[SOLVED] RAM Upgrade Causes Blue/Green lines and Freeze on Startup

[Quinn88]

Hey y'all,

I've had an HP Pavilion Gaming Laptop for almost exactly a year now. It came with 8gb RAM, 2 x 4 strips. I am trying to upgrade it to 16gb, 2 x 8 strips. The strips match the previous ones (DDR4, PC4) and I bought two identical strips from a Best Buy that a specialist recommended for my laptop. I've checked my system, windows, and drivers, all can handle the upgrade. However, every time I put in both 8gb strips, the laptop freezes on the restart screen and gets either red, blue, purple, or green lines/pixels. I have tested both 8gb strips and their sockets, all are fine. I currently have one 4gb strip and one 8gb strip in as I write this and everything is working fine, the system has registered the upgrade to 12gb. I tested every possible combination of 4 and 8 to see if one of the strips is faulty or one of the sockets is messed up, but every combination of 4 and 8 works. I ran every HP diagnostic I could find and nothing seems to be wrong, except for the fact that I can't even get to the login screen when both 8gb strips are in.

Please help. I would take it to the Geek Squad, but I am currently quarantining and cannot leave the house. Thanks

 

[Quinn88]

Also, I realize I may just have to wait and bring it to Geek Squad, but is there any danger to running a 4gb and 8gb strip at the same time? I've heard varying opinions on doing so being okay or dangerous.

 

[Bob.B]

Hey y'all,

I've had an HP Pavilion Gaming Laptop for almost exactly a year now. It came with 8gb RAM, 2 x 4 strips. I am trying to upgrade it to 16gb, 2 x 8 strips. The strips match the previous ones (DDR4, PC4) and I bought two identical strips from a Best Buy that a specialist recommended for my laptop. I've checked my system, windows, and drivers, all can handle the upgrade. However, every time I put in both 8gb strips, the laptop freezes on the restart screen and gets either red, blue, purple, or green lines/pixels. I have tested both 8gb strips and their sockets, all are fine. I currently have one 4gb strip and one 8gb strip in as I write this and everything is working fine, the system has registered the upgrade to 12gb. I tested every possible combination of 4 and 8 to see if one of the strips is faulty or one of the sockets is messed up, but every combination of 4 and 8 works. I ran every HP diagnostic I could find and nothing seems to be wrong, except for the fact that I can't even get to the login screen when both 8gb strips are in.

Please help. I would take it to the Geek Squad, but I am currently quarantining and cannot leave the house. Thanks

Check the HP site for any bios or chipset driver updates.

If you update test the 8GB sticks again.

The 4+8 should work fine....keyword 'should'.
Grab a copy of memtest86 and run a pass....no errors allowed.

 

[Deleted member 14196]

You bought two separate sticks. Needed to buy a kit of two in one set