rolfea Posted January 10, 2017 Posted January 10, 2017 Hi All, Hope you don't mind me posting a personal post here, rather than educational, but I'm crazily puzzled. I've recently upgraded my PC from Windows 7 Ultimate to Windows 10 Pro. This went perfectly and all was great. I was running 2x 2GB DDR3 1333Mhz in a Gigabyte GA-P55A-UD3 Motherboard. I have a Intel Core i5 661 3.33G s1156 processor on it. It's pretty old but was running pefectly. I then went to upgrade my RAM and then all sorts of trouble started. The RAM I'm trying to upgrade to is 2x 4GB DDR 1600Mhz, same motherboard and same processor. I've changed the motherboard's BIOS profile to use 1600Mhz for the RAM. Unfortunately now the operating system can't boot. It's recieved a nice blue screen with an unhappy face and numerous error messages. The error messages I've had so far are: PFN_List_Corrupt Kernal_Security_Check_Failure IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL I've tried Googling all of these, I've removed all USB connect devices that aren't nessessary and all sorted of BIOS settings but all to no avail. Anybody able to shed some light on where I may be going wrong please? Many Thanks, Andy
ZeroHour Posted January 10, 2017 Posted January 10, 2017 Try using the DIMMS in 1333Mhz mode, it wont break anything and may fix the issue. 1
rolfea Posted January 10, 2017 Author Posted January 10, 2017 Try using the DIMMS in 1333Mhz mode, it wont break anything and may fix the issue. Unfortuantely no such luck on doing this. Same thing unfortunately.
Willott Posted January 10, 2017 Posted January 10, 2017 DIMMs known good and working in another machine?
jertsy Posted January 10, 2017 Posted January 10, 2017 Have you put the old RAM back in just to confirm if the issue goes away and it is deffinately the RAM causing the issue?
mikeprice Posted January 10, 2017 Posted January 10, 2017 Sorry to be trivial but gotta start somewhere does it still work with the old RAM? does it work with only one new DIMM sorry - you have probably done all that but.....
difinity Posted January 10, 2017 Posted January 10, 2017 BIOS latest version ? Remove sticks and check the slots, perhaps a bit of dust has got in and is causing issues. Test one stick at a time with memtest.
rolfea Posted January 10, 2017 Author Posted January 10, 2017 DIMMs known good and working in another machine? Technically no, but this is the second set of RAM I've recieved. I thought this could be the case and sent one lot back. Second lot does the same. Unfortunately as it's my home PC I've only got the one to try it on. Have you put the old RAM back in just to confirm if the issue goes away and it is deffinately the RAM causing the issue? I have, it's boots up perfectly.
mrwoberts Posted January 10, 2017 Posted January 10, 2017 I'm pretty sure it is the frequency (and timings), as ZeroHour suggested. That CPU can't operate on 1600MHz, even if the memory can. Take a look at the Intel ARK info Make sure the MoBo isn't using the XMP profile, as that may well be trying to set freq. to 1600. Manually set frequency to 1333MHz and leave the other stuff the same that was working with the older memory - probably all Auto anyway?? 1
rolfea Posted January 10, 2017 Author Posted January 10, 2017 I'm pretty sure it is the frequency (and timings), as ZeroHour suggested. That CPU can't operate on 1600MHz, even if the memory can. Take a look at the Intel ARK info Make sure the MoBo isn't using the XMP profile, as that may well be trying to set freq. to 1600. Manually set frequency to 1333MHz and leave the other stuff the same that was working with the older memory - probably all Auto anyway?? It's exactly the same when the RAM is set to the old timings, which is making me think that I just need to use RAM which used 1333MHz timings and not depending on the MoBo's settings. Just wanted to try and future proof atleast as much as I can with a slightly higher spec of RAM. XMP isn't enabled, and like you say everything is auto to try and get the compatability to work. Memtest didn't even run, trying one stick at a time also doesn't work but that would be that the processor needs the dual channels.
mrwoberts Posted January 10, 2017 Posted January 10, 2017 Okay, well there's a few other things you could try before closing this chapter. What revision of the motherboard do you have, rev 1.0 or rev 2.0 ? GIGABYTE - Support - Downloads Do you have the latest BIOS firmware? (asked previously by difinity) List the full make and model of the memory you have and we'll see if we can track down the timings you'd need to set to force it to run at 1333 MHz (maybe the auto settings are making a bad choice) 1
rolfea Posted January 10, 2017 Author Posted January 10, 2017 Okay, well there's a few other things you could try before closing this chapter. What revision of the motherboard do you have, rev 1.0 or rev 2.0 ? GIGABYTE - Support - Downloads Do you have the latest BIOS firmware? (asked previously by difinity) List the full make and model of the memory you have and we'll see if we can track down the timings you'd need to set to force it to run at 1333 MHz (maybe the auto settings are making a bad choice) I have the latest (F11) BIOS already (sorry should have mentioned before), I believe I have the rev 2.0. Although the only difference I can see if the LAN Chipset. Mine doesn't match the one on the website (device manager showing a RTL8168E chip)
rolfea Posted January 10, 2017 Author Posted January 10, 2017 Okay How about the memory make/model.... GSkill ARES 1600 MHz (F3-1600C9D-8GAB) CL 9-9-9-24 1.50v
mrwoberts Posted January 10, 2017 Posted January 10, 2017 GSkill ARES 1600 MHz (F3-1600C9D-8GAB) CL 9-9-9-24 1.50v Thanks, could you do the same for the working memory - make/model, timings, voltage...
mrwoberts Posted January 10, 2017 Posted January 10, 2017 Interestingly, I can't find your motherboard in the GSkill RAM configurator. How did you come to buy that model of memory? Did you go through a compatibility list check somewhere?
rolfea Posted January 10, 2017 Author Posted January 10, 2017 Thanks, could you do the same for the working memory - make/model, timings, voltage... Corsair XMS3 2GB 1333MHz CL 9-9-9-24 1.50v
mrwoberts Posted January 10, 2017 Posted January 10, 2017 Can you try these settings with one of your GSkill memory sticks inserted. Frequency 1333, DRAM Timings tCL 8 - tRCD 8 - tRP 8 - tRAs 24, DRAM Voltage 1.50V
mrwoberts Posted January 10, 2017 Posted January 10, 2017 If that didn't work, increase the voltage to 1.55v
rolfea Posted January 10, 2017 Author Posted January 10, 2017 Interestingly, I can't find your motherboard in the GSkill RAM configurator. How did you come to buy that model of memory? Did you go through a compatibility list check somewhere? It was a christmas present from a brother who "knew" what he was doing The PC Doesn't pass POST with one stick, it just loops. Doesn't even go into BIOS. Can I try the above with two?
mrwoberts Posted January 10, 2017 Posted January 10, 2017 You'll have to try and set the settings using the old memory, save the settings, then shutdown. Swap the memory and see if that moves you forward. However, this is all a bit of a shot in the dark considering that memory just might not be compatible at all with your board. Since you've already dealt with GSkill to return the first lot, I suggest you contact them and get them to suggest a suitable replacement. If you don't want the hassle, just put the old ram back in and have done with it. 1
rolfea Posted January 10, 2017 Author Posted January 10, 2017 Thanks for all your help mrwoberts, really appreciate it. I'm going to look to buy 2x 4GB sticks for the Corsair XMS3 at 1333MHz. I know this definitely works with my MoBo, checked the compatability and it's a safe speed too. To be honest, I never knew different RAM was compatible with different MoBos otherwise I could have avoided the this problem. The GSkill RAM will end up on eBay or saved for another project one rainy day. I can't ask my brother to return the second set at risk of me looking to much like a ginch. I used to think I could do this hardware thing, back to the exercsie books I go!
mrwoberts Posted January 10, 2017 Posted January 10, 2017 You're welcome. Perhaps like yourself I don't like not being able to solve a problem, but there comes a time when I have to say to myself - this is just not worth all this hassle. You could always place an Offered post in the hardware section of edugeek. Learning is good. As a general rule of thumb, either buy memory from the motherboard's compatibility list - a very limited list, or use the memory suppliers website to short list compatible memory for your system. I tend to just stick with Crucial.com. All the best
ZeroHour Posted January 11, 2017 Posted January 11, 2017 Crucial uk have a scan tool you can run which also tells you what ram they sell that is compatible.
ricki Posted January 11, 2017 Posted January 11, 2017 I know this does not help but have had ram problems several times in past when upgrading. Even though motherboard meant to support ram type would not work and had to get an exact match to old ram in specs to work no idea why Richard
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