4GB of RAM kills my PC. Why?

nbarulic

Prominent
Nov 10, 2017
9
0
510
Okay so here goes. To start, this is an old build that I am throwing together as an intro into pc building/oc/modding so yes I know all of the parts are outdated, but this is what I can afford. Anyways here are my PC specs:
-msi p6n sli platinum
-core 2 quad Q6700 (no oc)
-asus gtx 560
-evga 450 B (80plus bronze)
-wd 250GB 2.5" hdd

Okay, so my problem is centered specifically around RAM. I previously had a different mobo and I had a 4x 2GB set of DDR2 (all different brands/types) running at 800mhz perfectly fine. however, once I acquired the msi board, i tried the same four sticks and my pc was barely running at all (windows install took 12+ hours from usb). I could get my pc to run just fine on the msi board but with only one specific stick of RAM though. it was a micron PC2-6400U-666-13-E1 stick. from what i can tell this is an unbuffered non-ecc stick at running at 800mhz. whenever I add any other stick of ram other than that specific one, my pc takes upwards of 30 min to get to the login screen. I then tried plugging the one micron stick into each of the four slots individually, to test that each ram slot is working, the other slots seem fine. currently, i have an identical set 4x 1GB of PC2-5300U which is an unbuffured, non-ecc set of identical ram (to eliminate compatibility issues). I reset the bios with the CMOS battery, installed the set of 4x 1GB sticks and started a fresh install of windows. I am currently only 92% of the way through the "getting files ready for installation" part of the install after 13 hours... please help. I am very lost at this point.

Update: After more thorough testing, every single one of my 5 2GB sticks of ddr2 works in this machine as long as that is the only stick of RAM that is in the system. as for the 1GB sticks, they work as long as no more than any three of them are in the system. none of them are broken because i can swap them out and as long as only three are in the system, it works fine. My question now is, is it something to do with 4GB of ram? 4x 1GB doesnt work and 2x 2GB doesnt work either. I've seen some things that mention changing the virtual memory in the os but i dont know anything about that. thanks again for any help!

Update2: it is definitely a problem assoc. with the jump between 3GB and 4GB as even a 2GB and 1GB in dual works, but a combo of 1x 2GB and 2x 1GB (4GB total) still doesnt work. before you ask, yes, I am using 64 bit os. speaking of the OS, I have tried this system with both windows 10 and windows 8.1 and the exact same problem persists between the two OS.
 
Solution
BIOS limiting available memory?

Check for latest version of BIOS for the motherboard. If haven't got the latest version of BIOS then suggest flashing to the latest version.
Problem may be due to inter-module incompatibility for this motherboard.

With 2 GB memory installed, boot into BIOS and raise Memory Voltage by 0.05 V. Don't exceed 1.95 V if possible. Save and exit BIOS.

Install other 2 GB memory modules one at a time and see how system boots/runs.

If system runs OK with two 2 GB modules, then add another 2 GB module and try system again.

If system doesn't run OK with two (or more) 2 GB modules installed, raise Memory Voltage again by 0.05 V. Again don't exceed 1.95 V.

If system still doesn't run with two or more 2 GB modules installed, raise NB Voltage by about 0.01 V. Save and exit BIOS. Don't exceed around 1.2 V.

Further Memory Voltage and NB Voltage adjustments will probably be required.
 

nbarulic

Prominent
Nov 10, 2017
9
0
510


Thanks for the response, unfortunately I have already tried messing with the memory voltages. I have found a few other people who had the same problem (but those threads were from ~2010 and no longer active) and none of them seemed to be able to fix the problem by adjusting memory voltages or timings. A few people mention double sided modules as being a problem, but my kit of 4x 1GB is single sided and still doesn't work. Additionally, the motherboard posts and recognizes the appropriate size and speed of the ram with the full 4x 2GB kit in there, the problem only occurs when I attempt to go into windows. Thanks again for the help!

another thread with the same problem: http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/250844-30-platinum-problem
 

nbarulic

Prominent
Nov 10, 2017
9
0
510


Thanks for the response! I am relatively new to pc building, and I dont quite understand the difference between a SIMM and a DIMM. i understand that it isnt just whether or not there are physically modules on both sides of the RAM. any advice on how to check if its a DIMM or a SIMM. Thanks again for the response.
 

nbarulic

Prominent
Nov 10, 2017
9
0
510


Okay, i thought it was more than that but regardless, the 1 GB sticks are SIMM and the 2GB sticks are DIMM. Both work fine as long as no more than 3GB are installed at any one time. They can run together in dual channel just fine as well.
 
SIMM is an old type of memory module with (typically) 72 contacts on ONE side of the module. It runs at 5 V, and is about 1 inch shorter in length with respect to DDR2 memory.

DIMM is memory that has 240 contacts (for DDR2 version), with 120 contacts on each side of the module.

It is the module contact "sides" that basically determines whether the module is SIMM or DIMM. It has nothing to do with whether memory chips on board the module are only on one side or on both sides of modules.

SIMM modules are incompatible with DIMM modules due to different physical dimensions, different operating voltages, and contact arrangements.

So the 1 GB and 2 GB DDR2 modules are all DIMM types.

The issue of not all memory working together is likely due to inter-module incompatibility, particularly when mixing individual modules.

Raising Memory Voltage and/or NB Voltage may help to get all of the memory running.

If still can't get all memory working, then try swapping the modules around in different slots. This might also help as there are variations in characteristics between memory slots (as well as between memory modules; that's why incompatibility occurs).

If still can't get all memory to work together, try some other 2 GB modules until a compatible combination is found. The downside is that it may take time and more expense to find the right combination of modules.

Better yet, get a "quad channel" kit of 4 x 2 GB DDR2 to replace the existing memory. The modules within the kit are guaranteed to be compatible with each other so they should work right away! Problem is that getting a 4 x 2 GB DDR2 quad channel kit may be difficult and possibly expensive as well.
 

nbarulic

Prominent
Nov 10, 2017
9
0
510


I get what you're saying about inter-module compatibility, but the 4x 1Gb set is a kit of identical RAM that still doesnt work with all 4 sticks. it isnt a problem with the sticks of ram but literally the jump between there being 3GB and 4GB of ram in the system. as long as there is only 3 GB, the system runs perfectly, no matter how they are mixed or arranged, and the voltage adjustments didnt change that fact. I get that this is weird and confusing but thats why Im asking about it.

 
OK. Remove the CPU and check it and its socket THOROUGHLY for any signs of damaged or bent pins and pads. Also make sure there is no dust, dirt nor debris of any kind on or amongst the pins and pads.

Remount CPU carefully and evenly. Uneven CPU mounting can cause loss of pin/pad contact which in turn leads to all sorts of system issues, but usually memory related issues.

Also check that Windows has not placed a limit on addressable memory [ Start/run > type in msconfig > press enter > select Boot tab > select Advanced options > make sure the "Maximum memory:" check box is unchecked]
 

nbarulic

Prominent
Nov 10, 2017
9
0
510


Okay. The maximum memory is unchecked. I dont think it has anything to do with the OS, because I have a gigabyte board that has a max of 4GB that works fine with 4GB installed. I will say that I bought the board second hand and it is pretty dusty. The socket/pins look to be undamaged. I will try to remove as much of the dust as i can and report back.
 

nbarulic

Prominent
Nov 10, 2017
9
0
510
Okay, so the dust seemed to have no effect on the situation (there were a couple specs of dust in the ram slots I was able to remove with a knife). However, I have been playing around with the msconfig max memory setting, and I dont know how to interpret what its doing. So, i installed 3GB of ram into the system (booted fine) and then set the max memory setting to 3GB. With the max set to 3GB, i installed the 4th GB of ram into the system, and it booted fine and was only using 3GB of ram (as to be expected). Now with 4GB of ram in the system, msconfig recognizes the fact that there are 4GB of ram and would allow me to set the max memory setting to 4GB. However, when I restarted the pc with the new setting, it boots fine, but it is only using 3GB of ram and the max memory setting is set to 0?

Update: Even with 2x 2GB set of ram in the system. The system runs perfectly with the max memory set to 3GB AND the system is utilizing the full 3GB, so its using one and a half of the inserted sticks. It wont let me set the value to 4GB actually, I go to hit apply and when i go back (before restarting) it is already set at 0. I think im crazy and that somehow I am using a 32 bit OS? Cause it definitely says 64-bit operating system in the system settings

Update2: With all 8GB of ram installed and the max memory set to 3GB, the system boots perfectly normally and the system setting says Installed Memory: 8GB (Usable: 3GB)
 

nbarulic

Prominent
Nov 10, 2017
9
0
510


You're a hero! I had to learn how to flash a bios (never done that before) but once i figured it out, it totally worked! Thank you so much for all the help over the last couple of days!