Question Pc won't start with 2 sticks of ram but it will with just 1

[1337Skrjabin]

So i stumbled upon this problem that if i use 1 stick of ram in the closest slot to the cpu, pc starts normally. But if i put another sitck of ram into the 2nd slot (mboard got only 2 slots) or even if i put a single stick of ram into the 2nd slot, pc wont start. It reboots infinitely without getting to post. Each ram stick works well in the 1st slot so it can't be the problem.
So i wanted to ask if this issue could be caused by a cpu or it's just a motherboard thing? Any ways of fixing it that you could thing of? Thanks in advance guys

 

[Rogue Leader]

What motherboard, CPU, and Ram?

Have you tried resetting the CMOS?

 

[1337Skrjabin]

What motherboard, CPU, and Ram?

Have you tried resetting the CMOS?

motherboard is msi h97-m e35, cpu is i5 4590 and 4 sticks of pretty much identical hyperx 8gb ram
i tried resetting the cmos after pc didn't start with 2 sticks of ram for the first time

 

[Rogue Leader]

motherboard is msi h97-m e35, cpu is i5 4590 and 4 sticks of pretty much identical hyperx 8gb ram
i tried resetting the cmos after pc didn't start with 2 sticks of ram for the first time

Ok thanks for that. Theres 3 possibilities here I'll go from most to least likely

Most: bent pin in the CPU socket. if a pin is bent and not making full contact it could cause memory issues.

Medium: Motherboard is failing. Could be any number of issues with the slot or traces between the CPU and slot.

Least: CPU memory controller is failing. Highly unlikely, ultra rare issue.

We know the memory is good because it all works in slot 1. So we can knock that out. I am assuming you just built this? Maybe you bent a pin?

 

[1337Skrjabin]

Ok thanks for that. Theres 3 possibilities here I'll go from most to least likely

Most: bent pin in the CPU socket. if a pin is bent and not making full contact it could cause memory issues.

Medium: Motherboard is failing. Could be any number of issues with the slot or traces between the CPU and slot.

Least: CPU memory controller is failing. Highly unlikely, ultra rare issue.

We know the memory is good because it all works in slot 1. So we can knock that out. I am assuming you just built this? Maybe you bent a pin?

i'm quiet sure that none of the pins are bent.
I've had issues of this kind before, that pc won't start with some combinations of ram slots and i had to find the combo with which it will start by putting ram sticks in different slots, seeing if it'll work. Different mboard, same cpu. So i won't be surprised if something is wrong with the cpu.
I just got this motherboard from a guy for a cheap price and it's never been used in a pc build before. We agreed that i'd be able to make a refund if something is gonna be wrong. Assuming the fact that i have no way to test it with other cpu, i guess i'll hand this mboard back.
Thanks for your help

 

[1337Skrjabin]

Ok thanks for that. Theres 3 possibilities here I'll go from most to least likely

Most: bent pin in the CPU socket. if a pin is bent and not making full contact it could cause memory issues.

Medium: Motherboard is failing. Could be any number of issues with the slot or traces between the CPU and slot.

Least: CPU memory controller is failing. Highly unlikely, ultra rare issue.

We know the memory is good because it all works in slot 1. So we can knock that out. I am assuming you just built this? Maybe you bent a pin?

Tho i found a thread with a problem similar to mine and this is a highlighted solution. But unfortunetly, i can't figure out what some of it means. Maybe you could tell me what stands for "ps" and what pins are meant to be switched/closed on mb to clear the capacitors.

1. un-plug PS from wall.
2. remove MB battery
3. place jumper pins OR push switch on MB to clear the capacitors... for ~2 mins
4. remove Jumper/switch connection.
5. re-install battery
6. plug monitor into the MB or video card output.
7. plug in PS to wall
8. Boot computer.

 

[Rogue Leader]

Tho i found a thread with a problem similar to mine and this is a highlighted solution. But unfortunetly, i can't figure out what some of it means. Maybe you could tell me what stands for "ps" and what pins are meant to be switched/closed on mb to clear the capacitors.

1. un-plug PS from wall.
2. remove MB battery
3. place jumper pins OR push switch on MB to clear the capacitors... for ~2 mins
4. remove Jumper/switch connection.
5. re-install battery
6. plug monitor into the MB or video card output.
7. plug in PS to wall
8. Boot computer.

Those are instructions to manually reset the CMOS. PS is PSU, meaning unplug the system from the wall, pull the CMOS battery, wait a couple minutes, put it back in, plug the system back in and boot it up. Some motherboards have a reset CMOS jumper, you can do that instead of removing the battery, but from what I can tell I don't think your board has that.

 

[1337Skrjabin]

Those are instructions to manually reset the CMOS. PS is PSU, meaning unplug the system from the wall, pull the CMOS battery, wait a couple minutes, put it back in, plug the system back in and boot it up. Some motherboards have a reset CMOS jumper, you can do that instead of removing the battery, but from what I can tell I don't think your board has that.

So pulling the battery off for a couple of seconds and then pulling it back won't do the whole "cmos reset" trick?

 

[Rogue Leader]

So pulling the battery off for a couple of seconds and then pulling it back won't do the whole "cmos reset" trick?

System needs to be UNPLUGGED from the wall, I'd also wait longer than a few seconds.