GA-H55M-UD2H and new memory

[T1m]

Hi all,

After a bit of advice if possible (please bear with me if I'm noobing out).

Current Set up:
Mobo : GA-H55M-UD2H rev1.0 (@ F8 Bios)
Current Memory : Corsair CMX4GX3M2A1600C9
New Memory : Corsair CMZ16GX3M4A1600C9B
Proc : I3-530
GFX : Windforce x3 7950
PSU : OCZ Steathstream2 600w
SSD : Crucial M4 128


Recently underwent an upgrade which included new memory (Corsair CMZ16GX3M4A1600C9B) but had some trouble when re-installing windows on the new SSD. It got to the 'Starting windows' splash and then hung. Messed around in the BIOS as the default settings seemed a little off  (DRAM set at 1.65v and mem is only rated at 1.5).  I tried every combination of hardware to try and establish the fault and realized that it worked when I swapped in my old mem (CMX4GX3M2A1600C9). I tried all combinations of the new memory but to no avail. I cant believe all the mem is bad and at least some combination of the sticks would provide a response but they all failed at exactly the same point.

I will try and update BIOS and run Memtest when I get home to ascertain the heath status of the memory but in the meantime is anyone aware of incompatibility between this Memory and my MOBO or, more likely, something blindingly obvious I am missing?

Any help is greatly appreciated.

[dmdilks]

Take out the SSD. If you have a hard drive try that with the new memory.

Plus one other thing you can try is one stick of memory and install windows on the SSD.

[zerowing]

Your CPU as per Intel specifications officially supports only 1066MHz and 1333MHz DDR3.
Anything above that is overclocking, it might or might not work. It usually works but there is no guarantee.
Anyway it might just be that you got some defective RAM modules. Testing with MemTest86 should reveal that.
But keep in mind that it might be the memory controller integrated in the CPU that fails.
Set the memory modules to 1333MHz and use MemTest86. If the pass the test then raise to 1600MHz and re-test the modules. And see what happens.
1.65volt it's pretty high and could damage the integrated memory controller on the CPU. I wouldn't go above 1.56Volt in any case... even 1.60Volt could be too much.  Also any DDR3 RAM modules should pass MemTest86 tests with no errors at stock 1.50Volt.
Use MemTest86 3.5b for better reliability, the 4.x versions can freeze and report memory errors and then halt execution on newer CPUs (it happens on most Ivy Bridge and Sandy Bridge/Sandy Bridge-E systems)

[T1m]

Thanks for the suggestions.

Take out the SSD. If you have a hard drive try that with the new memory.

Plus one other thing you can try is one stick of memory and install windows on the SSD.

I tried to do this initially. I even tried to just boot into my old install on the HDD rather than reinstall but suffered the same hang at the 'starting windows' display.

I also tried to use just one individual stick but couldn't even get past the BIOS splash when I did this. At least 2 modules were required to post, however, it didn't matter which 2 modules I used, as long as they filled a DIMM channel.

Your CPU as per Intel specifications officially supports only 1066MHz and 1333MHz DDR3.
Anything above that is overclocking, it might or might not work. It usually works but there is no guarantee.
Anyway it might just be that you got some defective RAM modules. Testing with MemTest86 should reveal that.
But keep in mind that it might be the memory controller integrated in the CPU that fails.
Set the memory modules to 1333MHz and use MemTest86. If the pass the test then raise to 1600MHz and re-test the modules. And see what happens.
1.65volt it's pretty high and could damage the integrated memory controller on the CPU. I wouldn't go above 1.56Volt in any case... even 1.60Volt could be too much.  Also any DDR3 RAM modules should pass MemTest86 tests with no errors at stock 1.50Volt.
Use MemTest86 3.5b for better reliability, the 4.x versions can freeze and report memory errors and then halt execution on newer CPUs (it happens on most Ivy Bridge and Sandy Bridge/Sandy Bridge-E systems)

Thanks zerowing. I have now re-flashed BIOS as I noticed the newest version had some memory compatibility updates. I reduced the frequency to 1333 as suggested and attempted to run MemTest. However, memtest ran for about 5 seconds then crashed (rebooting) no matter what combination of the new mem and frequency I used.

I am still pretty baffled as to what is happening at the moment.
Why cant I get past BIOS splash with just 1 module? Why is memtest failing catastrophically when it runs? Is it possible I have 4 bad modules?

Again, thanks for the advice. Keep it coming 

[zerowing]

Thanks zerowing. I have now re-flashed BIOS as I noticed the newest version had some memory compatibility updates. I reduced the frequency to 1333 as suggested and attempted to run MemTest. However, memtest ran for about 5 seconds then crashed (rebooting) no matter what combination of the new mem and frequency I used.

I am still pretty baffled as to what is happening at the moment.
Why cant I get past BIOS splash with just 1 module? Why is memtest failing catastrophically when it runs? Is it possible I have 4 bad modules?

Again, thanks for the advice. Keep it coming 

Did you try MemTest86 3.5b (previous version) ? Or did it crash with MemTest86 4.x ?

Disconnect everything from the system. Have just keyboard, mouse, optical drive, graphic card in the system.

Did you check system temperatures in the BIOS ?

Try loading BIOS defaults and see if it becomes stable.

Did the system ever run with 1.65volt setting ?

The motherboard could be defective now. And high voltage could damage the CPU memory controller too.
 
Is your system protected by a good UPS ? (I always use APC ones for reliability and safety)
Did you have power outage ? Power spikes usually cause damage to RAM, motherboard, PSU, SSD and Hard Disk.
 

[T1m]

Did you try MemTest86 3.5b (previous version) ? Or did it crash with MemTest86 4.x ?

Disconnect everything from the system. Have just keyboard, mouse, optical drive, graphic card in the system.

Did you check system temperatures in the BIOS ?

Try loading BIOS defaults and see if it becomes stable.

Did the system ever run with 1.65volt setting ?

The motherboard could be defective now. And high voltage could damage the CPU memory controller too.
 
Is your system protected by a good UPS ? (I always use APC ones for reliability and safety)
Did you have power outage ? Power spikes usually cause damage to RAM, motherboard, PSU, SSD and Hard Disk.
 

Thanks zerowing,

Crashed on both 3.5 and 4.1.

Thats what I ran the tests with. even took the GFX out and ran onboard.

BIOS was reset and cleared and ran into the same difficulties.

System didn't run at 1.65 to the best of my knowledge but cant be sure as I have done so many restarts i cant remember now  . I don't think anything is damaged though as I have put my old mem back in and everything is fine and stable. Ran memtest with old mem as well and reported no errors.

Definately no power outages or or surges since new memory went in.



A colleague has advised me to take the mem to him tomorrow and he is going to try it in his rig to see if there are any issues there. That should tell us weather the mem is fault or not I guess. Can you think of anything else I can try in the mean time?


 

[zerowing]

There might be compatibility issues with the chips used on those Corsair RAM modules. Corsair uses various brands, there might be BIOS bugs preventing those new modules from running.
If the system is stable with the old RAM modules and the new RAM modules cause issues preventing MemTest86 from running either either the RAM modules are defective or there is a pretty huge compatibility issue with the board BIOS.


Here is a thread in which Corsair lists what chips are on their DDR3 modules based on revision:

http://forum.corsair.com/forums/showthread.php?t=68811

Old 04-18-2008, 06:31 PM
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[T1m]

Quick Update:

Memory was installed in a colleagues computer and ran fine so looks like there is nothing wrong with the memory. I'm starting to get the feeling this is a compatibility issue. Strange how corsair list the memory as compatible though. If I cant get it sorted by the end of the week, it looks like it is going to be new mobo and processor

[dmdilks]

I know memory should be memory but that memory is Quad Channel Kit. You need Dual channel memory.

[zerowing]

I know memory should be memory but that memory is Quad Channel Kit. You need Dual channel memory.

More nonsense.

A "Quad Channel Kit" is just marketing. Yes, the manufacturer usually does some compatibility tests when packing kits for Dual Channel or Quad Channel but it's really nothing more than selling you a pair of DIMM modules from the same manufacturing batch, which would mean that the modules have the same chip brands that should be from the same production wafer.
Nothing more than that. It doesn't mean that buying 4 single DIMM DDR3 modules and putting those in a Quad-Channel X79 motherboard it would lead to issues or it wouldn't work.

Any Quad-Channel memory kit must work in any Dual-Channel motherboard.

[dmdilks]

ore nonsense.

A "Quad Channel Kit" is just marketing. Yes, the manufacturer usually does some compatibility tests when packing kits for Dual Channel or Quad Channel but it's really nothing more than selling you a pair of DIMM modules from the same manufacturing batch, which would mean that the modules have the same chip brands that should be from the same production wafer.
Nothing more than that. It doesn't mean that buying 4 single DIMM DDR3 modules and putting those in a Quad-Channel X79 motherboard it would lead to issues or it wouldn't work.

Any Quad-Channel memory kit must work in any Dual-Channel motherboard.   

It is funny that he is using basically the same memory that he is using right now and the old works.

1600MHz, 9-9-9-24, 1.65V  /  1600MHz, 9-9-9-24, 1.5V

What I would do is clear the cmos with the old memory and go back in and set it to default setting reboot and than shut do the computer. Put the new memory and try it. If it still doesn't work than the MB and the memory don't like each other. The board should set the volts to 1.5v by default.

[zerowing]

ore nonsense.

A "Quad Channel Kit" is just marketing. Yes, the manufacturer usually does some compatibility tests when packing kits for Dual Channel or Quad Channel but it's really nothing more than selling you a pair of DIMM modules from the same manufacturing batch, which would mean that the modules have the same chip brands that should be from the same production wafer.
Nothing more than that. It doesn't mean that buying 4 single DIMM DDR3 modules and putting those in a Quad-Channel X79 motherboard it would lead to issues or it wouldn't work.

Any Quad-Channel memory kit must work in any Dual-Channel motherboard.   

It is funny that he is using basically the same memory that he is using right now and the old works.

1600MHz, 9-9-9-24, 1.65V  /  1600MHz, 9-9-9-24, 1.5V

What I would do is clear the cmos with the old memory and go back in and set it to default setting reboot and than shut do the computer. Put the new memory and try it. If it still doesn't work than the MB and the memory don't like each other. The board should set the volts to 1.5v by default.

Again you have no clue what you are talking about.

It's not the same memory at all.
Memory configuration is not the same, it can change from one revision to another as well as ICs brands used on the DIMM modules. As the Corsair tech people clearly wrote on their support forum.