Computer won't boot with 2 sticks RAM, though both sticks and slots work

[Marty9231]

Hello,

To provide some background information, I will explain what happened to 'cause' the problem in the first place:
I was on vacation with my parents (it's their computer, by the way) and prior to that we took out all the plugs of the computers just in case. When we came back, all that was done was re-plug the computer, and then we tried booting it. It turned on, but the display didn't work.

After some fooling around, it was identified that RAM was the issue, because when I took out a single stick, it suddenly showed video again. However the next boot it didn't, so I took the other stick and tried it, but it didn't work, so I put it in the other port and then it did work.

Long story short, I have tried both RAM sticks together: doesn't work. Tried them individually, and they both work SOMETIMES. Sometimes one of them works in one port, then it works in the other, then it doesn't and the other stick has to be in one port, then the other. It seems completely random, and I haven't been able to identify any other issue.

I'm not entirely sure if I'm in the right section of the Forums, but since I restarted the PC about a hundred times, it seems like I am.

Any help would be greatly appreciated!
~Marty

Edit: Realised I forgot to mention that the motherboard is an ASUS M4N78SE and the RAM are 2x2GB 1066 DDR2 Fatal1ty (OCZ).

 

[Tmagic650]

Did you get this fixed?

 

[Marty9231]

Not really. I just changed the motherboard and RAM this week to completely new ones, and of course now the problem is fixed with both the possible culprits out of the picture.

Due to lack of resources I was unable to do final tests, but if anyone else would like to really determine which is the true culprit it would be a good idea to test the RAM in another computer to see if both sticks work, if they do: the motherboard is broken or misconfigured. If they don't, it's the RAM.

Anyway, problem solved, sort of.