First Build and NEED HELP

[Airik]

Hi everyone. I really hope I can get some help here. I get a blue screen at various times of Windows installation saying something like, there was a device failure and it stopped to protect my hardware. I know everything is hooked up correctly, and seems everything is working correctly (in bios at least) until I install Win. I had 4x 2gb ram at first, then took out 2 leaving only 4gb in the first blue and white memory slots. Not sure if I'm supposed to use the 2 blue slots together, or blue and white. Either way I doubt it would matter, both 8g/4g had the same results. I'm sure I need to set the timing and such, anyone out there know?

My memory is- OCZ Fatal1ty DDR3 OCZ3F13334GK
OS- Windows Vista x64 w/service pack 1 (tried w/out service pack as well and nothing)
Mobo- Asus Striker II Extreme
CPU- Core 2 Duo E8600 w/Zalman CNPS9700 cooling
Graphics card- GTX 280 BFGEGTX28010240C2E
HD- 2 Seagate Barracuda 1TB ea
Optical- LG Blu-ray CGW-H20L
PSU- 1200w Coolmax CUQ-1200B
Case- Antec Twelve Hundred

Please help. I am a total novice and need to get this thing running. Thanks!

---Airik

 

[SizroSpunkmire]

As to the position of the memory, it does matter. If you put 1 stick of memory in each 'blue' slot and ignore the 'white' slots (or vice versa) the memory will function in duel channel mode. Putting one in each color while leaving one of each color blank will put the memory in single channel mode.

Unless you plan on overclocking you don't neeed to worry about timings; your BIOS will auto configure those settings.

At what point does the Windows install fail?

 

[Airik]

Ok I'll try with just 2gb installed properly and see what happens... It just crashes during the first parts of installation when copping/saving files, and after setup screen. just got timing and voltage settings from ocz tech support. gonna try that out too...

 

[mexpedip]

in bios you should have something like "load in safe mode". that will lower all your voltages and timings to a point where they should not cause any issues.
boot with 1 stick of RAM and then try to load.

If that does not work ummmm........

 

[Airik]

ok so. changed the settings in bios to default, settings looked the same as what the manufacturer gave me. saved and quit. now i get this message... "BOOTMGR is missing press ctlr+alt+delete to restart", its not a blue screen though, black/white.

 

[mexpedip]

that would be a bios/cmos failure. download the most recent bios from the the mobo support page and flash your mobo.

 

[Airik]

in bios you should have something like "load in safe mode". that will lower all your voltages and timings to a point where they should not cause any issues.
boot with 1 stick of RAM and then try to load.

If that does not work ummmm........

i dont know that it will even give me the option to boot in safe mode....

 

[Airik]

that would be a bios/cmos failure. download the most recent bios from the the mobo support page and flash your mobo.

ugg.. really? i have no clue on how to do that lol.. guess i got some reading to do.. im just worried that i'll mess it up somehow...

 

[mexpedip]

that's the beauty of doing it now. there is nothing there to lose if you mess up.

 

[Airik]

yea. i could lock up the board. thats all. lol