Question RAM INCOMPATIBLE

[nocoffeenoparty]

So, I just get this old ram HX424C15FB/8 Kingston Hyperx and I read it online that for some reason they don't compatible with my mobo gigabyte ab350 gaming 3, BUT it works everytime I reset CMOS the motherboard by taking out the battery, but every time I restart/shut down my PC and turning it on again, it does not boot and I have to reset CMOS it again does anyone here have any idea why it works and/or any workaround I can do without having to wait for 5 minutes everytime I want to use the memory? Thank you.

 

[Ralston18]

What you describe could be deemed as "incompatible".

Possibly firmware (BIOS).

Refer to the motherboard's User Guide/Manual for compatible RAM. Likely that he User Guide will refer you back to Gigabyte's website for more up-to-date information regarding RAM and the QVL (Qualified Vendors List).

That said, try a new CMOS battery to ensure that your configuration settings are being stored.

Do you have to reset time and date each time?

 

[nocoffeenoparty]

What you describe could be deemed as "incompatible".

Possibly firmware (BIOS).

Refer to the motherboard's User Guide/Manual for compatible RAM. Likely that he User Guide will refer you back to Gigabyte's website for more up-to-date information regarding RAM and the QVL (Qualified Vendors List).

That said, try a new CMOS battery to ensure that your configuration settings are being stored.

Do you have to reset time and date each time?

Yeah, they said the ram went EOL and they sent theirs back to the vendor so they couldn't even try to make it compatible, in simple words "not our problem"

I will try to change the battery to a newer one and update it here later,
and no I don't have to reset time and date, I just pop the battery out, wait for five minutes and it's working, went to the BIOS and it just said that it has been reset, so I just save it and exit as I don't mess with the default settings that much.

Is there anything I can try at least ? Because, I mean Its not that incompatible, it could work without issue after every CMOS reset, and the motherboard should be working with similar or even the same type and specs of the memory, and as BIOS I at least try to downgrade it to the lowest possible since the ram stick is older than the mobo but still no luck there and my current BIOS update, I have the most updated possible without having to update the chip driver and since the ram stick is 5 years old I don't think I could find any luck there.

 

[Ralston18]

When the CMOS battery is removed, the computer "forgets" any end user configuration settings and defaults to manufacturer defaults.

Which apparently do work until you shut down the PC. At that time the CMOS remembers "something" (RAM related) which is not applicable or workable until cleared from CMOS via removing the battery.

Is Powershell installed on your PC?

If so, trying running the following cmdlet:

"Get-WmiObject -Class Win32_BIOS | Format-List *"

Post the results.

Reference:

http://woshub.com/powershell-view-change-bios-settings/

Do not change anything. The objective is to just "gather information".

 

[nocoffeenoparty]

When the CMOS battery is removed, the computer "forgets" any end user configuration settings and defaults to manufacturer defaults.

Which apparently do work until you shut down the PC. At that time the CMOS remembers "something" (RAM related) which is not applicable or workable until cleared from CMOS via removing the battery.

Is Powershell installed on your PC?

If so, trying running the following cmdlet:

"Get-WmiObject -Class Win32_BIOS | Format-List *"

Post the results.

Reference:

http://woshub.com/powershell-view-change-bios-settings/

Do not change anything. The objective is to just "gather information".

I only have the windows version one, is that okay or do I have to install another one?

 

[Ralston18]

Not sure about the wording of "windows version one"....

Use "WIN" + "I" keys to access the Windows Settings screen.

Then click the System icon in the upper left corner of the window.

Next go down the menu list to the bottom and select "About"

There should a listing of Windows specifications near the bottom.

Specifically: Edition, Version, Installed on, and OS build.

That is the information we will use as a starting point.

At this time we do not want to change anything or reinstall windows.

The objective is to first dentify the problem.

===========

Does the following link provide the User Manual for your motherboard?

https://download.gigabyte.com/FileList/Manual/mb_manual_ga-ab350-gaming3_e.pdf

Do verify that I found the correct match.

On physically number Page 6, you will see the Memory specifications. Also note that there is a reference back to Gigabyte's website for more up to date information.

What you can do, and need to do, is to work towards verifying that the installed memory is indeed compatible and workable when installed in the motherboard. You must compare the existing Kingston RAM module specifications to what the motherboard actually supports. Kingston's website may likewise provide some confirmation or caveats regarding the use of the old RAM modules currently installed.

What capacity is each installed RAM module, how many are installed, and in what RAM slots. Are the RAM modules from a matched set?

Compare the existing physical RAM installation and configuration to what is shown in the User Manual: Section 1-4, physically numbered Pages 9 & 10.

 

[nocoffeenoparty]

Not sure about the wording of "windows version one"....

Use "WIN" + "I" keys to access the Windows Settings screen.

Then click the System icon in the upper left corner of the window.

Next go down the menu list to the bottom and select "About"

There should a listing of Windows specifications near the bottom.

Specifically: Edition, Version, Installed on, and OS build.

That is the information we will use as a starting point.

At this time we do not want to change anything or reinstall windows.

The objective is to first dentify the problem.

===========

Does the following link provide the User Manual for your motherboard?

https://download.gigabyte.com/FileList/Manual/mb_manual_ga-ab350-gaming3_e.pdf

Do verify that I found the correct match.

On physically number Page 6, you will see the Memory specifications. Also note that there is a reference back to Gigabyte's website for more up to date information.

What you can do, and need to do, is to work towards verifying that the installed memory is indeed compatible and workable when installed in the motherboard. You must compare the existing Kingston RAM module specifications to what the motherboard actually supports. Kingston's website may likewise provide some confirmation or caveats regarding the use of the old RAM modules currently installed.

What capacity is each installed RAM module, how many are installed, and in what RAM slots. Are the RAM modules from a matched set?

Compare the existing physical RAM installation and configuration to what is shown in the User Manual: Section 1-4, physically numbered Pages 9 & 10.

No, I meant theres an app called Windows PowerShell installed on my PC, not sure it does the same thing with what you wanted me to do....


Yes thats my motherboard and the user manual, and I have already checked that my ram is not at the memory compatibility list and theres also someone mentioned online that they have the same issue, BUT theres almost identical memory from kingston that compatible with the motherboard HX424C15FB2/8 while my memory stick is HX424C15FB/8 and the only differences on the spec is that the one that compatible has 350ns(min) Refresh to Active/Refresh Command Time (tRFCmin) and is dual rank while mine is 260ns(mins) and single rank while every other specs are identical, and its the same case for HX424C15FB/16 (the 16gigs version of my ram) have 350ns refresh time too, is there anything we can do about it?


the ram is 2x8gb and I have to install it on the 3&4 slot (the ones nearest to the CPU) in order for it to work after I CMOS boot the motherboard everytime, while the motherboard manual recommends that its should be installed at the 1&2 slot for dual channel.

 

[Ralston18]

Yes: Use Powershell.

You should be able to open it up and paste in "Get-WmiObject -Class Win32_BIOS | Format-List *" (without quotes) and then "Enter".

Remember: The reason for running that cmdlet is to learn about BIOS.

=========

As for memory: "almost identical" and "only differences on the spec" could well be the problem.

Motherboards and RAM combinations are complex...

Details matter and any seemingly minor difference can create a functional problem. May or may not be known or documented. Sometimes there are "happy" co-incidences where some difference in details results in something working when it supposedly should not.

For the most part, if the memory specs themselves and the physical installation are not in accordance with the respective manufacturer's documentation then the memory will either not work or will work with some bizarre problems such as you are experiencing.

Overall doubt that anything can be done about it.

Someone else following this thread may be able to suggest some tweak to try. I have no problem with that.

 

[nocoffeenoparty]

okay, I entered the command and got this :


PSComputerName : DESKTOP-CDN6IML
Status : OK
Name : BIOS Date: 06/16/17 14:57:23 Ver: 05.0000C
Caption : BIOS Date: 06/16/17 14:57:23 Ver: 05.0000C
SMBIOSPresent : True
__GENUS : 2
__CLASS : Win32_BIOS
__SUPERCLASS : CIM_BIOSElement
__DYNASTY : CIM_ManagedSystemElement
__RELPATH : Win32_BIOS.Name="BIOS Date: 06/16/17 14:57:23 Ver: 05.0000C",SoftwareElementID="BIOS D
ate: 06/16/17 14:57:23 Ver: 05.0000C",SoftwareElementState=3,TargetOperatingSystem=0,V
ersion="ALASKA - 1072009"
__PROPERTY_COUNT : 31
__DERIVATION : {CIM_BIOSElement, CIM_SoftwareElement, CIM_LogicalElement, CIM_ManagedSystemElement}
__SERVER : DESKTOP-CDN6IML
__NAMESPACE : root\cimv2
__PATH : \\DESKTOP-CDN6IML\root\cimv2:Win32_BIOS.Name="BIOS Date: 06/16/17 14:57:23 Ver: 05.000
0C",SoftwareElementID="BIOS Date: 06/16/17 14:57:23 Ver: 05.0000C",SoftwareElementStat
e=3,TargetOperatingSystem=0,Version="ALASKA - 1072009"
BiosCharacteristics : {7, 11, 12, 15...}
BIOSVersion : {ALASKA - 1072009, BIOS Date: 06/16/17 14:57:23 Ver: 05.0000C}
BuildNumber :
CodeSet :
CurrentLanguage : en|US|iso8859-1
Description : BIOS Date: 06/16/17 14:57:23 Ver: 05.0000C
EmbeddedControllerMajorVersion : 255
EmbeddedControllerMinorVersion : 255
IdentificationCode :
InstallableLanguages : 15
InstallDate :
LanguageEdition :
ListOfLanguages : {en|US|iso8859-1, zh|CN|unicode, zh|CN|unicode, ru|RU|iso8859-5...}
Manufacturer : American Megatrends Inc.
OtherTargetOS :
PrimaryBIOS : True
ReleaseDate : 20170616000000.000000+000
SerialNumber : Default string
SMBIOSBIOSVersion : F7
SMBIOSMajorVersion : 3
SMBIOSMinorVersion : 0
SoftwareElementID : BIOS Date: 06/16/17 14:57:23 Ver: 05.0000C
SoftwareElementState : 3
SystemBiosMajorVersion : 5
SystemBiosMinorVersion : 12
TargetOperatingSystem : 0
Version : ALASKA - 1072009
Scope : System.Management.ManagementScope
Path : \\DESKTOP-CDN6IML\root\cimv2:Win32_BIOS.Name="BIOS Date: 06/16/17 14:57:23 Ver: 05.000
0C",SoftwareElementID="BIOS Date: 06/16/17 14:57:23 Ver: 05.0000C",SoftwareElementStat
e=3,TargetOperatingSystem=0,Version="ALASKA - 1072009"
Options : System.Management.ObjectGetOptions
ClassPath : \\DESKTOP-CDN6IML\root\cimv2:Win32_BIOS
Properties : {BiosCharacteristics, BIOSVersion, BuildNumber, Caption...}
SystemProperties : {__GENUS, __CLASS, __SUPERCLASS, __DYNASTY...}
Qualifiers : {dynamic, Locale, provider, UUID}
Site :
Container :