System crashing with 6GB RAM, fine with 4GB

G

garethrogue

Posts: 10   +0
intel i7 920
6GB RAM
windows 7 home premium 64 bit
MSI x58 platinum motherboard
nvidia GTX 260 graphics
750w power supply



got my system being fixed by a professional, but we're stuck right now trying to find a solution to my problem. The system is fine with 4GB in any slot, but when the third stick is put in, the system crashes.
 
What does the motherboard manual say about a 6 gig configuration? Was the BIOS updated?
 
it is seem to me that it is a compatibility issue that Related with the dual channel system , i think the better way to fix this problem is to get another 2 gb of ram so your system will be ( 4 x 2 gb)
 
I'll go into some more detail of my troubles, this should help in the solution.


system was built out of Fry's Electronics 2 years ago. From the moment that I took it home I was having this problem. I thought it might be a faulty RAM stick at the time, so I had them replaced, but to no avail. The soluton if I remember was to reformat. Everything was fine for 2 years.


last month I opened up the system and cleaned the dust out of the inside. I removed the RAM and the CPU fan. Hooked everything back up and the system starts crashing and rebooting like crazy, and there's the problem again. It would crash while it's booting up, while it's sitting at the desk top, while I'm on the internet, any time it wanted to crash, it would do so. Not only that, but my BIOS and graphics drivers were suddenly out of date for some reason. I keep my drivers up to date, so this was weird to me.

I've got my system with a pro right now, and we're stuck at finding a real solution.



I'll forward the ideas that you guys come up with to my guy, thanks ahead for your assistance.
 
got my comp back. the pro who I sent it to was able to do what I wasn't, which is upgrade the BIOS without the system crashing on me before it was complete. I'm guessing he probably just removed the 3rd stick of RAM, so that it would remain stable during the process.


After I got it back it crashed twice and just up and reset it's self once.I removed the 3rd stick and ran the system with 4GB, it was fine for awhile until I pulled up some pictures on google, then it froze. I realized at that point that my graphics drivers weren't reinstalled, so I took care of that. It later froze again, but I'm wondering if it's because i didn't reboot my computer after upgrading my graphics drivers. It didn't prompt me too, so I thought it wouldn't be an issue. Also I'm wondering if I should try the 3rd stick again, now that my BIOS and graphics drivers are both up to date and the system has been rebooted.
 
Process of elimination.
Remove all sticks.
Test the machine with 1 stick by itself at a time.
If stable, try next stick by itself. If you find it unstable with one particular stick then that stick of memory is faulty.

If there is no instability when running with each stick of ram the problem is something else and we'll need to look into it further.
Also the X58 chipset supports triple channel ram, so there should be information in the motherboard manual as to which slots the ram should be fitted in for a 3 x 2Gb configuration. Using other slots can disable triple channel and/or cause problems.

- 6 DDR3 DIMMs support DDR3 1333/ 1066/ 800 SDRAM (24GB Max)
- Supports 3 channels
(For more information on compatible components, please visit http:/
/global.msi.com.tw/index.php?func=testreport)
Click to expand...
Is your ram on the compatible list?

For 3 sticks of ram the manual says they should be in slots DIMM_A0, DIMM_B0, DIMM_C0.
Make sure this is how they are fitted.
 
Arris said:
Process of elimination.
Remove all sticks.
Test the machine with 1 stick by itself at a time.
If stable, try next stick by itself. If you find it unstable with one particular stick then that stick of memory is faulty.

If there is no instability when running with each stick of ram the problem is something else and we'll need to look into it further.
Also the X58 chipset supports triple channel ram, so there should be information in the motherboard manual as to which slots the ram should be fitted in for a 3 x 2Gb configuration. Using other slots can disable triple channel and/or cause problems.


Is your ram on the compatible list?

For 3 sticks of ram the manual says they should be in slots DIMM_A0, DIMM_B0, DIMM_C0.
Make sure this is how they are fitted.
Click to expand...


everything you've said has been done. My guy did all combinations, if you will. it's not anyo one stick that's the problem, just having a 3rd stick in there is enough to crash the system. Everything I have is compatible.

I'm just gonna swap out my current MB for a http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131665 which is the same chipset. What do you guys think of this MB swapout in place of my http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813130216?
 
It's nice but will you really use all the features of that motherboard. I bought an Asus P8P67 Pro motherboard and I could probably have gotten by with the non pro version. Worth evaluating the features, could save yourself a few dollars by cutting down the motherboard spec. That said that really is a very nice motherboard.
 
Arris said:
It's nice but will you really use all the features of that motherboard. I bought an Asus P8P67 Pro motherboard and I could probably have gotten by with the non pro version. Worth evaluating the features, could save yourself a few dollars by cutting down the motherboard spec. That said that really is a very nice motherboard.
Click to expand...

already own it :p bought it last month when best buy told me it was a problem with my MB.


do you think a 750w PSU is enough for my set up? seems like it would be more then enough, but then again I don't really know ****!
 
Here are the known facts. I'm looking for an answer based off of this information.

so let's go over the facts:

1) it's not the RAM sticks.
2) it's not the CPU, the CPU has been fine the past 2 years, since I last had this problem. Also the problem doesn't surface when the system is running on 2GB and 4GB. If it was the CPU, it would be having these problems regardless of the amount of RAM.
3) it works fine on 4GB RAM, crashes with 6GB
4) the drivers are up to date, so that's not the issue.
5) all hardware is compatible and functional.
6) my temps are fine
7) this is the second time I've experienced this problem. Once when it was brand new, and now one month ago when I dusted out the inside with an air hose. I removed the RAM sticks at one point during the cleaning process.

If it was a faulty RAM slot, then why was it running fine on 6GB this whole time, except when the system was new, and now during the current malfunction?


If i had to take an amateur guess, I'd say some random setting was ****ed up somewhere, because faulty RAM slots, or bent CPU pins don't just break and fix themselves. If they were broken two years ago, they'd have acted up every day since then, they haven't.

So let's say for a second that it's not a faulty RAM slot. Then what do we look at next?
 
ESD.

If you are so convinced that there are no other problems, then the last most likely scenario is ESD that is intermittent.

And I also think you should run some actual memory tests. Just putting them in the slots and hoping for the best isn't really testing whether or not all the memory banks are good.
 
You asked earlier if 750 watts was fine for your system. Yes, it is. What is the make of your power supply?
 
Zilpha said:
ESD.

If you are so convinced that there are no other problems, then the last most likely scenario is ESD that is intermittent.
Click to expand...

interesting theory. It only crashes when theres a stick of RAM in the 3rd slot, so what could cause an electrostatic discharge under those conditions and no others?


another question I have is whether or not outdated graphics drivers could cause a crash? I only ask because it did freeze once while running on 4GB, but that was right after I had updated my graphics drivers, and hadn't rebooted the system yet. The thing is, it didn't ask me to reboot, so is that even necessary?
 
garethrogue said:
here's a question, if i replace the MB, problem solved?
Click to expand...

First, good choice on a power supply. Second, I have wondered if it is your motherboard as well. I have also wondered if an 8 gig configuration rather than 6 would clear this up.
 
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