Partially Solved: Strange memory issue with 64bit Windows 7

[chemnerd]

Hello Everyone,

I tried to find a post regarding this issue but I could not find anyone with this same problem

Background

I upgrade a 32 bit windows XP desktop to 64 bit Windows 7 Pro. I performed a clean install from the official Microsoft DVD. Windows XP was working perfectly fine before install of Windows 7.

Problem

Install was very slow (took about 15 hours total to install). After installation, my computer proceeds through the login screen resulting in a black screen with only a cursor which I can move. Occasionally the "thinking circle" will pop up but after 2 hours nothing happens. After reading posts on this forum I tried unplugging everything from my computer (physically unplugged my storage drive, CD-ROMS, floppy drive, pulled out wireless card, and removed sound card). Again, upon start up I get the black screen with only a cursor. I then saw a post that said removing all RAM Dimms but 1 helps and boom everything runs fantastic. PC boots up fast and Windows runs great.

I have 4x 1Gb DDR2 (I know 2x 2Gb would be better but I'm poor and this is all I got ) so I figured one slim must be bad. FYI all 4 slims are identical and each pair is dual channel and I never had an issue with this RAM on the XP install. For this next part lets call my 4 RAM slots slots 1,2,3 and 4 and my 4 RAM slims A,B,C and D.

Slim A in slot 1 = Runs perfect
Slim A in slot 1 and Slim B in slot 3 (Dual channel) = Runs Perfect
Slim A in slot 1, Slim B in slot 3 and Slim C in slot 2 = Runs perfect
Slim A,B,C and D in slots 1,3,2 and 4 respectively = Black screen of death with cursor

So I figure Slim D was bad so I swapped it with Slim C in slot 2 leaving slot 4 empty and PC boots up perfectly. So now I think slot 4 on my MB is bad so I move Slim D from slot 2 to slot 4 and leave slot 2 empty and PC runs perfectly.

Conclusion

For whatever reason, when I have 3 slims of RAM in my MB (no matter which slots are used) my computer runs perfect but the second I add a 4th slim my PC crawls and I get the black screen of death with cursor upon boot.

Possible solution

I checked the RAM voltages in the BIOS and everything seems fine but my BIOS was last updated in 2007. I went to update, which I have never done before, and I am not sure if I should get the latest update from Foxconn (the manufacturer) or the update from American Megatrends (Ambios is the BIOS on my board).

Should I get my BIOS update from American Megatrends or from Foxconn and does anyone have a link to a good instructional site on how to flash your BIOS? I tried to install the Foxconn update from windows but it said the update is not compatable with Windows 7 so do I need to put it on a floppy?

What do you guys think?

Thanks again,
Jeramie

 

[chemnerd]

EDIT: Sorry forgot specs:

Windows 7 64 bit Pro
Core 2 Duo 6600
Foxconn N68S7AA Nforce 680i SLI Mobo
Patriot DDR2 800 4x 1Gb RAM
Nvidia 8800 GTX
2x 30Gb Western Digital 10k RPM drives on RAID-0
Sound Blaster X-Fi Xtreme Gamer

 

[pebbly]

Hello Everyone,

I tried to find a post regarding this issue but I could not find anyone with this same problem

Background

I upgrade a 32 bit windows XP desktop to 64 bit Windows 7 Pro. I performed a clean install from the official Microsoft DVD. Windows XP was working perfectly fine before install of Windows 7.

Problem

Install was very slow (took about 15 hours total to install). After installation, my computer proceeds through the login screen resulting in a black screen with only a cursor which I can move. Occasionally the "thinking circle" will pop up but after 2 hours nothing happens. After reading posts on this forum I tried unplugging everything from my computer (physically unplugged my storage drive, CD-ROMS, floppy drive, pulled out wireless card, and removed sound card). Again, upon start up I get the black screen with only a cursor. I then saw a post that said removing all RAM Dimms but 1 helps and boom everything runs fantastic. PC boots up fast and Windows runs great.

I have 4x 1Gb DDR2 (I know 2x 2Gb would be better but I'm poor and this is all I got ) so I figured one slim must be bad. FYI all 4 slims are identical and each pair is dual channel and I never had an issue with this RAM on the XP install. For this next part lets call my 4 RAM slots slots 1,2,3 and 4 and my 4 RAM slims A,B,C and D.

Slim A in slot 1 = Runs perfect
Slim A in slot 1 and Slim B in slot 3 (Dual channel) = Runs Perfect
Slim A in slot 1, Slim B in slot 3 and Slim C in slot 2 = Runs perfect
Slim A,B,C and D in slots 1,3,2 and 4 respectively = Black screen of death with cursor

So I figure Slim D was bad so I swapped it with Slim C in slot 2 leaving slot 4 empty and PC boots up perfectly. So now I think slot 4 on my MB is bad so I move Slim D from slot 2 to slot 4 and leave slot 2 empty and PC runs perfectly.

Conclusion

For whatever reason, when I have 3 slims of RAM in my MB (no matter which slots are used) my computer runs perfect but the second I add a 4th slim my PC crawls and I get the black screen of death with cursor upon boot.

Possible solution

I checked the RAM voltages in the BIOS and everything seems fine but my BIOS was last updated in 2007. I went to update, which I have never done before, and I am not sure if I should get the latest update from Foxconn (the manufacturer) or the update from American Megatrends (Ambios is the BIOS on my board).

Should I get my BIOS update from American Megatrends or from Foxconn and does anyone have a link to a good instructional site on how to flash your BIOS? I tried to install the Foxconn update from windows but it said the update is not compatable with Windows 7 so do I need to put it on a floppy?

What do you guys think?

Thanks again,
Jeramie

Hi Jeramie, welcome to the forums, always use the motherboard manufacturers bios , AMI make bios chips for many board manf's with a limited set of bios defaults the mobo manf's add a specialist set of instructions, the foxconn website should have detailed instructions on how to flash the bios

 

[pebbly]

Jeramie , here is the link to the bios Foxconn Support - Download there is also a link on how to flash the bios , be very careful when flashing the bios , a bad flash can render your mobo useless read and under stand the instructions carefully