Fndr7070

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I had 2x512 of Corsair XMS PC5400 RAM in my system. Recently I got another 2x512 set of the same exact RAM. With the 1G in the system, I had the timings set to 4-4-4-12 (what the memory is rated at), instead of the 5-5-5-15 that my BIOS auto detected. Upon first boot, the computer would not post with all 4 sticks in. So I took the two new ones out, reset the timings, undid my OC settings, and booted with just the 1 G. Put the second Gig in with everything default, and it booted. So I figured that was it.

Wrong!

I was getting random blue screens with the 2G in. Sometimes the computer wouldn't even post, even with the default timings. I took the new RAM out, everything was fine again. So I figured I have a bad stick, or one (or both) of the previously un-used RAM slots on my motherboard were bad. So I took a stick of the original RAM, and booted the PC with just that stick in all 4 slots, and it posted and booted each time. I took each of the new sticks, and did the same thing. One of the sticks, no matter which slot I put it in, the PC will not post. I've never had RAM issues, but that's pretty much a dead on indicator that I have a bad stick, right?
 

rmicro1

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I had similar issues when I did pretty well the exact things as you. I had 2 x 512mb and tried adding 2 more. I made sure to order the same RAM that I had already to avoid problems. But, even though the RAM was from the same manufacturer, same speed, same capacity, the actual memory chips on the stick were different from what I had already in my machine.

So that's what I would check. Corsair might have made a revision or something to their RAM.

One other scenario you can try is mixing one old with one new stick of RAM and seeing if that will run for you.

Also try getting a RAM testing program (http://www.memtest86.com/) and testing one stick in your machine at a time.

One last thing I can think of is your power supply. You might have been on the edge of what it could handle before and the new RAM might have been that extra little push over. You never know...

Hopefully these will help a little.
 

Fndr7070

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I have a 580 Watt Power Supply. I only have one hard drive, and I'm not running crossfire, so I think that's plenty.

I'll have to try running memtest. The thing is, if I only put the suspected bad stick in the computer, then it won't boot at all.
 

Mondoman

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... I took each of the new sticks, and did the same thing. One of the sticks, no matter which slot I put it in, the PC will not post. I've never had RAM issues, but that's pretty much a dead on indicator that I have a bad stick, right?
Yes (please ignore post #2 -- the poster apparently misunderstood what you had done and is talking about a different issue).
Return your bad stick for replacement under warranty.
Also, you may find this post helpful w/regard to timings & voltages:
http://forumz.tomshardware.com/hardware/modules.php?name=Forums&file=viewtopic&p=1249881#1249881
 

Fndr7070

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Yeah, the suspected bad stick I have tried in all 4 of my RAM slots. The computer won't post at all, with that stick, in any of the slots.

RMA, here I come!

Thanks for the input, guys. I will try increasing my RAM voltage with the 4 sticks in. Maybe that's why I was getting the bsod's for the little time the 2G was working.
 
The problem with some modules is:

Motherboard supports one pair of modules inserted into eithor the blue slots or the black slots as one pair of Dual-channel memory configuration and not two pairs.

Not sure how much this applies to you.