Built New 'puter... Continued ---> Is it the RAM or the MB?

  • Thread starter Thread starter kxdude4
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kxdude4

Hey all!

I was having a problem installing XP and thought you all helped me
figure it out - after another day and a half of trying everything I
found the problem but still don't have the solution!!! First of all,
the H-Ware:

Gigabyte P35C-DS3R Motherboard
Corsair DDR2 1066 MEM 1Gx2|COR 240P TWIN2X2048-8500C5
The above is a pair of 1 gig sticks and I purchased 2
packs for 4 sticks and 4 gigs of RAM

Here's the problem:
With all 4 sticks of all the same memory correctly in their slots the
computer simply will not function well enough to install XP ((changed
every BIOS setting imaginable - default and minimal settings as well
as Manual combinations (not just speed but voltage for HWare), used 2
diff. DVD's, copied to HD to install... on and on...))

The result/Solution:

TWO sticks (2 Gigs) of memory only, make it stable. 4 sticks crashes
it. What confuses me is that ANY 2 sticks work! And any 2 can be put
in either bank on the MB!
All memory works if there are only 2 sticks in use, and both MB banks
work if only populated by two sticks!

So is my problem the Motherboard or the memory? Or is this MB/Memory
combo just a bad combo? How can I tell?

Thanks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 
kxdude4 said:
Here's the problem:
With all 4 sticks of all the same memory correctly in their slots the
computer simply will not function well enough to install XP ((changed
every BIOS setting imaginable - default and minimal settings as well
as Manual combinations (not just speed but voltage for HWare), used 2
diff. DVD's, copied to HD to install... on and on...))

The result/Solution:

TWO sticks (2 Gigs) of memory only, make it stable. 4 sticks crashes
it. What confuses me is that ANY 2 sticks work! And any 2 can be put
in either bank on the MB!
All memory works if there are only 2 sticks in use, and both MB banks
work if only populated by two sticks!

So is my problem the Motherboard or the memory? Or is this MB/Memory
combo just a bad combo? How can I tell?
Click to expand...


To me it just seems like a bad combo.
 
kxdude4 said:
Hey all!

I was having a problem installing XP and ... you all helped me
figure it out -
Click to expand...

To press a key when Windows says "press any key to boot from CD".
after another day and a half of trying everything I
found [another] problem
Click to expand...
With all 4 sticks of all the same memory correctly in their slots
the computer simply will not function well enough to install XP
((changed every BIOS setting imaginable - default and minimal
settings as well as Manual combinations (not just speed but voltage
for HWare), used 2 diff. DVD's, copied to HD to install... on and
on...))

The result/Solution[/workaround]:

TWO sticks (2 Gigs) of memory only, make it stable. 4 sticks
crashes it. What confuses me is that ANY 2 sticks work! And any 2
can be put in either bank on the MB!
All memory works if there are only 2 sticks in use, and both MB
banks work if only populated by two sticks!
Click to expand...

Have you read the manual???????????????
 
kxdude4 said:
Hey all!

I was having a problem installing XP and thought you all helped me
figure it out - after another day and a half of trying everything I
found the problem but still don't have the solution!!! First of all,
the H-Ware:

Gigabyte P35C-DS3R Motherboard
Corsair DDR2 1066 MEM 1Gx2|COR 240P TWIN2X2048-8500C5
The above is a pair of 1 gig sticks and I purchased 2
packs for 4 sticks and 4 gigs of RAM

Here's the problem:
With all 4 sticks of all the same memory correctly in their slots the
computer simply will not function well enough to install XP ((changed
every BIOS setting imaginable - default and minimal settings as well
as Manual combinations (not just speed but voltage for HWare), used 2
diff. DVD's, copied to HD to install... on and on...))

The result/Solution:

TWO sticks (2 Gigs) of memory only, make it stable. 4 sticks crashes
it. What confuses me is that ANY 2 sticks work! And any 2 can be put
in either bank on the MB!
All memory works if there are only 2 sticks in use, and both MB banks
work if only populated by two sticks!

So is my problem the Motherboard or the memory? Or is this MB/Memory
combo just a bad combo? How can I tell?

Thanks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Click to expand...

I am probably teaching you to suck eggs here but hey,

have you tried installing 2 x 1G into a pair of DDRII slots (Yellow) then
install XP.

after installation of the OS, install the other 2 x 1G sticks into the other
pair of DDRII slots (Red)

NOTE: Under 32 bit XP less than 4GB will show up in the
system..........possibly 3.25GB as in my case.

Note the Green slots are for DDR3 ram.
 
Hey all!

I was having a problem installing XP and thought you all helped me
figure it out - after another day and a half of trying everything I
found the problem but still don't have the solution!!! First of all,
the H-Ware:

Gigabyte P35C-DS3R Motherboard
Corsair DDR2 1066 MEM 1Gx2|COR 240P TWIN2X2048-8500C5
The above is a pair of 1 gig sticks and I purchased 2
packs for 4 sticks and 4 gigs of RAM

Here's the problem:
With all 4 sticks of all the same memory correctly in their slots the
computer simply will not function well enough to install XP ((changed
every BIOS setting imaginable - default and minimal settings as well
as Manual combinations (not just speed but voltage for HWare), used 2
diff. DVD's, copied to HD to install... on and on...))

The result/Solution:

TWO sticks (2 Gigs) of memory only, make it stable. 4 sticks crashes
it. What confuses me is that ANY 2 sticks work! And any 2 can be put
in either bank on the MB!
All memory works if there are only 2 sticks in use, and both MB banks
work if only populated by two sticks!

So is my problem the Motherboard or the memory? Or is this MB/Memory
combo just a bad combo? How can I tell?

Thanks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Click to expand...

Hi, Try checking the jumper setting on the motherboard check the
manual.
 
kxdude4 said:
Hey all!

I was having a problem installing XP and thought you all helped me
figure it out - after another day and a half of trying everything I
found the problem but still don't have the solution!!! First of all,
the H-Ware:

Gigabyte P35C-DS3R Motherboard
Corsair DDR2 1066 MEM 1Gx2|COR 240P TWIN2X2048-8500C5
The above is a pair of 1 gig sticks and I purchased 2
packs for 4 sticks and 4 gigs of RAM

Here's the problem:
With all 4 sticks of all the same memory correctly in their slots the
computer simply will not function well enough to install XP ((changed
every BIOS setting imaginable - default and minimal settings as well
as Manual combinations (not just speed but voltage for HWare), used 2
diff. DVD's, copied to HD to install... on and on...))

The result/Solution:

TWO sticks (2 Gigs) of memory only, make it stable. 4 sticks crashes
it. What confuses me is that ANY 2 sticks work! And any 2 can be put
in either bank on the MB!
All memory works if there are only 2 sticks in use, and both MB banks
work if only populated by two sticks!

So is my problem the Motherboard or the memory? Or is this MB/Memory
combo just a bad combo? How can I tell?

Thanks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Click to expand...

On the previous generation, the Gigabyte board was messed up until they
fixed the BIOS. It can take up to five BIOS releases, before all the
kinks are worked out of a motherboard, so this should not be surprising.

How many BIOS releases has the board had so far ?

Also, it is a Gigabyte. To quote a Newegg reviewer:

"use ctrl+f1 to enter advanced memory timings"

Have a look in there. I'd start by installing the four sticks, then
dropping the memory clock until the board passes memtest86+ without errors.

Paul
 
kxdude4 said:
Hey all!

I was having a problem installing XP and thought you all helped me
figure it out - after another day and a half of trying everything I
found the problem but still don't have the solution!!! First of all,
the H-Ware:

Gigabyte P35C-DS3R Motherboard
Corsair DDR2 1066 MEM 1Gx2|COR 240P TWIN2X2048-8500C5
The above is a pair of 1 gig sticks and I purchased 2
packs for 4 sticks and 4 gigs of RAM

Here's the problem:
With all 4 sticks of all the same memory correctly in their slots the
computer simply will not function well enough to install XP ((changed
every BIOS setting imaginable - default and minimal settings as well
as Manual combinations (not just speed but voltage for HWare), used 2
diff. DVD's, copied to HD to install... on and on...))

The result/Solution:

TWO sticks (2 Gigs) of memory only, make it stable. 4 sticks crashes
it. What confuses me is that ANY 2 sticks work! And any 2 can be put
in either bank on the MB!
All memory works if there are only 2 sticks in use, and both MB banks
work if only populated by two sticks!

So is my problem the Motherboard or the memory? Or is this MB/Memory
combo just a bad combo? How can I tell?

Thanks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Click to expand...

The fact that you can access the BIOS, and start an XP install indicates
that the hardware is functional, but there's something XP doesn't like.
How far into the XP installation are you getting? Make sure the memory
remap for 4 GB is turned off, it's for 64 bit OS's only.

Something else to try, is run it with 3 sticks. The first 2 GB will still
run
in dual channel mode and the 3rd GB will run in single channel mode,
so any perfomance decrease will only happen when memory in the 3rd
GB is being accessed which for most applications will be rare.

Memory voltage autosensing can be unreliable, so set the RAM
voltage to Corsair's specs.
 
Do not even attempt the xp install until you have made sure that the ram
is working right. Use memtest86+ to double check and burn in the system
for 24 hours, otherwise you are wasting your time...

Are the 4 sticks the same? are they a "matched set"? It's best if they
are, tho not absolutely manditory. But DO put matched pairs in the
paired-slots, usually 2 of one color and 2 of another. You may need to
tweak up the ram voltage one or two steps, even when not overclocking.
Double check that the MoBo is using the right timings: check the stick's
timings, both in the SPD (what the bios reads) and on any label on the
sticks (often the label has faster specs than the SPD, in which case you
will need to enter these optimum timings by hand); the sticks shd do what
the label says they can do, that's what they sold you on.
 
To me it just seems like a bad combo.
Click to expand...

The Corsair Memory (exact ones I purchased) is specifically referenced
by the Gigabyte site.

Please go to my post after I answer all these responses - and THANKS
TO ALL for the input!!!
 
kxdude4 said:
Hey all!

I was having a problem installing XP and ... you all helped me
figure it out -
Click to expand...

To press a key when Windows says "press any key to boot from CD".
after another day and a half of trying everything I
found [another] problem
Click to expand...
With all 4 sticks of all the same memory correctly in their slots
the computer simply will not function well enough to install XP
((changed every BIOS setting imaginable - default and minimal
settings as well as Manual combinations (not just speed but voltage
for HWare), used 2 diff. DVD's, copied to HD to install... on and
on...))

The result/Solution[/workaround]:

TWO sticks (2 Gigs) of memory only, make it stable. 4 sticks
crashes it. What confuses me is that ANY 2 sticks work! And any 2
can be put in either bank on the MB!
All memory works if there are only 2 sticks in use, and both MB
banks work if only populated by two sticks!
Click to expand...

Have you read the manual???????????????
Click to expand...

Of course I read the manual!! I did internet searches, visited Tom's
Hardwares site as well as others! Tried an exhaustive number of BIOS
combinations, switched memory pairs (ALL are the same memory)... BUt
THANKS for the reply!!


Please go to my post after I answer all these responses - and THANKS
TO ALL for the input!!!
 
I am probably teaching you to suck eggs here but hey,

have you tried installing 2 x 1G into a pair of DDRII slots (Yellow) then
install XP.

after installation of the OS, install the other 2 x 1G sticks into the other
pair of DDRII slots (Red)

NOTE: Under 32 bit XP less than 4GB will show up in the
system..........possibly 3.25GB as in my case.

Note the Green slots are for DDR3 ram.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the reply! My system shows 3.5GB but I expected that -
everything I've read in the last week or so let me know that with a
32-bit OS 4 GB's are the max and Win will be a bit funky in reporting
the memory (it's a chip deal). I looked into XP 64 bit but the
problem with apps is almost as bad as Vista...

Anyway, I spent all day (literally) testing RAM and changing settings.
Please go to my last post in this thread 'cause I'm gonna try and sum
up for all the people that responded. For you, in a nut shell, 2
sticks in almost any combination worked. It's the 4 sticks of all the
same memory that presents a problem!

THANKS bud!
 
On the previous generation, the Gigabyte board was messed up until they
fixed the BIOS. It can take up to five BIOS releases, before all the
kinks are worked out of a motherboard, so this should not be surprising.
Click to expand...

This is a new MB and they just came out with the F2 release (F1 being
the first). I flashed the BIOS just in case mine was corrupt but to
no avail. And the Gigabyte web site said that the improvement was in
DDR3 and I have DDR2......
How many BIOS releases has the board had so far ?
Click to expand...

Second one.. read above.
Also, it is a Gigabyte. To quote a Newegg reviewer:

"use ctrl+f1 to enter advanced memory timings"

Have a look in there. I'd start by installing the four sticks, then
dropping the memory clock until the board passes memtest86+ without errors.
Click to expand...

memtest86+ was helpfull... Please go to my post after I answer all
these responses - and THANKS for the input!!!
 
How far into the XP installation are you getting? Make sure the memory
remap for 4 GB is turned off, it's for 64 bit OS's only.
Click to expand...

I couldn't find "remap.." in the BIOS and I've been thru it all for
HOURS on end now! I have Award BIOS...

Something else to try, is run it with 3 sticks. The first 2 GB will still
run
in dual channel mode and the 3rd GB will run in single channel mode,
so any perfomance decrease will only happen when memory in the 3rd
GB is being accessed which for most applications will be rare.

Memory voltage autosensing can be unreliable, so set the RAM
voltage to Corsair's specs.
Click to expand...

Please go to my post after I answer all these responses -

I DID do what you suggested above - it seems that EVERYTHING works in
any combination except all 4 sticks at once.....

Thanks for the reply!!!
 
Do not even attempt the xp install until you have made sure that the ram
is working right. Use memtest86+ to double check and burn in the system
for 24 hours, otherwise you are wasting your time...

Are the 4 sticks the same? are they a "matched set"? It's best if they
are, tho not absolutely manditory. But DO put matched pairs in the
paired-slots, usually 2 of one color and 2 of another. You may need to
tweak up the ram voltage one or two steps, even when not overclocking.
Double check that the MoBo is using the right timings: check the stick's
timings, both in the SPD (what the bios reads) and on any label on the
sticks (often the label has faster specs than the SPD, in which case you
will need to enter these optimum timings by hand); the sticks shd do what
the label says they can do, that's what they sold you on.
Click to expand...


Thanks for the memtest86+ info! I used it and I'm still in a quandry!
And all the RAM is identical as I stated in my first post!

The memory is set to the corsair specs and this particular memory is
on the Vendor List from Gigabyte for this MB.

Please go to my post after I answer all these responses - and THANKS
TO ALL for the input!!!
 
Hey all!

I just replied to each individually but the TOTAL update I thought
would be better if done all at once!

Based on:
Gigabyte P35C-DS3R Motherboard
Corsair DDR2 1066 MEM 1Gx2|COR 240P TWIN2X2048-8500C5
The above is a pair of 1 gig sticks and I purchased 2
packs for 4 sticks and 4 gigs of RAM --
ALL MEMORY IS IDENTICAL!!! AND on the vendor list for this board!



I got XP to finally install without a hitch when I only used 2 sticks
of memory - but there's still a problem with more of THE IDENTICAL
sticks of memory!



I used memtest86+ to test the memory and:

2 sticks in the first bank/module work (not Duel channel).

2 sticks in the second bank/module work (not Duel channel)

1 stick in each YELLOW interface works (Duel channel)

1 stick in each RED interface works!!!! (Duel channel)

2 sticks in each of the yellow and one in the first red work fine!!!

(And ALL STICKS were TESTED in the various channels and they worked
fine!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!)


But, here's the problem... ALL 4 sticks together are instantly error
prone in XP and even worse, when memtest86+ is used to test all 4
sticks of identical memory, there is NOTHING BUT errors! It begins
running with errors!!!

My first thought was that the second red receptical in the second bank
was bad but then why would it do fine in the dual channel red-red test
with 2 sticks?

WTF?!?!?!?!? And the Corsair 1066 memory is on Gigabyte's vender list
- exact memory number...


The Memory is certified by Gigabyte.
Each stick tests perfectly in "less than all 4" combinations.
All 4 Motherboard memory slots work fine if only 2 sticks are present
(no matter what slot's they're in".)


SO... What the HECK!!!!

Memory tests good.
MB does fine in ALL but one combo.
BIOS are up to date

IS IT the MEMORY or the MB?!?!?!?!??!?!?!?



Thanks to all for the input! I just don't know what to send back
first!!!!

Take Care!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 
kxdude4 said:
I couldn't find "remap.." in the BIOS and I've been thru it all for
HOURS on end now! I have Award BIOS...



Please go to my post after I answer all these responses -

I DID do what you suggested above - it seems that EVERYTHING works in
any combination except all 4 sticks at once.....

Thanks for the reply!!!
Click to expand...

I have that just installed 4 GB Corsair (2 x (2 x 1GB matched pairs)) into
an Intel D975XBXD2 MoBo with no problems and while you can get any
combination of only 2 sticks working, I would go for a MoBo error. But
that's just my opinion.

dj
 
IS IT the MEMORY or the MB?!?!?!?!??!?!?!?
Click to expand...

If it runs at it's spec'd timings and frequency with 2
modules, it is the motherboard.

BTW, this is not so uncommon, many boards would have errors
if their owners populated them with 4 large modules, but
most people don't populate with 4 large modules. For this
reason, if you plan on using 4 it is good to buy them all at
once so if there is a problem as you observed, you can
return the memory and try something else.

If this memory is exactly as spec'd by Gigabyte as working,
you should contact Gigabyte and see if they can either
resolve this with a bios update, board revision change, or
at least remove the memory from their list.
 
Are you trying to install a version of XP that already has the service packs
on it?
 
kxdude4 said:
Hey all!

I was having a problem installing XP and thought you all helped me
figure it out - after another day and a half of trying everything I
found the problem but still don't have the solution!!! First of all,
the H-Ware:

Gigabyte P35C-DS3R Motherboard
Corsair DDR2 1066 MEM 1Gx2|COR 240P TWIN2X2048-8500C5
The above is a pair of 1 gig sticks and I purchased 2
packs for 4 sticks and 4 gigs of RAM

Here's the problem:
With all 4 sticks of all the same memory correctly in their slots the
computer simply will not function well enough to install XP ((changed
every BIOS setting imaginable - default and minimal settings as well
as Manual combinations (not just speed but voltage for HWare), used 2
diff. DVD's, copied to HD to install... on and on...))

The result/Solution:

TWO sticks (2 Gigs) of memory only, make it stable. 4 sticks crashes
it. What confuses me is that ANY 2 sticks work! And any 2 can be put
in either bank on the MB!
All memory works if there are only 2 sticks in use, and both MB banks
work if only populated by two sticks!

So is my problem the Motherboard or the memory? Or is this MB/Memory
combo just a bad combo? How can I tell?

Thanks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Click to expand...
Built in limitations in Microsoft, of 3GB RAM maximum addressable, will
cause that.

You could verify by grabbing a Linux LiveCD rom and booting it, first
with 2 GB RAM, then, shutdown, and install all 4 GB of RAM, and boot the
live CD again.

If it runs fine, then the trouble is the Microsoft OS!
http://www.mepis.org

If not, then you have issues with the DDR2 compatiblity on that chipset
on that MB. hth
 
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