EX58-UD3R Blue DIMM Socket

[bigpapanoodle]

My new PC originally had 3 sticks of Crucial 2GB RAM installed and the blue socket was vacant. I purchased another stick from Crucial of the same type and installed it. Since doing that I am suffering no end of BSODs. I ran memtest and it finds errors within seconds of starting. I suspected the new RAM at first so I tried no end of different configurations but the results are the same...the PC is fine so long as the blue socket is left unpopulated. Could it be the DIMM socket...and how could I test it? Or is there any settings I need to change in the BIOS 

Windows 7 Ultimate
EX58-UD3R  Ver. 1.6  motherboard
Crucial Ballistix 12800 1600mhz 2GBx3 (but hoping for 4!)

[Buschwick]

I'm no expert but these boards move kinda slow so I'll try.

Have you messed with the voltage on the memory or the northbridge?  I know that 4 populated dimm slots might require a little more voltage on the memory and/or mch.  Your extra stick might require a little bump in one or both.  Try upping the vdimm first in small increments to see if anything changes.

[bigpapanoodle]

Thanks Buschwick,I was thinking perhaps it might be a voltage thing but I as yet I haven't done any mods. I have just learned that the blue DIMM socket should remain unpopulated or the triple channel benefit is lost. All seems odd to me...why have 4 DIMM slots! Still looking for answers on why the pesky slot is blue

Intel i7 @ 2.67 Mhz
Windows 7 Ultimate
EX58-UD3R  Ver. 1.6  motherboard
Crucial Ballistix 12800 1600mhz 2GBx3 (but hoping for 4!)

[Buschwick]

Yup I figured that about the triple channel.  Some people may just need more RAM period and not really worry about performance numbers.  Triple channel is badass for gaming and stuff but some might just need more ram for photo/video editing or something that eats memory like candy.  In the former case 6GB tri channel might be better for you than 8GB dual channel.  

It'd be simple to test with everest memory benchmark if you can get 8GB to boot and load Windoze.

Again, not an expert but trying to help out.  

Oh ok...look at this.  I googed it and apparently I was right.
http://forums.pcper.com/showthread.php?t=460610

The graphs show what I was just saying.  Notice the performace edge with 3 sticks in tri channel over 4 sticks dual channel.  Buuuut if you run alot of software or do alot of photo/audio/video editing with endless "Undo" capabilities (like undo steps all the way back to the original file you opened) 8GB might better serve you.  For gaming/performance/benchmarking go with 3 sticks.

Edit:  Here's the link to the official review with those graphs...
http://www.pcper.com/article.php?aid=634&type=expert&pid=12

[bigpapanoodle]

Thanks again Buschwick. It all makes perfect sense now. The extra stick will be needed in my case as I plan to do lots of work in video editing.

[Buschwick]

Well.  You COULD run 3 sticks and do some editting and watch your memory usage and swap file usage.  If you can get away with 6G without having to resort to the swap file in the middle of an editing session then I'd just do that.  Effects rendering and good stuff like that would be faster with tri channel, but again 8G might be necessary so who knows.

Good luck I hope it works out.