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

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.

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/I...20E5-1620.html

Shimshom said:

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.

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

Shimshom said:

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 said:

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.