RAM or Motherboard ? 1

[apex1x]

Hi there,
I recently bought a Gigabyte GA-K8N nforce 3 150 motherboard and 2 sticks of 512 MB Corsair DDR400. Strange thing is that I cant seem to use two sticks at once. One in at a time and everything is stable, but as soon as I put the two in, I get spontaneous resets or just programs not installing, freezing, or corrupting data transfer. The processor is an AMD 64 2800, and I'm at a loss here. I already replaced one of the RAMs because I thought one was causing the problem, but I guess I was wrong. Having either one of them in by itself works great, and I tried switching slots on the motherboard. What could be the problem and or fix for this? Thanks.

If you can understand it, you probably don't.

 

[torturedmind]

what os are you running on? os also contributes on how your ram will work.

peace!

kilroy
philippines

"Illegitimis non carborundum!"

 

[paparazi]

apex1x
Surely must be XP?
I've just upgraded to a 939 socket MSI GF3 250 so realise how particular these motherboards can be with memory.
I had to change my 1 gig (2X512 Kingston) for a differant brand before it would run properly.
Most motherboard manufactures has a recommended memory chart relating to the particular motherboard.
Several things I learnt: if you want the best possible performance out of your 754/939 AMD64 platform.
Buy high performance memory such as: OCZ, Crucial Ballistic, Kingston HyperX etc.
If you go with standard DDR400 then you need to set low memory performing settings and the slower command rate of 2T (not1T) change this in the bios***
A quality power supply is essential, 400watts plus or higher if you are running a top end graphics card: Antec, Tagen, Enermax, FSP, Channel Well, Zalman, Thermaltake etc
Just verify that you are connecting the seperate P4 power connecter, as well as the main power connector, to the motherboard?
Martin




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[Cwgunder]

The other advice is great, but before you go buying anything there's a couple of things you can verify.

First, check to see if you are using the latest Bios version. You should be able to find this on the manufacture's websit. The BIOS verions is imperitive to how well the hardware communicates.

Also, check your BIOS settings. Reset to default if you have to. As part of the trouble shooting process, I'd upgrade the BIOS version, install both chips, reset the BIOS settings to default, then see what happens.

Also, not to sound redundant, but make sure both the DDR sticks are the same speed. Are you sure that BOTH of them are DDR 400?


Only then would I start buying different memory








Hope this helps

Good Luck!

Chris

 

[apex1x]

I appreciate all the advice thus far. Just to add a few things;
It is WinXP pro. Now, would changing the performance settings in BIOS help? I am just skeptical because the system works fine with just one stick in. How would changing timing in BIOS make 2 sticks work better? There must be something easy to change to get the two sticks to work together. BIOS sees the 1 GB fine, and so should I still update BIOS?

If you can understand it, you probably don't.

 

[wolluf]

Obvious question - have you tried changing timing?

Also - I have no experience of particular hardware combination - but have had previous experience of 1 stick working with mobo, 2 not (and tried changing timing - small improvement, but never ok). So suspect either Martin is right (you need 2 sticks of different memory - be good if you could try first) or you need a a different mobo with memory you have.

Good luck!

 

[paparazi]

apex1x
It's that command rate of 1T with two sticks that could be your problem, it has been reported in several reviews that this high command rate often works fine with one stick but has to be lowered to 2T when more sticks are added with standard memory.
This doesn't apply when faster memory types are used (OCZ, Kingston Max, Crucial Ballistix etc) athlough even with this high performing memory a 2T setting has to be applied on most motherboards when the last, 4th slop is populated.
Now this isn't a hard and fast rule, I managed to get 2 sticks of standard Twinmoss 512 running at 1T stabley, after exchanging them for my original Kingston 512's (infineon chip) modules would just boot loop at 1T settings, OK at 2T though!
Obviously other memory timing have to be set to default with standard memory as well as the 2T if memory won't allow 1T commands.
Thats why all of this fast memoy has become very popular, when fitted it allows for the fastest timings/performance to be applied which make a significant boost especially on dual channel socket 939 boards with on chip controllers.
Martin

We like members to GIVE and not just TAKE.
Participate and help others.

 

[apex1x]

Great advise and knowledge, paparazi. I didn't actually change timing, but I updated BIOS and changed from high performance settings to standard (which I'm sure changed memory timing as well). So far I am running stable. I appreciate the other posts as well. Keep up the sharing of knowledge!

If you can understand it, you probably don't.