Tom's Hardware > Forum > Homebuilt Systems > General Homebuilt > Does this board need to be RMA'd?
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huron   08-25-2007 at 08:29:45 PM

Ok guys, I have been reading here for awhile, and posting a little when I believe I have something to contribute. I've got a question for all of you.

Here's the system:

E6750
MSI P6N Diamond (680i)
MSI 8800 GTS 640 oc
4 x 1GB Crucial Ram - PC 6400 (Cas 4)
WD 250 GB HD
Optiarc CD/DVD burne
OCZ 700 W Game xtreme PSU
Samsung 226bw monitor

I had installed the first two sticks of ram in dual channel mode. I put in the other two and no post.

I tried one more in the 3rd slot, and it works. I switched that stick out with the 4th, and no post, so I assume bad stick of ram. I get that RMA'd and get the new stick.

I still have the 3 working sticks of ram in, no problem. When I put the 4th stick in (the new one from Crucial), no post again. I switch out the 3rd stick for the 4th stick, and it posts, no problems again.

Is the 4th slot on the mobo bad? Do I need to contact MSI and get an exchange?

Could really use your help here. Is there something I should do to try to get all 4 sticks working, or is that last slot bad?

Thanks

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badge   08-25-2007 at 08:51:57 PM
- 0 +

huron wrote :

Ok guys, I have been reading here for awhile, and posting a little when I believe I have something to contribute. I've got a question for all of you.

Here's the system:

E6750
MSI P6N Diamond (680i)
MSI 8800 GTS 640 oc
4 x 1GB Crucial Ram - PC 6400 (Cas 4)
WD 250 GB HD
Optiarc CD/DVD burne
OCZ 700 W Game xtreme PSU
Samsung 226bw monitor

I had installed the first two sticks of ram in dual channel mode. I put in the other two and no post.

I tried one more in the 3rd slot, and it works. I switched that stick out with the 4th, and no post, so I assume bad stick of ram. I get that RMA'd and get the new stick.

I still have the 3 working sticks of ram in, no problem. When I put the 4th stick in (the new one from Crucial), no post again. I switch out the 3rd stick for the 4th stick, and it posts, no problems again.

Is the 4th slot on the mobo bad? Do I need to contact MSI and get an exchange?

Could really use your help here. Is there something I should do to try to get all 4 sticks working, or is that last slot bad?

Thanks



In BIOS bump the RAM voltage to MFG default 2.0-2.1 volts. HTH

Reply to badge
guanyu210379   08-25-2007 at 08:52:03 PM
- 0 +

There is a posiibility that your Mobo can not support 4 GB RAM. And (correct me if I'am wrong) I think 4GB are not supported on 32 bit OS.

------------------------------ Intel Q6600 @ 3.0GHz + ASUS P5E X38 +
4GB DDR2 1000 CL5 Mushkin + Coolermaster Dominator Xcalade 690 + Corsair VX 450W + HIS HD 3850 512MB Turbo + Seagate 500GB 7200rpm 32MB + Zalman CNPS 9700 LED + Logitec EX110 + ASUS VW198S.
 Reply to guanyu210379
paq7512   08-25-2007 at 10:43:38 PM
- 0 +

I would do what badge said. He is right in the final answer. Up the voltage while you have the 2 ram sticks in. The motherboard fully supports 8gb's or ram. While Windows 32 bit OS may only see 3.0-3.5gb's.

Reply to paq7512
timinator   08-25-2007 at 11:01:54 PM
- 0 +

Check for a BIOS update -- There was a problem early on with the 680i with all the memory banks populated. And as said above you will only get the full 4GB of ram if using a 64bit OS. 32bit XP and Vista both will only recognize up to 3.2GB of it.

Reply to timinator
huron   08-26-2007 at 01:43:36 AM
- 0 +

Thanks for many quick responses. I will try to up the voltages first.

The motherboard should support up to 8 GB, I believe, as was mentioned. I will also check the BIOS.

Do any of you know if you can update the BIOS w/o a floppy disk? I do know that MSI has an automatic update that says it would do it - anyone know?

Yep, I understand the 32 bit issue - I have XP professional x64, so I do have the opportunity.

Thanks for the early help, hope to get these few questions answered too.

Message quoted 1 times
Reply to huron
timinator   08-27-2007 at 03:11:28 PM
- 0 +

huron wrote :

Do any of you know if you can update the BIOS w/o a floppy disk? I do know that MSI has an automatic update that says it would do it - anyone know?



I always keep a floppy drive around so I always use one. I have heard people using flash memory cards or thumb drives to do the trick but have never tried that. You can also try to get a floppy image and burn it to a CD-R with your BIOS files on it.

Reply to timinator
guanyu210379   08-27-2007 at 06:59:39 PM
- 0 +

One day you'll find that a floppy disk can save your life. It has nothing wrong with having one.

------------------------------ Intel Q6600 @ 3.0GHz + ASUS P5E X38 +
4GB DDR2 1000 CL5 Mushkin + Coolermaster Dominator Xcalade 690 + Corsair VX 450W + HIS HD 3850 512MB Turbo + Seagate 500GB 7200rpm 32MB + Zalman CNPS 9700 LED + Logitec EX110 + ASUS VW198S.
 Reply to guanyu210379
huron   08-29-2007 at 04:05:07 AM
- 0 +

OK guys, it's not that I don't like floppy drives, or that at all. I understand what they are good for (especially BIOS updates). I was not planning on needing it for this one (and it's my first build).

Thanks to everyone for the help. I just wanted to let everyone know that I borrowed a usb floppy drive from my father-in-law of all people (not the most tech savvy, but had one because he had a bunch of files on some old floppy disks).

The BIOS update worked perfectly. I installed the new ram. We have 4 gb showing and are ready to roll. Thought you'd like to know that the problem is solved. Thanks for the help.

Reply to huron
rammedstein   08-29-2007 at 04:55:09 AM
- 0 +

look for an option in your bios for "drive strength"the more sticks, the weaker the signal gets because the controller has to send out more than on message, by upping the current you avoid this problem, also, because as voltage increases so does current, you could do that too...

------------------------------ -"From whence you came you shall remain, until you are complete again!"

Peter Mitchell

Reply to rammedstein
huron   08-29-2007 at 05:00:50 AM
- 0 +

If all 4 sticks are working now, do I need to look for this option or am I OK?

Reply to huron
GuyAmI   08-29-2007 at 06:17:12 AM
- 0 +

You should be good to go if all four of your sticks are being recognized.

------------------------------ Quando Omni Flunkus Moritati
 Reply to GuyAmI
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