Weird RAM Issues

Hey all,

This is only my second thread here so please have a look at the other one if needed about my newness to trying Vista x64.

I just got another 2 GB of RAM to go with my trying of Vista 64. It's the same brand, timings, etc of the other 2 sticks I've had in my system for about a year. The only difference is the newer RAM is a newer revision, if that makes any difference.

Both are Corsair DDR2 XMS2 800 MHZ matched Pairs. When I put it in, I made sure each set match. The Ram from the same set is in 1 and 3, and the same set is in slots 2 and 4.

I have the RAM set to 4-4-4-12 timing, with everything else on the setting screen on auto and the Volt to 2.10. The specs the ram is set to run at. I don't have them OCed or anything. (Though my CPU is.)

Now comes the weirdness. If I have my original RAM sticks in slots 1 and 3, and the 2 news ones in 2 and 4. The computer will not boot, it will BSoD over and over. If I swap the new ram into slots 1 and 3 and the original set into 2 and 4, it boots, and Windows sees (and uses as far as I can tell) all 4GBs of RAM.

I've only ever had a system once before where I was using all 4 slots, but that was 4 x 512 and it always Ran fine. I just never heard of this kind of problem simply based on what slots the RAM is in.

Trying to at least partially figure this out, I am actually running Memtest86 on my desktop as I write this on my laptop. This is my first time ever running the program, so I'd love so input on any certain settings I might want to enable. I'm also guessing that this diag tool works regardless of my having a 64bit OS right? Currently the test (Defaults) is 48% passed with no errors.

My computer has had some periodic write memory errors to make me want to investigate it further.

I really hope I don't have some BAD RAM. I already returned some once to the place where I bought it, but that was for a different reason.

Hi Zeonstar,

Sorry to hear you're having this trouble.

Suggest you try using just the 2 new RAM sticks, first in slots 1 & 3 , then in slots 2 & 4

Let us know what happens

SIW2

Try loading them alone, the new sticks only? 1 and 3, then 2 and 4?

I always thought you couldn't boot with slots 1 and 3 empty. You can though?

I partially tried this already. I had gotten this RAM a few days before I went to x64 and added all of it to my system just to try it, even though I was still in 32bit. With the new ram in 2 and 4, and my original set in 1 and 3, it wouldn't load, and did exactly what I mentioned above. (BSoD endlessly). So not thinking it was too big of a deal, since I didnt even have a way to use all the RAM anyway, I had put the new ram alone in slots 1 and 3 and it worked fine.

Following that and installing x64, I simply added my original RAM into the 2 empty slots, 2 & 4. That's how it's been since, till today when I worked on my computer and took the RAM out. Not thinking much of it, I had put them back as mentioned above, old RAM in slots 1 & 3 and so on.

Don't know if any of that changes your suggestion, but wanted to mention it. Do you mean for me to test the RAM too in those configuations?

MemTest is still running, I want to let it finish before I try anything.

Hi,

I can boot from any any RAM slot - unless your mobo manual says different, of course.

Didn't realise from your original post you had successfully booted using just the new RAM.

Don't suppose you've run Vista's Memory Diagnostics Tool ?


SIW2

I didn't mention that in the first post, so you didn't miss anything.

The default MemTest Test finished though, no errors.

Now what?

It's too weird that the slots I stick my RAM in actually matters. It shouldn't!

Nothing springs to mind.

Just checked my mobo manual - says I must install identical RAM in the two yellow slots, or identical RAM in the two orange slots, or identical RAM in yellow and orange slots - then goes on to say what to do with uneven numbers of sticks.

Might be worth studying your mobo manual to see if anything comes to light.

siw2

Mine says pretty much the same thing in different wording, nothing more exclusive or special.

Having Ran that MemTest and it passing, I wonder what else I can do?

Being new to Overclocking my CPU, I'm not 100% aware of all the side effects it can have. Can Overclocking your CPU affect your RAM, even if I have made sure the RAM itself is just set to Manufacturer's specs?

ZeonStar said:

... I just got another 2 GB of RAM to go with my trying of Vista 64. It's the same brand, timings, etc of the other 2 sticks I've had in my system for about a year. The only difference is the newer RAM is a newer revision, if that makes any difference...

Click to expand...

It does. You're essentially running 2 distinctly different kits.

Yeah they should be identical - strange how they work better in one particular slot configuration that the other, though.

SIW2

Too weird how that could actually make a difference. But I guess I have found a workaround.

I might not even be reading the modules right. But one says v2.1 and the other says 6.2. But then again...the volts also happen to be 2.1v. But those are written in the same spot on each of the 2 sets.