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Apologies for the ramble:
My lad has built a PC for his Uni work & gaming. All had gone well then it started playing up - random crashes, reboots & the dreaded BSOD to the point where it wouldn't even boot up. Tried a clean install of W10 but nothing. After much interweb searching we ran memtest86 a couple of times from the boot menu & this identified errors (only 3) implying the RAM wasn't functioning - he's ordered a replacement.
For some reason I had another look at the bios screens & noticed that the RAM sticks were operating at different speeds. Enabled XMP & 'overclocked' the RAM to run at its optimised settings & both now identical - hey presto, everything works & seems stable.
Questions:
Why would this happen in the first place?
Is this 'fix' likely o be permanent?
Should we still install the faster RAM when it arrives (& hope it works)?
I'm a self-confessed IT numpty so please go easy...
Why would this happen in the first place?
There's a chip on a DIMM which tells the system what speed it should run at.
Is this ‘fix’ likely o be permanent?
No idea, seems a weird one to me. For the price of RAM these days I'd have binned the suspect DIMM. I suppose there's one way to find out, the question rather is whether guaranteed stability is more or less important than utilising a memory stick.
Should we still install the faster RAM when it arrives (& hope it works)?
As opposed to what, returning it? Do you have sufficient slots to install it in addition to the existing or is it a replacement? What size are they?
Thanks Cougar.
As a numpty I thought it weird - 2 identical 8gb/2400mhz, 1 of which was only at 2133mhz & the other at 2400mhz. Forced them to 2400 & all is well.
The new RAM he ordered is the same but 3200mhz - might try it to see if it works straight off. If so, just replace what w=is there already or run all 4 (which I understand should be fine but all would only operate at the capacity of the slowest).
Sounds like a fault with either the ram or motherboard.
If the motherboard could be permanent and a faff to replace.
If it's the ram than easy fix to replace. Usually two strips different speeds just defaults to slowest, but best advised to have same. Overclocking sounds a bad idea too.
Sorry if obvious but MBs are not happy with different sizes of ram strips and you need to make sure you use the correct slots.
Edit - sounds like you covered all that.
Yeah, all covered really.
Overclock is probably the wrong term but the XMP settings in bios enables you to change the speed of the RAM from 'auto' to whatever you want. The existing one is rated at 2400mhz so only 'forced' it to that limit - I could go higher but no point really.
Is it a decent brand of RAM, from a reliable shop? Seems there are some fakes around.
As a numpty I thought it weird – 2 identical 8gb/2400mhz, 1 of which was only at 2133mhz & the other at 2400mhz. Forced them to 2400 & all is well.
The fact that SPD is seemingly misreporting the speed would be a red flag for me, but I've never in my life seen a RAM fault go away by driving a module faster, that's utterly bizarre.
It's surely either faulty or as CraigW suggests a fake. If you've bought new RAM rather than send back the existing sticks for replacement that rather makes me question the provenance of that memory.
Sounds like a fault with either the ram or motherboard.
If the motherboard could be permanent and a faff to replace.
Pretty easy to diagnose, swap slots and rerun memtest. If the fault moves it's the RAM, if it stays in the same place it's the mobo.
Both sets are Corsair Vengence LPX & both from Amazon (not someone else & fulfilled by Amazon).
He'd already ordered the new RAM before I got system working via XMP settings & order couldn't be cancelled as it was already despatched. It actually arrived about an hour ago so I might try it rather than hope the existing holds out.
My understanding is being fulfilled by or supplied by amazon makes no odds.
The item gets put into a bin of ‘identical’ items in the amazon fulfilment centre and whoever you buy from the items come from the same bin.
Really? I thought that Amazon sold goods were solely theirs & fulfilled was only third party.
Anyway, slapped the new RAM in, fired it up & set everything to auto in bios. All booted fine & he's tried a couple of games that are resource heavy without any issue.
The originals will be returned.