Computer Freezing issue - ram related

[aj111111]

Hello, i've got yet another problem.
I'm buying a Q8400 2.66 Core2Quad processor so i thought i'd upgrade my rams a bit.
Current specs
Intel E7300 Core 2 Duo 2.66
Sapphire ATI 5770 1GB
Asus P5k Mainboard
WD Blue Caviar 500GB
6 GBs of ram as follows
Old rams :- 1x2GB Kingston DDR 2 Rams
2x1Gb Dynet DDR2 rams ( got them with the PC)
New ram : 1x2GB Kingston DDR2 ram

the issue is as follows, i used to use Windows 7 Ultimate 32bit version and i decided to upgrade to 64 bit to utilize as much ram as possible, so after adding the new 2gb kignston ram the computer ran smoothly for around 2 days before it suddenly froze while watching a video using KLite codec pack's Media player classic. I reboot and 5 minutes after entering my password on windows the computer freezes again so i shut down and took the old 2x1GB Dynets out then boot up. computer still froze after 5 minutes .. i tried everything .. i used the old rams only on their own .. still froze, i used the 2x2GB new and old kingston rams .. still froze until i put them on slots 3&4 in the mobo. After running the PC for around 30 hours it froze again, i reboot and poof 5 minutes it still froze. The computer only works with the new 2GB Kingston Ram stick is on its own .. which is ofcourse a pain cause 2GB of ram wont do much good. So after reading a while i deduced that the problem might be in 1 of 3 cases that i'm unable to choose from
1- Faulty Ram/Mobo
2- Windows issue
3- Bios issue

i'm updating my bios as we speak from version 8.00.12 right now. question is .. if that doesn't help .. what are my options?
Thanks in advance.

 

[aj111111]

I updated the bios and the computer worked pretty good for 2 and a half hours or so then .. boom another freeze.
as in for ram voltage , which ones should i bump up and to what?
Thanks again

 

[T_T]

When you increase your RAM voltage, it is applied to the DIMM slots on the mobo, not on individual modules. So, increasing voltage would be applied to all of your RAM sticks.

Mixing RAM is likely the ultimate cause to the freezing. This is because the RAM modules have may have different operating specs. The reason different specs are a problem is because the ideal way to operate your RAM is by manually setting the specs in the BIOS. If left on [Auto], the BIOS will allow the RAM settings to fluctuate based on: 1. The installed RAM; and 2. The current workload on the system. Consider this example:

Old RAM: 1.8V, CL5, 400 MHz
Dynet RAM: 2.1V, CL6, 800 MHz
New RAM: 2.0 V, CL5, 667 MHz

Using this example, among the three sets there are different voltage requirements; different latency; and different frequencies. What these specs mean is that the Old RAM requires 1.8V to operate at 400 MHz with a CL5 timing; the Dynet requires 2.1V to operate at 800 MHz with a CL6 timing; and the New RAM requires 2.0V to operate at 667 MHz with a CL5 timing.

Considering your response to the suggestion of increasing voltage, this suggests that you don't have very much knowledge on these settings (if you do, I apologize). The biggest problem with this mixture is the voltage. If the old set needs 1.8V, but the Dynet set requires 2.1V, you'd have to set the DRAM voltage to 2.1V to meet the needs for the Dynet. That is if you want the RAM to operate at its best. Setting the DRAM voltage to 2.1V would be overkill for the old set, as it needs just 1.8V.

The timing is a problem because this spec tells you how many clock cycles are needed in order for data to pass through the RAM. Like DRAM voltage, specifying a particular latency combination is applied to all installed RAM modules. The problem here is that some RAM can't function properly if the timing is too far out of range. In other words, setting the latency too high or too low can cause your RAM to error, which can lead to freezing or Stop Errors (A.K.A. Blue Screen of Death).

The frequency is the least of concern, but a player in the game nonetheless. With proper timing and voltage settings, the RAM can operate at its rated frequency. For example, your New RAM set needs 2.0V and CL5 to operate at 667MHz. The problem here is that you have a RAM set that can operate at 800 MHz; however, you also have two kits that cannot meet this frequency.

To sum it all up, it is best to manually set your RAM specs, but when you have mixed RAM specs, you can't accomodate all specs. In a scenario such as this, you'll have to set the RAM to the worst of the mixture: the highest voltage; the lowest frequency; and the highest latency.

 

[aj111111]

Sorry for the delay in a response, i just thought i'd give my following experiment some time to make sure everything's working.
Well simply i just reverted back to Windows 7 Ultimate 32Bit. i used the 2x2GB Kingston rams - which have froze on me before in windows 64 - and the computer has been running for 2 or so days now with no problems. So i'm not sure what to do now.. Could it be a software problem :S ?
Also T_T Thank you for the extended reply it helped me understand a lot. and you're right i'm not that much of an expert 😛
Thanks in advance.

 

[T_T]

If you need the extra RAM capacity, you should consider buying/acquiring a higher capacity kit. For example, if you need 6GB, consider getting a 2x3GB kit. Then set the DRAM specs in the BIOS to what you see on the stickers that are affixed to the side of the RAM sticks.

If Win 7 x64 froze on you, it is possible that the installation disc is bad, but that has been less than 1% of the posts I've read of people having trouble installing their OS. If you haven't done so already, use just the new Kingston RAM, but set the DRAM specs in the BIOS to the same values you see on the stickers.

 

[aj111111]

Well i reinstalled windows 7 64bit a couple of days ago using the 2x2GB Kingston rams and so far so good, no freezing nothing .. it might've been a software issue afterall .. here's the software i installed
1- windows updates inc internet9
2- adobe flash
3- utorrent
4- IP Settings changed
5- IDM
6- AMD Catalyst Driver
7- Direct X
8 - K lite Standard
9- mobinil USB Internet Driver
10 SA-MP ( Multiplayer add-on for Grand theft auto san andreas)

on the version that froze i think i found an issue regarding firefox when i was trying to post screens on this forum using imgshack.us .. whenever i clicked upload the computer froze. However i'd like to thank all of you for the swift and informative responses. So again, thank you Especially T_T

/lock please.

 

[aj111111]

Best answer selected by aj111111.