Motherboard and RAM problem

Hi,

I have just purchased a Gigabyte GA-G31MF-S2 motherboard along with various other components, its all setup and working with 2GB PC2-6400 ram, i did purchase 4GB ram but whenever i put the other sticks in the motherboard the screen goes fussy and refuses to boot or even leave the BIOS screen.

I have run various memtests on all the sticks of ram and they have come back fine.

I could really use any ideas you guys may have

Cheers

Install SP1 and update the bios.

Thanks for your reply Fumz, I am already using SP1.

The only available bios release (other than the version) i'm already using is a BETA version so i don't want to install that.

Any other suggestions ? Perhaps something in the settings i may have overlooked ?

Did you overlook this?

* Because of chipset limitations, do not populate both DIMM sockets of the same channel (e.g. DDR and DDR2), or populate 4 DIMM sockets with double-sided memory modules to prevent system's failure to start or incorrect detection of memory modules. Please refer to the user manual for the memory configurations table.

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GIGABYTE - Support - Motherboard - BIOS - GA-G31MF-S2

I take it you're using 4 double sided sticks when the errors occur?

wasted said:

The only available bios release (other than the version) i'm already using is a BETA version so i don't want to install that.

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Very wise. Let other people test beta versions of the BIOS

I gather it's quite common that 4 sticks of ram will need to be slightly less overclocked than 2 sticks, for stability. I don't have enough experience to suggest which of these BIOS settings you should try first:
- reduce memory speed slightly.
- relax the memory timings, for example from 5-5-5-15 to 6-6-6-18
- increase ram voltage slightly
- increase Northbridge voltage slightly.

I gather OC enthusiasts who just want to brag about benchmarks always use 2 sticks instead of 4. However in real life usage such as Photoshop work, you're better off using all four sticks even if you do have to slow it down slightly.

Thanks for your posts...

Fumz are you saying that i won't be able to use all 4gb of ram ?

or if i tweaked the settings that Oldbloke is suggesting would it mean i can use all of the ram i have ?

If this is the case, below is a link to a screenshot of my bios (taken from the manual) can you please tell me which settings to change.

http://www.fpsworld.co.uk/bios.png

Thanks for your help!

wasted said:

Fumz are you saying that i won't be able to use all 4gb of ram, or if i tweaked the settings that Oldbloke is suggesting would it mean i can use all of the ram i have?

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It's not that I'm saying it, it's that the people who built your motherboard are saying it. That's a direct quote from Gigabyte about your board.

That's one of the drawbacks to running a 4x1 kit; some motherboards just don't get along with that configuration. If that's the case, then you're either going to have to wait for a bios update that resolves the issue (if that happens at all?), or get yourself a 2x2GB kit?

Assuming default or auto RAM settings, you can try playing around with them, but I think it's only going to be a frustrating exercise in futility? What I would not do is just increase the voltage willy-nilly. First find out what voltage your kit runs at, then find out if your kit is getting the proper voltage. If and only if you're not getting sufficient voltage, then increase it to the proper amount, cross your fingers, and don't be discouraged if it doesn't work.

OldBloke said:

I gather OC enthusiasts who just want to brag about benchmarks always use 2 sticks instead of 4. However in real life usage such as Photoshop work, you're better off using all four sticks even if you do have to slow it down slightly.

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Isn't everything one chooses to do with his or her machine, "real life usage?" While I agree synthetic benchmarks are meaningless, if that's what gets you off, more power to you.

As far as 2x2 vs 4x1 goes, there's no advantage to running one over the other. Yes, you can run with tighter timings on a 4x1 kit, but you almost always have to run at a command rate of 2T; the benefits/disadvantages cancel each other out. The advantage of a 2x2 is that it's usually cheaper, there's less heat, lower power consumption, almost all boards accept this configuration (i'd say all but someone somewhere will find that one board that doesn't), there's room to expand, less strain on the memory controller and, typically, up to 800MHz you can run at 1T.

Fumz said:

OldBloke said:

I gather OC enthusiasts who just want to brag about benchmarks always use 2 sticks instead of 4. However in real life usage such as Photoshop work, you're better off using all four sticks even if you do have to slow it down slightly.

Click to expand...

Isn't everything one chooses to do with his or her machine, "real life usage?" While I agree synthetic benchmarks are meaningless, if that's what gets you off, more power to you.

As far as 2x2 vs 4x1 goes...

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Hi Fumz
It looks like you are comparing what is best between 2x2 or 4x1gb.

I was writing about wasted's situation. He has 4 1gb sticks. He has no 2gb sticks. He could use 2x1gb at faster settings or 4x1gb at slower speeds (hopefully).

To post good looking results in an overclockers forum, 2x1 can be made to run "faster" than you can get from 4x1. That's why some overclockers pull out half their ram, so they can crank up the speeds to post impressive numbers.

But for practical usage of the computer, 4x1 will give a better experience of perceived performance in Windows than 2x1, even though the 4x1 may require slower clocking. Even if he doesn't run lots of big applications, the system will benefit from larger filing system caches, more prefetch, etc.

The reason I wrote that was to point out to wasted that he shouldn't regret having to slow it down slightly, IF that would enable him to use all 4 gigs instead of only 2,

At least wasted understood my message. That's why he asked which of his BIOS settings he should try adjusting, if he wants to get his system stable with all his 4 sticks of ram.

Anyway wasted...
I had a look at the image you uploaded, of your BIOS settings dialog. I'm not very experienced with overclocking, but based on what I've read in OC forums, I would try this:

Make a bootable CD of memtest86+, so you don't have to keep booting into Windows to see if you will get a BSOD, and leave the CD inserted while you try some of these settings using all 4gb, until you get no errors in the memtest when you boot the CD.

For more stability, you want to try slower speeds and/or increase voltages, particularly for the memory. Increasing voltages by too much could risk overheating but there should be no risk in making a speed setting slower.

DDR2 OverVoltage Control: That is set to normal and you could try a slightly higher setting. (By the way, does the website for your brand of ram specify a recommended voltage for it?)

System Memory Multiplier: If that is set lower, you are slowing down the memory without slowing other parts, which might help.

Nobody can give you an exact prescription, so you have to experiment.

I had this problem with my old motherboard and RAM. Had 2x 512mb RAM and 2x 1GB sticks. It worked fine with my Athlon x2 3800 on an M2N-E SLI mobo, but when I upgraded to an Athlon x2 5200+, I got the same problems. I tried each stick seperatley and it booted up fine, but all 4 sticks just wouldn't boot with the 5200.

The odd thing was though was in the BIOS when all 3GBs were in, it would recognise 3GB was installed, but said that only 2GB was usable. I tried pretty much all I could think of (relaxing timings, upgrading PSU etc), and eventually narrowed it down to either the motherboard and upgraded it, also buying new RAM (3GB) and it booted fine.

OldBloke said:

Hi Fumz
It looks like you are comparing what is best between 2x2 or 4x1gb.... The reason I wrote that was to point out to wasted that he shouldn't regret having to slow it down slightly, IF that would enable him to use all 4 gigs instead of only 2... At least wasted understood my message.

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Oh I understood what you said... I just disagree. Imho, he should regret it if he can't run at at least the defaults.

Slower than stock speeds are unacceptable. If wasted can't use all 4GB's at stock speeds, the RAM has been tested and works fine, SP1 has been installed and he's using the latest stable bios, then the problem probably isn't an overclock that doesn't exist; thus, down clocking RAM is unacceptable. Perhaps my assumptions are wrong, but nothing said leads me to believe RAM timings have been touched outside of loading the optimized defaults?

The other possibility, as Everlong eluded to, is that he's running mismatched kits? Wasted, is all the memory the same and was it purchased with the rest of your gear?

Again though, Gigabyte states, in ugly red fonts, you may run into problems using all 4 slots with double sided dimms, so your only solution may be to get a 2x2 kit? Like I said, go see if your RAM's operating voltage differs from what the board is giving it, that may resolve it, just don't get discouraged if that doesn't work.