Question Intermittent RAM Issues with new RAM

[viconia]

I just purchased new RAM after finding out one of mine was faulty. I was previously using 2 Elpida 8GB sticks, and decided to add in 2 additional sticks of RAM for better speeds. I made sure that all of the settings exactly matched the new RAM, and that my motherboard and CPU should be able to handle 32 GB. My laptop *occassionally* works with all 4 sticks in, but sometimes doesn't. I've tried 2 sticks in, both in my "main" memory slots and in my "secondary" (the ones that haven't ever been used before) slots. No problems. I'll get to the point where I think it may be one stick of RAM causing the issues, go through putting it in all the slots, and then it starts working. Then I'll put in all the memory, and then I'm able to boot up my PC. The next day, I'll go to turn my laptop on, and then it won't boot up. And the boot up issue isn't always the same. Sometimes it will just have a black screen and the lights will turn on and just stay like that, other times it will power cycle. Neither of these cases I get to the point of seeing the BIOS POST. I just don't understand why it sometimes works and sometimes doesn't, which is confusing me on what the problem could be.

Laptop: Notebook P15SM-A/SM1-A
BIOS Version: American Megatrends 4.6.5
CPU: Intel Core i7-4810MQ
New RAM: Timetec 32GB KIT(4x8GB) DDR3L / DDR3 1600MHz (DDR3L-1600) PC3L-12800 / PC3-12800 Non-ECC Unbuffered 1.35V/1.5V CL11 2Rx8 Dual Rank 204 Pin SODIMM

Old RAM: Elpida DDR3L 1600(11) 8GX16 SO-DIMM

 

[JeffreyP55]

I just purchased new RAM after finding out one of mine was faulty. I was previously using 2 Elpida 8GB sticks, and decided to add in 2 additional sticks of RAM for better speeds. I made sure that all of the settings exactly matched the new RAM, and that my motherboard and CPU should be able to handle 32 GB. My laptop *occassionally* works with all 4 sticks in, but sometimes doesn't. I've tried 2 sticks in, both in my "main" memory slots and in my "secondary" (the ones that haven't ever been used before) slots. No problems. I'll get to the point where I think it may be one stick of RAM causing the issues, go through putting it in all the slots, and then it starts working. Then I'll put in all the memory, and then I'm able to boot up my PC. The next day, I'll go to turn my laptop on, and then it won't boot up. And the boot up issue isn't always the same. Sometimes it will just have a black screen and the lights will turn on and just stay like that, other times it will power cycle. Neither of these cases I get to the point of seeing the BIOS POST. I just don't understand why it sometimes works and sometimes doesn't, which is confusing me on what the problem could be.

Laptop: Notebook P15SM-A/SM1-A
BIOS Version: American Megatrends 4.6.5
CPU: Intel Core i7-4810MQ
New RAM: Timetec 32GB KIT(4x8GB) DDR3L / DDR3 1600MHz (DDR3L-1600) PC3L-12800 / PC3-12800 Non-ECC Unbuffered 1.35V/1.5V CL11 2Rx8 Dual Rank 204 Pin SODIMM

Old RAM: Elpida DDR3L 1600(11) 8GX16 SO-DIMM

Two sticks are faster. Even if the RAM is from the same maker and model are the same but not a matched set may cause issues.

 

[Bob.B]

I just purchased new RAM after finding out one of mine was faulty. I was previously using 2 Elpida 8GB sticks, and decided to add in 2 additional sticks of RAM for better speeds. I made sure that all of the settings exactly matched the new RAM, and that my motherboard and CPU should be able to handle 32 GB. My laptop *occassionally* works with all 4 sticks in, but sometimes doesn't. I've tried 2 sticks in, both in my "main" memory slots and in my "secondary" (the ones that haven't ever been used before) slots. No problems. I'll get to the point where I think it may be one stick of RAM causing the issues, go through putting it in all the slots, and then it starts working. Then I'll put in all the memory, and then I'm able to boot up my PC. The next day, I'll go to turn my laptop on, and then it won't boot up. And the boot up issue isn't always the same. Sometimes it will just have a black screen and the lights will turn on and just stay like that, other times it will power cycle. Neither of these cases I get to the point of seeing the BIOS POST. I just don't understand why it sometimes works and sometimes doesn't, which is confusing me on what the problem could be.

Laptop: Notebook P15SM-A/SM1-A
BIOS Version: American Megatrends 4.6.5
CPU: Intel Core i7-4810MQ
New RAM: Timetec 32GB KIT(4x8GB) DDR3L / DDR3 1600MHz (DDR3L-1600) PC3L-12800 / PC3-12800 Non-ECC Unbuffered 1.35V/1.5V CL11 2Rx8 Dual Rank 204 Pin SODIMM

Old RAM: Elpida DDR3L 1600(11) 8GX16 SO-DIMM

If this pc has a bios bat you might want to swap it out and test.

 

[viconia]

Two sticks are faster. Even if the RAM is from the same maker and model are the same but not a matched set may cause issues.

I purchased the RAM in a 32 GB kit, so all 4 came in the same container. So even if they sent them together, they still might not be good?

 

[geofelt]

It is not clear to me if you are using a 32gb kit of matched ram, or if you are using your original ram along with a second set with identical specs.
In the latter case, realize that ram must be matched from the same single kit to perform reliably at spec.
Test your ram sticks individually using memtest.
It boots from a usb stick and does not use windows.
You can download it here:

Memtest86+ | The Open-Source Memory Testing Tool

Memtest86+ is an advanced, free, open-source, stand-alone memory tester for 32- and 64-bit computers (UEFI & BIOS supported)

memtest.org

If you can run a full pass with NO errors, your ram should be ok.

Running several more passes will sometimes uncover an issue, but it takes more time.
Probably not worth it unless you really suspect a ram issue.

If individual sticks perform properly and 4 sticks do not, your problem is likely a mismatched kit.
If your laptop motherboard permits you to adjust ram voltage, increasing it may fix the issue.

 

[viconia]

If this pc has a bios bat you might want to swap it out and test.

Okay thanks! I never would have thought the battery might be the culprit, I'll try replacing it.

 

[viconia]

It is not clear to me if you are using a 32gb kit of matched ram, or if you are using your original ram along with a second set with identical specs.
In the latter case, realize that ram must be matched from the same single kit to perform reliably at spec.
Test your ram sticks individually using memtest.
It boots from a usb stick and does not use windows.
You can download it here:

Memtest86+ | The Open-Source Memory Testing Tool

Memtest86+ is an advanced, free, open-source, stand-alone memory tester for 32- and 64-bit computers (UEFI & BIOS supported)

memtest.org

If you can run a full pass with NO errors, your ram should be ok.

Running several more passes will sometimes uncover an issue, but it takes more time.
Probably not worth it unless you really suspect a ram issue.

If individual sticks perform properly and 4 sticks do not, your problem is likely a mismatched kit.
If your laptop motherboard permits you to adjust ram voltage, increasing it may fix the issue

It is not clear to me if you are using a 32gb kit of matched ram, or if you are using your original ram along with a second set with identical specs.
In the latter case, realize that ram must be matched from the same single kit to perform reliably at spec.
Test your ram sticks individually using memtest.
It boots from a usb stick and does not use windows.
You can download it here:

Memtest86+ | The Open-Source Memory Testing Tool

Memtest86+ is an advanced, free, open-source, stand-alone memory tester for 32- and 64-bit computers (UEFI & BIOS supported)

memtest.org

If you can run a full pass with NO errors, your ram should be ok.

Running several more passes will sometimes uncover an issue, but it takes more time.
Probably not worth it unless you really suspect a ram issue.

If individual sticks perform properly and 4 sticks do not, your problem is likely a mismatched kit.
If your laptop motherboard permits you to adjust ram voltage, increasing it may fix the issue.

It is not clear to me if you are using a 32gb kit of matched ram, or if you are using your original ram along with a second set with identical specs.
In the latter case, realize that ram must be matched from the same single kit to perform reliably at spec.
Test your ram sticks individually using memtest.
It boots from a usb stick and does not use windows.
You can download it here:

Memtest86+ | The Open-Source Memory Testing Tool

Memtest86+ is an advanced, free, open-source, stand-alone memory tester for 32- and 64-bit computers (UEFI & BIOS supported)

memtest.org

If you can run a full pass with NO errors, your ram should be ok.

Running several more passes will sometimes uncover an issue, but it takes more time.
Probably not worth it unless you really suspect a ram issue.

If individual sticks perform properly and 4 sticks do not, your problem is likely a mismatched kit.
If your laptop motherboard permits you to adjust ram voltage, increasing it may fix the issue.

I am using a 32 GB matched RAM. My old RAM is bad. I have run memtest on all the sticks with a single pass, none have showed any errors, but I was recommended to run it with 1 CPU since it can give false positives. Do you think maybe I should try the memtest with all the CPU's and see if I get different results?

My motherboard doesn't allow that, unfortunately. On some of the occassions where it does boot up with all 4 sticks, hwinfo64 does say that they are all running on 1.35v.

 

[geofelt]

1.35v is required to run at 1600.
Possibly, more is required to run 4 sticks.
Can your laptop handle a kit of 2 x 16gb?

 

[viconia]

Both my CPU and MB documentation say they can support up to 32 GB, but I don't really see anything that says how much per stick... But I guess I was trying to avoid paying $200+ on RAM.