[SOLVED] System crashes on dual channel, but not on single channel

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Feb 27, 2020
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My PC is a year old, self-assembled. Ten days ago, it started crashing without BSOD, and it goes into a POST loops right away for many times before stopping. I manually start the PC, and it POST loops a couple of times before successfully loading Windows 10. I noticed that my case fan lights were reset, so I restarted again to go into BIOS, and it shows that BIOS was reset to default. I ran a memtest86 with the default 4 passes: no errors. After the memory test, I stopped suspecting the RAM. The crashes continued, I tried without my GPU, tried flashing BIOS, ran Intel Processor Diagnostics to test my CPU (passed), checked SSD health with crystaldiskinfo and Intel SSD app, and checked system files. Nobody really looked like the suspect here.

As the days went by, I noticed that the crashes were coming earlier and earlier.
The very first time it crashed, I had been using my PC for multiple hours. Recently, it crashes after not more than 10 minutes into YouTube on fHD, and nearly instantly when loading into the lobby of a game(first crash was couple of minutes into a game match). I also began to notice that it doesn't crash while watching Twitch livestreams, but will definitely crash in YouTube, and loading the lobby of a game. At this point I began to suspect the RAM.

I took out 1 stick of RAM, and I can load 30minute YouTube videos, it also doesn't crash when going into the lobby of the game. I repeated this single-stick test for the other stick, and it also appeared to be stable. I put in both sticks back, in the same slots, and the crashes came back. I switched the 2 sticks from A2 B2 to A1 B1, and the crashes remained.

To me it appears that in dual channel, my RAM can't seem to handle beyond a certain amount of stored memory and crashes, from how YouTube lasts less than 10 minutes, but Twitch seems fine, and how loading into the game lobby (the game uses up about 1800mb of memory) crashes near instantly
Single channel does not seem to crash(maybe I'm not stressing the RAM hard enough yet?). I'm not exactly sure what is wrong. I've seen a similar thread suggest that the motherboard maybe the problem, the CPU cooler maybe installed badly, or a faulty CPU. Is there any other components that could be causing these crashes?

Specs:
Gigabyte Z390 Aorus Elite rev. 1.0
I3-8350k
Gskill 2x8GB at 2666mhz
Zotac rtx 2070 mini
Cooler master 650w psu

Key points:
-Crash resets BIOS by itself
- RAM seems to crash PC after a certain amount of memory is used (only in dual channel and not in single channel)
-PC in use for one year only with minimal issues
-RAM no error in memtest86 4 passes



Really sorry for the super long post, I tried to include everything I observed since I do not have spare pc parts to isolate the problem. Thanks alot for your time!
 
Hey there,

Exactly what kind of crashes are you getting? BSOD's, or random restarts, where the PC just shuts down and starts again by itself, with no warning?

Are you OC'ing any parts? CPU/GPU/ram? If so run at stock and try again.

It's possible it's the PSU. What model CM is it?
 
Feb 27, 2020
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Hey there,

Exactly what kind of crashes are you getting? BSOD's, or random restarts, where the PC just shuts down and starts again by itself, with no warning?

Are you OC'ing any parts? CPU/GPU/ram? If so run at stock and try again.

It's possible it's the PSU. What model CM is it?

The crash gives no BSOD (something like an instant power down) and the BIOS will reset itself each crash. It POST loops after crashing and stops. I need to manually restart it again, it will POST loop couple times before loading Windows. BIOS has been stock. It looks like it crashes whenever a certain amount of memory is used up in the RAM.
PSU is CM 650w MWE Gold
Thanks
 
Feb 27, 2020
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recheck game files for error and name of the game also see it gpu have latest driver and stress test psu .
I have checked game files (apex legends) even clean uninstalled both game and game launcher Origin, and used Display Driver Uninstaller, reinstalled GPU drivers and tried running without GPU, PC crashes remain. The problem here is that it crashes in YouTube in no more than 10minutes without fail, as well as when ram usage is high, while ram is on dual channel, but single stick does not crash my pc under same conditions.
 
Feb 27, 2020
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full virus and malwares scan at start up if you could something is hoging your gpu power .
I have done full malware scans with hitmanpro(sophos), malwarebytes, Windows defender, both in standard Windows as well as safemode. I just don't understand what is causing my pc to crash with 2 sticks of ram, but not with 1 stick. I should also add that when crashing, I monitored all temps thru a hardware monitor app to be normal at about 40c
 

scout_03

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you might have a bent pins on cpu or board ram slot is defective how the bios detect ram you might try to use some other compatible ram on your board to confirm board issue .
 
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Feb 27, 2020
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I don't have spare ram modules to test sadly :/. I will stress test psu and check the cpu pins tmr, and possibly bring my RAM to my local distributor for them to check on their system.
Thank you for all the help so far!
you might have a bent pins on cpu or board ram slot is defective hoe the bios detect ram you might try to use some other compatible ram on your board to confirm board issue .
 
Feb 27, 2020
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The distributor tested my ram faulty and sent it for service. I guess the occasional game frame freezes with audio track on loop were early signs of failing ram..
 
Feb 27, 2020
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Update, i got new ram while my current ram is sent for RMA/repair. PC lasted couple days with no problems. Then today it crashed the exact same way as before, and bios reset by itself... It looks like something in my PC is destroying the ram over time. I really have no idea whats going on anymore..:(
 
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