ASRock ALIVENF6G-GLAN Dual Channel Question

[cpmerchant]

So with Dual Channel i know the size and type must be the same, what about brand? I have 2x2gb that runs fine, but when adding a third ram, it freezes at the windows loading screen. When adding the fourth in, and making it dual channel, I get no video at all. Fans, everything turns on, but no video. I have moved all the chips around, tested with memtest, all ram slots and chips are good. My BIOS is updated also. For some reason the dual channel just does not work, and even doing three ram chips, total of 6gb, Windows 7 Home Premium 64bit will freeze at the loading screen.

 

[sosofm]

The RAM is the same voltage like that what you have in PC ?

 

[ko888]

With DDR2 memory, when you use more than two DIMMs, on some motherboards this will increase the memory bus load to the point where the system becomes unstable.

Usually the solution is to manually set the memory timing settings to more relaxed timings before installing the third and fourth DIMMs. Usually just a change to a Command Rate of of 2T or 2N will solve the problem. Sometimes a slight increase in memory operating voltage is required.

Ideally both pairs of DIMMs should all have the same memory timings and operating voltage if you expect to have any success in getting it to work.

 

[cpmerchant]

Yeah just confirmed, they are all 1.8V.

 

[cpmerchant]

With DDR2 memory, when you use more than two DIMMs, on some motherboards this will increase the memory bus load to the point where the system becomes unstable.

Usually the solution is to manually set the memory timing settings to more relaxed timings before installing the third and fourth DIMMs. Usually just a change to a Command Rate of of 2T or 2N will solve the problem. Sometimes a slight increase in memory operating voltage is required.

Ideally both pairs of DIMMs should all have the same memory timings and operating voltage if you expect to have any success in getting it to work.

Changing the Command Rate is done in BIOS? This a pretty simple thing or should I google it some more? I am not an amateur to this, but never messed with Command Rates before. Thanks again for swift responses.

 

[ko888]

Changing the Command Rate is done in BIOS? This a pretty simple thing or should I google it some more? I am not an amateur to this, but never messed with Command Rates before. Thanks again for swift responses.

Yes, it's all in the BIOS setup.

 

[cpmerchant]

So in my BIOS...

CAS Latency (CL) is set to AUTO, other options 3T/ 4T/ 5T/ 6T
TRRD is set to Auto, other options 2T/ 3T/ 4T/ 5T
MA Timing is set to Auto, other options, 1T / 2T, I set this to manual at 2T.

Then I also have..
Multiplier/Voltage Change, this is set to Auto and is reading
Processor Frequency Multiplier [x11.0 2200 MHz]
Processor Voltage [1.300V].
This is the max they can go, and its set to auto, I changed it to Manual, but its still going to be the same.

Now with all four ram chips in the slots, I powered on, lights come on, sounds like HD is running, but again No Video.

So I removed the fourth slot, turn on and it goes through BIOS, saying 6016MB OK and in Single-Channel Memory Mode,
but when it gets to 'Starting Windows', it hangs there, with no colorful objects swinging together to form the Windows logo.

So back to square one, I removed another ram slot, having RAM chips in slots 1 and 3, it reads 3968MB OK, in Single-Channel Memory Mode, and loads up fine.

any ideas?

 

[ko888]

So in my BIOS...

CAS Latency (CL) is set to AUTO, other options 3T/ 4T/ 5T/ 6T
TRRD is set to Auto, other options 2T/ 3T/ 4T/ 5T
MA Timing is set to Auto, other options, 1T / 2T, I set this to manual at 2T.

Then I also have..
Multiplier/Voltage Change, this is set to Auto and is reading
Processor Frequency Multiplier [x11.0 2200 MHz]
Processor Voltage [1.300V].
This is the max they can go, and its set to auto, I changed it to Manual, but its still going to be the same.

Now with all four ram chips in the slots, I powered on, lights come on, sounds like HD is running, but again No Video.

So I removed the fourth slot, turn on and it goes through BIOS, saying 6016MB OK and in Single-Channel Memory Mode,
but when it gets to 'Starting Windows', it hangs there, with no colorful objects swinging together to form the Windows logo.

So back to square one, I removed another ram slot, having RAM chips in slots 1 and 3, it reads 3968MB OK, in Single-Channel Memory Mode, and loads up fine.

any ideas?

Set all of the timings manually (i.e. no [Auto]). Trial and error by starting with the most relaxed timings and gradually tightening them after each test until instability is reached and then backing off to the last stable setting.

 

[cpmerchant]

Set all of the timings manually (i.e. no [Auto]). Trial and error by starting with the most relaxed timings and gradually tightening them after each test until instability is reached and then backing off to the last stable setting.

Should I do this with 8GB or 6GB? Obviously I want to use the 8GB, but as of now 8GB has no video, 6GB has video but hangs at Windows Loading screen.

 

[ko888]

Should I do this with 8GB or 6GB? Obviously I want to use the 8GB, but as of now 8GB has no video, 6GB has video but hangs at Windows Loading screen.

You have to start with a memory configuration where you can still see the display so starting with 6GB should suffice.

 

[cpmerchant]

So I set every timing there was to the lowest number, as soon as the Windows loading screen started, it'd reboot. Tried changing the DRAM voltage from auto to low to high, same thing. Even lowered the processor voltage, when I did this, at the Windows loading screen it did not reboot, but just hung there. I posted two screenshots of my BIOS section of timings.

http://uploadpic.org/v.php?img=muO0jsBgw

http://uploadpic.org/v.php?img=FrWv7TVjjL

 

[cpmerchant]

Oh yeah and tried lowering the memory clock as you can see.

 

[ko888]

So I set every timing there was to the lowest number, as soon as the Windows loading screen started, it'd reboot. Tried changing the DRAM voltage from auto to low to high, same thing. Even lowered the processor voltage, when I did this, at the Windows loading screen it did not reboot, but just hung there. I posted two screenshots of my BIOS section of timings.

http://uploadpic.org/v.php?img=muO0jsBgw

http://uploadpic.org/v.php?img=FrWv7TVjjL

Lowest number = tightest timing setting

Highest number = most relaxed timing setting

Start with highest number timing values and decrease incrementally after each test.

What is the brand and model of your DIMMs?

 

[cpmerchant]

2x2GB Samsung PC2-6400 800MHz DDR2 240Pin (This one I do not know the model as I know longer have the email of where I ordered it from, what I just typed off is whats listed on the outside of it. I cant get to the bare of the RAM cause I ordered it with those cooling plates on each side.)

2x2GB Crucial PC2-6400 800MHz DDR2 240Pin (CT2KIT25664AA800)

 

[ko888]

2x2GB Samsung PC2-6400 800MHz DDR2 240Pin (This one I do not know the model as I know longer have the email of where I ordered it from, what I just typed off is whats listed on the outside of it. I cant get to the bare of the RAM cause I ordered it with those cooling plates on each side.)

2x2GB Crucial PC2-6400 800MHz DDR2 240Pin (CT2KIT25664AA800)

You can download and run the freeware utility CPU-Z.

http://www.cpuid.com/softwares/cpu-z.html

On the Memory tab page you will see what your current DIMMs are running at.

On the SPD tab page you can select the memory slot of the DIMM you want information about. The information in the Timings Table is what you should post back here.

 

[cpmerchant]

Update:

With---
All Timings Most Relaxed + Memory Clock Auto = Hangs at Windows Loading
All Timings Most Relaxed + Memory Clock Manual (200MHz) = Reboots at Windows Loading
All Timings Most Relaxed + Memory Clock Manual (266MHz) = Reboots at Windows Loading
All Timings Most Relaxed + Memory Clock Manual (333MHz) = Reboots at Windows Loading
All Timings Most Relaxed + Memory Clock Manual (400MHz) = Hangs at Windows Loading
All Timings Most Relaxed + Memory Clock Manual (400MHZ) + Flexibility Option (disabled) = No Video at all

Probably a useless update, but figured I'd throw that in there.

Screenshots are below of CPU-Z

http://uploadpic.org/v.php?img=3DB85FI6Fn

http://uploadpic.org/v.php?img=PIHwyS19vQ

http://uploadpic.org/v.php?img=vH6TP37WB0


Updated: Obvi you can see I am using one from each brand.

 

[ko888]

Do you have a picture of the Memory tab page when just using the generic DIMMs?

Is Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit able to boot into Safe Mode at all?

 

[cpmerchant]

Do you have a picture of the Memory tab page when just using the generic DIMMs?

Is Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit able to boot into Safe Mode at all?

Ok, so the four DIMM slots go Yellow Yellow Orange Orange, hence the dual channel. I have the Samsung aka Generic in slot 1, and the Crucial in slot 3, I remove the Crucial from slot 3, and place another Generic in Slot 2, so the Yellows have two generics, and the two orange have nothing. Power up, everything runs, No Video.

So i remove the Generic from Slot 2, and place it in Slot 3, then I place the Crucial in Slot 2, now have the 6GB going, at first it boots up for Normal Startup or Windows Repair yadda yadda, if I choose Windows Repair, I get this bluescreen..

http://uploadpic.org/v.php?img=OVasuMcbq5

Upon reboot, F8 for safe mode, it goes through all the files, and it reboots the computer after it reads Classpnp.sys

Below is the picture of Generic in Slot 1 and Generic in Slot 3.

http://uploadpic.org/v.php?img=MU1ENnpODU

 

[cpmerchant]

again all the settings in BIOS are still set to the most relaxed

 

[ko888]

The BSOD STOP: 0x0000007E (0xFFFFFFFFC0000005,... indicates that a memory access violation occurred.

I would think that should be expected since you're having memory configuration problems.

It seems that your ASRock ALiveNF6G-GLAN motherboard is intolerant of mismatched DIMMs. When they specify identical DDR2 DIMMs in all four slots they really mean it.

 

[cpmerchant]

What would be causing the Windows screen to hang when using three DIMMS