Bad pair of ram sticks?

JordyB · Sep 12, 2015

I've recently bought a new pair of ramsticks, because I wanted more speed, lower latency and more RAM. So I've bought the G.Skill GTX 2x8GB DDR3-1600 sticks. The first few days everything went well. Now, my computer freezes reguarly and after freezing, it refuses to boot. It feels like I have to be lucky that the pc starts up, so I've openend the computer, start my computer up and noticed the red light next to the memOK! was burning. So I tried pushing the button, but this doesn't work. Immediately when I push the button, the computer resets. Then it goes into a red flashing cicle (resets +/- 4 times, everytime the red light flashes faster) until its continue flashing the red light again.

When I'm ''lucky'', I get the screen that the overclocking failed, and that I have to go to the BIOS. But I haven't OC'd anything, because my mobo can't OC.

Now I'm on my computer again, but I'm certain it will freeze up again, unable to boot until I'm ''lucky'' again.

Now I wonder, is it possible that I have a bad set of RAM sticks? Or is it possible that there is a compatible issue? Because I've switched between RAM brands (from Kingston to G.Skill), can it help to re-install Windows (altho I doubt that)?

My mobo: P8B75-M LE http://
The set of RAM sticks: G.Skill F3-1600C7D-16GTX
http://

I have 3th gen Intel i5 3570 (non K) CPU. Thanks for any help.

InvalidError · Sep 12, 2015

Does the PC boot normally if you only use your old memory? If it does not, then you may have damaged the CPU or motherboard when you swapped the memory out.

Bad memory is always a possibility and you can try running memtest86 for a few hours to see if it finds anything. If it does, then the memory definitely has issues.

JordyB · Sep 12, 2015

I have only 2 slots, so only the new set of sticks are on my mobo. I was thinking of removing the new ones, try the old ones and check if the system was stable again, but then the pc boot up normally and now I'm typing in this thread. So next time it happends I'll remove the new ones and place the old ones again and test it.

I did the windows memory test, both sticks functions correctly. I will try the memtest86 tho.

I can't imagine I've damaged the CPU or motherboard, I've swapped hardware successfully before and I'm always carefully.

And what do you think of re-installing Windows. Could this be a solution? Or is it a mobo/bios/ram problem?

InvalidError · Sep 12, 2015

Since the POST memory test happens before any OS starts loading (MemOK failure at power-up), Windows should have absolutely nothing to do with that part of the problem.

You might want to go in the BIOS and check that memory timings are exactly as expected and that you have not accidentally triggered some form of auto-OC. Alternately, you could try a CMOS reset to make sure everything you might have possibly accidentally changed is returned to defaults.

JordyB · Sep 12, 2015

I've tried a lot, before I openend this topic =)
My system crashed again. I removed my GPU, RAM, screwed the mobo a little bit more lose, removed the battery, waited 15 minutes, and reconnected everything. I turned on the PC, first MemOK failure. Turn off, few sec later on again and then I got the ''failed to OC'' message again. Now I'm in Windows, but I'm certain it will fail again. BTW I tried the memtest86, but the system locked up again, red light burning, so I had to turn it off..

If it will freeze up again, with MemOK failure, I'll put in my old RAM. If the system is stable again after doing that, I at least know that it is the new RAM sticks. But do I have a bad pair? Or is it more probably that it is a compatible problem? It is so weird.. It first seems to work ok and all fine, but then out of nowhere the MemOK failure and my system freezes..

InvalidError · Sep 12, 2015

If MemOK lights up red, it means the BIOS ran into some sort of issue while initializing the RAM. While it could be a compatibility issue, this is extremely rare on boards with only two slots, so my bet is on defect.

The problem with intermittent single-bit DRAM failures is that they might affect a critical bit in the OS only once every billion read/writes. Sometimes you get "lucky" and get a crash right away, sometimes you get a crash several hours or days later. Sometimes, the bit error only gets triggered after a specific pattern of read/writes - I once had a bad DIMM that failed memtest86 only on one specific part of a specific pattern and never anywhere else. At the end of a 24h memtest86 burn-in, I had a grand total of four errors, all at the exact same memory location, same bit, same test phase, same test pattern.

JordyB · Sep 12, 2015

Thanks for some more explanation! A bad DIMM means I'm going to need a new mobo right?
The system is currently 1 hour running stable, if it keeps stable I'm going to run the memtest86 again.

If a bad DIMM means a new mobo; how do I know after the memtest86 if it's my mobo or my ram thats the fault? I saw some images of the tool, but I don't see where it says what got the errors (sorry. [prob stupid question).

And because I got them (the new RAM) just a week, is it better to contact the vendor? Or is the chance that those sticks are failing very small?

Btw, thanks for your time and replies =)

InvalidError · Sep 12, 2015

If you have a bad DIMM, you replace the DIMM.

When memtest finds errors, it lists them in the middle area of the screen as it finds them. If there are errors, you will see them. If the errors consistently hit a specific subset of memory addresses, then you can be 100% certain it is a memory chip issue. If the problem is between the memory dies and the CPU die, then the error pattern will be much more diverse. If you had that sort of failure though, I doubt you would be able to get the PC to boot.

JordyB · Sep 12, 2015

Sorry, I thought u ment the DIMM sockets on the mobo. Just to be sure, DIMM = RAM?
System still not crashed, it's a wonder. Anyway, if I understand you correctly, the chance that I have a bad pair of sticks is probably the cause?
I will try again the memtest86 to be certain, but if it fails again, and you think it's probably the sticks, I'm going to make contact with the vendor.

And is the Windows memory test a not very good test? Because I did that, and it didn't found any faults.

InvalidError · Sep 12, 2015

Windows' memory test only runs for a few minutes, not long enough to catch occasional intermittent bugs - in my example earlier, I had to let memtest86 runs for over 24 hours (30+ complete passes, each pass reading and writing each memory bit thousands of times) to catch only four memory errors. A quick memory test may have never caught it.

Tradesman1 · Sep 12, 2015

Try running them at 1333/7 , 16GB at 1600/7 may be a little much for the MC (memory controller) - or try raising the DRAM voltage + 0.07 at the 1600/7

JordyB · Sep 12, 2015

Thanks for your suggestion. I already set it on auto instead of the XMF profile, but also this didn't worked out. I didn't tried to adjust the voltage, because the sticks are promoted as 1.5V and my old sticks also runs at 1.5v. I'm not sure this is going to help.

I do know for sure it's either a bad memorystick, or compatible problems. My system crashed again, put in my old ones and now it runs stable.
It's really weird. The day I've got the sticks, I replaced the old ones, turned on the PC and it worked fine, out of the box, for a couple of days. Then it crashed, wouldn't go on (MemOK! failure), and now and then it worked for 2 hours, and then crashes. It even crashes in BIOS, so I can't really do anything, not even the memtest86 works (also freezes).

I'm not sure this is normal behavior for bad sticks, or that they are fine but they just dont work together with my mobo.. And I can't test them..
When I reach to my ASUS manual, it claims that when you push the memOK! button, it keeps resetting untill it finds a working setting, when it doesn't work/find a workable setting, I have to put in sticks from the special vendor list..

Never had this kind of issue with replacing hardware before..

William Henrickson · Sep 12, 2015

Do any full CMOS clear with battery outs? Any single stick testing?

Tradesman1 · Sep 12, 2015

1600/7 is considered high performance, the CPU is rated for basic 1333/1600 so it's calling for more than the COPU expects by using a CL7, additional DRAM or MC (memory controller) voltage is usually the 'cure' for this

JordyB · Sep 13, 2015

@ William Henrickson

Yes I did that, didn't work tho. Haven't tried single stick testing, can try that if Tradesman1 solution doesn't work.

@Tradesman1

I will adjust the voltage settings then. Do you mean that I put it to 1.507 voltage in the bios, or that it can grab 0.07 voltage extra when it's needed?

William Henrickson · Sep 13, 2015

Using a JEDEC 1333 setting should work no matter what if the stuff is legit.

JordyB · Sep 13, 2015

My old RAM is 1333 and is working stable. The new sticks also crashed on the 1333 setting. And yes, they are legit.
But my old ones do have L9, so it could be the combination of beeing 1600 and L7 and low voltage, like Tradesman1 suggested.

JordyB · Sep 13, 2015

Ok, I think I'm just unlucky and got a pair of bad sticks. One of them didn't worked at both slots, the other one I put in and at first try the system just starts up. So I think it's pretty sure I have to return them and get a new pair.

Tradesman1 · Sep 13, 2015

Look for 1333 or 1600 with a CL of 9 or so

JordyB · Sep 13, 2015

Thanks for your advice, but I'm going to take a new pair of the same set. The 1 stick works currently as it has to be (1600mhz and L7), so I think I'm save with the sticks. Just had 1 that didn't work proparly. Now I have to wait to end of this month before I get my new pair.. Anyway, I will post again when I received them and if it works correctly now.

JordyB · Sep 30, 2015

Well, finally received my sticks today. This time I've tested them both 1 at a time, both are working correctly. Also on the 1600MHz profile.
So I guess it's solved with the new pair =)

Tradesman1 · Sep 30, 2015

Glad to hear all is well

Bad pair of ram sticks?

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