Question Help wanted for prehistoric hardware (LGA1156 Lynnfield)

[Tenu8395]

Looking to resurrect an old PC I have around that's built on an Asus P7H55-M motherboard. It's in good condition except that one of the RAM channels has a faulty blue slot, but dual channel works fine when both channels' grey slots are populated.

At least it does with an i3 540 it had initially. I've got an i5 750 for it recently and it didn't boot with that RAM config. But it worked fine when I put both sticks into a single channel (where the blue slot is working). If I add a third stick to the second channel's remaining grey slot, PC doesn't detect it (not showing up in BIOS or OS, however I can read its SPD from the OS). I returned that CPU assuming the IMC is dead and got an X3450, and the same thing happens. Is this something to do with Lynnfield CPUs compatibility on this motherboard or am I just so unlucky that I got two crippled CPUs in a row? RAM in question is a 2x4Gb Hynix 1600Mhz kit (dual-sided, so compatibility on 1156 should be good).

 

[Lutfij]

Asus P7H55-M
Using one stick of ram, try and see what your current BIOS version is. Cross reference that version with the one listed on Asus's support site here;

P7H55-M - Support

www.asus.com

RAM in question is a 2x4Gb Hynix 1600Mhz kit
Are they identical in every manner, shape and form?

Try and work with another ram kit, one that's matched from the factory(out of the box) instead of two individual sticks bought at the same time.

I returned that CPU assuming the IMC is dead and got an X3450, and the same thing happens. Is this something to do with Lynnfield CPUs compatibility on this motherboard or am I just so unlucky that I got two crippled CPUs in a row?

P7H55-M - Support

www.asus.com

The i5-750 is listed as compatible but you'll need BIOS version 0214 at the very least before dropping that processor onto the socket. As for the X3450, it's not listed there, so it's officially not supported. One other thing you might want to do is see if the pins on the socket are bent or broken.

I still have an i5-750+Asus Maximus III Formula that ran up to 2021 before I retired it.

 

[Tenu8395]

Asus P7H55-M
Using one stick of ram, try and see what your current BIOS version is. Cross reference that version with the one listed on Asus's support site here;

P7H55-M - Support

www.asus.com

RAM in question is a 2x4Gb Hynix 1600Mhz kit
Are they identical in every manner, shape and form?

Try and work with another ram kit, one that's matched from the factory(out of the box) instead of two individual sticks bought at the same time.

I returned that CPU assuming the IMC is dead and got an X3450, and the same thing happens. Is this something to do with Lynnfield CPUs compatibility on this motherboard or am I just so unlucky that I got two crippled CPUs in a row?

P7H55-M - Support

www.asus.com

The i5-750 is listed as compatible but you'll need BIOS version 0214 at the very least before dropping that processor onto the socket. As for the X3450, it's not listed there, so it's officially not supported. One other thing you might want to do is see if the pins on the socket are bent or broken.

I still have an i5-750+Asus Maximus III Formula that ran up to 2021 before I retired it.

It runs BIOS version 1101, I remember the latest one (1302) causing some issues so it was reverted. Sticks are identical, and when I try a Kingston 2x2Gb 1333Mhz kit (that is definitely supported, it's listed in manual) in a dual grey slot config it behaves completely the same (normal dual channel with i3 540, no boot with both Lynnfields). For the same reason I don't think anything's wrong with the socket (though I double checked and it looks fine).

 

[Tenu8395]

Nevermind, a friend tested his confirmed working P7H55-M/USB3 and a Lynnfield i7 and it behaved the same when trying to use a dual channel setup without populating both blue slots. Guess it's time to retire the board.