204-PIN on a 240-pin Motherboard - Computer freezes for 1-3 min at startup

[Nenniana]

Dear forum,

Long story short - I have somehow ended up with 2 sticks of 8GB DDR3-2133 Memory with 204-pin form factor, on my Asus Z97-A motherboard. It is sadly too late to exchange these.

My desktop now has 1-3 minute freezes after startup. It can take everything from 1 to 5 min. from startup before this happens. This can happen multiple times, but then stop after max 20 min., where the system then runs fine. I am almost completely sure, from reading around and using pcpartpicker.com, that this problem stems from the aforementioned form factor issue.

Question
My question is: Is there anything I can do to stabilize my system? Or do I have to give the sticks away to someone who'll be able to use them, and then buy new ones?

I have tried safe mode, which somehow seems to fix the problem, but have been unable to recreate this outside of safe mode, no matter which services or software I disabled.

My system is as follows:
Intel - Core i5-4690K 3.5GHz Quad-Core Processor
Noctua - NH-D15 82.5 CFM CPU Cooler
Asus - Z97-A ATX LGA1150 Motherboard
HyperX Impact Black Series - DDR3L - 16 GB: 2 x 8 GB - SO DIMM 204-PIN
MSI - GeForce GTX 980 4GB Twin Frozr Video Card
Corsair - Enthusiast 650W 80+ Bronze Certified ATX Power Supply

Thanks
Any help will be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance!

Update
The sticks used are: HyperX Impact Black Series - DDR3L - 16 GB: 2 x 8 GB - SO DIMM 204-PIN.
These were not forced into the motherboard, but seemed to fit correctly. I apologize for the big mistake.

 

[jaslion]

Dear forum,

Long story short - I have somehow ended up with 2 sticks of 8GB DDR4-2133 Memory with 260-pin form factor, on my Asus Z97-A motherboard. It is sadly too late to exchange these.

My desktop now has 1-3 minute freezes after startup. It can take everything from 1 to 5 min. from startup before this happens. This can happen multiple times, but then stop after max 20 min., where the system then runs fine. I am almost completely sure, from reading around and using pcpartpicker.com, that this problem stems from the aforementioned form factor issue.

Question
My question is: Is there anything I can do to stabilize my system? Or do I have to give the sticks away to someone who'll be able to use them, and then buy new ones?

I have tried safe mode, which somehow seems to fix the problem, but have been unable to recreate this outside of safe mode, no matter which services or software I disabled.

My system is as follows:
Intel - Core i5-4690K 3.5GHz Quad-Core Processor
Noctua - NH-D15 82.5 CFM CPU Cooler
Asus - Z97-A ATX LGA1150 Motherboard
Kingston - Impact 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR4-2133 Memory
MSI - GeForce GTX 980 4GB Twin Frozr Video Card
Corsair - Enthusiast 650W 80+ Bronze Certified ATX Power Supply

Thanks
Any help will be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance!

How are you even able to launch the system? Did you jam these sticks in the board? This is not ok an will damage the board and cpu. Do not keep using these sticks!!!

 

[GustavoVanni]

Asus Z97-A uses DDR3 RAM, not DDR4.
DDR3 has 240 pin, DDR4 has 288 pin.
DDR4 SO-DIMM has 260 pin, but that's a laptop memory.
You can't install a DDR4 stick in a DDR3 slot, they are physically incompatible.

 

[13thmonkey]

Asus Z97-A uses DDR3 RAM, not DDR4.
DDR3 has 240 pin, DDR4 has 288 pin.
DDR4 SO-DIMM has 260 pin, but that's a laptop memory.
You can't install a DDR4 stick in a DDR3 slot, they are physically incompatible.

the sodimm is smaller, so with brute force and ignorance you could make it fit, align the notches etc. But, as you say, it will not work.

I cannot comprehend how you are getting windows to the point that it will crash, i'm surprised that bios doesn't declare that there is no memory and just stop.

 

[Nenniana]

Dear forum,

Long story short - I have somehow ended up with 2 sticks of 8GB DDR4-2133 Memory with 260-pin form factor, on my Asus Z97-A motherboard. It is sadly too late to exchange these.

My desktop now has 1-3 minute freezes after startup. It can take everything from 1 to 5 min. from startup before this happens. This can happen multiple times, but then stop after max 20 min., where the system then runs fine. I am almost completely sure, from reading around and using pcpartpicker.com, that this problem stems from the aforementioned form factor issue.

Question
My question is: Is there anything I can do to stabilize my system? Or do I have to give the sticks away to someone who'll be able to use them, and then buy new ones?

I have tried safe mode, which somehow seems to fix the problem, but have been unable to recreate this outside of safe mode, no matter which services or software I disabled.

My system is as follows:
Intel - Core i5-4690K 3.5GHz Quad-Core Processor
Noctua - NH-D15 82.5 CFM CPU Cooler
Asus - Z97-A ATX LGA1150 Motherboard
Kingston - Impact 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR4-2133 Memory
MSI - GeForce GTX 980 4GB Twin Frozr Video Card
Corsair - Enthusiast 650W 80+ Bronze Certified ATX Power Supply

Thanks
Any help will be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance!

How are you even able to launch the system? Did you jam these sticks in the board? This is not ok an will damage the board and cpu. Do not keep using these sticks!!!

Asus Z97-A uses DDR3 RAM, not DDR4.
DDR3 has 240 pin, DDR4 has 288 pin.
DDR4 SO-DIMM has 260 pin, but that's a laptop memory.
You can't install a DDR4 stick in a DDR3 slot, they are physically incompatible.

I do apologize, I wrote the wrong stick - We're talking about a HyperX Impact Black Series - DDR3L - 16 GB: 2 x 8 GB - SO DIMM 204-PIN. It was not forced into the socket, but got in place very easily.

 

[13thmonkey]

So that'll be the memory running at a lower voltage than the memory controller on the CPU needs. In bios do you have access to XMP options, and are any of them at 1.5V?

 

[COLGeek]

Pictures please. Something just not adding up here.

It is not possible to install any SO-DIMM memory into this motherboard and have them work in any way:

https://www.asus.com/us/Motherboards/Z97A/

 

[Nenniana]

So that'll be the memory running at a lower voltage than the memory controller on the CPU needs. In bios do you have access to XMP options, and are any of them at 1.5V?

I have access to two XMP options, these are:
XMP DDR3-1600 9-9-9-27-1.50v-1.20v
XMP DDR3-2133 11-12-11-30-2N-1.60v-1.30v

I have however tried these and have still experienced the issue using both.

 

[Nenniana]

Pictures please. Something just not adding up here.

It is not possible to install any SO-DIMM memory into this motherboard and have them work in any way:

https://www.asus.com/us/Motherboards/Z97A/

Providing pictures will be rather difficult because of the way my fans are situated. Could I possible show CPU-Z file or such other information, instead? This might also shed light on what's going on, as I, myself, am not that techy - as this post sadly proves.

 

[COLGeek]

Sure, post whatever you want. Pictures of installed memory would be most useful.

I also looked up your earlier posts from when you purchased the motherboard. Seems you were use using (or at least considering) some proper DDR3 DIMMs from Crucial for this rig. Do you still have the earlier memory installed as well?

This is the memory you referenced from a post in Oct 2014:

https://www.komplett.dk/product/790313#

From this thread:

http://www.tomshardware.com/answers/id-2349784/needed-updating-tower-budget-remove-bottlenecks.html

 

[jaslion]

So that'll be the memory running at a lower voltage than the memory controller on the CPU needs. In bios do you have access to XMP options, and are any of them at 1.5V?

I have access to two XMP options, these are:
XMP DDR3-1600 9-9-9-27-1.50v-1.20v
XMP DDR3-2133 11-12-11-30-2N-1.60v-1.30v

I have however tried these and have still experienced the issue using both.

Your cpu needs 1.5v otherwise you are slowly killing the memory controller. Your best bet is to sell the memory to someone stating that it is ddr3L.

 

[Nenniana]

Sure, post whatever you want. Pictures of installed memory would be most useful.

I also looked up your earlier posts from when you purchased the motherboard. Seems you were use using (or at least considering) some proper DDR3 DIMMs from Crucial for this rig. Do you still have the earlier memory installed as well?

Ah, that is a long time ago. No, I never bought those, and sadly only have the aforementioned sticks. As for pictures, I'm afraid I cannot disassemble my system right now, but will try to see if I can perhaps do it tomorrow.

 

[Nenniana]

So that'll be the memory running at a lower voltage than the memory controller on the CPU needs. In bios do you have access to XMP options, and are any of them at 1.5V?

I have access to two XMP options, these are:
XMP DDR3-1600 9-9-9-27-1.50v-1.20v
XMP DDR3-2133 11-12-11-30-2N-1.60v-1.30v

I have however tried these and have still experienced the issue using both.

Your cpu needs 1.5v otherwise you are slowly killing the memory controller. Your best bet is to sell the memory to someone stating that it is ddr3L.

That is sad news indeed, but solely my own mistake, which makes it a bit better. Thank you very much for your help clearing up this problem. I will try to find a friend interested in these and this time, buy appropriate memory sticks.

 

[COLGeek]

Please verify the make/model of the memory you have installed. It is simply not possible to install the memory you cited into that motherboard. There is a misunderstanding or mistake here.

What you cited is laptop memory that is impossible to install into your desktop motherboard.

See here:

https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820104476

Is that what you think you installed?

 

[Nenniana]

Please verify the make/model of the memory you have installed. It is simply not possible to install the memory you cited into that motherboard. There is a misunderstanding or mistake here.

What you cited is laptop memory that is impossible to install into your desktop motherboard.

See here:

https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820104476

Is that what you think you installed?

Nope, these are not the ram that I bought. I will disassemble the system tomorrow to provide you with proper pictures. I might have ended up with some completely other ram, than I have paid for on my receipt. Until then, here's the part number for the ram used, which speccy helped me find: KHX2133C11D3/8GX.

 

[COLGeek]

This, right?

https://www.kingston.com/dataSheets/KHX2133C11D3K4_8GX.pdf

Run them at AUTO (let the motherboard set the speed itself) or at 1333 to see if the system will run stably. Those are NOT DDR3L, by the way.

Looks like the error is on your receipt.

 

[Nenniana]

This, right?

https://www.kingston.com/dataSheets/KHX2133C11D3K4_8GX.pdf

Run them at AUTO (let the motherboard set the speed itself) or at 1333 to see if the system will run stably. Those are NOT DDR3L, by the way.

Looks like the error is on your receipt.

Okay, I finally managed to get them out. I am sorry about the time it took. They do look a lot like the ones you linked, but you will find the pictures here: https://imgur.com/a/78a0x

Also, thank you for your time and patience.

 

[COLGeek]

This, right?

https://www.kingston.com/dataSheets/KHX2133C11D3K4_8GX.pdf

Run them at AUTO (let the motherboard set the speed itself) or at 1333 to see if the system will run stably. Those are NOT DDR3L, by the way.

Looks like the error is on your receipt.

Okay, I finally managed to get them out. I am sorry about the time it took. They do look a lot like the ones you linked, but you will find the pictures here: https://imgur.com/a/78a0x

Also, thank you for your time and patience.

Those: https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820104371

...should work. Maybe not at the rated speed of 2133. Try 1333 as stated earlier. If the system is stable at 1333, step up to 1600, etc.

If the system is not stable at 1333, then there is another issue (potentially defective memory).

 

[Nenniana]

This, right?

https://www.kingston.com/dataSheets/KHX2133C11D3K4_8GX.pdf

Run them at AUTO (let the motherboard set the speed itself) or at 1333 to see if the system will run stably. Those are NOT DDR3L, by the way.

Looks like the error is on your receipt.

Okay, I finally managed to get them out. I am sorry about the time it took. They do look a lot like the ones you linked, but you will find the pictures here: https://imgur.com/a/78a0x

Also, thank you for your time and patience.

Those: https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820104371

...should work. Maybe not at the rated speed of 2133. Try 1333 as stated earlier. If the system is stable at 1333, step up to 1600, etc.

If the system is not stable at 1333, then there is another issue (potentially defective memory).

Roger that. I will try setting it to 1333 and see whether that will stabilize the system. I will return in a day or two with the results. Thanks again for the fantastic help.

 

[COLGeek]

You are welcome. Good luck.

 

[Nenniana]

Just a quick close on this thread. After finding that the ram I had ordered was actually 240-pin, but potentially requiring lesser speeds. I pulled them out of my system, cleaned them with an air container, then reinserted them and began stress testing my system while slowly increasing the speeds. It seems that one of the sticks had been sitting a little crooked or that they simply needed cleaning, cause I am now running at 2133 without a problem or a hick-up at all. Thanks for all the help.