Windows 7: DIMM4 Slot Freeze Help

Hello everyone, I have a problem I've been trying to get to the bottom of. I have 4 x 2GB sticks of Corsair XMS DDR1600 RAM. one pair at 8-8-8-24 and one pair at 9-9-9-24. The mobo underclocks them to 1333Mhz @ 1.5V by default although they can be run at 1600 @ 1.65V. When I run them all, no matter which one of the pair is in the 4th DIMM slot, the BIOS freezes and I have to restart. I have not tried clocking them @ 1600 MHz. I have tested each DIMM individually and they are all perfectly functional.

Is this a bad motherboard issue? Or an incompatibility issue?

Hello there, it depends.

Since you have different RAM modules, that could be the problem.

Even though, since no matter which RAM module is on the 4th dimm slot, it could be a damaged slot.

Run memtest86+ and try every single RAM in the 4th module to see if any errors shows up. if nothing shows up, then use every single RAM module in every DIMM slot to ensure everything is working OK.

Do that and report back, please

Ok, I will do that when I get home. I should probably also mention the following scenarios:

Running all 4: Minor instability in Windows but no crashing/BSODS
Running 1 pair + 1 in 3rd slot: BSOD upon loading Windows

OK, based on you testing scenarios, i'm guessing it's a motherboard's issue, BUT nonetheless, mixing RAM modules could be also the problem.

Before all the test with memtest86+, do the following:

1) test DIMMs 1/2 with one set of RAM (the 8-8-8-24 ones), let the bios automatically adjust the timings and voltages
2) same as above but adjust the timings yourself on the BIOS to the RAM specs
3) test DIMMs 3/4 with the same RAM set (8-8-8-24) and do both, automatically adjust and adjust timings on BIOS

Then, do the same 3 tests, but with the other RAM set (9-9-9-24) write down every single result and then post back with them

That way we could determine if it's an specific RAM set or if it has something to do with the fact that you mixed different RAMs.

have you looked at the ram with this excellent program?

LINK PassMark RAMMon - Identify RAM type, speed & memory timings

RAMMon

no I have not. I will make sure to do both when I get home.

its very detailed and will show timings etc give you idea what you are using should help you.

Try and set the timings so they are the same (at least have the same CAS). Put the CAS 8 ones in first and set the timings for CAS9 like the remaining. Just a hunch but your MB may already be doing this for you. If you are not using one of the RAM profiles, try using it in the BIOS, then add the others. If different timings are being used for the two sets that could be the problem.

ok well memtest didnt show any errors for both sets of RAM but I've been experiencing BSODs and system crashes.

020711-8703-01.dmp
2/7/2011 9:11:08 PM
0x00000116
fffffa80`063d4010
fffff880`105c123c
ffffffff`c000009a
00000000`00000004
x64 C:\Windows\Minidump\020711-8703-01.dmp 4 15 7600 262,144

020711-8375-01.dmp
2/7/2011 6:21:51 PM
0x00000124
00000000`00000000
fffffa80`049778f8
00000000`00000000
00000000`00000000
ntoskrnl.exe ntoskrnl.exe+4a587c
NT Kernel & System Microsoft® Windows® Operating System
Microsoft Corporation 6.1.7600.16617 (win7_gdr.100618-1621)
x64 C:\Windows\Minidump\020711-8375-01.dmp 4 15 7600 262,144

020711-9656-01.dmp
2/7/2011 6:19:07 PM
0x00000116
fffffa80`063b6010
fffff880`1043a23c
ffffffff`c000009a
00000000`00000004
dxgkrnl.sys dxgkrnl.sys+5cef8
x64 C:\Windows\Minidump\020711-9656-01.dmp 4 15 7600 563,592

I'm really starting to suspect my motherboard is just in fact shot. Its weird though because when I CAN get it to boot into windows, I can play games at max settings no problem, not even the slightest bit of hitching. No artifacts/distorted graphics, no freezeups. But when it doesn't want to boot into windows its a nightmare.

124 is usually memory controller related. 116 GPU related. Is this with just 3/4 of your memory operational. Does it BSOD with just 1/2 of your memory (of the same kind)?

Have you tried to configure the memory at the same timings 9-9-9-24? All memory should be at the same timing.

It could be also be a power problem (which in turn could be a MB problem).