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For fun, I'm building my first computer. I thought it would be easy enough but as I finished I had trouble getting it to boot.

The computer turns on when I press the power button but it won't show any video and the monitor keys seem to become unresponsive when the computer is turned on, like if it was trying to process bad input or something. It's a similar behavior most computers have when they have no memory installed. No memory: no video.

Somewhere on the CPU's (it's not a APU) packaging I read it needs a graphics card but I assumed it means for accelerated processing for things like gaming, videoprod and the like; since this is just a weekend project –so to speak– I didn't get one.

I'm confused if it's bad RAM or a missing GPU. Adding to my confusion is the fact that the [hideous] motherboard lighting comes on as soon as I connect the thing to the AC outlet. I think it's off though because pressing on the power button turns on every fan on the system and turns on the LED ring circling the power button in addition to the seizure show on the motherboard.

I have a couple of servers with Xeons on them which are supposed to need dedicated graphics and yet they're able to show basic video without them, so; is it incompatible RAM or do Ryzens really need dedicated graphics to work?

Thanks !

Vita
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  • Which CPU model is it exactly? It depends on the motherboard/BIOS whether you can boot without video output at all or not. If you don't have any video output at all then you're probably not getting past POST: https://superuser.com/a/914809/403203 – MC10 Jan 26 '20 at 15:57
  • I didn't think it mattered, sorry about that; the processor is a Ryzen 2600, the motherboard is a B450 chipset, Ryzen 3000 series-compatible. No mention of integrated graphics though. I'm reading the docs but I'm not holding my breath, I grabbed the cheapest ASUS thing I could get just for the project. – Vita Jan 26 '20 at 16:19

2 Answers2

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The R5 2600 is a CPU without an integrated GPU. The Ryzen 5 2600x, 3600 and 3600x are the same. They need a discrete video card. For Ryzen processors, there needs to have a "G" suffix (ex. Ryzen 5 2400G ) to indicate the presence of an iGPU (APU).

Note: For Intel 9th and 10th Gen CPU, the F suffix indicates a lack of iGPU, same as the R5 2600. Please be careful when buying.

Nowadays, most motherboards do not have an integrated GPU, as was the case back a few years ago (ex. nForce series). You need a CPU with an iGPU core to output from the motherboard.

Natsu Kage
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    A few years ago is a generous overstatement, it was more like, a more than a decade ago. Processors certainly have had integrated graphics in that time, which of course is what motherboards with video ports use, but motherboards themselves have not had a GPU for more than a decade. – Ramhound Jan 26 '20 at 17:07
  • Haha. It's a cost and performance issue after all. But many people are still upgrading to Ryzen from AM2/3 platforms with iGPUs, which is why the confusion still exists. – Natsu Kage Jan 26 '20 at 17:17
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    I would argue they are confused because they didn't do the proper amount of research and AMD didn't choose to provide specifications on every product like Intel does. – Ramhound Jan 26 '20 at 17:19
  • Thank you all. I connected a power meter to the speaker pins in the board and it all points out to the memory so far. I'm using this schematic as a guide: https://www.asus.com/US/support/FAQ/1029959

    The [supported] memory model doesn't match by 1 character, HX426C16FB3 vs HX426C16FB2 (https://dlcdnets.asus.com/pub/ASUS/mb/SocketAM4/PRIME_B450M-A/Memory_QVL_For_AMD_2000_Series_Processors_B450.pdf)

    Most likely I'll need a GPU too, as I've just been told. Thanks again.

     – Vita Jan 26 '20 at 17:55
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Most AMD motherboards 550 and 570 need a discrete video card. If you are not a gamer you can pick one up for under $100.

ZygD
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Gene villacian
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  • The suggestion that a discrete video card would be required has already been suggested by the accepted answer. – Ramhound Aug 30 '21 at 18:46