[SOLVED] Added Ram but will not boot

[Crash_Zer0]

I'm using an older system I built a few years ago with an MSI Gaming g70 MoBo that has had 8 gb (2x4gb) ddr3 1866mhz g.skill ram sticks installed on dimm 1 and 3.

I recently decided to double the ram by ordering another set of identical ram (board supports up to 32gb) and installed them in the remaining dimm slots (2 and 4) for a total of 16gb.

Computer will not boot, not even to bios, although lights and fans come on.

I pulled out the new ram, rebooted, everything worked fine.

I've checked both new sticks of ram by swapping the old ram in dimm 3 with both of the new sticks, which causes my PC to boot fine. (I would try both new ram sticks at the same time but my cpu fan heatsink prevents the removal of ram from dimm 1, and I don't want to take the time to remove it.)

I've also tried booting with just 3 sticks in various combinations installed but to no avail.

I've used condensed air on the unused slots to eliminate the possibility it is just dirt/dust causing problems.

It appears that the problem is related to using the other 2 dimm slots, as I cannot boot when either of those slots are in use.

Is it likely that my MoBo is source of the problem? I am using the latest bios firmware

 

[RARRAF]

That is the reason for buying all your ram you need when you build it in matched pairs different batches of ram made by same company will not work together nothing wrong with motherboard just unlucky.

 

[thx1138v2]

"I'm using an older system ..."

Occasionally DRAM vendors will change chips on their modules so that the module has the same amount of DRAM but in fewer chips on the module, e.g. higher density chips. This will make the modules incompatible with earlier modules of the same DRAM. They can do this without changing the part #.

I don't know if this is the case in your situation but it's one more reason the modules can be incompatible.

 

[Crash_Zer0]

"This will make the modules incompatible with earlier modules of the same DRAM"

I don't believe this is the case, as I am currently using one old stick and one new stick with no problems.

I only have problems when I add ram (old or new) to either of the previously unused ram slots.

 

[Zerk2012]

Go into BIOS and add 0.05 volts to the memory, save and exit, turn off PC, add new memory and try it again..