Computer Only Boots with a Single Ram Stick

[lightningchicken]

Hello,

Intel i5-2320
MSI zh77a-g43
4x2gb ddr3 1333 ram
500gb hard drive

My pc will only boot up when it has a single stick of ram installed, the ram can be in any slot, and I can use any one of my 4 ram sticks, but it will not boot if more than one is installed. Any help is greatly appreciated.
If any more information is needed, please let me know.

 

[clarkjd]

Hello,

Intel i5-2320
MSI zh77a-g43
4x2gb ddr3 1333 ram
500gb hard drive

My pc will only boot up when it has a single stick of ram installed, the ram can be in any slot, and I can use any one of my 4 ram sticks, but it will not boot if more than one is installed. Any help is greatly appreciated.
If any more information is needed, please let me know.

Complete system specs, make, model,etc,(including PSU), would be helpful.
Also, is this new behavior from a once working system, or a new build?

 

[tsnor]

MB manual here: http://static.highspeedbackbone.net/pdf/MSI%20Z77A-G43%20Motherboard%20Manual.pdf

Boot with one dimm.
use CPU-Z to display memory timings on MB and Dimms.
IF the MB memory timings are not the stock ddr3 1333 settings from your dims then reset the MB bios to defaults.
IF the MB memory timings are the same as the memory dimm stock (not OC) settings then record them somewhere you can read them without using teh PC.
Get into BIOS.
Set memory timings on dimms looser than the timings you recorded.
Boot PC and see if it works with one stick with these settings.
Add other 3 dimms and see if PC still works. If not go back to one stick and set memory timing even looser.

Good luck.

 

[lightningchicken]

MB manual here: http://static.highspeedbackbone.net/pdf/MSI%20Z77A-G43%20Motherboard%20Manual.pdf

Boot with one dimm.
use CPU-Z to display memory timings on MB and Dimms.
IF the MB memory timings are not the stock ddr3 1333 settings from your dims then reset the MB bios to defaults.
IF the MB memory timings are the same as the memory dimm stock (not OC) settings then record them somewhere you can read them without using teh PC.
Get into BIOS.
Set memory timings on dimms looser than the timings you recorded.
Boot PC and see if it works with one stick with these settings.
Add other 3 dimms and see if PC still works. If not go back to one stick and set memory timing even looser.

Good luck.

Thank you for the prompt response, what do you mean by setting the memory timings "looser?"

 

[photonboy]

according to the manual, you must use the following configuration:

2-sticks: DIMM1, DIMM3
4-sticks: all

That is baffling. You have apparently tried each stick, and also tried each slot so... ?

I can only suggest contacting MSI Tech Support.

 

[photonboy]

Is the motherboard BIOS the latest version?

 

[lightningchicken]

Is the motherboard BIOS the latest version?

Going by MSI's auto updater found on their website, yes, the bios is updated.

 

[lightningchicken]

Is that reliable? Or should I flash the motherboard anyways?

 

[tsnor]

MB manual here: http://static.highspeedbackbone.net/pdf/MSI%20Z77A-G43%20Motherboard%20Manual.pdf

Boot with one dimm.
use CPU-Z to display memory timings on MB and Dimms.
IF the MB memory timings are not the stock ddr3 1333 settings from your dims then reset the MB bios to defaults.
IF the MB memory timings are the same as the memory dimm stock (not OC) settings then record them somewhere you can read them without using teh PC.
Get into BIOS.
Set memory timings on dimms looser than the timings you recorded.
Boot PC and see if it works with one stick with these settings.
Add other 3 dimms and see if PC still works. If not go back to one stick and set memory timing even looser.

Good luck.

Thank you for the prompt response, what do you mean by setting the memory timings "looser?"

Hi, There are timing on memory that tell the MB how fast it can read the memory. There are many different timings. When you OVERCLOCK memory you set these values "tighter" so that the memory is faster. Setting these values "looser" means adding more time between the operations needed to read the memory.

When you use multiple stick of memory you can hit timing problems (that is why memjory is sold in speed matched kits) Your collection of 4 dimms is not working together, but can work one at a time thus the suggestion to loosen timing.

Maybe start with this cut/pasted from a memory overclocking guide here http://www.masterslair.com/memory-ram-overclocking-guide-ddr3

"Loosening the RAM Timings to Achieve a Higher Memory Frequency

"Now that you've learned everything you need to know about what all of the timings mean, you'll be able to change them to yield a higher overclock (if you haven't reached your BCLK limit yet).

"For now, increase the first three timings (tCL, tRCD, tRP) by 1 and the last timing (tRAS) by 3, so if your original timings were 7-8-7-24, they should now be 8-9-8-27. This should give you a little extra room to overclock the memory at its current voltage.

The MB manual I linked includes screenshots of setting memory timing. If this seems too hard than just change the memory type from "DDR3 1333" to "DDR3-1066", that will slow your memory down a bit and maybe make it work.

 

[lightningchicken]

Fixed it by flashing the BIOS, thank you!