Question My computer does not boot up with 2 sticks of RAM

[drakejest]

So i went to sleep yesterday and turned off my computer like i usually do everyday. Little did i know that when i woke up my computer wont boot up. By not booting i really mean not booting up, No display, hence not even getting to BIOS.

The motherboard code is stuck at "Pre-momeory System Agent inititialization is started". Having the word memory in there i immediatly checked my RAM first. I am running 2 - 8GB DDR3 kingston hyperX khx1600c10d3b1/8g

What i did:

Reseat the Ram - The problem is the same noo boot up.
Change the ram seat to the non recommended seat pair - The problem is the same
Tried all the possible seat combination using 2 ram (even using the same seats but the RAM is swapped) - The problem is the same
Removed 1 ram and installed only 1 on the proper seat - This boots up no problem and im able to get into windows

Soooo I have a broken RAM>>?? I dont think so ! because i still did one more thing. I swapped the RAM to see if still boots up (still only 1 ram installed) and YES IT DID BOOT UP! So the problem is not a broken RAM.

Any help on how i can get back to 16GB operation?


Setup:
CPU - intel core i7 - 4770
MOBO - Asus Maximus VI Hero BIOS : v16.03 (latest?)
RAM - 2 - 8GB DDR3 kingston hyperX khx1600c10d3b1/8g
GPU - ASUS GTX 780
SSD - 2x 128GB KINGSTON & 2x 1TB SAMSUNG EVO

 

[DRagor]

Use one stick (looks like no matter which) to check each slot one by one. Does it work well in every slot?

 

[drakejest]

Use one stick (looks like no matter which) to check each slot one by one. Does it work well in every slot?

Ill name the four slots as A, B, C, D with A being closest to the CPU. The proper slotting for my board according to my manual is A and C. Trying all slots with 1 stick of RAM.

A - Boot successful - All normal
B - No boot
C - Boot successful - All normal
D - No boot

Error code for no boot is stuck at "Pre-momeory System Agent inititialization is started". I retried every slot with the other stick of RAM with the same result.

 

[DRagor]

Ill name the four slots as A, B, C, D with A being closest to the CPU. The proper slotting for my board according to my manual is A and C. Trying all slots with 1 stick of RAM.

A - Boot successful - All normal
B - No boot
C - Boot successful - All normal
D - No boot

Error code for no boot is stuck at "Pre-momeory System Agent inititialization is started". I retried every slot with the other stick of RAM with the same result.

Ok then. Try to put both sticks in slots A and C. See if it boots and if all 16 Gb is available.
ATM you are facing either mobo failure or bent CPU pins. The latter would be surprising if you were not moving CPU (or its cooling) lately but not impossible. The former is more likely esp considering age of mobo.

 

[drakejest]

Ok then. Try to put both sticks in slots A and C. See if it boots and if all 16 Gb is available.
ATM you are facing either mobo failure or bent CPU pins. The latter would be surprising if you were not moving CPU (or its cooling) lately but not impossible. The former is more likely esp considering age of mobo.

I forgot to mention that, i did that. I place both RAM on A and C still wouldnt boot, i even swapped both ram. I have not opened my computer for a year now , let alone the CPU. I guess it due for a repaste. Ill buy some paste and maybe clean the computer while im at it. maybe a dust is stuck on some component.

I dont understand why this a CPU issue though. Pre-momeory System Agent inititialization is not done by the mobo bios>?

 

[DRagor]

I dont understand why this a CPU issue though. Pre-momeory System Agent inititialization is not done by the mobo bios>?

Memory controller is on CPU. If two RAM slots not work it is very often due to bent CPU socket pins. Which can happen if you move CPU around, but sometimes all it takes is to over tighten CPU cooler.

I place both RAM on A and C still wouldnt boot, i even swapped both ram

With same error code as with one stick on B or D slot?

 

[geofelt]

What might have happened to change from a working system to one that fails?

I know, I know, nothing.

I can think of three possible reasons.
I order of possibility:

1. You have unmatched ram.
Ram is sold in kits for a reason.
A motherboard must manage all the ram using the same specs of voltage, cas and speed.
The internal workings are designed for the capacity of the kit.
Ram from the same vendor and part number can be made up of differing manufacturing components over time.
Some motherboards, can be very sensitive to this.
Ram must be matched for proper operation.

You can sometimes compensate for errors by increasing the ram voltage in the motherboard bios.
With just one stick installed, try increasing the ram voltage above the stock level , bit, by bit
Sometimes that will fix things.

2. If you somehow bent a socket pin when installing the cpu, ram issues are a common symptom, particularly lack of dual channel operation. This is easily done if you needed to smoosh the chip around to get it seated.
Assess your risk of damage if you decide to remove the processor to check.

3. I have seen one instance where a I5-4790K was defective with the symptom being lack of dual channel capability. It was the dickens trying to determine this which involved swapping motherboards, ram and processor. Fortunately, the processor was still under warranty and Intel replaced it.

All of these reasons should have been apparent from day 1.
It is a mystery why they should appear now.

When you finally get this sorted out,
Run memtest86 or memtest86+
They boot from a usb stick and do not use windows.
You can download them here:

MemTest86 - Official Site of the x86 Memory Testing Tool

MemTest86 is the original self booting memory testing software for x86 and ARM computers. Supporting both BIOS and UEFI, with options to boot from USB.

www.memtest86.com

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)

www.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.

Ram will have a lifetime warranty.
You might want to test each stick singly to confirm that they are good.

 

[drakejest]

Memory controller is on CPU. If two RAM slots not work it is very often due to bent CPU socket pins. Which can happen if you move CPU around, but sometimes all it takes is to over tighten CPU cooler.

With same error code as with one stick on B or D slot?

Yes weirdly enough. it would seem to be A and C are the only working ones. All the error codes i am having is the same : Code 15: "Pre-momeory System Agent inititialization is started" . According to the mannual

I think things are getting worse. So im going in and out of bios and when it restart sometimes i get a no boot (1 stick ram , code 15) though a restart resolve the issue

 

[drakejest]

All of these reasons should have been apparent from day 1.
It is a mystery why they should appear now.

It really took its time. 8 years

1. You have unmatched ram.
Ram is sold in kits for a reason.
A motherboard must manage all the ram using the same specs of voltage, cas and speed.
The internal workings are designed for the capacity of the kit.
Ram from the same vendor and part number can be made up of differing manufacturing components over time.
Some motherboards, can be very sensitive to this.
Ram must be matched for proper operation.

Im not sure if my RAM was a kit or not, i was still very young and dont really know much (8 years ago!) all i wanted back then was to have a 16GB ram which was a lot for the time.

 

[drakejest]

I have reseated the CPU and check the pins. No bent pins as far as i could find .

I will have to go with no-thermal paste for now, while trying to solve the issue.

 

[DRagor]

I have reseated the CPU and check the pins. No bent pins as far as i could find .

I will have to go with no-thermal paste for now, while trying to solve the issue.

No thermal paste is very bad idea.
At this point I'm calling a failing motherboard as the cause of your problems. Especially if it fails to boot sometimes with just one stick.

 

[drakejest]

No thermal paste is very bad idea.
At this point I'm calling a failing motherboard as the cause of your problems. Especially if it fails to boot sometimes with just one stick.

i got it to work with 16 GB again .....

All 16 GB is detected.

The only changed on this setup though is i told the bios to run the memory on 1600MHz instead of auto.

There are weird things though... so whenever i boot up i get greeted by the American Megatrends logo and its telling me that "overclocking failed" and tells me to go into bios. but im not overclocking though my cpu is not even overclockable. It does go away when i go into the bios and just exit directly. I guess it means my RAM but my ram is 1600Mhz though....

Another would be is that my CPU speed is 3.8Ghz when my CPU is onnly supposed to boost to 3.7GHz. Im not sure in the past if its normal that i get to that number. It might just well be that my brain is making unnecessary connection to things.

Something is definitly failing.. will have to start backinng up things. although the hard drives are fine the motherboard might bring it down along when it fails

 

[geofelt]

DO NOT try to run without thermal paste!
Best case, your cpu shuts down in 15 seconds.
Worst case you junk your cpu.

The ram part number you listed is a single 8gb stick.
That is why I think your ram is not from a kit.
If you can get just one ram stick to boot, run memtest on it to verify that that particular stick is good.
Then do the other. If you get even one error on a full pass, rma the ram.
Intel is quite tolerant of unmatched ram so it is no surprise that it used to work.
If you can verify that ram is an issue, it might make sense to just replace it.

More bothersome is the possibility that the motherboard is bad. That will cost you some to replace.
I would consider a defective I7-4770 as a very remote possibility.

What is the make/model of your psu?
A cheap or aged psu can cause strange issues.



Considering the age of all the parts, I would consider it time to build a modern replacement.
Look for a I3-12100 processor to go on sale.
Here is a review:
https://www.tomshardware.com/news/intel-core-i3-12100-12100f-review

 

[geofelt]

Running DDR3 ram faster than 1333 needs ram overclocking to run at 1600 which is the ram spec.
I think that is the overclocking that is being referred to.

Run memtest now, to validate that your ram is ok.


Run cpu-Z to check your motherboard bios level.
0224 is required to properly run a i7-4770 processor.
You should be at that level at least.
Often bios updates address ram compatibility and overclocking issues.

 

[drakejest]

DO NOT try to run without thermal paste!
Best case, your cpu shuts down in 15 seconds.
Worst case you junk your cpu.

The ram part number you listed is a single 8gb stick.
That is why I think your ram is not from a kit.
If you can get just one ram stick to boot, run memtest on it to verify that that particular stick is good.
Then do the other. If you get even one error on a full pass, rma the ram.
Intel is quite tolerant of unmatched ram so it is no surprise that it used to work.
If you can verify that ram is an issue, it might make sense to just replace it.

More bothersome is the possibility that the motherboard is bad. That will cost you some to replace.
I would consider a defective I7-4770 as a very remote possibility.

What is the make/model of your psu?
A cheap or aged psu can cause strange issues.



Considering the age of all the parts, I would consider it time to build a modern replacement.
Look for a I3-12100 processor to go on sale.
Here is a review:
https://www.tomshardware.com/news/intel-core-i3-12100-12100f-review

I will run the test tomorrow when im able to buy thermal paste. Ill have already shut down the pc dont want it to run the cpu hot for long.

I did nnot cheap out on the PSU i got is a silverstone 750W (sorry couldnnt get the model part number is blocked) 80 silver/bronze cant remember

Unfortunatly i cant buy a new computer yet, my current financial situation does not allow me to buy one immediatly. But its definitly on the list now considering it is starting to fail. Hopefully in 3 to 4months tme, perfect for when new CPUs release prices will go down

 

[DRagor]

It really took its time. 8 years

Have you ever replaced mobo battery in those 8 years? If not, I would suggest to do so now. This kind of weird behavior could be caused by failing battery.

 

[geofelt]

Have you ever replaced mobo battery in those 8 years? If not, I would suggest to do so now. This kind of weird behavior could be caused by failing battery.

The motherboard battery is there to preserve bios settings over a full power off and disconnect from the wall.
Unless the pc was unplugged, I would not expect that to be an issue.

If the psu was failing, it could be part of the issue.
Still not a bad suggestion to replace the battery. The usual CR2032 is cheap and easy to replace.

 

[drakejest]

Have you ever replaced mobo battery in those 8 years? If not, I would suggest to do so now. This kind of weird behavior could be caused by failing battery.

good call ! if i remember correct i have done it only once in 8 years.

 

[drakejest]

Did a good clean on the system, repasted the CPU, changed the battery, and reseted the bios.

It boots normally -__-

RAM test shows my ram is perfectly fine

Dont know how long will this last though but definitly a breath of relief.