Build boots with 2x 8gb but not with 4x 8gb

hwayan

Reputable
Jul 15, 2014
22
0
4,510
RAM: Crucial Ballistix Sport 32GB (4 x 8GB) 288-Pin DDR4 SDRAM DDR4 2400 (PC4 19200)
MOBO: MSI Z170A GAMING M7
As the title says. The build boots just fine with just two. I get error codes on my motherboard stating "Early Memory Initialization" when I put in more than two sticks of RAM. What could be the problem?
 
A few things you could try:

- Update your motherboard's BIOS to the latest version - seems they came out with a couple updates in the last month to improve memory compatibility
http://us.msi.com/support/mb/Z170A-GAMING-M7.html#down-bios

- Test it with a single stick of RAM one at a time to verify no individual stick is bad; run Memtest on each if any doubt

- Bump the voltage up manually by a single step (0.02V or so) and see if it becomes stable
 


I've already updated the BIOS.
Would I bump the voltage in the BIOS settings?
 


Yes, try that, and also setting the timings and speed manually if that doesn't do it alone. Sometimes motherboards' "auto" settings fall apart with four sticks even though we're supposed to be well past that.

Since you have two different kits ... sometimes that works, sometimes it doesn't work, even if they're the exact same model. Getting the exact same model certainly gives you better odds than mixing and matching any old RAM, but for whatever reason sometimes they still do not play nice together. Hopefully you are not one of the unlucky ones.
 


I fond the DRAM voltage but I couldn't find the VTT or the memory controller voltage.