1 RAM stick boots fine but 2 doesn't

[ethanajbuck]

Hi, I have just finished switching out my old RAM in my computer for 2x8GB DDR4 sticks of RAM. The system fans and LEDs start up then stop, then start continuously when 2 sticks are inserted but when one stick is inserted the computer boots as normal, could someone tell me why this is happening and how to resolve this issue? Thanks.

 

[Lutfij]

When posting a thread of troubleshooting nature, it's customary to include your full system's specs.
List them like so:
CPU:
Motherboard:
Ram:
SSD/HDD:
GPU:
PSU:
Chassis:
OS:

Are you on the latest BIOS update for your motherboard?

 

[DeadRam]

Did you buy the memory together as a dual channel kit?

 

[geofelt]

Likely your ram is mismatched.
Ram must be from the same kit to be supported.

Test each stick individually with memtest86.


Did you insert the two sticks in the slots your motherboard manual specifies?

Ram usually has a lifetime warranty, and on occasion it fails.
If you have a matched kit, go to the ram web site for support/rma.

 

[InvalidError]

When one of my friends built his i5-8400, he had problems with his PC not booting (powers up for a few seconds, shuts down for a few seconds, restarts again) and after trying just about everything, he finally decided to remove the CPU to check the LGA socket. Turned out he had two bent pins in the socket. He straightened them out and that solved his boot-looping issue.

 

[loraline]

a few things..

ram speed ?
processor & mainboard ?

you switched old ram for new DDR 4 ram..
I assume your old ram was DDR 4 as well, but at lower speed?
Did you check the ram support for your mainboard/processor?
Did you update your bios?

2 full new sticks from a set .. did you check the slots you used, to make sure you used the right combination of slots?

if all fails, I suggest either testing the ram in another system or returning them to the store asap and find a set that is compatible/working for you.
If it is not working in a set in which it should work, the ram is most likely faulty..
if it does work in another system, you may have found a set that is not compatible with your hardware.

 

[ethanajbuck]

CPU: i5 7600
Motherboard:Gigabyte B250M DS3H
Ram:2x8GB Fury at 2400MHz
SSD/HDD:Kingston 240GB SSD, 1TB HDD
GPU: GTX 1050ti
PSU: EVGA 650W 80+ gold rated PSU
Chassis: phanteks p400s eclipse
OS:Windows 10

I got these two brand new together as a kit, so I doubt it's down to their compatibility or any sort of damage. And yes everything is fully up to date. I have tried booting with both sticks in each of the different slots which yielded the same results.

 

[ethanajbuck]

When one of my friends built his i5-8400, he had problems with his PC not booting (powers up for a few seconds, shuts down for a few seconds, restarts again) and after trying just about everything, he finally decided to remove the CPU to check the LGA socket. Turned out he had two bent pins in the socket. He straightened them out and that solved his boot-looping issue.

I haven't touched anything other than the ram, and it boots fine with just one stick, so I doubt that's the problem. Thanks for the suggestion though.

 

[InvalidError]

I haven't touched anything other than the ram, and it boots fine with just one stick, so I doubt that's the problem. Thanks for the suggestion though.

My friend's PC booted fine with either DIMM in slot 1A and both DIMMs on channel A but wouldn't boot with any DIMM on channel B.

 

[ethanajbuck]

I haven't touched anything other than the ram, and it boots fine with just one stick, so I doubt that's the problem. Thanks for the suggestion though.

My friend's PC booted fine with either DIMM in slot 1A and both DIMMs on channel A but wouldn't boot with any DIMM on channel B.

Having both RAM sticks in single channel caused the computer to start beeping, in dual channel it caused it to boot loop but having just either of the sticks in any of the slots worked fine.

 

[InvalidError]

Having both RAM sticks in single channel caused the computer to start beeping, in dual channel it caused it to boot loop but having just either of the sticks in any of the slots worked fine.

The beeping isn't a random pattern, it is a boot code that should point you toward the issue.

If you haven't cleared CMOS memory since swapping out the DIMMs, you may want to try that to make sure everything got reloaded to conservative default values. Some BIOS don't do a thorough job of updating values when DIMMs get swapped and need a little help scrubbing those out. Doing a burn-in on both DIMMs using memtest86 would also be a good idea to see if whether you may have a bad DIMM: if there is a bad bit, the PC might be able to boot with only one DIMM installed but fail with both simply because the errored bit doesn't land in a critical spot when only one DIMM is used at a time.

The last think you may be able to try is using one DIMM to get into BIOS, lower the clock to the lowest possible, shut down, install the 2nd DIMM and see if that changes anything. If everything else checked out, it may be a bad motherboard, such as a faulty RAM VRM which struggles with providing clean power to more than one DIMM.

 

[loraline]

Took this from qvl

HyperX...8GB...1Rx8..HX424C15FB2K2/16....SS..C15 - 1.2 - 2133
HyperX...8GB...1Rx8.. HX424C15FB2/8.........SS.. C15 - 1.2 2133
HyperX..16GB.. 2Rx8.. HX424C15FBK4/64....DS.. C15 - 1.2 2133
HyperX..16GB.. 2Rx8.. HX424C15FBK2/32....DS.. C15 - 1.2 2133
HyperX..16GB.. 2Rx8.. HX424C15FB/16........DS.. C15 - 1.2 2133
HyperX..16GB.. 2Rx8.. HX424C14SBK4/64....DS.. C14 - 1.2 2133

If your memory code is Kingston HyperX Fury black HX424C15FB2K2/16, it may be the reason it's not working properly on your mainboard.
the 8GB is qvl, the 16GB combo is not.
maybe the motherboard is too selective, maybe you need a bios update (F1) and just maybe you need another set 16G

 

[InvalidError]

If your motherboard doesn't have the latest BIOS on it and works properly with one DIMM installed in any slot, booting with only one DIMM installed to update the BIOS would be worth a shot.

 

[geofelt]

You have identified the motherboard; Gigabyte B250M DS3H
I do not think you have identified the ram kit you are trying to install. Or, I missed it.

Kingston lists only these 3 kits as compatible with your motherboard:
HX424C15FB2K2/16 black
HX424C15FR2K2/16 red
HX424C15FW2K2/16 white
https://www.kingston.com/us/memory/search?DeviceType=7&Mfr=GIG&Line=GA-B250M-DS3H&Model=95786


If your kit is one of these, you should be supported by Kingston.
Contact Kingston support.

You have a 7th gen processor which is one of the prerequisites for 2400 speed.

On occasion, a new ram kit has something gone wrong.
There is a lifetime warranty.
Go through their process which I think you have done properly here.
They should send you a replacement kit.
They might send you a proper replacement, even if you have the wrong ram.

 

[loraline]

he posted Ram:2x8GB Fury at 2400MHz

from the qvl I saw for the mainboard, the 2400 2kit fury is not listed, but the single 8ram is.
HyperX...8GB...1Rx8..HX424C15FB2K2/16....SS..C15 - 1.2 - 2133.. but running at 2133

HX.. hyper X
4 .. DDR 4
24... 2400
C15 cas 15
F
B/R/W black/red/white
SS/DS single side/double side

@geofelt
Gigabyte offers a slightly different list than Kingston.
According to Kingston it should work, Gigabyte seems to think differently.
I agree with you on adressing Kingston, since they claim it should work and should therefor supply a working (replacement) kit

 

[InvalidError]

I agree with you on adressing Kingston, since they claim it should work and should therefor supply a working (replacement) kit

If the DIMMs work fine individually in all slots but fail to work together in all possible configurations even after slowing down the clock and loosening latencies, I'd be more inclined to suspect the motherboard.

 

[loraline]

that's the if... if TS adjusted clock/latencies.. and I'm not sure he did.

sofar, from what I can tell

already existing system, ram replaced by 2x8 kit fury 2400 ram.
any single stick in any slot works fine.
any slot combination with 2 sticks does not work.

Kingston claims the fury 2400 2k2 16G kit works for this board, In the QVL from Gigabyte this memory code is only listed to work with 1 stick in 1 slot and at 2133 speed.

As mentioned before, it could be an option to test the ram in another system. If that would give a working combination, it would insinuate the 2kit 8Gb ram can't communicate with this board as a 2stick set for 16G or there is an issue with the mainboard.
This could be tested by trying a 2stick 16G ram from another series, that is mentioned in the qvl on the gigabyte site.

Options..
get a 16G kit (preferably with the exact name/settings from gigabyte qvl) that you can return to store and get a full refund for and test that
find a friend or tweaker who can spare a kit for you to test
contact Kingston and see if they know something
find a shop that can test both the mainboard and the memory for you

For TS. have you ever gotten into the bios during the boot loop on 2 sticks?
Did you manage to get into the bios on 1 stick?
Did you update the bios through that 1 new stick?
Have you tried running a windows repair?

I know the last sounds weird, but windows 10 ( and some other versions) have been known to reboot out of the blue. you could try to repair from install dvd or just make a repair usb through microsoft website.

And when you try to start/boot the system, watch the red lights. Any burning red light might tell you more on what's going on.