# Boot problem



## Gus (Mar 30, 2014)

*Mother board, memory or ?*
I was using a Asus Motherboard M4A7BLT-M LE (AMD). It according to the manual can use two memory sticks of 4 GB each. It has two DDR3 slots. I was running a single 2 GB stick in slot DIMM-A1 and everything was working.

Any way I decided to upgrade the memory to 4 GB total so I purchased 2 by 2GB sticks DDR3 1600 at a kit from Kingston KHX1600C9D3B1K2/4G . Plugged them in and powered on the computer. NOTHING happened. The fans started but no beeps, no video. Pulled the "B stick out from slot DIMM-B1 and tried again. This time it worked. Swapped the sticks and it still worked with a stick in slot DIMM-A1 The memory sticks I brought were specifically indicated by the same parts numbers in the mother board handbook. Kingston KHX1600C9D3B1K2/4G. So on this basis I would have assumed that they would work.

Brought another set of memory sticks Patriot PG234G1600ELKA tried again and got the same result. Could only get the computer to start with one stick in slot DIMM-A1


I had a friend check both sets on memory in his computer. Bot sets worked fine with no problem starting his computer in any combination.

Thinking I had a mother board problem I purchased a ASUS H81M-PLUS (Intel) mother board.
Low an behold I have the same problem. I can not get any of the sets on Memory sticks to allow the computer to start when I have a 2 GB stick in each of the two Memory slots DIMM-A1 and DIMM-B1
But if I remove the memory from Slot B the computer will start and boot normally.

When I have the computer running with 1 stick only and using the ASUS H81M-Plusmotherboard  I have noticed that the BIOS recognises the single RAM stick as 2 GB DDR3 but at 1333 not the 1600. I have not made any changes to the BIOS settings of either motherboard, everything appears to be on Auto.

The power supply checks out ok and has a capacity much greater than needed.  Indeed I have purchased a Shaw Evo 975 power supply and tried that with no effect.

There is talk of a "Memok" switch on what I think is only some ASUS motherboards. can not see such a switch on either of the motherboards I have.

Looked at trying to post a message to support at ASUS but after indicating the mother board model there was so much information to be filled in it was a joke. Especially as the "must have" fields should have been filled in by the motherboard specification any way. I gave up. Could not find the serial number on either of the motherboards to start with. A bit difficult to pull the machine apart while you are using it (be it with on memory stick). 

I have checked he seating of the sticks.  there is no foreign mater in the slots  and no damage in slot two on either motherboard and for it to happen on two different mother boards one would have to say is unlikely. The mother boards were brought months apart.

Any ideas please.


----------



## sttubs (Mar 30, 2014)

Get Memtest86 Free Version (http://www.memtest86.com/download.htm). Mount the .iso file onto a CD & boot to CD drive. Test one stick at a time just to ensure it is not faulty memory, let it run for several passes. Even though you were able to boot with them in another PC it could still be the problem.


----------



## Jetster (Mar 30, 2014)

The new memtest86 5.0 has a USB version that's pretty slick

Motherboard can be picky sometimes with ram just return them and get another type


----------



## McSteel (Mar 30, 2014)

You could try flashing the latest BIOS, even if it's a beta one. If you already have the latest one, try hard resetting it by pulling the battery out for 10 seconds (with the system powered down AND the PSU disconnected). Sometimes some of the memory settings carry over even after hitting MemOK! and your new modules don't like what your old one does.


----------



## micropage7 (Mar 30, 2014)

Jetster said:


> The new memtest86 5.0 has a USB version that's pretty slick
> 
> Motherboard can be picky sometimes with ram just return them and get another type


yep, i bought local brand ddr3 and it looks my board doesnt like if i pair the old one with the new one.
i dunno it looks between compability and cant get paired each other  so i bought another ddr 
btw what brand your friend memory?
have you tried to run it with his memory


----------



## brandonwh64 (Mar 30, 2014)

I know this may sound off the wall but put one stick in and go into the bios and set the stick to the specs off the sticker of the ram then save and shut down. Then add the extra stick to see if they will both boot at the static specs you have set in the bios


----------



## m0nt3 (Mar 30, 2014)

Pull CMOS battery, remove everything from the case, like on a cardboard box, say the motherboard box if you have, something not electrically conductive. Assemble computer out side of the case put CMOS battery back in and try again.


----------



## micropage7 (Mar 30, 2014)

brandonwh64 said:


> I know this may sound off the wall but put one stick in and go into the bios and set the stick to the specs off the sticker of the ram then save and shut down. Then add the extra stick to see if they will both boot at the static specs you have set in the bios


could be like that or your motherboard couldnt accept a pair of the ram


----------



## Gus (Apr 2, 2014)

micropage7 said:


> could be like that or your motherboard couldnt accept a pair of the ram



Done basically all of the above.  sorry to say same result in all cases.   Power on and nothing with both DIMM slots occupied.  Power on with the first slot with memory in and all it fine, except that I only have half the memory I want.

What I did notice and I have not been able to duplicate it again yet was that in one case I have the memory stick in the first DIMM slot  powered the computer up and the boot process worked fine.  Ran Fedora 20 64 bit with no issues.   Powered down and then inserted the other memory stick in the second DIM  slot.  turn the power on.  Fans start but then just nothing.  no video light on the monitor nothing.   I have tried both the "Normal" and "Performance" setting in the BIOS for the H*1M-Plus mother board but get the same results each time.

I then used the computer for a while with only 1 memory stick in the first DIMM slot.  When I had finished I powered the computer down inserted the second memory stick and tried to boot.   Not doing anything powered down and  pulled the memory in the second DIMM Slot  and powered back up.  This time the BIOS halted to say there was a problem with over clocking.  Reset the BIOS and all works fine again but only with 1 Memory stick.   I have not been able to repeat it since so I do not know what happened.

Still looking for an answer.


----------



## RCoon (Apr 2, 2014)

Gus said:


> Done basically all of the above.  sorry to say same result in all cases.   Power on and nothing with both DIMM slots occupied.  Power on with the first slot with memory in and all it fine, except that I only have half the memory I want.
> 
> What I did notice and I have not been able to duplicate it again yet was that in one case I have the memory stick in the first DIMM slot  powered the computer up and the boot process worked fine.  Ran Fedora 20 64 bit with no issues.   Powered down and then inserted the other memory stick in the second DIM  slot.  turn the power on.  Fans start but then just nothing.  no video light on the monitor nothing.   I have tried both the "Normal" and "Performance" setting in the BIOS for the H*1M-Plus mother board but get the same results each time.
> 
> ...


 
What processor are you using? Is it overclocked? Check to see if any XMP is loaded in your BIOS.

The IMC is in the processor if I remember correctly. Could have nothing to do with board or RAM. The IMC in your processor could be jarate for all you know. Explains why new mobo and new RAM doesn't work, and why it works in your friends PC.

So you had the issues with an AMD processor in an AMD board, and then the same issues in an Intel board with an Intel processor?

Check for bent pins on motherboard socket, also check underside of processor for contact defects.


----------



## Gus (Apr 5, 2014)

The processor in the H81M-Plus mother board is a Inter 1150 pin G3420.  What processor is in the M4A7BLT-M LE mother board I can not remember as I have had the board for quite a while now.   The BIOS in the H81M-Plus mother board has the XMP disabled.     IMC?   could not find any reference to that.

Yea same issue in both mother boards.   When I installed the H81M-PLUs I did not change anything in the BIOS it was straight out of the box, connected up put power on in standby for a few hours.  then pushed the Power on.  It did not boot so pulled the memory in slit 2 and rebooted this time it can up.   so it did not work with two sticks of memory out of the box.  I have never investigated over clocking so I have always just used a mother board as it comes out of he box.

Will pull the procrssors and have a look for bent pins.  Have looked at the memory sockets with a magnifying glass and all seems to be ok


----------



## flmatter (Apr 5, 2014)

Your motherboard runs 1333 and 1066 natively  you have to go under bios and set the ram to 1600 or Overclock it to 1600 speeds-not just the performance setting, you have to manually set the speed higher. 
http://www.asus.com/Motherboards/M4A78LTM_LE/specifications/       depending on what cpu you have that could be your problem as well  the AM3 100 & 200 series only support 1066 speeds.  The intel board supported the stock ram speeds.  I would try some 1333 or 1066 ram and see if the problem persists.


----------



## Gus (Apr 6, 2014)

flmatter said:


> Your motherboard runs 1333 and 1066 natively  you have to go under bios and set the ram to 1600 or Overclock it to 1600 speeds-not just the performance setting, you have to manually set the speed higher.
> http://www.asus.com/Motherboards/M4A78LTM_LE/specifications/       depending on what cpu you have that could be your problem as well  the AM3 100 & 200 series only support 1066 speeds.  The intel board supported the stock ram speeds.  I would try some 1333 or 1066 ram and see if the problem persists.



The handbook for the ASUS H81M-PLUS mother board shows ram 2 x DIM max 16GB DDRs 1600 / 1333/1066/ MHz.  So the MB should run the the 1600 RAM.  I will try some 1333 1 GB ram I have.


As for the other mother board the ASUS M4A78LT-M LE  the Kingston part number for the ram I am using is listed in the RAM list given in the manual  so it should also run on that mother board.

The CPU in the ASUS H81M-Plus mother board is an Intel G3240


----------



## Gus (Apr 6, 2014)

Gus said:


> The handbook for the ASUS H81M-PLUS mother board shows ram 2 x DIM max 16GB DDRs 1600 / 1333/1066/ MHz.  So the MB should run the the 1600 RAM.  I will try some 1333 1 GB ram I have.
> 
> 
> As for the other mother board the ASUS M4A78LT-M LE  the Kingston part number for the ram I am using is listed in the RAM list given in the manual  so it should also run on that mother board.
> ...




Just tried a couple of 1GB 1333 memory sticks.  Same result as before.  Either stick works fine in Slot DIMM_A1 but put a stick in both  DMM- slots and same as before no go.


----------



## Solaris17 (Apr 6, 2014)

OMG YOU TOO! I ordered a few of these for the shop and ran into the same problem. I RMAd and got the none plus editions and those worked fine.


----------



## Gus (Apr 6, 2014)

Solaris17 said:


> OMG YOU TOO! I ordered a few of these for the shop and ran into the same problem. I RMAd and got the none plus editions and those worked fine.



The 1333  1 GB ram was Kingston KVR1333D3N9/1G  not brought as a pair.  but works fine with both installed in three other computers.

I have also tried two 4Gb sticks not brought as a pair but tried in about 4 other computers.  KVR16N11S8/4.  Again I can get either stick to work in DIMM-A1 slot but plug one in each slot and we have a go go.

So what gives?


----------



## Solaris17 (Apr 6, 2014)

Gus said:


> The 1333  1 GB ram was Kingston KVR1333D3N9/1G  not brought as a pair.  but works fine with both installed in three other computers.
> 
> I have also tried two 4Gb sticks not brought as a pair but tried in about 4 other computers.  KVR16N11S8/4.  Again I can get either stick to work in DIMM-A1 slot but plug one in each slot and we have a go go.
> 
> So what gives?


I honestly dont know i think they have an issue with their pro boards i was pissed I bought about 5 or 6 for the shop and just RMAd them all after the second one had the same issue.


----------



## Gus (Apr 18, 2014)

Solaris17 said:


> I honestly dont know i think they have an issue with their pro boards i was pissed I bought about 5 or 6 for the shop and just RMAd them all after the second one had the same issue.


Solved.

Brought a new mother board.  Use the same Memory as was using in all of the above tests and checks.   Worked out of the box.  Plugged both of the Memory sticks in the bios saw both sticks 1600 DRR3 2GB each and has not missed a beat since.

Thanks for all of teh suggestions


----------

