WTF [ram issues?]

danjufo · Jan 16, 2006, 08:34 AM

WTF happened?!

I have 2x 512 OCZ DDR RAM which were working fine, I ended up left with another stick of 512DDR ram from another machine – not OCZ. I thought i'd just put it in and see if it runs much faster but it didn't start up, so i took it out and then the machine ran fine, the first time at least. However now if i try to start it it will not get past the first screen, it comes up with the CPU and then looks like its stuck on trying to read the memory. If i have any ram in any sort of set up in slots 2 or 4 it will not get to this screen and will just beep continuously. So if i try to start it with 4x OCZ ram it beeps because of slots 2and4. Although if i just run it with 2 in slots 1 and 3 it gets stuck on that screen.

It's like the mobo isnt reading any RAM but why?!

I didnt think trying to run it with two different makes of ram would hurt it, they were all DDR and the same speed. I have another mobo coming today \ tomoz so i can swap over and see if it works then, but i was wondering if someone could either explain what happened or hopefuly suggest something simple to fix it. I have tried clearing CMOS

soloz2 · Jan 16, 2006, 08:32 PM

hmm... well I don't think it should have hurt anything... unless there was some dust or something in the actual DIMM that shorted something.

The_Neon_Cowboy · Jan 17, 2006, 04:38 AM

check your boards pins and the rams pads, test the ram in another system,
, try clearing the cmos

different ram can have diffrent timeings, refresh rates, voltage requirements etc..

danjufo · Jan 17, 2006, 11:13 AM

I've put in a new mobo which had no effect. I've tried clearing the CMOS a few times (im doing it how it says to in the manual) i've tried different ram sticks in different set-ups, a new HDD, a new VGA, a different PSU, the only thing left is CPU. If my ram has killed my CPU im going to go crazy though.

The manual says to clear the CMOS you change the jumpers\pins and just leave it with no power cables for a minute although on my old mobo you had to run it while the pins were changed.

I've also checked by the POST number and in the manual that is the point where it 'reads or clears memory to zero' So it must be RAM problems although i've tried 2 new sticks my 2 old sticks and another 2 sticks!

I dont understand :|

soloz2 · Jan 18, 2006, 01:34 AM

to clear the cmos you should have to take the battery out (should be a watch battery somewhere on the mobo) and then switch the jumper around... wait 30 sec (longer just for good measure) then put the jumper back, replace the battery and boot up.

you will also need to unplug the computer from the wall. once the LED on the mobo goes out you shouldn't need to unhook the atx power connector.

danjufo · Jan 18, 2006, 02:55 PM

Thanks loads! got it working eventualy - there were a few more problems and because of the new mobo i had to unplug some things such as network adaptors, which i forgot to do for a while so that didn't help.

I appear to be pretty much back now. so thanks alot to everyone

I may try my actual ram soon (only running my gfs old 2x 256MB sticks

)

Jan 16, 2006, 08:34 AM	#1
danjufo DH.Sig.Maker Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: england Posts: 1,231 Rep Power: 0	WTF [ram issues?] WTF happened?! I have 2x 512 OCZ DDR RAM which were working fine, I ended up left with another stick of 512DDR ram from another machine – not OCZ. I thought i'd just put it in and see if it runs much faster but it didn't start up, so i took it out and then the machine ran fine, the first time at least. However now if i try to start it it will not get past the first screen, it comes up with the CPU and then looks like its stuck on trying to read the memory. If i have any ram in any sort of set up in slots 2 or 4 it will not get to this screen and will just beep continuously. So if i try to start it with 4x OCZ ram it beeps because of slots 2and4. Although if i just run it with 2 in slots 1 and 3 it gets stuck on that screen. It's like the mobo isnt reading any RAM but why?! I didnt think trying to run it with two different makes of ram would hurt it, they were all DDR and the same speed. I have another mobo coming today \ tomoz so i can swap over and see if it works then, but i was wondering if someone could either explain what happened or hopefuly suggest something simple to fix it. I have tried clearing CMOS __________________ [COLOR=dimgray]DeviantArt Gallery[/COLOR] [COLOR=silver]How to add your signature image[/COLOR] [COLOR=white]Signature + Avatar Rules[/COLOR]

Jan 16, 2006, 08:32 PM	#2
soloz2 DriverHeaven Addict Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 362 Rep Power: 0	hmm... well I don't think it should have hurt anything... unless there was some dust or something in the actual DIMM that shorted something. __________________ [COLOR=gray][COLOR=red]CPU:[/COLOR] AMD Opteron 165 CCBBE @ 2.8Ghz [/COLOR] [COLOR=gray][COLOR=red]Motherboard:[/COLOR] DFI nF4 SLI-DR Expert [COLOR=red]Memory:[/COLOR] 2gb G.Skill F1-4000USU2-2 [COLOR=red]Video:[/COLOR] Asus 7900GT TOP @ 700/1700 [COLOR=red]Sound:[/COLOR] Modded X-Fi Elite Pro [COLOR=red]HD:[/COLOR] 2x Seagate 250Gb RAID 0, 1 Seagate 320Gb [COLOR=red]Optical Drives:[/COLOR] Sony DVD-Rom, Plextor 16x DVD DL RW [COLOR=red]Case:[/COLOR] CM Stacker [COLOR=red]PSU:[/COLOR] PC Power & Cooling Silencer 610 [COLOR=red]Cooling:[/COLOR] Custom Water [COLOR=yellow][COLOR=red]Keyboard/Mouse:[/COLOR] [/COLOR]Saitec Eclipse & Logitech MX518 with a Razer ExactMat mouse pad [COLOR=red]Sound:[/COLOR] Modded X-fi > Soloz Audio Silver IC > Maxed PIMETA > Beyer DT 770 Pro/80 cans [COLOR=red]HTPC:[/COLOR] [/COLOR][COLOR=gray]AMD 3800X2[/COLOR][COLOR=gray], Asus A8N-SLI Deluxe, G.Skill 2GB DDR400, MSI 6600GT, Haupauge PVR150, SB [/COLOR][COLOR=gray]Audigy 2ZS[/COLOR][COLOR=gray], Samsung 16x DVD DL RW, Sunbeam Nuuo PSU, Antec P180 case, AC Freezer64 Pro, Viewsonic N2750w LCD HDTV Heatware eBay [/COLOR]

Jan 17, 2006, 04:38 AM	#3
The_Neon_Cowboy HardwareHeaven Extreme Member Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: U.S.A. Posts: 16,009 Rep Power: 92 System Specs	check your boards pins and the rams pads, test the ram in another system, , try clearing the cmos different ram can have diffrent timeings, refresh rates, voltage requirements etc.. __________________ Last edited by The_Neon_Cowboy; Jan 17, 2006 at 04:43 AM.

Jan 17, 2006, 11:13 AM	Thread Starter #4
danjufo DH.Sig.Maker Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: england Posts: 1,231 Rep Power: 0	I've put in a new mobo which had no effect. I've tried clearing the CMOS a few times (im doing it how it says to in the manual) i've tried different ram sticks in different set-ups, a new HDD, a new VGA, a different PSU, the only thing left is CPU. If my ram has killed my CPU im going to go crazy though. The manual says to clear the CMOS you change the jumpers\pins and just leave it with no power cables for a minute although on my old mobo you had to run it while the pins were changed. I've also checked by the POST number and in the manual that is the point where it 'reads or clears memory to zero' So it must be RAM problems although i've tried 2 new sticks my 2 old sticks and another 2 sticks! I dont understand :\| __________________ [COLOR=dimgray]DeviantArt Gallery[/COLOR] [COLOR=silver]How to add your signature image[/COLOR] [COLOR=white]Signature + Avatar Rules[/COLOR]

Jan 18, 2006, 01:34 AM	#5
soloz2 DriverHeaven Addict Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 362 Rep Power: 0	to clear the cmos you should have to take the battery out (should be a watch battery somewhere on the mobo) and then switch the jumper around... wait 30 sec (longer just for good measure) then put the jumper back, replace the battery and boot up. you will also need to unplug the computer from the wall. once the LED on the mobo goes out you shouldn't need to unhook the atx power connector. __________________ [COLOR=gray][COLOR=red]CPU:[/COLOR] AMD Opteron 165 CCBBE @ 2.8Ghz [/COLOR] [COLOR=gray][COLOR=red]Motherboard:[/COLOR] DFI nF4 SLI-DR Expert [COLOR=red]Memory:[/COLOR] 2gb G.Skill F1-4000USU2-2 [COLOR=red]Video:[/COLOR] Asus 7900GT TOP @ 700/1700 [COLOR=red]Sound:[/COLOR] Modded X-Fi Elite Pro [COLOR=red]HD:[/COLOR] 2x Seagate 250Gb RAID 0, 1 Seagate 320Gb [COLOR=red]Optical Drives:[/COLOR] Sony DVD-Rom, Plextor 16x DVD DL RW [COLOR=red]Case:[/COLOR] CM Stacker [COLOR=red]PSU:[/COLOR] PC Power & Cooling Silencer 610 [COLOR=red]Cooling:[/COLOR] Custom Water [COLOR=yellow][COLOR=red]Keyboard/Mouse:[/COLOR] [/COLOR]Saitec Eclipse & Logitech MX518 with a Razer ExactMat mouse pad [COLOR=red]Sound:[/COLOR] Modded X-fi > Soloz Audio Silver IC > Maxed PIMETA > Beyer DT 770 Pro/80 cans [COLOR=red]HTPC:[/COLOR] [/COLOR][COLOR=gray]AMD 3800X2[/COLOR][COLOR=gray], Asus A8N-SLI Deluxe, G.Skill 2GB DDR400, MSI 6600GT, Haupauge PVR150, SB [/COLOR][COLOR=gray]Audigy 2ZS[/COLOR][COLOR=gray], Samsung 16x DVD DL RW, Sunbeam Nuuo PSU, Antec P180 case, AC Freezer64 Pro, Viewsonic N2750w LCD HDTV Heatware eBay [/COLOR]

Jan 18, 2006, 02:55 PM	Thread Starter #6
danjufo DH.Sig.Maker Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: england Posts: 1,231 Rep Power: 0	Thanks loads! got it working eventualy - there were a few more problems and because of the new mobo i had to unplug some things such as network adaptors, which i forgot to do for a while so that didn't help. I appear to be pretty much back now. so thanks alot to everyone I may try my actual ram soon (only running my gfs old 2x 256MB sticks ) __________________ [COLOR=dimgray]DeviantArt Gallery[/COLOR] [COLOR=silver]How to add your signature image[/COLOR] [COLOR=white]Signature + Avatar Rules[/COLOR]