Cant figure out if ram or motherboard is bad

[Temptee]

I recently did a fresh install after installing 2 new hdds. Other parts are a year old and working. Computer would freeze after installing updates. I ran memtest with both sticks of ram in and got a error at test #8. I removed one stick, ran test again, no errors. Im now past test #8 on the second stick and no errors. Ram was fully pushed down and in the right spots (right spot for both installed and right spot for single)
Im kinda stumped now.

Motherboard Asus M5A97 R2.0
Ram Corsair Vengence 4gbx2
AMD FX6300
Sapphire 7850

I called Corsair they said they would replace even if it was not faulty, have not called asus yet.

Might be usefull, I have 4 ram slots, lets say a1b1 a2b2. I install both sticks on a1 and a2. I installed singles on a1. Thats what the manual suggests.

edit I also did try 2 sticks in b1 b2 and got errors.

 

[Berton]

All the motherboards I've dealt with in the last several years that had 4 or more memory slots had 2 that were blue or white, could be another color, and 2 that were black, always had to put the pairs of modules in the same color slots. The pictures here show 2 black and 2 blue:
https://www.google.com/search?site=&source=hp&q=Asus+M5A97+R2.0&btnK=Google+Search

 

[Temptee]

All the motherboards I've dealt with in the last several years that had 4 or more memory slots had 2 that were blue or white, could be another color, and 2 that were black, always had to put the pairs of modules in the same color slots. The pictures here show 2 black and 2 blue:
https://www.google.com/search?site=&source=hp&q=Asus+M5A97+R2.0&btnK=Google+Search

Yeah, well Ive always had both sticks in both blue slots (a1 and a2) like I said above. So when I pieced back my computer they went right back into the same spots.

 

[Berton]

Did you try the modules in the black slots? I've had to that a couple of times and seemed to work okay.

 

[Temptee]

Well I ran memtest with both sticks installed again I got 0 errors this time. I have no idea whats going on.

Edit, Yes Berton. I tried 2 sticks in the blue slots and 2 in the black. Single sticks in blue. I just put both back in the blue slots and just got 0 errors. Dust maybe?

 

[Redmage913]

That's oftentimes what it is. I work in a repair shop, and several cases a month usually are due to dust or slight corrosion that is dislodged by reseating the modules.

 

[Temptee]

Well, it passed once, Completely rebuilt my build as if it were new and now Im getting 3 errors on test 7 as opposed to one. I still dont know if its the ram or something else now. Any trouble shooting tips? As I said before I dont think I had any problems before I switched cases and put in two new hard drives but now I get freezes and had one bsod.

 

[Redmage913]

Fascinating... Do you have any extra sticks of RAM you could use as a control group? Failing that, one possibility could be the memory controller, but I'm hesitant to call it that. Whichever memtest you're using, try the other one:

MemTest86 - Offical Site of the x86 Memory Testing Tool
Memtest86+ - Advanced Memory Diagnostic Tool

My idea here is to see if any errors would match up. Also, I suggest not running the tests in SMP (multiprocessor) mode; I have issues with it freezing during test 7 and occasionally having extremely anomalous results.

 

[Temptee]

I dont have any other ram. Ill run the other test.

I had no problems with bsod or freezing on my other hard drive, In fact Im using it right now. A few hours ago I put in my old hdd and have had no problems. Problems happened when I put in my new hdds and got windows running on them. Then I got a bsod and freezing. Ive ran the test again after putting in my old hdd and get the same error on test 7 but Im not having any kind of problem on running anything on windows.

Even though I have new ram on the way Im starting to question the results on the test, Im mean as far as I know I could of ran the test months ago and it would of shown the same thing.

 

[Temptee]

OK well Im running memtest86+ and Im past test 7, which was the one giving me errors. Running with both sticks in.

Nevermine error showed up on test 8. Going to assume its ram and wait for new sticks to come in.

 

[Layback Bear]

If I may.

You state you switched cases. Post #7

As I said before I dont think I had any problems before I switched cases and put in two new hard drives but now I get freezes and had one bsod.

Three things I recommend trying.
1. Remove your motherboard and build your system out side of the case.
then do your ram test.
2. Inspect the motherboard tray stand offs to make sure all of them line up with the holes in the motherboard and that their are no extra stand offs. Some times the stand offs are not correct and will short the motherboard.
3. Inspect the I/O plate when installed in the case if fits properly.
I have seen only once that the I/O plate would short out the motherboard when not installed correctly.

Your Asus motherboar may or may not have this but you can take a look.
Once in bios go to Tools and then DRAM SPD INFORMATION. See if you get okays.
My new Asus board will indicated if their is a problem or OK with each ram slot.

Make sure you keep your motherboard manual handy.

 

[Temptee]

Alright, Ill give all of it a try in the morning. Thanks LB