Asus P7P55D-E post/BSOD problems

[bryceg]

Hello,

I recently purchased a 4x4GB kit from you with which to upgrade a PC, and am having some difficulty getting it to function. Some relevant details:

RAM kit: F3-12800CL9Q-16GBRL (4x4GB Ripjaws series) Serial numbers 140525000277999 through 8002
Motherboard: Asus P7P55D-E
CPU: Intel Core i3, 2.93 Ghz

I have tried this on two separate PCs with the same mobo/CPU combination. They each originally had one of the following kits:

G.Skill Ripjaws: F3-12800CL9D-4GBRL (2x2GB)
G.Skill Ripjaws: F3-12800CL9D-8GBXL (2x4GB)

The motherboard is listed on your compatibility list for the new kit. I have have tried the following configurations:

-One DIMM in slot A1 -- posts fine, but halfway through windows load I get a blue screen with IRQL NOT LESS OR EQUAL (0x0A), suggesting faulty hardware. This occurs with every stick in the new kit; the old RAM will boot successfully with only one stick installed this way.

-Two DIMMS, A1 & B1 -- same as above (this is the current working configuration, with the old kit)

-All four -- does not post. Hangs at the splash screen indefinitely.

(( for reference, the DIMM slots are numbered A2-A1 B2-B1 starting from the nearest to the CPU ))

I have tried running the windows memory diagnostic tool for each of the four sticks individually, as well as several 2x and 4x configurations, and none of the tests will complete. After leaving the test running for ~30min, no progress had been made (by comparison, the working RAM kit takes about 6-8 minutes to fully complete the test). The tool appears to freeze immediately, since I am unable to access the "settings" option.

On overclock.net I found a help post with a similar issue, in which the user resolved the problem by installing his kit sequentially by serial number. I've tried this, with no success:

http://www.overclock.net/t/1273610/4...stem-wont-post

I have additionally verified that the voltage and timings in the BIOS match the RAM specs -- these are the same across both the new and old kits.

A G.Skill tech responded to an email I sent regarding this issue, suggesting that I underclock the RAM to 1333 with 8-8-8-24 timing in the BIOS, since some i3 CPUs can't handle 1600. I tried this, with no change in the above-listed results.


All this suggests to me a defective kit and I should just go straight to RMA, but I have a hard time believing that all four sticks are bad. Is there anything else I'm missing?

[GSKILL TECH]

Do you have the latest BIOS? You should have no such problems with this memory kit.

Thank you
GSKILL TECH

[bryceg]

Thank you for the response, and I apologize for the delay in my own reply. The BIOS version is current: 1601.

This afternoon I tried an additional configuration, leaving the original RAM kit in slots A1/B1 (F3-12800CL9D-4GBRL) and placing 2 of the new kit in the A2/B2 slots. It met with BSOD failure I described previously; however, I did notice that the system at least appears to be recognizing the presence of the new memory. In the BIOS system info, the proper amount (12GB) was shown.

[GSKILL TECH]

Did you configure settings in BIOS?

Thank you
GSKILL TECH

[bryceg]

Yes, and have tried several configs:

Default Auto-detect
XMP (sets to 1600 9-9-9-24 1.5V, modifies several other settings that are normally auto)
manually config to 1600 9-9-9-24 1.5V
underclock to 1333 8-8-8-24 1.5V (based on an email response from your tech support that suggested the combination of Intel i3 CPU and DDR3-1600 may be at fault)

[GSKILL TECH]

If that's the case, sounds like the two kits can not be used in the same system.

Thank you
GSKILL TECH

[bryceg]

I'm hoping to remove the original (2x2GB) kit entirely and replace with the new (4x4GB) kit. I tried booting with both together just to get another data point for the behavior/failure, but all of the failed boot notes in my first post were acquired with only the new kit (or portions of it) installed.

[GSKILL TECH]

With a 4 x 4GB kit, you shouldn't have any problems.

Thank you
GSKILL TECH

[bryceg]

I agree, I shouldn't -- which is why I'm a bit baffled at this point. With the 4x4 kit installed, my machine won't even POST. If I use two or just one of the sticks (and none of the original kit), it will POST but I get a BSOD crash partway through Windows loading:

IRQL NOT LESS OR EQUAL (0x0A)

If I check the BIOS the two (or one) sticks are recognized, but the memory diagnostic will not work at all (it starts, but hangs indefinitely at 0% complete and will not respond to inputs). This is true for any POST-able configuration of the new kit -- any one or pair of the sticks will crash the memory diagnostic in the same manner.

If it were just one stick with a memory fault I would just RMA, but I have a hard time believing that I got a package of all four defective. I've tried all of these various troubleshooting configurations on two different, identical machines, so I very much doubt that it's a faulty hardware problem.

[GSKILL TECH]

You said DDR3-1333 settings still had a problem?

Try F3-10666CL9Q-16GBRL to see if that works.

Thank you
GSKILL TECH

[bryceg]

Hi again,

Thanks for your help so far. I am working on an RMA/exchange for the 4x4 kit, and have a question about your recommendation to use a 1333 4x4.

So far, this entire issue has been a pretty big mystery to me, and it seems like it's left you guys a little stumped as well. Can you think of any reason that it might be related to using a quad-channel kit, rather than two dual-channels?

The reason I ask is because a clone of this machine works fine with a 2x2GB ripjaws kit and a 2x4 kit (F3-12800CL9D-8GBXL). However, that same machine will not boot (see the errors described in my original post) if I replace its 2x4 kit with two pieces of the 4x4 kit. So it appears that the speed of the RAM is not an issue -- both kits are 1600.

So, I guess my question is: for my RMA exchange, should I get two 2x4GB kits at 1600, or go for the 1333 (either two 2x4GB kits or one 4x4GB kit)?

[GSKILL TECH]

Both should work, check to see if the memory modules have chips on one side or both.

Thank you
GSKILL TECH

[bryceg]

Hello again!

I'm back with more trouble, unfortunately. I did a RMA with the previous 4x4GB kit that I had purchased, trading it for a pair of 2x4GB kits:

F3-12800CL9D-8GBXL

And it seems that these don't work, encountering the same problems -- depending on whether 2 or 4 are installed, the machine either will throw the BSOD during windows startup with the IRQL error (2 installed), or it will fail to post (4 installed).

As I mentioned previously, I have tried this on two different machines, identical except their RAM loadout. On one of the machines the same kit is installed, but an older version - it was manufactured in Nov. 2012. Replacing the older 2x4GB kit with the new one (same model) gives me the above errors.

I did look this time at the memory modules, as per the last post by GSKILL TECH in this thread. The older, working kits in all cases have chips on both sides of the memory modules; the newer kits have chips only on one side. Is this the source of my problems?

[GSKILL TECH]

Seems like the case. Exchange for double sided memory modules to see if that solves your problem.

Thank you
GSKILL TECH

[bryceg]

Do you have a G.Skill product you would recommend that fits what I'm after? DDR3 1333 or 1600, 2x4GB. I'm having trouble finding the physical chip configuration on any spec sheets. I've already done one RMA, I'd prefer to get it right this time