Please Help!!! Computer Won't start

64 bit build 7100

mangoose said:

Hey, so i downloaded Memtest, and its been running for about 20 minutes, but it still says 4 seconds. When i take out the new RAM stick, it works and completes the test with no errors. do you think i just have a bad stick or ram or what?

It sure sounds like it to me.

Alright What Ive done is replace the 2 sticks that have been in the computer and worked with the new ones, and everything works fine. therefore i can rule out bad memory sticks.

I then shut down, added ONE of the sticks into slot 2 (the working setup is 1 stick in slots 1 and 3), thus making it a total of 6 GB, 2Gb in each slot, 1,2, and 3. This setup also worked.

I have just tried putting in the 4th stick into slot 4, and it is once again stalling at the "starting windows" screen, with the 4 colored boxes sort of flexing and moving, but never going to the welcome screen.

Are there such things as bad memory slots on the motherboard?

Well guys, thanks for all your help, I think i just have a bad memory slot on the motherboard. Because I dont NEED the extra memory (i just felt like it would make it a bit more snappy), and my motherboard is way past a return date or warranty (i bought it last july), Im just going to return the extra sticks.

Thanks to all for the diagnostic tips!

Mangose I had a similiar problem, in your bios is there an option to allow for the usage of more than 3gbs of ram? (Old xp work around for 32 bit systems) Im tired and forget the name, anyway If I left both of those checked My computer would do the exact same thing. Basicaly if those options are in your bios turn em off.

FWIW, some motherboards with particular memory brands or types do not like all 4 slots populated. It's common and does not mean anything is damaged.

Almumit said:

Mangose I had a similiar problem, in your bios is there an option to allow for the usage of more than 3gbs of ram? (Old xp work around for 32 bit systems) Im tired and forget the name, anyway If I left both of those checked My computer would do the exact same thing. Basicaly if those options are in your bios turn em off.

Unfortunately I dont think this is the case. I am able to detect all 4GB of memory right now, and i can put one more 2GB stick in and it detects all 6 and runs great, but its just that last slot and going from 6 to 8GB that kills me.

torrentg said:

FWIW, some motherboards with particular memory brands or types do not like all 4 slots populated. It's common and does not mean anything is damaged.

Motherboard is BIOSTAR T-series, and the RAM is all Corsair XMS2 DDR2 800. Where or how would I go about checking if that is the case, and how (if possible) to fix it?