Computer ram issues

[ShowbizAtol933]

Hello, I have a gaming pc with 30gb of ram. When I initially installed my ram the bios only read 16gb of it. But for some reason one day it read all 30 and has been for the last few weeks. I have 7 4gb sticks and 1 2gb. I never get any crashes or anything but I thought that was weird. During that time as well cpu z was recognizing all 30gb but the bios wasn’t. I guess it fixed itself.... I ran memtest86 today and I got 128 errors for my memory. My ram is overclocked at 1600 mhz. It’s a bunch of different types of ram as well. I have 2 pny sticks, 2 Corsair sticks, 2 hynix sticks, a Samsung stick, And 1 old 2gb Corsair stick. Would you guys recommend taking some of them out and just running 16gb or something? I just think it’s weird why I’m getting so many errors but never have bsod from it. I run an ASUS x79 motherboard and a 3960x at 4.7 ghz. And ram I believe was running stock at 1067.

 

[Darkbreeze]

Please read this. I think it will answer MANY of your questions. I'd first try increasing the memory (DRAM) voltage at the current settings. If that doesn't work, then I'd try running only that memory which happens to be all the same model numbers. If none of the memory is matched, having come together in a set, then I'd eliminate the 2GB module and one of the 4GB modules and run the six modules that are MOST alike. Still no guarantee but it's a start at trying to save you from just having to ditch all that mismatched memory and buying a kit that IS all matched modules. A 4 x8GB kit would be your best option if that board supports 8GB modules, which I can't say since you didn't offer or mention the model number. Read this though, and go from there.

http://www.tomshardware.com/faq/id-3817589/resolving-memory-issues-setting-xmp-amp-docp-memory-profiles-work-progress.html

 

[ShowbizAtol933]

Ok i will try that. But I still think that it’s weird that the bios intermittently have ram slots stop working. Windows always reconized all the ram but the bios doesn’t. The motherboard is an ASUS x79 pro.

 

[ShowbizAtol933]

It’s all based on which ram is seated where. For example I’ll test it. Slot 1 no post, slot 2 no post. Slot 3 post. Slot 4 no post. Ok hmm next slot 5-8 post. So I put sticks in slot 5-8 and it works. Then I think maybe I have bad slots 1,2,4. I put ram in slot 3 and then suddenly the bios doesn’t read 5-8. I put all sticks back in after and then all ram is seen again by bios. But it’s frustrating that my files keep getting corrupted. I forgot to mention too by just switching the ram sticks around would cause some ram to not be read. And today I also changed the ram speed thinking that would be an issue and it also just made the bios no reconize it all. It just seems very intermittent and random..

 

[Darkbreeze]

Actually, it's not. It's due to differences in the characteristics of each module. IF they are not identical modules that were ALL purchased together in a kit, then they will not only have different (potentiall) primary timings and voltage requirements, regardless of what the marketing specifications might say, they will also be likely to have wildly different secondary and tertiary timings as well.

Even when only two modules are being used, if they are not identical AND tested at the factory for compatibility and found to be a match, then even two modules with the same part number might tend to either not run well together or not run together AT ALL. The more modules you throw into the mix, the worse this problem becomes and that's without even factoring in differing voltage requirements.

From one module to another on any given system you might need more or less voltage than what the specifications indicate in order for that module to run, and be stable. When you add more memory that requirement almost always increases. The more modules that are installed, the more voltage you will need to run them together. Four modules will usually NOT run at the 1.35v (For most DDR4. It could be different, especially for DDR3 or any kind of higher speed memory) DRAM voltage specification that is listed on the packaging. You will usually need to increase that from between .005-.060v or sometimes even more but you will want to do it incrementally.

Then it still might not run. You might need to make these changes with only ONE stick installed, then install the others after saving those settings changes to see if it works. Also, VERY often it becomes necessary to overclock the CPU to some degree, whether a little or a lot depends on the platform and each specific configuration, in order to get the memory controller off it's lazy butt. Usually, that is only necessary if you are trying to get memory to run at it's higher speed frequency or overclock your sticks, but it could also be a factor with very many sticks installed. I recommend that you READ and follow the guidelines I linked to previously AND that you make absolutely sure there are no newer bios updates available for your motherboard.

If there is one, then upgrade your motherboard to the latest bios version.

 

[ShowbizAtol933]

Ok thank you very much I will test them and increase the voltage. I just think it’s weird sometimes how the bios won’t boot sometimes if there is only 1 stick in a certain slot. Like it just boot loops if 1 stick of ram is installed in either the first or second slot but not the third. But will boot all the sticks if all the sticks are installed.

 

[Darkbreeze]

When using one stick, two sticks, four sticks, six sticks, etc., they MUST be installed in the slots that are designated by the motherboard user manual population rules which are outlined in the memory section of the manual for that board. Sometimes boards will POST with other configurations, intermittently or will do it one time but the training doesn't hold up the next time.

It's always recommended to populate the slots according to the manual based on how many modules are being used. Also, you are probably going to run into problems with how many channels the memory runs in based on them not all being matched up. Be sure to only use either a single stick or pairs of 2. Not five, or seven. One, two, four, six or eight.

 

[ShowbizAtol933]

Ok so i just used the 3 4gb sticks that are all the same and ran memtest86. And bam no errors. But now im running into a different problem. My computer now occasionally bsods now and it hasn't done it in years.I checked which slots the manufacture states to use and i am using the correct formation for 3 sticks. The Only reason it the computer ever bsod before was when I initially was setting up an overclock/.

Edit: Didn't see that i should only run sticks in pairs of 2. Would that cause a bsod? Cpu z says the memory is currently running in triple channel.

 

[Darkbreeze]

Actually, it should not cause a blue screen, no matter how many sticks you run, and if you are getting blue screens after passing Memtest86 (NOT Memtest86+, which is an entirely different, older memory test utility) I think I'd start by testing EVERY module, by itself, for 4 passes of Memtest86 to see if any of them fail.

Then, test each module in Prime95 blend mode for at least two hours.

Honestly, this might never be resolved since you have so many different modules and apparently none of them came together in a set and for certain ALL of them didn't come together in a set.

Yes, triple channel is supported, apparently, on that board, so that is allowable. Quad channel would be better though.

What you ought to do, honestly, is just purchase a matched set of 4 x16GB if you REALLY need that much memory. Unless you are running high end graphics or CAD programs, scientific applications, some serious VMs or are using this machine as some kind of server, I'm not sure there is a lot of benefit from running anything over 16GB anyhow.

 

[ShowbizAtol933]

Ok that is that probably what I am going to do. I have 3 4gb sticks that are exactly the same that are in currently. So far they passed 4 mem tests with 0 errors and I haven’t blue screened again yet. Maybe the blue screen was from my overclocked becoming unstable now because I bumped the dram voltage from 1.5 to 1.55v. I guess that might have been enough to make my overclocked unstable. I might just need to increase cpu vcore slightly. Not sure though :/ but so far so good. Thanks

 

[Darkbreeze]

http://www.tomshardware.com/faq/id-3761568/cpu-overclocking-guide-tutorial-beginners-work-progress.html