[SOLVED] *SOLVED* Dual vs. single: 2x4gb running in different channels?

[danielbrown1]

Query regarding RAM slots

Desktop PC. I have 4 slots on my board, two black/two blue. One of each colour slot is broken. I'm using 2x4gb RAM, one in a blue slot and one in a black slot.

1) Is this colour mismatch the reason why it shows ' Channel # Single ' in CPU-Z?

2) Would it be better to have a single 8gb stick instead of two 4gb in the wrong slots?

3) Is it worth replacing the board in order to run the sticks as 'dual channel', in the matching coloured slots like intended? Would I gain a significant boost in memory performance?

Thanks for reading

 

[Barty1884]

1. Yes. Typically "channels" are colour coded.
2. I would assume the difference between 1x8GB or 2x4GB in single channel would be immeasurable.
3. Probably not, no. While dual channel is measurably better, it's not going to be a huge jump - far from enough to justify the cost of a replacement board.

Are you sure the slots are 'broken'? Perhaps reseating the CPU may solve the problem, or you may have bent a socket pin corresponding to the DIMM slots?

 

[danielbrown1]

Are you sure the slots are 'broken'? Perhaps reseating the CPU may solve the problem, or you may have bent a socket pin corresponding to the DIMM slots?

Thanks,

I'm not sure. I had assumed it was due to power surges as the electrical rigging in the house went screwy recently, multiple surges in quick succession. I'll look into taking out the CPU and examining the pins.

1. I haven't touched the CPU at all since building the rig, and the slots did work until recently. Is it still worth checking for bent pins?
2. Shall I consider the slots dead if said methods do not work?

 

[Third-Eye]

One of each colour slot is broken.

What is your CPU? If it's intel, there is a chance the memory slots are not broken and it's actually some bent pins in the CPU socket.

 

[danielbrown1]

What is your CPU? If it's intel, there is a chance the memory slots are not broken and it's actually some bent pins in the CPU socket.

It's Intel. i5-3330. I'll look into taking out the CPU and examining the pins.

The slots did work at one point, and the CPU hasn't been touched at all. How would I have bent any pins?

Thanks

 

[Third-Eye]

It's Intel. i5-3330. I'll look into taking out the CPU and examining the pins.

The slots did work at one point, and the CPU hasn't been touched at all. How would I have bent any pins?

Thanks

Moving the computer around or bumping it can shift the CPU in the socket and sometimes make the pins shift out of position so they dont have good enough contact with the pads on the bottom of the CPU. A lot of times just reseating the CPU will fix the problem and there are no bent pins.

 

[danielbrown1]

Moving the computer around or bumping it can shift the CPU in the socket and sometimes make the pins shift out of position so they dont have good enough contact with the pads on the bottom of the CPU. A lot of times just reseating the CPU will fix the problem and there are no bent pins.

Interesting! Sound quite promising, the tower has taken a few knocks. Will report back.

 

[Third-Eye]

Interesting! Sound quite promising, the tower has taken a few knocks. Will report back.

Don't forget to reapply thermal paste on the CPU when you take off the heatsink. Resuing what is there can cause the system to overheat.

 

[danielbrown1]

well, reseating the CPU has appeared to fix the slots however now my boot drive is dead. when I turn the pc on it boots passed the f8 bios check into screen saying 'reboot and select proper boot device'. devastating, as i only have 50% of data backed up. I'm in the process of creating a windows 10 USB booter in order to reformat.

Any suggestions?

 

[SkyNetRising]

now my boot drive is dead. when I turn the pc on it boots passed the f8 bios check into screen saying 'reboot and select proper boot device'.

Check boot sequence in BIOS.
Check, if all your drives are being detected.

Please list full technical specs of your pc.

 

[Third-Eye]

well, reseating the CPU has appeared to fix the slots however now my boot drive is dead. when I turn the pc on it boots passed the f8 bios check into screen saying 'reboot and select proper boot device'. devastating, as i only have 50% of data backed up. I'm in the process of creating a windows 10 USB booter in order to reformat.

Any suggestions?

Check all your cables and make sure they didn't come loose when messing about inside. Change boot priority for your boot drive in bios.

 

[danielbrown1]

Check boot sequence in BIOS.
Check, if all your drives are being detected.

Please list full technical specs of your pc.

the drive is being detected and the boot order is correct. cables secure.

is it likely this data is lost? planning on going ahead with a reformat tonight.

can't list full specs, limited to phone atm.

P8Z77-U bios version 2203
i5-3330 3ghz ddr3 1600hz

thanks!

 

[Barty1884]

Reseating the CPU (if that's all you did), wouldn't cause this.

It's possible the drive died, but would be one heck of a coincidence.

If the drive is showing up, then it's not completely dead, but the system isn't finding a boot partition...
If you're creating bootable media, you should be able to use the "repair" functionality, and rebuild the boot partition, rather than a reformat.

 

[danielbrown1]

Reseating the CPU (if that's all you did), wouldn't cause this.

It's possible the drive died, but would be one heck of a coincidence.

If the drive is showing up, then it's not completely dead, but the system isn't finding a boot partition...
If you're creating bootable media, you should be able to use the "repair" functionality, and rebuild the boot partition, rather than a reformat.

thanks, will bare this in mind and try repairing first!

I took the CPU out and gently reseated. I did forget to reconnect the boot drive after reseating the CPU, and I attempted to start the pc to (obviously) no avail. onscreen message said 'new CPU detected' and then the boot error which I described previously.

 

[Third-Eye]

thanks, will bare this in mind and try repairing first!

I took the CPU out and gently reseated. I did forget to reconnect the boot drive after reseating the CPU, and I attempted to start the pc to (obviously) no avail. onscreen message said 'new CPU detected' and then the boot error which I described previously.

Turning the system on with the boot drive not connected can sometimes change boot order when it gets reconnected. You need to make sure you have the boot order set properly in bios. Unless your boot drive died somehow, all your data will still be there if all you need to do is a repair. Don't reformat the drive.

 

[Barty1884]

"New CPU" may have reverted any BIOS changes.

Ensure all settings in the BIOS are as they were (CSM, AHCI etc). Chances are, your boot drive is fine

 

[danielbrown1]

Turning the system on with the boot drive not connected can sometimes change boot order when it gets reconnected. You need to make sure you have the boot order set properly in bios. Unless your boot drive died somehow, all your data will still be there if all you need to do is a repair. Don't reformat the drive.

unfortunately the boot order is correct, it's only showing the one hdd I have, the ssd with the OS on. it's #1 in the bios prio list.

I have had this same SSD show the same boot error message (I think) around 2 years ago following a power cut. I shall apply thermal paste tomorrow and attempt a repair using the USB bootable.

thanks all for the advice, much appreciated

 

[danielbrown1]

Nice, you were all right. I had a fiddle around with the boot order and through trial and error I've ended up booting like normal. Dual channel is now also working after reseating.

Cheers everyone!

 

[niisan86]

can daniel perhaps explain why everytime someone gives him advice he says no that cant be, then he says hes tried it, then he says it doesn work, then he says it worked....
1 reseat cpu and remember to use new paste ---- i havent touched it so how can it be cpu
2 reseat cpu, ----- havent touched it but ok!
3 reseat cpu (big explanation) ----- i understand now, ill try that thanks
------------reseated cpu... oh wow it worked for the memory


now my bootdevice is dead

4 check boot order and boot devices listed
5 check if all cables are connected and they didnt come lose, check/change boot priority
------ cables are secure and the device is registered and the boot order is correct
6 then, after people explain the cpu reseat and not having boot device plugged in
------ i forgot to place the boot device (HTF are your cables secure if the boot device isnt even in)
few posts and a day after reseating cpu march 13th he says hell apply new paste tomorrow (will be march 14th)

he mentions a few times he only has the one ssd wich is his boot device and its listed correctly and boot order/priority is fine

he ends the thread with:
THANK YOU , YOU WERE ALL RIGHT!!!
i fiddled around with the boot priority....

you had 1 boot device and it was registering and was listed in boot priority/order correctly
you mentioned this multiple times???!!!
HOW CAN YOU FIDDLE WITH THIS?

did you just lie a bunch of times on a forum thats meant to help you?
did you just disregard warnings and advice a couple of times?

no wonder your pc is in bad shape
its allready a low end pc, add the power surges, the few "knocks" to your tower and your behaviour.
technology is a miracle for working around you!
with a little bad luck you couldnt even get a potato peeled