[SOLVED] My PC won't boot after installing second RAM stick.

[VASIC]

Hi, I'm new here. Recently, I purchased two RAM sticks (8x2) Crucial Ballistix (Sport) 1333MHz.

Only one stick worked properly on my old configuration (i3 2100 and old mobo). I tried inserting two sticks, but the computer will only show a black screen, not even a motherboard manufacturer screen, no beep sounds, nothing. Just black screen. With one stick, everything worked properly. First, I thought it might be a CPU problem, and I changed the CPU to the latest one for my motherboard (i7 3770)—still no luck with RAM. Then, I changed the motherboard entirely, and guess what? Still the same problem. I also changed PSU but no luck.

Now I have an LGA1155 motherboard (Asus P8H61-MX R2.0) with 2 RAM slots, and still the same situation. Now I am also running my configuration on one stick (8GB).
Both RAM sticks were tested when I was purchasing them at the store. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Darkbreeze]

Did both sticks of memory come together in ONE package, or were they separately purchased sticks?

 

[VASIC]

Separately, but sticks are from the same manufacturer and the same model.

 

[Darkbreeze]

Were these new or used?

What is the exact model number of the memory kit or kits?

Starting at the CPU socket and working towards the edge of the motherboard, 1, 2, 3, 4, with 4 being closest to the edge of the motherboard, EXACTLY which two slots are you trying to use them in?

 

[Darkbreeze]

Separately, but sticks are from the same manufacturer and the same model.

This makes no difference. DIMMs not tested together at the factory stand a strong chance of not working together. In some cases, even with the same model number if they were manufactured at different times, they might not even be using the same components to make up the module.

Please read section two in my guide titled "The odd man out (Or mixed memory" located here:

How To - Troubleshooting problems with PC memory (RAM) and XMP profile configurations

In the beginning, there was......BIOS Before you go ANY further, go to the manufacturer product page for your specific motherboard model AND revision. Revision is an important aspect because for any given motherboard there may be more than one version of that model which will be identified...

forums.tomshardware.com

 

[VASIC]

They are used. There are 2 RAM slots on my Motherboard, and only the second slot works.

 

[Mr.Spock]

you've got a couple of issues - Crucial 1333MHZ doesn't appear on the QVL although Transcend (which used Micron chips does). it might be you can't exceed 8GB on the board as well - make sure both DIMM are in the blue or black banks as recommended.

https://dlcdnets.asus.com/pub/ASUS/mb/LGA1155/P8H61-MX/P8H61-MX_DRAM_QVL.pdf

 

[Darkbreeze]

The board supports 16GB. 8GB in each DIMM slot.

QVL list doesn't mean much. MOST memory that is compatible with a given board won't be found on ANY motherboard's QVL list as they only test a very small sampling of what's out there. So not being on the QVL list is no indication of incompatibility. BEING on the QVL list though is a good indication that it IS compatible. Better is using the memory manufacturer's compatibility list, which is far more inclusive and their in house testing is generally much more accurate when it comes to specific board models since it's basically all they do.

Knowing the actual memory kit model will allow us to check for compatibility. Saying "Crucial" memory isn't supported on a given board is never going to be an accurate statement. Specific memory kit model must be known to even have a chance of determining if the kit has been validated for that board or not, which of course, itself, does not make it a certainty that it can't work on a given board either. Only that it hasn't been validated and MIGHT not work on that board.

 

[VASIC]

Thank you. I will look into buying another RAM. One more question, I checked but just in case, can I buy memory with a higher frequency than my board can support?

 

[Darkbreeze]

They are used. There are 2 RAM slots on my Motherboard, and only the second slot works.

Have you tried both DIMMs in the first slot, with nothing in the second slot?

Do you have other memory from before you bought the new memory that you can try in that second slot to see if it works or not?

 

[VASIC]

Yes, they are also working fine in the first slot. Previous RAM was Kingston 2x2, and it worked properly.

 

[Darkbreeze]

Your board supports memory modules up to DDR3 2133mhz BUT I would recommend not going over 1600mhz for this board. On this generation of Intel there are a lot more compatibility concerns and problems getting memory to run at the advertised speed the further above 1600mhz you go and a lot of these systems simply wouldn't use faster memory without either overclocking the CPU or doing a great amount of fiddling in the BIOS with the memory settings. I'd stick to a matched set of 1600mhz DIMMs and I'd look for memory made by G.Skill, Corsair or Crucial for aftermarket memory. Samsung or SK Hynix for OEM type memory. Kingston and Patriot would be last resorts for me.

 

[VASIC]

My CPU supports up to 1600MHz. Thank you for helping.

 

[Darkbreeze]

What the "CPU supports" based on it's specs isn't what can be used on a given board. You need to look at what the motherboard supports and THEN look on the motherboard specs to see if that speed is dependent on CPU model at all, because some newer motherboards only support some higher speeds with specific CPU models, like below i5 supporting only up to 2400mhz on a given board but that same board supporting up to 3200mhz with an i5, i7 or i9. But for most boards, especially older ones like yours, it was almost entirely dependent only on what the motherboard supported and whether it was an unlocked K SKU of CPU.

You can't just look at the CPU specs on the Intel product page and say "Oh, well that's all my CPU will support", because usually that is not true. That is generally only what it "natively" supports and not what it can support with the right motherboard.