Blue Screen When Going To Dual-channel RAM, dual-channel RAM, BSOD

cpt_purge · Sep 21, 2008, 05:19 AM

So I just put (4) 1 GB sticks of RAM from one PC to another, a very slightly different motherboard (From a GA-P35-DS3L to a GA-EP35-DS3L, the differences are practically nonexistent).

When I boot the PC with all 4 sticks of RAM (OCZ, PC8500, ran in dual-channel operation in previous XP PC), I get a STOP error (now Vista Ultimate)

c000021A " The unhandled exception session manager system process terminated unexpectedly with a status of 0xc0000005" (0x77b84eba, 0x002df3d0)

Ran the Vista memory diagnostics tool with 3 sticks of RAM in, and no problems. Then swapped out the 3rd stick, for the other stick, ran the diagnostics, no problem. It is only when all 4 sticks are involved that the Blue screen shows up.

It's something to do with going into dual-channel mode, it seems.

Also, I slightly bumped up the RAM voltage and it caused a different BSOD, even quicker, so I went back to the default voltage.

Any ideas?

PangingJr · Sep 21, 2008, 07:14 AM

my non-educated answer is easy. the new board doesn't like and seem to have problem with the particular 4x1GB DDR2 RAM, my suggestion is to avoid using this particular 4x1GB DDR2 modules on the board.

**kris23** · Sep 21, 2008, 06:03 PM

try bumping northbridge voltage a bit

cozumel · Sep 21, 2008, 09:21 PM

Or maybe try reflashing the same BIOS or flashing up or down.

And Captain, welcome to DH by the way.

TheAscension · Sep 24, 2008, 11:20 PM

Have you checked your CPU pins? It may sound a little weird, but when I did an upgrade on my processor I (somehow) bent one of the pins upon installing it into the socket. I attached the heatsink, turned on the power, and the computer would not boot at all, not even POST, if my RAM was in a dual-channel config. However, if I moved the ram to single channel config on the mobo, it would boot fine. Turns out I bent one of the memory controller pins, obviously the one that handles dual-channel. Although it sounds like you have an Intel which, to my understanding, the RAM is controlled by the northbridge. It may still be worth looking at though.

cpt_purge · Sep 25, 2008, 10:50 AM

Well I've tried quite a number of things and still fail.

I'm giving up and selling 2 sticks of RAM and just running the other 2 in dual channel mode.

Will eventually upgrade to a bleeding edge system anyway. How about some i7 action? I'll overclock the dog snot out of my current system in the meantime.

PangingJr · Sep 25, 2008, 03:55 PM

if you don't overclock the CPU at all, and on the first system boot the DRAM is detected to run as DDR2-1066 and may be with 2.2v VDimm,
then for 4x1GB on the board, you may need to manually set memory timing to 5-5-5-15 (or 18) and set tRFC to around 52-60 and you may also need to set tRD vaule to 6 or 7 (the board's chipset can default this value to 5 or 6, which is sometimes too low).
this needs to be tested, and all of the DRAM settings can be a bit different and can be vary from system to system.

Sep 21, 2008, 05:19 AM	#1
cpt_purge DriverHeaven Newbie Join Date: Sep 2008 Posts: 2 Rep Power: 0	Blue Screen When Going To Dual-channel RAM, dual-channel RAM, BSOD So I just put (4) 1 GB sticks of RAM from one PC to another, a very slightly different motherboard (From a GA-P35-DS3L to a GA-EP35-DS3L, the differences are practically nonexistent). When I boot the PC with all 4 sticks of RAM (OCZ, PC8500, ran in dual-channel operation in previous XP PC), I get a STOP error (now Vista Ultimate) c000021A " The unhandled exception session manager system process terminated unexpectedly with a status of 0xc0000005" (0x77b84eba, 0x002df3d0) Ran the Vista memory diagnostics tool with 3 sticks of RAM in, and no problems. Then swapped out the 3rd stick, for the other stick, ran the diagnostics, no problem. It is only when all 4 sticks are involved that the Blue screen shows up. It's something to do with going into dual-channel mode, it seems. Also, I slightly bumped up the RAM voltage and it caused a different BSOD, even quicker, so I went back to the default voltage. Any ideas?

Sep 21, 2008, 06:03 PM	#3
kris23 Going Insane..... Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Los Angeles Posts: 6,018 Rep Power: 131 System Specs	try bumping northbridge voltage a bit __________________ Hardwareheaven Super-Moderator Building a new computer system and not sure where to start? Click Here! last updated (5/18/11) Rosewill FUTURE case replaces CM 690 II with its greater interior length. Building a PC: Step by Step Guide Written by Kristopher Pedemonte and Nathan Marks-Forder Edited by Allan Campbell Questions or Comments? feel free to post them in the forums!

Sep 21, 2008, 09:21 PM	#4
cozumel I'm dangerous but cute... Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Under the waves... Posts: 3,577 Rep Power: 60 System Specs	Or maybe try reflashing the same BIOS or flashing up or down. And Captain, welcome to DH by the way. __________________ Don't worry about money - Be a beach bum! Scuba Rocks

Sep 21, 2008, 07:14 AM	#2
PangingJr Member Join Date: Mar 2003 Posts: 5,989 Rep Power: 71	my non-educated answer is easy. the new board doesn't like and seem to have problem with the particular 4x1GB DDR2 RAM, my suggestion is to avoid using this particular 4x1GB DDR2 modules on the board.

Sep 24, 2008, 11:20 PM	#5
TheAscension DriverHeaven Junior Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: Milwaukie, OR Posts: 94 Rep Power: 0 System Specs	Have you checked your CPU pins? It may sound a little weird, but when I did an upgrade on my processor I (somehow) bent one of the pins upon installing it into the socket. I attached the heatsink, turned on the power, and the computer would not boot at all, not even POST, if my RAM was in a dual-channel config. However, if I moved the ram to single channel config on the mobo, it would boot fine. Turns out I bent one of the memory controller pins, obviously the one that handles dual-channel. Although it sounds like you have an Intel which, to my understanding, the RAM is controlled by the northbridge. It may still be worth looking at though.

Sep 25, 2008, 10:50 AM	Thread Starter #6
cpt_purge DriverHeaven Newbie Join Date: Sep 2008 Posts: 2 Rep Power: 0	Well I've tried quite a number of things and still fail. I'm giving up and selling 2 sticks of RAM and just running the other 2 in dual channel mode. Will eventually upgrade to a bleeding edge system anyway. How about some i7 action? I'll overclock the dog snot out of my current system in the meantime.

Sep 25, 2008, 03:55 PM	#7
PangingJr Member Join Date: Mar 2003 Posts: 5,989 Rep Power: 71	if you don't overclock the CPU at all, and on the first system boot the DRAM is detected to run as DDR2-1066 and may be with 2.2v VDimm, then for 4x1GB on the board, you may need to manually set memory timing to 5-5-5-15 (or 18) and set tRFC to around 52-60 and you may also need to set tRD vaule to 6 or 7 (the board's chipset can default this value to 5 or 6, which is sometimes too low). this needs to be tested, and all of the DRAM settings can be a bit different and can be vary from system to system.