Windows won't boot with 8gb ever since Radeon 6950 was installed

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Pkirkby

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Hi, I got a problem with my ram ever since I installed my new Radeon 6950 card. I can only use 6gb of ram (1 in slot 1, 1 in slot 3 and 1 in slot 4) I can't seem to have all four sticks in at once, and I don't think it's actually the slot itself malfunctioning. Also, the ram is all the same, and worked perfect before the new GFX card, and they are all functioning properly.

This happened instantly after I installed my new card, and hasn't worked since. I have 600w power supply so I don't think it has anything to do with the power supply.

I need some serious help here, because I've been up and down forums all over the internet and can't find a fix. Any help appreciated, thanks.
 

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windows 7 ultimate 64 bitati radeon 6950
OS
windows 7 ultimate 64 bit
Motherboard
gigabyte
Graphics Card(s)
ati radeon 6950
Hard Drives
3
is there any configuration in which ram does work in slot 2 right now?
 

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Windows 7 x64Intel i7 2600kG.skill Ripjaw 16gigs @ 1866Nvidia gtx580 (evga)
Computer Manufacturer/Model Number
Insane hobo technologies. ;-)
OS
Windows 7 x64
CPU
Intel i7 2600k
Motherboard
Asrock z68 extreme 4 gen 3
Memory
G.skill Ripjaw 16gigs @ 1866
Graphics Card(s)
Nvidia gtx580 (evga)
Sound Card
Integrated HD audio + hdmi
Monitor(s) Displays
24" ASUS widescreen + 42" insignia
Screen Resolution
1080p (1920x1080)
Hard Drives
128 Samsung 830
256 Samsung 840
3 x 1tb storage drive (various)
1 western digital 1tb (eSATA)
1 Seagate 1tb (eSATA)
PSU
1 kilowatt SLI/Crossfire rated Silverstone modular
Case
NZXT Phantom + additional 220 fan
Cooling
Zalmann
Keyboard
Microsoft wireless 3000 (v2)
Mouse
MS - wireless 5000 (bluetrack)
Internet Speed
depends on if you ask me or my provider.
Other Info
The above information is provided as is, and the author assumes no responsibility for issues it may cause with your sanity or fanboyism.
No, last I checked this was the only way I could get it to work, I know it sounds like a damaged slot, but I really don't think it is. Is there a good way to test that?
 

My Computer My Computer

At a glance

windows 7 ultimate 64 bitati radeon 6950
OS
windows 7 ultimate 64 bit
Motherboard
gigabyte
Graphics Card(s)
ati radeon 6950
Hard Drives
3
Yes, put 1 stick in slot and try booting.
 

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Windows 7 Ultimate X64 SP1Intel i5-2550K, Differing ~4.4-4.8GHz No buil...16GB G.Skill Sniper 1866MHz @ 2133MHz 2x8GBASUS GTX650TIB-DC2OC-2GD5, (650TI Boost)
Computer type
PC/Desktop
Computer Manufacturer/Model Number
Home Built Desktop By DataTech
OS
Windows 7 Ultimate X64 SP1
CPU
Intel i5-2550K, Differing ~4.4-4.8GHz No built in GPU
Motherboard
ASUS P8Z68-V PRO/GEN3
Memory
16GB G.Skill Sniper 1866MHz @ 2133MHz 2x8GB
Graphics Card(s)
ASUS GTX650TIB-DC2OC-2GD5, (650TI Boost)
Sound Card
Onboard Realtek 5-1
Monitor(s) Displays
Samsung P2570HD
Screen Resolution
1920x1080
Hard Drives
Samsung 840 Pro 256GB SSD for OS, 500GB Seagate Constellation (Enterprise drive) for Data
PSU
Corsair HX650W
Case
Inwin Dragon Rider
Cooling
Hyper 212 EVO w/two Noctua fans, push-pull, @1300 RPM
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E-Z Eyes, bright yellow keys with large characters
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steelseries SENSEI Laser Pro Gaming
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48-51Mbs Mbs down, 11 Mbs up Xfinity Cable
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Norton Internet Security 2013
Browser
IE 10, Opera, Pale Moon if needed
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4 case fans, LG BluRay-RE, ASUS DVD-RW, Mr. Fusion power supply, 1.21 gigawatts.
Right...lol. I'll do that when I get the chance and get back to you asap, thanks.
 

My Computer My Computer

At a glance

windows 7 ultimate 64 bitati radeon 6950
OS
windows 7 ultimate 64 bit
Motherboard
gigabyte
Graphics Card(s)
ati radeon 6950
Hard Drives
3
It could also be a result of a need to update the bios.
You may want to look into that as well
(assuming the above suggestion works)
 

My Computer My Computer

At a glance

Windows 7 x64Intel i7 2600kG.skill Ripjaw 16gigs @ 1866Nvidia gtx580 (evga)
Computer Manufacturer/Model Number
Insane hobo technologies. ;-)
OS
Windows 7 x64
CPU
Intel i7 2600k
Motherboard
Asrock z68 extreme 4 gen 3
Memory
G.skill Ripjaw 16gigs @ 1866
Graphics Card(s)
Nvidia gtx580 (evga)
Sound Card
Integrated HD audio + hdmi
Monitor(s) Displays
24" ASUS widescreen + 42" insignia
Screen Resolution
1080p (1920x1080)
Hard Drives
128 Samsung 830
256 Samsung 840
3 x 1tb storage drive (various)
1 western digital 1tb (eSATA)
1 Seagate 1tb (eSATA)
PSU
1 kilowatt SLI/Crossfire rated Silverstone modular
Case
NZXT Phantom + additional 220 fan
Cooling
Zalmann
Keyboard
Microsoft wireless 3000 (v2)
Mouse
MS - wireless 5000 (bluetrack)
Internet Speed
depends on if you ask me or my provider.
Other Info
The above information is provided as is, and the author assumes no responsibility for issues it may cause with your sanity or fanboyism.
Yeah, I think I did that a while back when I first got the problem, I suppose I should try again, what's the best way to do that?
 

My Computer My Computer

At a glance

windows 7 ultimate 64 bitati radeon 6950
OS
windows 7 ultimate 64 bit
Motherboard
gigabyte
Graphics Card(s)
ati radeon 6950
Hard Drives
3
If you still have the old video card you can test the (bad?) slot by reinstalling the card and all the RAM. If all four sticks work with the old card then you can reasonably assume the slot is good.

But it certainly sounds like a power issue. There are many kinds of power issues.

It would help greatly if we knew:

  • Brand and model number of old card and new card.
  • Brand and model number of the power supply
  • Brand of the BIOS (AMI or Award or Phoenix).
It could be that you just need to increase the voltage to the RAM slots to overcome a motherboard shortfall.
It could also be that the power supply is defective and is cutting out on increased demand.

Tests will be needed to determine which.
 

My Computer My Computer

At a glance

Windows 7 64 Bit Home Premium SP1i7-3820GSkill F3-14900CL9Q - 16GBEVGA GeForce GTX660 - Driver 352.86
Computer type
PC/Desktop
Computer Manufacturer/Model Number
Home Built - Jan 2013
OS
Windows 7 64 Bit Home Premium SP1
CPU
i7-3820
Motherboard
Asus P9X79-PRO - Bios 4608
Memory
GSkill F3-14900CL9Q - 16GB
Graphics Card(s)
EVGA GeForce GTX660 - Driver 352.86
Sound Card
On board Realtek ALC898
Monitor(s) Displays
Acer S271HL
Screen Resolution
1920 x 1080
Hard Drives
#1- Samsung 840 Pro Series
#2- Western Digital WD1002FAEX Sata3 Black
#3- Western Digital WD1002FAEX Sata3 Black
PSU
Corsair CMPSU-850TX-V2 - 850 watt (by Seasonic)
Case
Corsair Obsidian 550D
Cooling
Standard 3 120mm case fans, Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO
Keyboard
MS KC-0405
Mouse
Intellimouse 5-button
Internet Speed
56 Mbits/Sec (on a good day)
Antivirus
Avast & Malwarebytes
Browser
Firefox
Other Info
Asus DVD - DRW-24B1ST 24X
Okay, so I've determined that slot 2 probably doesn't work, since I put 1 stick in it by itself and my computer doesn't even boot. Here are my specs:

Windows 7 Home Premium 64 bit
Gigabyte Motherboard P55A-UD3P
600w power supply, not sure of the make.
My video card is a radeon 6950

Now I'm just looking at my system info and it says total installed memory: 6GB, physical memory: 4GB, available memory: 2.36GB. So I'm guessing that I'm just running with 4GB of ram, rather than 6GB. Is that because the ram must be paired to work properly?
 

My Computer My Computer

At a glance

windows 7 ultimate 64 bitati radeon 6950
OS
windows 7 ultimate 64 bit
Motherboard
gigabyte
Graphics Card(s)
ati radeon 6950
Hard Drives
3
No, the RAM will 'work properly' regardless of the configuration. If you install 1GB of RAM in one slot the system will recognize and use 1GB of RAM in Single Channel Mode. If you add another 1GB stick the system will recognize and use 2GB of RAM in Dual Channel Mode. If you add a 3rd 1GB stick the system will recognize and use 3GB of RAM in Single Channel Mode.

Single channel mode uses all of the installed memory using the normal system bus bandwidth. Dual channel mode simple doubles the bandwidth. It does not affect the amount of memory installed, reported, or used.

Your motherboard manual recommends
"If only one DDR3 memory module is installed, it is recommended to install it in the DDR3_1 or DDR3_3 sockets."
​
That means the system may not boot with only one stick installed in Slot DDR3_2 by design. You can test this by populating DDR3_1, DDR3_3, and then DDR3_2.
 

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My Computer My Computer

At a glance

Windows 7 64 Bit Home Premium SP1i7-3820GSkill F3-14900CL9Q - 16GBEVGA GeForce GTX660 - Driver 352.86
Computer type
PC/Desktop
Computer Manufacturer/Model Number
Home Built - Jan 2013
OS
Windows 7 64 Bit Home Premium SP1
CPU
i7-3820
Motherboard
Asus P9X79-PRO - Bios 4608
Memory
GSkill F3-14900CL9Q - 16GB
Graphics Card(s)
EVGA GeForce GTX660 - Driver 352.86
Sound Card
On board Realtek ALC898
Monitor(s) Displays
Acer S271HL
Screen Resolution
1920 x 1080
Hard Drives
#1- Samsung 840 Pro Series
#2- Western Digital WD1002FAEX Sata3 Black
#3- Western Digital WD1002FAEX Sata3 Black
PSU
Corsair CMPSU-850TX-V2 - 850 watt (by Seasonic)
Case
Corsair Obsidian 550D
Cooling
Standard 3 120mm case fans, Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO
Keyboard
MS KC-0405
Mouse
Intellimouse 5-button
Internet Speed
56 Mbits/Sec (on a good day)
Antivirus
Avast & Malwarebytes
Browser
Firefox
Other Info
Asus DVD - DRW-24B1ST 24X
Well I've determined that 1 stick of ram will work by itself in slot 1 and slot 4, my computer did not boot with it in slot 3, and the computer actually powers down and reboots (and repeats) if I put it in slot 2 .

Is this a sign of incorrect voltage going to my DDR3_2 slot? If so, how can I adjust it correctly?
 

My Computer My Computer

At a glance

windows 7 ultimate 64 bitati radeon 6950
OS
windows 7 ultimate 64 bit
Motherboard
gigabyte
Graphics Card(s)
ati radeon 6950
Hard Drives
3
Also I'll mention that I've downloaded and extracted the latest bios for my MB and it didn't help anything.
 

My Computer My Computer

At a glance

windows 7 ultimate 64 bitati radeon 6950
OS
windows 7 ultimate 64 bit
Motherboard
gigabyte
Graphics Card(s)
ati radeon 6950
Hard Drives
3
Pkirkby said:
Well I've determined that 1 stick of ram will work by itself in slot 1 and slot 4, my computer did not boot with it in slot 3, and the computer actually powers down and reboots (and repeats) if I put it in slot 2 .

Is this a sign of incorrect voltage going to my DDR3_2 slot? If so, how can I adjust it correctly?
Click to expand...

No, I think it is what TVeblen was referring to; it is by design that it works that way.
 

My Computer My Computer

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Windows 7 Home Premium 64 BitIntel(R) Core(TM)2 Quad CPU Q9550 @ 2.83GHz6.00 GB Hundai HMT125U6BFR8C-H9ATI Radeon HD 4850
Computer Manufacturer/Model Number
HP Pavilion e9110t
OS
Windows 7 Home Premium 64 Bit
CPU
Intel(R) Core(TM)2 Quad CPU Q9550 @ 2.83GHz
Motherboard
Pegatron IPIEL-LA3
Memory
6.00 GB Hundai HMT125U6BFR8C-H9
Graphics Card(s)
ATI Radeon HD 4850
Sound Card
Realtek High Definition Audio/ATI High Definition Audio
Monitor(s) Displays
Acer AL2216W
Screen Resolution
1680x1050
Hard Drives
Hitachi HDP725050GLA360 ATA Device 500 GB
PSU
Unknown/installed by HP
Case
HP generic case
Cooling
Intel Stock Cooling
Keyboard
HP Keyboard
Mouse
HP Mouse
Internet Speed
Download: 19.15 Mbps Upload: 1.67 Mbps
Other Info
Network Adapter Realtek RTL8168D/8111D Family PCI-E Gigabit Ethernet NIC (NDIS 6.20)
Network Adapter 802.11n Wireless PCI Express Card LAN Adapter
Yeah, by design I understand that, just was mentioning that it wasn't working that way. I was just curious though why no ram will work in DIMM slot 2, if it's incorrect voltage how do I fix it? And does that sound like the problem.
 

My Computer My Computer

At a glance

windows 7 ultimate 64 bitati radeon 6950
OS
windows 7 ultimate 64 bit
Motherboard
gigabyte
Graphics Card(s)
ati radeon 6950
Hard Drives
3
Pkirkby said:
Yeah, by design I understand that, just was mentioning that it wasn't working that way. I was just curious though why no ram will work in DIMM slot 2, if it's incorrect voltage how do I fix it? And does that sound like the problem.
Click to expand...

Is there any way for you to go back to how the hardware was configured pre Radeon 6950? I would be curious to see if it is the graphics card causing the problem or if the motherboard developed a short during the installation of the card.
 

My Computer My Computer

At a glance

Windows 7 Home Premium 64 BitIntel(R) Core(TM)2 Quad CPU Q9550 @ 2.83GHz6.00 GB Hundai HMT125U6BFR8C-H9ATI Radeon HD 4850
Computer Manufacturer/Model Number
HP Pavilion e9110t
OS
Windows 7 Home Premium 64 Bit
CPU
Intel(R) Core(TM)2 Quad CPU Q9550 @ 2.83GHz
Motherboard
Pegatron IPIEL-LA3
Memory
6.00 GB Hundai HMT125U6BFR8C-H9
Graphics Card(s)
ATI Radeon HD 4850
Sound Card
Realtek High Definition Audio/ATI High Definition Audio
Monitor(s) Displays
Acer AL2216W
Screen Resolution
1680x1050
Hard Drives
Hitachi HDP725050GLA360 ATA Device 500 GB
PSU
Unknown/installed by HP
Case
HP generic case
Cooling
Intel Stock Cooling
Keyboard
HP Keyboard
Mouse
HP Mouse
Internet Speed
Download: 19.15 Mbps Upload: 1.67 Mbps
Other Info
Network Adapter Realtek RTL8168D/8111D Family PCI-E Gigabit Ethernet NIC (NDIS 6.20)
Network Adapter 802.11n Wireless PCI Express Card LAN Adapter
No, I don't own the old card anymore, it could be a short, but I was hoping someone would tell me more about the voltages to each slot, what are they supposed to be and how do I fix it assuming that is the issue.
 

My Computer My Computer

At a glance

windows 7 ultimate 64 bitati radeon 6950
OS
windows 7 ultimate 64 bit
Motherboard
gigabyte
Graphics Card(s)
ati radeon 6950
Hard Drives
3
You adjust the voltages in your BIOS settings. I do not use a modern AWARD BIOS, so I can't help you with the exact settings, but you normally increase the voltage to the DRAM Core or DRAM Bus in very small increments and test between each change.

It is always a good idea to do a little reading in some overclockers forums to get a feel for what you are doing.

You could also make a new post here in SevenForums in the "Overclocking & Case Mods" forum to try and get a step by step. Tell them your motherboard brand and model number and the specs on the RAM modules (or brand and model number) so they know what they are dealing with.
 

My Computer My Computer

At a glance

Windows 7 64 Bit Home Premium SP1i7-3820GSkill F3-14900CL9Q - 16GBEVGA GeForce GTX660 - Driver 352.86
Computer type
PC/Desktop
Computer Manufacturer/Model Number
Home Built - Jan 2013
OS
Windows 7 64 Bit Home Premium SP1
CPU
i7-3820
Motherboard
Asus P9X79-PRO - Bios 4608
Memory
GSkill F3-14900CL9Q - 16GB
Graphics Card(s)
EVGA GeForce GTX660 - Driver 352.86
Sound Card
On board Realtek ALC898
Monitor(s) Displays
Acer S271HL
Screen Resolution
1920 x 1080
Hard Drives
#1- Samsung 840 Pro Series
#2- Western Digital WD1002FAEX Sata3 Black
#3- Western Digital WD1002FAEX Sata3 Black
PSU
Corsair CMPSU-850TX-V2 - 850 watt (by Seasonic)
Case
Corsair Obsidian 550D
Cooling
Standard 3 120mm case fans, Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO
Keyboard
MS KC-0405
Mouse
Intellimouse 5-button
Internet Speed
56 Mbits/Sec (on a good day)
Antivirus
Avast & Malwarebytes
Browser
Firefox
Other Info
Asus DVD - DRW-24B1ST 24X
Okay, I've made a mistake, DIMM_2 and DIMM_4 don't work with a single piece of ram, which is to be expected from what we've read in the manual, and it does work in DIMM_3 but DIMM_1 must be shorted or something, because with a single piece of ram in it, it just keeps shutting the PC down. Also, for some reason it is not recognizing the third stick, and only showing me as having 4GB when I should at least be getting 6GB.

So would it be safe to say that DIMM_1 is pooched, and affecting the motherboards ability to use more than 2 sticks?
 

My Computer My Computer

At a glance

windows 7 ultimate 64 bitati radeon 6950
OS
windows 7 ultimate 64 bit
Motherboard
gigabyte
Graphics Card(s)
ati radeon 6950
Hard Drives
3
Yes, it does sound like it, based on what you've told us.
But I still can't see why adding a video card would trash a RAM slot, unless you cracked something. Is that a possibility?

So it will not boot with a single stick of RAM in Slot DDR3_1? You should try each stick, one at a time, in Slot DDR3_1.
 

My Computer My Computer

At a glance

Windows 7 64 Bit Home Premium SP1i7-3820GSkill F3-14900CL9Q - 16GBEVGA GeForce GTX660 - Driver 352.86
Computer type
PC/Desktop
Computer Manufacturer/Model Number
Home Built - Jan 2013
OS
Windows 7 64 Bit Home Premium SP1
CPU
i7-3820
Motherboard
Asus P9X79-PRO - Bios 4608
Memory
GSkill F3-14900CL9Q - 16GB
Graphics Card(s)
EVGA GeForce GTX660 - Driver 352.86
Sound Card
On board Realtek ALC898
Monitor(s) Displays
Acer S271HL
Screen Resolution
1920 x 1080
Hard Drives
#1- Samsung 840 Pro Series
#2- Western Digital WD1002FAEX Sata3 Black
#3- Western Digital WD1002FAEX Sata3 Black
PSU
Corsair CMPSU-850TX-V2 - 850 watt (by Seasonic)
Case
Corsair Obsidian 550D
Cooling
Standard 3 120mm case fans, Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO
Keyboard
MS KC-0405
Mouse
Intellimouse 5-button
Internet Speed
56 Mbits/Sec (on a good day)
Antivirus
Avast & Malwarebytes
Browser
Firefox
Other Info
Asus DVD - DRW-24B1ST 24X
Yeah, I think I've tried it, but I will try again. Shouldn't be anything wrong with the sticks themselves, I've tried them all everywhere, but you never know. I guess anything could have happened, I don't see how I could have damaged it, but that's my luck. For some reason I thought I saw somebody with similar problems, but I dont know, I'm about to give up and buy a new MB.
 

My Computer My Computer

At a glance

windows 7 ultimate 64 bitati radeon 6950
OS
windows 7 ultimate 64 bit
Motherboard
gigabyte
Graphics Card(s)
ati radeon 6950
Hard Drives
3
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