# 3rd and 4th memory slot problems



## Nordic (Mar 15, 2013)

<--Specs
I cleared cmos  so settings are all at stock.

I can not get my computer to boot if I have a ram stick in the 3rd or 4th slot. Those are the two slots on the right side out of four slots. By not boot I mean that the computer turns on (fans lights etc) but I get no beeps and it shortly turns off without me being able to even enter the bios. It will turn on again repeating this over and over.  
I can have upto the two left slots populated giving me 4gb of single channel ram. This setup will let me get into windows etc. It does not matter which of my four sticks are in which slots.

I have let the computer run for awhile hoping that the motherboard wills somehow find itself a fix. I also have cleared cmos repeatedly with the button and also by removing the battery. I have tried no other fixes beyond this.

I did just do two things that could possibly of caused this.
One, I just took apart my watercooling loop and installed an apogee drive II. Two, while my loop was apart I tried cleaning off excess soldering flux and residue from motherboard as I was curious as to if it would actually help with my overclock. I did get sticky surfaces and cleaned them with a toothbrush, 99% alcohol, and a coffee filter. I did this to my soundcard, gpu, and motherboard. Gpu and soundcard are having no problems at this time.

As always, any help is appreciated.


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## Aquinus (Mar 15, 2013)

Did you try swapping the DIMMs instead to make sure that they're good? Do we know that we're working with memory that's confirmed to work?

Without the other two DIMMs populated, does CPU-Z say you're running in dual-channel mode? If both DIMMs are on the same channel it could be a connection or IMC issue.


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## Nordic (Mar 15, 2013)

Aquinus said:


> Did you try swapping the DIMMs instead to make sure that they're good? Do we know that we're working with memory that's confirmed to work?
> 
> Without the other two DIMMs populated, does CPU-Z say you're running in dual-channel mode? If both DIMMs are on the same channel it could be a connection or IMC issue.





> I can have upto the two left slots populated giving me _4gb of single channel ram_. This setup will let me get into windows etc. _It does not matter which of my four sticks are in which slots._


Single channel was confirmed with cpuz. I did test each stick alone, and they all got into windows. I then proceeded to try varying ram placements, figuring out that I can use the first two slots.

I should also note that I checked for anything odd like a bent pin or dust bunny in those ram slots. I did not find anything. I also used canned air and blew out the slots just in case.
This ram and motherboard have been playing pretty nice for the over a year. This ram also happens to by on the qualified memory list for this motherboard.

Newegg has pics of this model of motherboard if anyone wants to looks.


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## Aquinus (Mar 15, 2013)

james888 said:


> Single channel was confirmed with cpuz. I did test each stick alone, and they all got into windows. I then proceeded to try varying ram placements, figuring out that I can use the first two slots.
> 
> I should also note that I checked for anything odd like a bent pin or dust bunny in those ram slots. I did not find anything. I also used canned air and blew out the slots just in case.
> This ram and motherboard have been playing pretty nice for the over a year. This ram also happens to by on the qualified memory list for this motherboard.
> ...



If you're not over-tightening the cooler than your IMC could have a bad channel. Either that or the connection in the motherboard is bad, but you won't be able to confirm that without either testing your CPU in another board or testing another CPU in your board.

Can you run two DIMMs in either of the two sets of black slots or blue slots. Maybe it's only a single DIMM slot that is broken?

Try both blue slots together and both black slots together. I take it both DIMMs work when both blue and black closest to the CPU are populated when you say "closest to the left".


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## Nordic (Mar 15, 2013)

Aquinus said:


> If you're not over-tightening the cooler than your IMC could have a bad channel. Either that or the connection in the motherboard is bad, but you won't be able to confirm that without either testing your CPU in another board or testing another CPU in your board.
> 
> Can you run two DIMMs in either of the two sets of black slots or blue slots. Maybe it's only a single DIMM slot that is broken?
> 
> Try both blue slots together and both black slots together. I take it both DIMMs work when both blue and black closest to the CPU are populated when you say "closest to the left".



I will loosen the cpu block and see if that does anything. I also have no other board and no other cpu I can test with.

I have tried, I believe all placement of ram. I have tried blue + blue and black + black. The only combination I can get to work is the two left slots. Not all 8gbs was bought at the same time. I also have been keeping the two sets together. By that I mean I have tried 1st set of 4gbs in both blue slots and set 2 in both blue slots etc.

Yes, closest to the left is closest to the cpu.

The part I find oddest is that I get no beeps or anything.


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## Aquinus (Mar 15, 2013)

So it won't boot if you place only 1 dimm in either of the right most slots?

Sounds like you have a bad channel on your CPU if that's the case.


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## Nordic (Mar 15, 2013)

Aquinus said:


> So it won't boot if you place only 1 dimm in either of the right most slots?
> 
> Sounds like you have a bad channel on your CPU if that's the case.



Correct.

Bad channel? Blue + Blue makes a dual channel. Wouldn't it be bad channels? My knowledge on cpu memory channels doesn't go far beyond the definition of single/dual/quad channel memory and how it works on the motherboards I have had.

Why all of the sudden? Could it be that placing my new cpu block, I over tightened? It is not delided, not that it can be either. The instructions say to tighten the until the springs are fully compressed which is where I went to.

I am going to let it run a few more while the motherboard trys to make a fix while I sleep. Has helped before.


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## terrastrife (Mar 15, 2013)

You may have a magically bent pin... it happens :\


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## Nordic (Mar 16, 2013)

I have tried is removing the processor; clearing cmos; reseating the processor. No luck.


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## Aquinus (Mar 16, 2013)

james888 said:


> Bad channel? Blue   Blue makes a dual channel. Wouldn't it be bad channels? My knowledge on cpu memory channels doesn't go far beyond the definition of single/dual/quad channel memory and how it works on the motherboards I have had.



Right, so the first blue and black is one channel, and the second blue and black are the second channel. By populating just the blue slots, you're saying put 1 DIMM on the first slot for each controller since dual channel requires both channels to be populated. Populating the first two lets you run in single channel off one channel. Populating either the 3rd or 4th dimm slot alone not booting is either a bad connection with the motherboard or a bad IMC, but if it did boot it would be using the 2nd channel instead.

Did you ever run memory in both blue slots or both black slots or has memory always been in the first two slots?


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## Nordic (Mar 16, 2013)

Aquinus said:


> Right, so the first blue and black is one channel, and the second blue and black are the second channel. By populating just the blue slots, you're saying put 1 DIMM on the first slot for each controller since dual channel requires both channels to be populated. Populating the first two lets you run in single channel off one channel. Populating either the 3rd or 4th dimm slot alone not booting is either a bad connection with the motherboard or a bad IMC, but if it did boot it would be using the 2nd channel instead.
> 
> Did you ever run memory in both blue slots or both black slots or has memory always been in the first two slots?



By that description, I am unable to boot or even get into the bios if a memory slot is in the second channel.

When I first got this system I had 4gb, 2 sticks in the blue slots. A few months later I bought another 4gbs, 2 sticks and filled all the slots. I have tried all ram placements in the slots including blue + blue only and black + black only. The second channel did work until I most recently put it back together if that is what you are getting at. To put it very simply, it will not boot or beep if either the third or fourth slot are populated at all.

I would like to thanks you for your help so far and your very very quick responses.


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## Aquinus (Mar 16, 2013)

james888 said:


> By that description, I am unable to boot or even get into the bios if a memory slot is in the second channel.
> 
> When I first got this system I had 4gb, 2 sticks in the blue slots. A few months later I bought another 4gbs, 2 sticks and filled all the slots. I have tried all ram placements in the slots including blue + blue only and black + black only. The second channel did work until I most recently put it back together if that is what you are getting at. To put it very simply, it will not boot or beep if either the third or fourth slot are populated at all.
> 
> I would like to thanks you for your help so far and your very very quick responses.



You're welcome. If I didn't want to help I wouldn't post half the time at TPU  and you're more than welcome.

Just so I understand this correctly, no matter what memory configuration, if a DIMM is in the 3rd or 4th slots (with or without any other dimms populated,) it will turn on, fans will spin but it will just hang without posting or beeping? Since all the DIMMs work in in the first two slots it's not bad memory, that's for sure. The real question is if it is the motherboard or the processor, and I'm not exactly sure how to figure out which it is. Considering there is no beep it could be the CPU but I don't have enough information to say that for certain. It is very suspicious that the entirety of the second channel is having trouble though which makes me lean towards the IMC, but could be wrong.


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## Nordic (Mar 16, 2013)

Correct.

I don't post a problem here at tpu if it is not a hard one that I can't fix.


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## Aquinus (Mar 16, 2013)

james888 said:


> Correct.
> 
> I don't post a problem here at tpu if it is not a hard one that I can't fix.



Heh, yeah. I hate to recommend it but unless you have another CPU or motherboard to rule each of them out your best option is to buy a new one to test with or RMA the CPU and see what happens.

You could grab a celeron for backup and test with it, but you still are looking at ~$40 USD.


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## Nordic (Mar 16, 2013)

I wonder how much single channel memory would hit me in performance.


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## Aquinus (Mar 16, 2013)

james888 said:


> I wonder how much single channel memory would hit me in performance.



It depends on the application, it would benefit multi-threaded applications more than anything else but you're chopping your memory bandwidth in half by doing it.


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## newtekie1 (Mar 16, 2013)

I'd RMA the board first.  In my experience it is far more likely that the RAM slots on the board got damaged than the CPU loosing a channel on the IMC.


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## Nordic (Mar 17, 2013)

newtekie1 said:


> I'd RMA the board first.  In my experience it is far more likely that the RAM slots on the board got damaged than the CPU loosing a channel on the IMC.



I agree. I really don't think the cpu went bad. If anything the board is the one that had the possibility of some abuse. I was reinstalling watercooling stuff and I did wash the board. It did dry for about 48-56 hours.

I washed my gpu and soundcard also an they came out fine. I don't know. I was curious if it would actually help my overclock.


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## Deleted member 67555 (Mar 17, 2013)

james888 said:


> I wonder how much single channel memory would hit me in performance.



Almost no difference....I did this on accident when I got this board....
Could you post a screen of CPU-Z memory tab


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## Aquinus (Mar 17, 2013)

james888 said:


> I agree. I really don't think the cpu went bad. If anything the board is the one that had the possibility of some abuse. I was reinstalling watercooling stuff and I did wash the board. It did dry for about 48-56 hours.
> 
> I washed my gpu and soundcard also an they came out fine. I don't know. I was curious if it would actually help my overclock.



Wash? What did you wash it with?


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## Nordic (Mar 17, 2013)

I cleaned it with rubbing alcohol. I used a toothbrush also. It used a toothbrush and a distilled water to rinse off some dish soap I used because there was a sticky spot that wasn't just going away. You must of missed that part of the OP.


> Two, while my loop was apart I tried cleaning off excess soldering flux and residue from motherboard as I was curious as to if it would actually help with my overclock.



I am now pretty sure it is bent pins. I keep trying to get it to boot with ram in those slots. I noticed that the two right slots are harder to get a stick down than the two good ones. I can not see anything obstructing it; there is no visible difference between the two good slots and the two bad ones.

I'll get a cpuz shot next time I boot into windows on it since you asked jm.


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## Aquinus (Mar 17, 2013)

james888 said:


> I cleaned it with rubbing alcohol. I used a toothbrush also. It used a toothbrush and a distilled water to rinse off some dish soap I used because there was a sticky spot that wasn't just going away.
> 
> I am now pretty sure it is bent pins. I keep trying to get it to boot with ram in those slots. I noticed that the two right slots are harder to get a stick down than the two good ones. I can not see anything obstructing it; there is no visible difference between the two good slots and the two bad ones.



Aw, that's a shame. Time to pack that mobo up and ship it back if it is still under warranty. At least it isn't an ASUS board. 

Please let us know how the RMA goes though, several years ago I had an excellent experience with MSI support. I'm just curious  since it has been quite some time and I haven't heard anyone complain about it yet.


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## Deleted member 67555 (Mar 17, 2013)

MSI customer service is excellent here in the US. Just don't be specific and play dumb.


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## Aquinus (Mar 17, 2013)

jmcslob said:


> MSI customer service is excellent here in the US. Just don't be specific and play dumb.



I was very specific when I broke my MSI motherboard several years ago and I got it back in 2 weeks. I think not being specific could be bad. Tell them exactly what your machine is doing, but don't speculate for them though.


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## Deleted member 67555 (Mar 17, 2013)

Aquinus said:


> I was very specific when I broke my MSI motherboard several years ago and I got it back in 2 weeks. I think not being specific could be bad. Tell them exactly what your machine is doing, but don't speculate for them though.



Its good to tell them what its doing but nothing more...they will ask for less info and the process moves faster...Never tell them stuff like you washed the board...just tell them you have 4 memory sticks and 2 don't work and you tested all 4 sticks and they work fine but slots X and X do no t work.


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## Nordic (Mar 17, 2013)

I don't know if you still want to see this.






Before I Rma it I am going to play with the board. See if washing it as descibed in that post did actually help my overclock.

You have to be specific enough to tell them what is wrong but they do not need to know I washed the  board. It does not appear that damaged the board anyways. I must of done something wrong installing.


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## HammerON (Mar 17, 2013)

How did you wash the motherboard?


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## Nordic (Mar 17, 2013)

HammerON said:


> How did you wash the motherboard?



I went by this guide. Cleaning off excess soldering flux and residue from motherboard. I there were some spots that got sticky and were quite visible. My soundcard had a ton. To my exact method. I pored 99% propyl alcohol on the back. I checked for sticky. The spots that were sticky I tried wiping away with more iso and a coffee filter. That did not work on some spots. I dipped the tip of a toothbrush in some dawn soap and dunked the brush in some distilled water, then scubbed. I then rinsed with more iso and dabbed dry with another coffee filter. Then I let it sit for, the plan was 24 hours, but ended up being 48-56 hours.

And no, it did not help my overclock. Curiosity satisfied.


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## Deleted member 67555 (Mar 17, 2013)

james888 said:


> I don't know if you still want to see this.
> http://i.imgur.com/JE4D6ko.png
> 
> Before I Rma it I am going to play with the board. See if washing it as descibed in that post did actually help my overclock.
> ...


Ok the reason I asked you to post CPU-z was because you said slots 3 & 4 were having issues or something like that and I also said I accidentally ran my memory in single channel on accident with this board....

When I got this board I too had issues with slots 3&4 so I put my memory in slots 1&2 and it ran fine but just like your CPU-Z screen shot I found my memory was running in single channel....

So I tested it...I found if you populate all 4 slots there was no issue with slots 3&4 and it ran in DUAL channel....So I then put the 2 sticks of memory I bought for this board back in with 1 stick in SLOT 1 and the other in SLOT 3 and voila my board worked just fine and my memory was in DUAL CHANNEL....

Not saying you have the same problem but its worth a try before you RMA....


LOL I forgot I actually put my memory in slots 2&4 because this memory was to tall and got in the way of my HSF
but here's a screeny anyways


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## Aquinus (Mar 17, 2013)

jmcslob said:


> Ok the reason I asked you to post CPU-z was because you said slots 3 & 4 were having issues or something like that and I also said I accidentally ran my memory in single channel on accident with this board....
> 
> When I got this board I too had issues with slots 3&4 so I put my memory in slots 1&2 and it ran fine but just like your CPU-Z screen shot I found my memory was running in single channel....
> 
> ...



It doesn't even post if he only populated DIMM 3 or DIMM 4, he did essentially try this and it failed.


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## Deleted member 67555 (Mar 17, 2013)

Aquinus said:


> It doesn't even post if he only populated DIMM 3 or DIMM 4, he did essentially try this and it failed.



and neither does my board...if you populate both 3&4 of my board and nothing else.

I'd post a screeny of it but LOL the board wont post.


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## Nordic (Mar 17, 2013)

HammerON said:


> How did you wash the motherboard?


I am thinking now this was more a question about your possible washing of the a board.



jmcslob said:


> Ok the reason I asked you to post CPU-z was because you said slots 3 & 4 were having issues or something like that and I also said I accidentally ran my memory in single channel on accident with this board....
> 
> When I got this board I too had issues with slots 3&4 so I put my memory in slots 1&2 and it ran fine but just like your CPU-Z screen shot I found my memory was running in single channel....
> 
> ...



I'll try your configuration just for the sake of it. I have tried every combination of placement, and maybe even all the combinations of the 4 sticks in different placements. Three long evenings of doing that with hope.

Honestly, I can not tell a difference between having single channel and dual channel really. It did drop me 5fps in natural selection 2, which I play a lot.

I am not 100% sure the board is even under warrenty any more. It has only been a 1.5 years so I assume so. I will be checking tonight. Msi does not even make my board anymore so I might get something newer too. I kinda don't want to be without my gaming computer for a few weeks. A few days was hard enough with the boredom. I don't really watch tv so I had to do ... Gasp... stuff around the house.


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## Protagonist (Mar 24, 2013)

Why dont you try bios recovery, if your board has the recovery feature or you can try updating the bios to latest version, your bios could possibly be corrupt


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## Nordic (Mar 25, 2013)

Protagonist said:


> Why dont you try bios recovery, if your board has the recovery feature or you can try updating the bios to latest version, your bios could possibly be corrupt



Tried that today. Did not work.

I was telling a friend about this and he apparently got a lga1155 system and did not tell me. I tested today with his stuff and is definitely my motherboard. I will be putting in an rma form soon. I am trying to get another system up temporatilly with my c2d 6300.


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## Aquinus (Mar 25, 2013)

james888 said:


> I was telling a friend about this and he apparently got a lga1155 system and did not tell me. I tested today with his stuff and is definitely my motherboard. I will be putting in an rma form soon. I am trying to get another system up temporatilly with my c2d 6300.



As in your put your memory in his motherboard or you put his CPU in your motherboard? If your tested the memory in his machine then you still don't know if it is the CPU or motherboard yet.


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## Nordic (Mar 25, 2013)

We traded cpu's not memory. I know the memory is working. I have another system of my own I had tested that takes ddr3. When I had his cpu I would not boot, not even to the bios. When he had my cpu, he boot up immediately. That was with each system having all four sticks populated. Mine did boot with the two sticks closest to the cpu with his cpu.


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## Nordic (Apr 25, 2013)

I did eventually ship back the msi motherboard on April 6th. I just today april 25th got a replacement back. The asked to no questions and there was no hassles. I called once and the answerer was rude. Hung up on me as soon as I said "That answers my question". The only remark I got back was swapped.

This new board works better than the one I had before. I can get a better overclock.


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