Can I run Windows 8.1 or win7sp1 using Only the one 4GB module of a 2x4GB kit RAM ?

drunik

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Jun 17, 2014
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4,510
Hi,
though I'm reading and take advices from the expert knowledge of the forum, this is my first-time question!
A week ago, I bought my new desktop with the below contents:

Case: CORSAIR CARBIDE SERIES 400R BLACK
PSU: FX PRO SERIES 750W PSU
MoBo: ASUS Z87-PRO C2 RETAIL
CPU: INTEL CORE I7-4770K 3.50GHZ LGA1150
Cooler: COOLERMASTER RR-212E Hyper 212 Evo
RAM: Corsair Vengeance 8GB Kit 2x4GB (CMZ8GX3M2A1600C8)
SSD: SAMSUNG MZ-7PD256BW 840 PRO SSD 256GB
HD: Western Digital WD4003FZEX CAVIAR BLACK 4TB
DVD: LITEON IHAS124-04 DVD-RW BLACK BULK

CaseFan-1 AEROCOOL SHARK FAN BLACK EDITION 140MM (as an extra for the roof of the case)
CaseFan-2: AEROCOOL SHARK FAN BLUE EDITION 120MM (as a second fan for the for the Cooler: In-Out)

Yes. The system doesnot have an extra GPU, but the CPU's in combination with the MoBo's.
The reason was, because I don't play games, at all or at least not the sophisticated new ones.
I'lll be using the machine for web surfing, office suite, image processing (coreldraw, photoshop, lightroom) TV and Radio recording (through tuners), video playing and maybe later some basic video editing from camcorder footage.
I was informed that all these can be satisfying done without an extra GPU. So, I postponed the purchase of such, in a seconf time, later this year propably.

The RAM kit, I bought it from Amazon during a trip to USA, last year and I kept them sealed.
All the rest of the parts, were bought from a chain store in Greece, where I live, (www.e-shop.gr) and they made the building. No OS were installed.
They tested all hardware parts using the BurnInTest Pro v6.0 (I have the results) and all parts (CPU, RAM, Disks, Sound, Network,et.) and the results are : "PASS"

4 days after installing Windows 8.1 Pro (by me), I got a light blue screen saying (more-or-less:
"Sorry for the incovenience. We have to collect a few statistics... wait ... and the system will be automatically restarted when done. 0% ............................... [loading bar] "

For the next 30 minutes!!!, the process bar remained at 0 (zero) %, so I decided and pressed the Restart button;
It was then that the system started an un-stopped, continuous Restarting series of 5sec (seconds) each!, without ever launching windows. I mean, I was just hearing the fans to start for 4-5sec and then the PC was shuting down to restart and so on and on (about 12 restarting cycles per minute). I closed the machine by holding down the power button. And sent it to the store where I bought it.

Today, I was told that one of the two RAM chips is defective, but they can not accept to RMA it, though the Warranty is "Lifetime", because I didn't bought it from their store.

I havε a lot of questions, I have to find a solution for, like:
- how can it be, 4 days after passing a stress test successfully, one of te RAM failed?
- would it be attractive to pursue an RMA with Amazon, considering the cost of shipping to USA and shipping back to Greece, OR just buy an extra from Greece, if it can be found the exact module, OR, wait for some money drop in the 2x8GB kits (IF such an upgrade from 8 to 16GB in RAM would be of some detectable benefit.

My ΜΑιΝ QUESTION: can I run Windows 8.1 (or win7sp1) using ONLY the one 4GB module of a 2x4GB kit RAM ?
at least for a few monthσ, untill I can figure it out what to do with the warranty (If I have to send them back to USA, both or just the defective module).

Lastly, in case I could not find the exact matching of the kit (it's Latency 8) could I pair the functioning 4GB module with another one, of different latency (CL:9) knowing that they would not work as "Dual-Channel" ? and in that case, will the performance fall be great?

Whatever more advise you can provide for me wil be most grateful.

thanks a lot,
Nick



 

drunik

Reputable
Jun 17, 2014
2
0
4,510
Thanks for your immediate answer.
The "mem o.k. button" on my asus z87 was blining RED continuously while the successive restarts!
If in the single channel mode, 4GB RAM is enough for running Win 7/8.1, and still can do the jobs I described above, then this could be a viable permanent solution, permanent (or temporary, in case I add some more in the future).
Are you sure that single 4GB RAM is enough for eg. video editing, or converting formats between video files/DVDs?
Should I add an extra pair of 2x4GB kit (as a dual channel) and keep the one (4GB) I already have, could the sum of (8 [=2x4] +4) = 12GB be acceptable.