Tom's Hardware > Forum > Motherboards & Memory > Memory > Can't Find A Solution - Vista 64 RAM Issue
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Lude2Envy   11-13-2008 at 06:22:45 PM

Hey everyone...I've looked all over the net and talked to Microsoft support and just can't find a solution. First of all, here are my specs:

AMD X2 4400
ASUS A8N-SLI
4GB OCZ PC3200
EVGA GeForce 9800GX2
Sound Blaster X-Fi
Dual WD Raptor 150s in RAID 0

I just upgraded the Ram from 2 gigs of Corsair XMS. I'm going for a dual boot with Vista 64 and XP Pro. I already had the system running fine with just XP Pro. I did a clean format and went to install Vista 64...kept getting BSOD. Pulled out 2 gigs and it installed fine. I downloaded all the available updates including SP1 and now everytime I put the other 2 gigs back in I get a BSOD while windows is loading. I can't find a solution anywhere. Please help. Thanks.

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tcsenter   11-13-2008 at 09:55:15 PM
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Do you have S/W or H/W memory remapping enabled in BIOS? If so, disable both features. This is a frequent problem with the entire ASUS A8N-SLI series, due to flawed or buggy ASUS BIOS. There is little more to be done other than live with it or upgrade the motherboard, because ASUS discontinued BIOS support for these boards long ago. If you are expecting a new BIOS from ASUS, might as well play the lotto while you're at it, the odds are probably better.

If its not related to memory remapping, its probably your other memory settings. You've doubled the loading on the memory controller, four modules are not going to run at the settings advertised for two modules. You may need to experiment with memory settings in BIOS, such as increasing the voltage, increasing latency or other timings, or manually set DRAM frequency to DDR333 (166MHz) in BIOS.

Rev. E and later AMD64 memory controller isn't approved for more than six DIMM ranks @ DDR400. Your modules most likely have two ranks each, for a combined total of eight ranks, which exceeds approved AMD64 limits for DDR400.

That doesn't mean it isn't possible to run four modules @ DDR400. It just means you'll probably need to manually adjust the default BIOS settings to run four modules @ DDR400.


Message edited by tcsenter on 11-13-2008 at 10:09:34 PM
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Lude2Envy   11-13-2008 at 10:10:44 PM
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I have them both enabled cuz thats what I read elsewhere online to do. I know there won't be any more bios versions out. I contacted OCZ and they told me to run it at 2.8v and 2-3-2-5 which is what I have it set at. What do you mean by ranks? I have 4 X 1GB sticks. Before I had 4 X 512MB sticks. It worked fine with XP Pro.

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GhislainG   11-13-2008 at 10:18:42 PM
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Wha error code causes the BSOD? I presume that Microsoft support already asked for that info?

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tcsenter   11-13-2008 at 10:58:42 PM
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Lude2Envy wrote :

I have them both enabled cuz thats what I read elsewhere online to do.


You should start here first, then.

Quote :

I contacted OCZ and they told me to run it at 2.8v and 2-3-2-5 which is what I have it set at.


Those are the advertised settings for the two module kit and are applicable only when running two modules, not three or four. Advertised timings are applicable to the product as it is packaged and sold.

Quote :

What do you mean by ranks? I have 4 X 1GB sticks. Before I had 4 X 512MB sticks.


Unbuffered modules can have one or two ranks, also known as single or double sided. Rank is the preferred term adopted by JEDEC instead of referring to sides, because it has given rise to confusion by those who incorrectly assume this describes physical rather than logical characteristics.

Rank = one logical 64-bit DIMM row or side

It has nothing to do with whether chips are physically located on one or both sides of the module. It is merely a coincidence that it often works out that way.

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Lude2Envy   11-13-2008 at 11:49:09 PM
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Ok I disabled the H/W and S/W Remapping in the bios and it booted fine. The welcome screen shows 4gigs but my little cpu/memory meter on the sidebar only shows 2.5gigs. When I had XP Pro installed that only showed 2.5gigs also. I guess thats the best I can do.

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mburge   11-23-2008 at 12:39:52 AM
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I too suffered th BSOD while installing my Vista x61. I am running 4 sticks ocz 8 gig memory. I had to remove all memory ,put in one stick closest to processor and reboot for it too reconize memory changes then I repated the process one stick of ram at a time...very time consuming but worked for me. you could even try moving different sticks of memory around into different slots while doing this too. weirder things have happened lol

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