Looking for a solution about RAM Installation Issues.

[alextehlion]

Hello all,

I have a Alienware Aurora R4.

System: Alienware Aurora-R4
Processor: Intel Core i7-3820
Motherboard: Alienware 07JNH0
Memory: G.SKILL Ripjaws Z Series 32GB (4 x 8GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600MHz
OS: Windows 10
BIOS Date: 20120821
Benchmark: http://www.userbenchmark.com/UserRun/10932691

I purchased and installed my new RAM today. Upon installing and testing I found that my computer will turn on with all 4 installed but nothing will display. After check all the sticks in different slots and putting the old RAM in to make i didn't break anything. I found that my computer will turn on and work with 2 of the 4 new RAM installed. I switches slots and even tried pairing new and old RAM. Will only work with 2 new RAM. Been doing some research and found that my CPU can support up to 64GB of RAM.

If you need any other information let me know.

Anyone know what's stopping it from running with all 4?

 

[julienruc]

I am not very familiar with DDR3 RAMs. However, when it comes to DDR4 RAM speeds, 2133 is the standard speeds. Many RAM sticks can be used/overclocked all the way to 3200Mhz and higher depending on models. When you're experiencing issues with RAM sticks, you would usually set it to the stock speed (being 2133Mhz for DDR4).

I might be wrong here but I think for DDR3 RAM, the stock speed is either 1066Mhz or 1333Mhz. Now yours goes up to 1600Mhz at 1.5v. Try setting it to the lowest speed available on your BIOS and see if that works first. If it works, you will need to update your BIOS to its latest version before you can set it back to 1600Mhz at 1.5v.

However, since you said that your computer will work fine with 2 sticks but not with 4 sticks. It could also be a motherboard problem. Many motherboards with 4 slots can only support 2 slots at higher speeds. For example, my old motherboard: the Asrock AB350 PRo4 had 4 RAM slots. 2 of which could go up to 3200Mhz but the other 2 could only go as far as 2666Mhz so if I wanted to have 4 sticks, I could only run them at 2666Mhz. It's very stupid I know but that's how some of them are.

Go into Alienware's website, find your motherboards specs and see what they say about this. If it says that it will support 4x8Gb at 1600Mhz is could be as simple as setting the RAM at a lower speed like I said previously, updating the BIOS and then bumping it back up to 1600Mhz.

If that doesn't work, you may have some faulty sticks. Have you tried running 2 sticks and switching between all 4 sticks every time?