If you're building a system with an AMD AM5 platform (600 or 800 series chipset), you might notice the motherboard pausing during its first boot, displaying Q-CODE 15, or on lower-end SKUs you can simply reference the yellow DRAM Q-LED. This is normal and indicates that the system is undergoing its initial memory training procedure.
Why does this happen?
Memory training is a low-level procedure that occurs during the system's POST (Power-On Self-Test) phase, where the motherboard dynamically tests and adjusts memory signal timings, voltages, and data strobe alignments. It performs a barrage of read/write operations to determine valid signal margins. These margins are defined by whether the analogue signals stay entirely within a valid timing window. The motherboard is looking for clear electrical passes or fails, not just whether data can be read back correctly like in an operating system-based test.
This means that memory training is more stringent than tools like Karhu RAM Test or HCI MemTest. For example, even if waveforms are slightly misaligned but still produce valid data during a software test, they could still fail hardware-level training because they encroach on the predefined electrical mask. Voltage, temperature changes, and circuit drift can all impact whether these signals remain within spec, which is why initial training is so cautious.
Training ensures long-term signal reliability, not just short-term data validity.
What should you do?
Simply wait and avoid interrupting the system during this period. The Q-CODE display on ROG motherboards will typically show "15", indicating active memory training. Interrupting this process or assuming there's a fault prematurely can cause unnecessary troubleshooting and frustration.
The process can take anywhere from 5 to 15 minutes depending on the memory configuration and density.
Once the training is complete, your system will boot normally, and subsequent restarts and power-ons will be much faster compared to the initial training phase.
Can this process be shortened?
Yes, on ASUS AM5 motherboards, you can enable Memory Context Restore in the BIOS after the initial successful memory training. While subsequent boots are already quicker, enabling this feature can further reduce cold boot times by skipping additional memory initialization steps. However, if you change memory kits or related settings, it's recommended to disable it temporarily to allow full retraining.
Remember, patience during initial setup ensures optimal system stability and performance!
