RAM Problems, incompatibility?

Acronis · Oct 9, 2015

I have this conf for more than 2 years.

Intel(R) Core(TM) i5-2500K CPU @ 3.30GHz, ASUS P8Z77-V LE, AMD Radeon R9 200 Series, I had Corsair RAM 4x4GB now 2x4
It worked all OK for about a year.

About year ago I experienced BSOD, It didnt want to work even when I removed 2 modules, it would work for couple of days and then windows would BSOD.
I find out that corsair is not compatible with this MB, it is not in the list of compatible RAM.
I thought it was incompatibility, so I bought Kingston memory that I find in MB manual it is compatible with MB.

It worked ok until last week, I had black screen and PC wont turn on, I removed one module and it turns on and boot windows (win10).

Later, I decided to test this old Corsair memory again,
I reset BIOS to default,
I put two 4gb corsair modules in blue slots and it works ok (for now), tested in memtest and 0 errors.
I decided to test all Corsair 4x4GB again, and then I got a lot of errors in memtest more that 30K.

So this is a 100% sure that RAM is bad, or it still could be incompatibilty?

Is it possible that in the same MB, RAM becomes bad two times, first Corsair, then Kingston? Could it be some other reason? Could it be that MB is bad?

In case it is all about bad RAM, Is it possible that bad RAM can hurt MB or CPU or is that a myth? I heard that so I dont know is it true, sounds unlikely but not sure.
I want to test Kingston RAM in another machine, but not sure is it safe to do that?

americanbrian · Oct 9, 2015

are the sticks all identical? Specifically are the timings all the same?

Acronis · Oct 9, 2015

Yes this Corsair stick are all same model, same timing 9-9-9-24.

I didnt mixed Corsair and Kingston sticks, I used either Corsair, or Kingston.

Tradesman1 · Oct 9, 2015

What actual model numbers of the DRAM? Do you have latest BIOS? mobo drivers? Any OC on the CPU?

Acronis · Oct 9, 2015

Corsair CMZ8GX3M2A1600C9, everything updated, no OC

americanbrian · Oct 9, 2015

it could be one of the physical slots is playing up. would you be able to take a single (known working) stick of ram and rotate it round each of the 4 slots and memtest each time?

americanbrian · Oct 9, 2015

also a thought, the memcontroller built into the 2500k only supposedly supports 1333mhz. Though because it is a K series you can clock it higher (not so for i3's etc. of the same era). Due to the age of the CPU I wonder if it is slowly crapping out at higher clocks (I am assuming from the timings that the sticks are 1600Mhz). Could you try all four sticks set to 1333Mhz with a memtest too? (assuming that they are indeed clocked at 1600 in the first place)

Acronis · Oct 9, 2015

Thanks for answers, on the memory sticks it is written 1600Mhz,
I checked in Sandra it said memory bus speed 2x667(1.33GHz) and Speed : PC3-12800U DDR3-1600

Here is complete info about Configuration http://pastebin.com/TNPs9wvn

Acronis · Oct 9, 2015

So it actually works on 1333Mhz.

Tradesman1 · Oct 9, 2015

Showing 667 indicates it's running 1333 as this is DDR (DOUBLE data rate) If all 4 sticks are the same try enabling XMP and raise the DRAM voltage to 1.575 and see if the 4 will play nice

Acronis · Oct 9, 2015

I'll try that. What is the cause of this? it worked for over a year without any problems and without any special settings. Suddenly start to make BSOD.

Tradesman1 · Oct 9, 2015

A stick might be headed south or is just weak and time has caught up to it, the PSU might be headed south, a power surge could have thrown off the BIOS, or the OS itself, could be lots of things

Acronis · Oct 9, 2015

How likely is that two modules of different brands become bad in period of one year, in the same machine?
I use UPS and good quality power supply, never OC.

Tradesman1 · Oct 9, 2015

Lots of possibles, they may both have been running at less than optimal timings putting stress on them, mobo may be overvolting them or under volting, may have been a surge at some point and slowly failing, many possibles

Acronis · Oct 10, 2015

This is info on timings: Standard Timings : 9-9-9-24 5-34-10-5
First numbers are as it is written on moduls 9-9-9-24, what this other number means? 5-34-10-5

Acronis · Oct 10, 2015

If I buy another modules of RAM it can become corrupted after few months, like what happened with this two sets.
I would like to find exact cause of this.
Should I change the MB?

americanbrian · Oct 10, 2015

did you check each slot individually yet?

Acronis · Oct 10, 2015

Last year I tried, MB wont boot if it is only one module in 2. or 3. slot.

Tradesman1 · Oct 10, 2015

If problems with slots 2-3 from CPU it's prob a mobo problem as that is a slot each in both channels

RAM Problems, incompatibility?

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