a few Qs before i add 16gb to my current 8gb (doing right now)

[groovesalad1]

i'm running-
mobo: Gigabyte - Z97X - Ultra Durable 3H - Black Edition
RAM: G.Skill Ripjaws X series 8gb(4gbx2) DDR3-1600(PC3 12800) CL 9-9-9-24 1.5v Link to newegg

I'm about to install the 16gb version of the exact same RAM - G.Skill Ripjaws X series 16gb(8gbx2) DDR3-1600(PC3 12800) CL 9-9-9-24 1.5v Link to newegg

***i'll note the old was red in color and the new RAM is blue in color. I looked into the red version of the 16gb set, but learned it could run at 1600mhz, but was set to 1333 from the factory. I do not overclock anything, and dont plan to start modifying factory settings now.

my questions are about the process mostly.
Do I need to uninstall the old ram first? Then install it all together fresh?

The channels are labeled in the order 4-2-3-1; 1 and 2 are holding the 8gb set now.
Do I simply install the new stuff in the remaining 2 slots? respectively making it look like >> 8gb-4gb-8gb-4gb?

Being that everything matches up almost exactly, sans color and size, will it read all 4 sticks and give me the 24gb of RAM I'm hoping for?

Other pre or post installation things I should do? or watch for?

Sorry if the post is long, but i'm trying to avoid having to reply with information I've left out. Thanks!!

 

[Tradesman1]

Basically, it's hit or miss, mixing DRAM (even sets of the same exact model) has no guarantees. If me I'd pull the old install the new sticks in slots 1-3 give them a try under XMP, if all good shutdown and add the old in slots 2-4 and try botting it up, if you have any problems, give me a shout and we can try some adjustments. Have more on mixing DRAM in my article (item 2) here:

http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/ddr-dram-myths,4155.html

 

[kanewolf]

If you are running Windows 7 home, you are limited to 16GB RAM. Windows 8 and 10 do not have that limitation.

I would run memtest -- http://www.memtest86.com/ for a few passes to verify stability before I boot Windows.

 

[groovesalad1]

ok, I've been on it since just after posting, and i've run into a continuing problem where if left shut down for too long, it wont boot anything the next time. I first ran into this happening when I put the old 8g back on top of the 16g which had worked just fine the first try. with 24g, bios wouldnt even boot. no display indication of anything being sent either (flickers or anything).

10 hours later and the only thing i've learned is that i can make the computer boot just fine using either set of RAM without the other, and that if i step away from the computer for too long, I come back to a blank screen and the failure to boot issue again. This is fixed by removing one of the 2 sticks, turning the computer back on, and shutting down. then i'm able to add back the 2nd stick, which is what i've done for the majority of the night. I now am using just 1 stick to see if it'll do the same thing (isolate the faulty stick if that's the cause). If not, i'll try just the other in the same slot.

Reading through other people's experience with this problem (not the specifics of removing to fix and replacing again to use aspect. that i havent read anything similar), I see the cause could be any of a quite long and time consuming list to go through.

Please some help on what's next to try. or if someone knows exactly what is wrong?

 

[Tradesman1]

COuld well be those sticks just don't want to play, happens all the time. You could also check for a BIOS update, maybe try a different PSU

 

[gskill support]

Yea, sounds like you'll want to use the 16GB by itself.