EX58-UD5 and 12GB RAM: Bad Slot?

[leo2kp]

Hey all,

So, I recently went from 6GB to 12GB RAM (6x2GB). I purchased the same exact model that I did before. I ran Memtest86+ and it found an error on Test 6 at 9.5GB. I figured the new RAM came with a bad stick. So, I moved the RAM around, puting the new RAM where the old RAM was, and vice-versa. Re-ran the tests and got the exact same error in the same place. I removed half the RAM and re-ran the test. It went fine. I installed the other half by itself and re-ran the test again. Went well. Reinstalled all of the RAM and it errored at Test 6, 9.5GB. I figured then that it was probably just a bad slot or controller and I sent the board in to Gigabyte for repair. They emailed me back and only said that they tested the board and are returning it to me. I should be getting it back today so if any documentation that they send with it says anything more, great. But it sure sounds like they either didn't find anything wrong, or they missed it.

I tried increasing the voltage slightly on both RAM and QPI (individually) but it wouldn't boot at all when I increased QPI, indicating a possible issue with the controller. All other settings were stock. I reset the BIOS to factory default just to be sure, and even set the RAM to its default of 1066mhz. I tried it at both 1066 and 1600 with the XMP memory profile with the same results, so overclocking and voltage didn't appear to make a difference. Timings were also set correctly.

Anyone else seen this problem or know of anything I could try? Is Gigabyte being a butt?

 

[Sokonomi]

It seems you have the same problem as me but im not sure.
Try running CPU-Z and checking in the SPD tab if slot 5 shows odd numbers compared to your other slots.
For some reason its messing up on that particular slot, and considering 9.5gb is right in the middle of slot 5...
I think the motherboard is being stupid.

 

[leo2kp]

Sokonomi, I actually got it fixed. The problem was the RAM. Not that the RAM was bad, but they were manufactured too far apart in date. G.Skill responded to my question and told me that you need to purchase a 12GB kit, and that two 6GB kits weren't guaranteed to work together. Even though they were the same model number, the manufacturing date was too far apart. They offered to replace the RAM with a 12GB kit for me (nice of them), but I had already ordered a 12GB kit and sold my two 6GB kits.

So to recap, buy a single kit. Don't try to match two different kits.