CPU Fan Blocking 2 RAM slots - Pls. help!

Aderes Devorah · 15 Sep 2012

Hi all

I recently put a Corsair A50 fan into my AMD PC (Gigabyte 880GM-UD) and it was a massive job because the AMD mounting grip really didn't like the mobo (snapped a bit of it off that needed replacing).

So now it is in, I don't want to pull it out.

But now I want tp push the RAM up to the mobo max (16GB) and I noticed that two of the four RAM slots are literally right under the RAM.

Will my mobo take 2 x 8GB of RAM in the two slots I can get to?

Or will my system become totally unstable?

Cheers if you help me.

AD

Wrend · 15 Sep 2012

Look in the manual, or find it on-line. See what it says your MB and CPU can use.

That's all I would do to find out for you.

Aderes Devorah · 15 Sep 2012

Yeah, I read the whole manual and been on the Gigabyte Web site, and they say nothing about 2x8GB Vs. 4x4GB.

I heard that the former configuration of the two is not as stable because the voltage isn't spread out as much.

Hence my asking...

Layback Bear · 15 Sep 2012

My first though would be turning the cooler and see it that helps. I don't understand the theory of spreading out the voltage. If that was correct every motherboard would need all ram slots filled. You might have to bump the volts a little but their is no way of knowing until it's tried if needed.

TVeblen · 16 Sep 2012

You may need to use low profile RAM modules in those slots.
If you can match the new RAM specs to the old RAM specs exactly you could get away with just buying 2 sticks for under the cooler. But a safer (although more expensive) way would be to buy a complete matching set.

Vengeance® Low Profile

boogieboy · 16 Sep 2012

are your rams High Profile? and whats the height of the Cooler i mean is it higher than your RAM's?

i can only think of taking off the Cooler first and Install the RAM's then put back the cooler again unfortunetely...

boogieboy · 16 Sep 2012

Hmmm i took a look on the images and it seems you have a Cooler with Dual Fans... why not trying taking 1 fan off the cooler that's seated on the RAM's side?

Aderes Devorah · 16 Sep 2012

Thanks all

The cooler isn't designed to be turned around because the heat sink would not fit into the attachment housing.

I'll have to stick with low profile and possibly just use DDR3 slots 3 and 4.

My case is not that big (medium) and the cooler is huge - hence the problem.

Thank you again

AD

linnemeyerhere · 16 Sep 2012

I would try placing your current ram into the hidden slots by releasing the cooler and placing it off to the side for a few moments while you change the ram position then re-attach the cooler. If this works then just purchase an additional two sticks. If not then see approximately how much lower the sticks need to be and determine if a full 4 stick set of lower profile will work.