[SOLVED] Possible faulty memory stick

[Atherak]

Hello,
I have 4 memory sticks G.Skill TridentX 2133 16GB 2x8 CL9, bought separatedly (2 and 2). My MOBO is GA-Z97X-Gaming 5, so no issues here.
I have installed the 4 sticks together and my PC turns on but it stares at black screen, cannot do anything only restart.
Then I have tried the memory sticks one by one and found that one of them is the source of the problem as using it alone the PC turns on but it stares at black screen.

The other memory sticks work fine, individually, in pais and all three together. But I have read that 3 memory sticks working together is not optimal...
What can I do?

Thanks.

 

[jay32267]

Hello,
I have 4 memory sticks G.Skill TridentX 2133 16GB 2x8 CL9, bought separatedly (2 and 2). My MOBO is GA-Z97X-Gaming 5, so no issues here.
I have installed the 4 sticks together and my PC turns on but it stares at black screen, cannot do anything only restart.
Then I have tried the memory sticks one by one and found that one of them is the source of the problem as using it alone the PC turns on but it stares at black screen.

The other memory sticks work fine, individually, in pais and all three together. But I have read that 3 memory sticks working together is not optimal...
What can I do?

Thanks.

You can either try and by another 4th stick and match the specs and hope it works.....or buy another complete set.

 

[Atherak]

You can either try and by another 4th stick and match the specs and hope it works.....or buy another complete set.

So no redemption for the no working stick? I mean, there’s nothing I can do to make it work?

 

[jay32267]

So no redemption for the no working stick? I mean, there’s nothing I can do to make it work?

Well...you could try cleaning the contacts...but if that works...it would be rare (for me at least). This is just how things go sometimes (for me at least...lol). Memory can be very touchy.

 

[Atherak]

Well...you could try cleaning the contacts...but if that works...it would be rare (for me at least). This is just how things go sometimes (for me at least...lol). Memory can be very touchy.

thanks for your time.
I have seen some guys using an eraser for clearing the contacts, is that the way to do it?

 

[jay32267]

thanks for your time.
I have seen some guys using an eraser for clearing the contacts, is that the way to do it?

Yes it is. You can also use rubbing alcohol and a cloth. You can also put rubbing alcohol on q-tip and clean the contacts in the slot....but you seem to already have figured out you don't have a slot problem. At least it's better having a memory problem than a slot problem.

 

[Atherak]

Yes it is. You can also use rubbing alcohol and a cloth. You can also put rubbing alcohol on q-tip and clean the contacts in the slot....but you seem to already have figured out you don't have a slot problem. At least it's better having a memory problem than a slot problem.

I will give it a try, thank you.

is there any problem going with three memory sticks?

 

[jay32267]

I will give it a try, thank you.

is there any problem going with three memory sticks?

You're welcome.

and as long as it works.....no.

....but if you have dual channel...two of the sticks will work in dual channel mode and the third one will work as a single channel....but you may not even notice this.

 

[Atherak]

Yes it is. You can also use rubbing alcohol and a cloth. You can also put rubbing alcohol on q-tip and clean the contacts in the slot....but you seem to already have figured out you don't have a slot problem. At least it's better having a memory problem than a slot problem.

seems that all memory sticks are now working after rubbing the faulty one with alcohol. Hooray!
Now I see the 32gb of ram but the frequency has drop from the expected 2133 to 666.5 as reported by cpu-z.
Any advices on how to recover ram timings?

 

[jay32267]

seems that all memory sticks are now working after rubbing the faulty one with alcohol. Hooray!
Now I see the 32gb of ram but the frequency has drop from the expected 2133 to 666.5 as reported by cpu-z.
Any advices on how to recover ram timings?

I don't have CPUz in front of me....but I think CPUz might report clock speed and not data rate.....so I think really....that RAM is probably running at 1333.

I think you might have got a little lucky with the alcohol. Most of the time that doesn't work for me (because there is actually something wrong with the stick).

Anyway....according to your MB specs...your MB only goes to 1600 without OCing the memory.

https://www.gigabyte.com/Motherboard/GA-Z97X-Gaming-5-rev-10/sp#sp

You may have to go into the BIOS and re-enable XMP.

 

[Atherak]

I don't have CPUz in front of me....but I think CPUz might report clock speed and not data rate.....so I think really....that RAM is probably running at 1333.

I think you might have got a little lucky with the alcohol. Most of the time that doesn't work for me (because there is actually something wrong with the stick).

Anyway....according to your MB specs...your MB only goes to 1600 without OCing the memory.

https://www.gigabyte.com/Motherboard/GA-Z97X-Gaming-5-rev-10/sp#sp

You may have to go into the BIOS and re-enable XMP.

yeah!
Finally I got all things working.
Copied the timings profiles from internet as the mono was giving me incorrect ones. Now it seems that all is working at desired frequencies.
Thank you very much for your help and time 😊

 

[jay32267]

yeah!
Finally I got all things working.
Copied the timings profiles from internet as the mono was giving me incorrect ones. Now it seems that all is working at desired frequencies.
Thank you very much for your help and time 😊

You're welcome.