Attempted RAM Upgrade - CPU Usage spikes to 100% - Now Sluggish

[rhodes732]

Hi all, I could really use an assist as I am on a tight deadline and suddenly my CPU isn't working as it should.

I just attempted to add 8 GB of DDR4 Ram to my new Dell Precision Workstation Tower 5810, to bring my total installed to 16GB. So I got two 4 GB Crucial sticks from Amazon, and was careful to match the specs with the factory installed RAM: RDIMM, ECC, 2133 MhZ, DDR4.

So I added the two sticks to DIMM slots 3 and 4, and on boot, the computer wouldn't even enter the BIOS. It gave an error code (flashing lights on the power button). So I removed the 2 new Ram sticks, basically restoring it to the previous state.

On re-boot, I notice that my CPU Usage now spikes and sits there at 100% whenever I launch a program. Chrome, for instance, is incredibly sluggish. When no program is launched, CPU Usage sits at 0%.

I ran a full MBAM scan, no viruses.

Also ran CCleaner, nothing strange there.

I ran a performance benchmark in Samsung Disk Magician software, to examine the state of my OS drive (256 GB Samsung 850 Pro SSD). It now benchmarks at 1/10 the speed it did before. Very bad.

I also saw a BSOD on one bootup - a driver IRQ failure on iastora.sys, which I believe is the factory installed Intel Rapid Storage software. I installed the latest driver from Dell, but the problem persists.

I am working in Adobe Premiere Pro and need the machine to be a speed demon, so now I can't really work on this machine in its current state.

Can anyone help me figure this out? I really need the computer to get back up and running.

 

[Shimshom]

Hi and welcome to 7F. Have you tried booting the computer with only the 2 new RAM modules and that the RAM modules are properly inserted and also make sure you didn't somehow manage to disconnect anything

 

[NimoTony]

sounds like you knocked something loose when you tried to install the additional ram--open case--check ALL connections--try booting into BIOS to see how much ram is installed

also--according to intel your CPU supports: DDR3-800, DDR3-1066, DDR3-1333, DDR3-1600

source:
http://www.cpu-world.com/CPUs/Xeon/Intel-Xeon E5-1620.html

 

[rhodes732]

Hi and welcome to 7F. Have you tried booting the computer with only the 2 new RAM modules and that the RAM modules are properly inserted and also make sure you didn't somehow manage to disconnect anything

Yes - Windows sees 8GB exactly like before the problems began. I never touched the original factory install DIMMS, btw.

 

[rhodes732]

I will look inside, but I don't think anything came physically loose during installation...

 

[Shimshom]

if nothing is loose it would be worth removing the 2 original RAM modules and testing the computer with the 2 new ones to make sure they work

 

[rhodes732]

if nothing is loose it would be worth removing the 2 original RAM modules and testing the computer with the 2 new ones to make sure they work

At this point I don't care at all about the RAM upgrade. I just really need to get my computer back to its previously workable state. (Thanks for the idea though).

 

[whs]

I would check with the crucial scanner to verify the specs of your Dimms.

Crucial.com - Crucial System Scanner

 

[rhodes732]

I would check with the crucial scanner to verify the specs of your Dimms.

Crucial.com - Crucial System Scanner

Thanks - do you mean I should check the original factory installed Dell DIMMS with the Crucial utility? I'm running a system diagnostic right now using the pre-boot System Assessment utility, so can't install the Crucial utility just yet.

 

[whs]

Run it with the original Dimms. Then you will see the specs and options.

 

[rhodes732]

Ok, I will try. But this Dell diagnostic is taking forever.

In the meantime, is there a way to correct the IaStor.sys error without running System Restore, or re-installing the OS? I have System Restore turned off because my OS is on an SSD, so that might not be a good option, anyway.

I have a bootable USB thumb drive factory OS install... but again, I want to avoid reinstalling the OS to correct this.

 

[rhodes732]

And the bigger question is, why would attempting to install RAM, that the computer rejected, cause the degraded performance?

 

[whs]

And the bigger question is, why would attempting to install RAM, that the computer rejected, cause the degraded performance?

Incompatible Dimms are always a problem. That's why you have to check closely what the Crucial advisor says.

 

[rhodes732]

Can an attempted install of an incompatible DIMM "break Windows" like this?

 

[whs]

Nah, it did not break windows. Your puter in on a break, LOL

 

[rhodes732]

Right?!

It makes no sense. Can you advise on the iastor.sys question? Now I'm getting looping BSOD's on startup every time that program begins in startup.

 

[rhodes732]

Can I uninstall Intel Rapid Storage, and try to reinstall it? Or is that a bad idea?

 

[whs]

Can I uninstall Intel Rapid Storage, and try to reinstall it? Or is that a bad idea?

You can try. But use the Revo uninstaller > advanced option. Take the freeware/

Download Revo Uninstaller Freeware - Free and Full Download - Uninstall software, remove programs, solve uninstall problems

 

[whs]

Right?!

It makes no sense. Can you advise on the iastor.sys question? Now I'm getting looping BSOD's on startup every time that program begins in startup.

Do you run some driver update program.

 

[rhodes732]

I uninstalled the Intel Rapid Storage Program from Uninstall Programs (not Revo). There was no crash on startup this time, but the system performance is still completely degraded. 100% CPU usage when using any program.