that can cause it to turn on.

Must Check : Why Is Motherboard Important?

How Can You Resolve The Red Light On Your Motherboard?

It’s an issue that all computer users can come across; above, we’ve described the red light on your motherboard and also given accurate solutions to the problems related to every red light on your motherboard.

We’ll give a comprehensive solution to the issue and show you how to get the computer back from the dead when just such red lights are switched on, and there is no display on your monitor screen.

Reset BIOS

If you see a red LED light blinking on the motherboard and have no display on your monitor screen, begin resetting your BIOS. However, BIOS can easily be reset by taking away the CMOS battery from your motherboard. 

Your motherboard comes with a CMOS battery; switch off your PC and remove that battery for about three minutes. Put the battery in again and switch on your system; if still, it does not provide the display, move on to the next step.

Replace CMOS

As we said previously, the red light can be switched on because of an empty CMOS battery. Try to replace the old one with the new battery and try to turn your PC on. If you still see the CPU LED light red on your motherboard, try to move to the next fix. 

Remove Hardware

If you still see glowing red lights on your motherboard after replacing your CMOS battery and resetting your BIOS, then try to remove all the hardware from your motherboard. Unplug each attached part from your motherboard and carefully check every socket and connector.

Try to clean your motherboard carefully so that any dirt or dust that may trigger the blinking motherboard lights ought to be removed. Check each socket and plug; if there’s any bent pin or missing pin, try to make use of a small screwdriver or any metal tool for correcting its position. 

After giving an in-depth and thorough check to all your connectors, plug everything back together and switch off your computer. If the issue is not resolved and your motherboard still has a blinking light with no display, refer to the next solution.

RAM Check

The issue isn’t fixed, then there may be corrupted hardware that may be triggering this issue. Please begin with the RAM and move on to the other hardware parts to see which of them has a defect.

If you have more than one RAM on the motherboard, try to use the RAMs one by one for booting your computer. If your computer does not show a display on the screen on any one of the RAMs, borrow a RAM from your friend and then try to boot. If your system switches on, all the RAMs are busted. Your PC still does not switch on and move to the next part.

GPU Check

Remove your GPU card from the PC and try to switch on your computer without any GPU. If your motherboard processor does not have integrated graphics, borrow an operational GPU, and boot your computer. If your computer starts and provides a display well enough, or else go to the next device.

Storage Devices Check

If the system isn’t showing any display, try to boot by utilizing a borrowed storage device, or if you own more than one storage device, try to turn your system on by utilizing them alternatively and check if that works. If still, you get no luck, move on to the final step.

Disconnect The External Connectors

For the final step in fixing the issue, take out all the external connectors connected to your computer. Remove the speakers, mouse, keyboard, or any other external device or cord connected to your computer. 

Let the display cable and power cable be connected to your computer. Could you switch it on and see? If your computer starts to boot, then begin connecting all the devices and wires to check which one is out of order. Remove and enjoy the computer.

If the computer is still not working, then it denotes that now the matter is out of control. Try to contact professionals to assist you with the computer or purchase a new one for yourself.

MSI Motherboard Red LED Light

The red LED light on your MSI board is situated near the twenty-four-pin ATX power connector. The MSI boards come with four lights that blink when the related issue to such lights occurs.

Beginning from the light closet to your power connector boot light. Going to the right side, we have a VGA light, and next is the RAM light. The final one is the red CPU LED light on the MSI board. Such lights show their related issues.

ASUS Motherboard Red LED Light

The ASUS board red LED light is also situated near the twenty-four-pin power connector. Board red LED light isn’t all red; each shows a diverse color. The lights on the ASUS board have the names written with them. The light closest to your power connector is the red LED CPU light on your ASUS board, and moving right, we see RAM light, next is the VGA light, and finally, we see the boot light. 

How To Tell If The Motherboard Is Dying?

The great method of telling if the board is failing, or dying, is to follow the troubleshooting methods discussed above. Unplug all the minor hardware from your motherboard and try to boot your system with minimal connections.

If your PC still would not switch on or POST, then it is likely that either the power supply or your motherboard is the culprit. Usually, the power supply is the issue; however, if you replace it and your PC still does not start, you know it is your board.

In rare situations, you might be capable of detecting damage on the motherboard, comprising defective or burnt headers, transistors, and other parts. A motherboard that’s been killed by the static shock will not show any indications of damage, however.

Conclusion

The lights are the signs to show the issue on your computer. These days, the boards come with four lights on them that show the problems related to diverse components of your PC. We have discussed the top two boards manufacturer’s lights and showed you how you could fix such lights’ issues. 

If any of such lights get off utilizing the way suggested to fix the issue, if it does not do the job, do the thorough procedure to get rid of the glowing light. If you do not think you can do the job, take some help from experts because you can make it even worse with inexpert tactics.