TWIN2X2048-6400C4 - Yesterday I booted fine with 2 sets, now I can only boot one

[degroffd]

Hello,

 

I am currently running an MSI P6N SLI Platinum motherboard. At the beginning of the week I was using one set of TWIN2X2048-6400C4 memory without problem. I ordered another set of TWIN2X2048-6400C4, installed it and booted up just fine. It has now been approximately 5 days with both sets of memory functioning normally. I will note at this time, that I have noticed that the revisions are slightly different (2.1 and 6.2 of the same model)

 

Today, however, I am unable to boot with both sets of RAM installed (the computer has not been changed since last successful boot). The MSI P6N SLI comes with a diagnostic LED which indicated it was getting stuck testing memory size. That led me to try taking out the new set of RAM.

 

- After taking out the new set, my computer boots normally.

- After putting the new set back in and taking out the old set, my computer boots normally.

- If both sets are put in, my computer will not boot.

 

What could have changed since last night (the last time I successfully booted both sets of ram) that would keep my system from booting and how can I fix this?

 

Any help you can offer would be greatly appreciated.

 

Thanks!

[DerekT]

The only memory Corsair supports in a four DRAM slot population is their Quad kits. This does not mean two dual kits or even worse two dual kits of different versions will not work together, just that you have no recourse to RMA Corsair if they do not work together. If there are problems with the DRAM modules, they are still supported via lifetime warranty, but that is for physical defects and errors in a two stick kit mode. Matched Quad sets are highly binned modules for a four slot population. The Dual sets are tested as a kit, not a Quad and warranted as a dual kit, not a Quad setup. You need to Memtest them as Kits (2 modules, not as a four DRAM slot population). If they fail as a kit or singly, then you have RMA. Keep in mind that there is no support for mixing and matching different versions of DRAM either since different version are of different fabrications and/or manufacturers. They might work, they might not work, but you have no support if they do not work. Thus you are advised to buy all the DRAM at the same time and in this way be more assured of getting the same versions. If you buy online, be sure to specify same versions of the modules and do not expect even then that they will work and again, no support unless you purchase a quad kit.

 

For a four DRAM slot population of 800Mhz DRAM you are advised to drop the bandwidth to 667Mhz and raise the NB Voltage +.2v.

 

Please research this thread:

 

http://www.houseofhelp.com/v3/showthread.php?t=64360&highlight=Unpredictable+results+QUAD2X4096+Gigabyte+X38-DS5

 

There is a limitation of the On Motherboard (Intel) memory controller or On CPU (AMD) and a population of all four banks at the full speed of a two bank run. This limitation is across the board with both AMD and Intel chipset based boards, DDR, DDR2 and DDR3.

 

Keep in mind that often issues can arise in the longer term even though you have shorter term stability. The issues seldom damage the DRAM unless you raise the DRAM voltage too high. They damage the on CPU (AMD) memory controller which has a harder time keeping up with the demands of a four DRAM slot population being run as fast as a two DRAM slot population.

[degroffd]

Thank you for your kind reply. I would seem that my research was insufficient prior to order a second Dual kit. Live and learn, right?

 

Time for some learning then.

 

I attempted to follow your direction (to see if I could manage to get the 2 Dual kits working as they were yesterday).

 

I dropped my Memory Frequency from 800 MHz to 667 MHz and upped by NB voltage from 2.25 to 2.45. The memory voltage was set to auto, so I changed that to manual and specified a memory voltage of 2.1 (what seemed to be indicated on the spec sheet).

 

Unfortunately, my system would not post with these settings - even if I only used 1 Dual kit (which worked prior to these settings). I restored the BIOS Defaults.

 

The following is puzzling me greatly:

 

Just for "kicks", I mixed the two kits so that each channel had one part of each kit. I expected this to fail utterly. For some reason, however, my system did post with both of the kits installed in this manner. Obviously it resulted in a fair amount of instability and I wasn't able to do much more than login to my OS. It just seems unbelievable that it would post with the pairs mixed but not with them installed "correctly".

 

I realize I'm "grasping at straws" here. For now I've gone back to using just one of my Dual kits and things are working normally - can you think of anything else that may have caused my machine to stop posting overnight when using 2 dual kits (other than that it's not intended to work to begin with?)

[DerekT]

Please enter Here and document your system hardware components being as specific as possible and I will give you some instructions to see if you can get your system back to working with 8GB.

[degroffd]

Thanks for your time and energy. I have updated my system specs. to the best of my knowledge. Hopefully it will be sufficient and thanks again.

[DerekT]

Download CPU-z from

Here

.

Download Memtest86+ Version 2.11 from--->

Here

and extract the ISO image. Burn the ISO image to an CD-ROM disk.

 

Perform a hard reset to clear any BIOS stack corruption issues.

1. Shut the system down
   
2. Remove the power cord
   
3. Remove the CMOS Battery
   
4. Set the CMOS_CLR Jumper to On
   
5. Press the power button for 10 seconds
   
6. Let sit for 10 minutes
   
7. Set the CMOS_CLR Jumper to Off
   
8. Insert the CMOS Battery
   
9. Insert the Power Cord
   

Insert a single stick of DRAM in Slot 1 (Closest to the CPU). Restart and enter your BIOS and Load Setup Defaults. Save Setup Defaults and set to these values:

Cell Menu

D.O.T. Control = Disabled
Intel EIST = Disabled
System Clock Mode = Auto

Advance DRAM Configuration

DRAM Timing Mode = Manual
CAS Latency (CL) = 4
tRCD =  4
tRP = 4
tRAS = 12
tRRD = Auto
tRC = Auto
tWR = Auto
tWTR = Auto
tREF = Auto
1T/2T Memory Timing = 2T

CPU Voltage = Auto
DRAM Voltage = 2.10v
NB Voltage = 1.5v
SB Voltage = 1.55v

After setting to these values, save them and shut down. Insert the second stick in the third slot and restart. Allow to boot and shut down. Insert the third stick in the second slot and restart. Allow to boot and shut down. Insert the last stick in the fourth slot and restart. Boot to the Memtest ISO. Run Memtest for two full passes, then (If Stable), enter Windows and post screenshots of CPU-z's CPU, Memory and SPD tabs.

 

Results?

[degroffd]

Thank you for your detailed instructions. I will follow them ASAP and post my results.

 

Thanks again for your time and energy - they are greatly appreciated!

[DonB]

Sorry to hear about your problems but maybe there's hope. I run a MSI K9N4 SLI. Like you, I began with a Corsair TWIN 2X2048-6400C4 G kit. They were in DIMM 1 & 3. Almost a year later, since my sale price combined with the rebate made it almost free, I added a TWIN2X2048-6400C4DHX kit.

 

Again, like you, the revision differences were the same but the new kit is a slightly different model being DHX with the huge heat sinks. CPU-Z gives Week/Year of 23/06 for the first kit and 11/08 for the second kit.

 

I installed these new modules into DIMM 2 & 4. The computer booted, recognized the memory and windoze XP gave me the correct info. I never even had to enter the bios setup. This was more than three weeks ago and it's still doing fine. It's stable as a rock

 

Good luck with your memory.

[DerekT]

Sure thing.

 

Let us know how it goes.

 

Thank you for your detailed instructions. I will follow them ASAP and post my results.

 

Thanks again for your time and energy - they are greatly appreciated!

[degroffd]

Thanks again for your detailed steps, I followed them through as closely as possible with only minor confusion on SB voltage settings as noted later.

 

I successfully performed a hard reset of all BIOS settings.

I inserted 1 DRAM chip and changed the BIOS settings as recommended. I was unable to change the SB voltage from 1.5 to 1.55 as it only used increments of .1 so I repeated the entire procedure twice, once at 1.5 and once at 1.6 with the same results

My system booted successfully with 1 chip, 2 chips and 3 chips.

When I add the 4th chip I cannot even POST (not to mention boot). I have tried switching which chips I add and it doesn't matter which chip I install 4th, I get the same results. I verified that I can successfully boot with DRAM chips in slots 2 and 4 (to ensure that the slot itself is not faulty).

 

Since I cannot post with all 4 DRAM chips, I am unable to boot memtest (or anything else).

 

The "D-Bracket" diagnostic LEDs that came with the motherboard indicate that the post process is stuck at "Memory Detection Test. Testing onboard memory size. The D-LED will hang in the memory module is damaged or not installed properly." Very puzzling as my computer booted fine for an entire week with all 4 chips installed with "auto" settings.

 

Any more ideas - they would be greatly appreciated.

 

Thanks again.

 

 

Download CPU-z from

Here

.

Download Memtest86+ Version 2.11 from--->

Here

and extract the ISO image. Burn the ISO image to an CD-ROM disk.

 

Perform a hard reset to clear any BIOS stack corruption issues.

1. Shut the system down
   
2. Remove the power cord
   
3. Remove the CMOS Battery
   
4. Set the CMOS_CLR Jumper to On
   
5. Press the power button for 10 seconds
   
6. Let sit for 10 minutes
   
7. Set the CMOS_CLR Jumper to Off
   
8. Insert the CMOS Battery
   
9. Insert the Power Cord
   

Insert a single stick of DRAM in Slot 1 (Closest to the CPU). Restart and enter your BIOS and Load Setup Defaults. Save Setup Defaults and set to these values:

Cell Menu

 

D.O.T. Control = Disabled

Intel EIST = Disabled

System Clock Mode = Auto

...

 

Results?

[DerekT]

Shut the system down. Insert one stick in slot one (closest to the CPU) and boot to the Memtest CD. Run Memtest for two full passes. Shut the system down. Remove the first stick and insert it in slot two. Repeat memtest. Shut the system down. Remove the first stick and insert it into slot three and repeat memtest. Do the same for the last slot. You have now tested one stick and all four slots. Shut the system down and remove the first stick. Insert the second stick in slot one. Retest. Shut the system down and remove the second stick and insert the third stick in slot one. Repeat Memtest. Do the same with the last stick. You have now tested all four sticks.

 

Now test for the Dual Channel Mode function of the memory controller. Insert a stick in slot one and three and memtest. Remove the set and insert the second set in slot two and four and memtest.

 

Results?