Unable to boot since new RAM

[DragonWoLf]

Evenins all,

So my current machine which has 8GB ofCorsair Vengeance Pro 1866 in a Asus Maximus VI Hero.

Now I decided to double the RAM so bought some 8GB Hyper X RAM, stuck it inside the machine thinking it would just boot, well no, nout.

At first I thought it was due to the overclock so reset the BIOS by removing the CMOS battery for a min or two.

Tried to power back on and nout, I get power to the motherboard but that's it. I even tried one stick of the Corsair but still get nothing.

Double and triple checked all the connections and nothing loose nor anything bare touching the motherboard.

Anything else I could troubleshoot?

[DaveLEL]

The ram controller can only operate with matched sets of DDR3 memory, the Clock speed and CAS latency must be the same ( I.E. PC3-17066 (2133) CAS Latency: 11-11-11-27 ).
(Also operating voltage 1.3V or 1.5V)

So unless the Corsair Vengeance Pro 1866 and 8GB Hyper X RAM have exactly the same specifications it is not going to work.

To prove the new memory works - remove the older memory and just test with the new - you may have to move it to the slots A1 & B1 ( See page 1-9 of the Asus Maximus VI Hero manual)
( The graphic in the manual I have shows slots A2 & B2 for operation with two DIMMS, where the text says A1 & B1! In my system dims in the two red sockets and all working OK)
Assuming now you have four dims - the two red sockets should be one pair the two black the second pair -- the controller can operate with different capacity in the RED/BLACK sockets but must have matching timing speck)

The options are probably
1) Find stock of ram exactly same as that of the original Corsair Vengeance Pro 1866
2) Get more 8GB Hyper X RAM, and use that - and sell the old Corsair ram

N.B. The chips used on the memory cards are not always the same - even when the part number is the same -- as a result it is possible to find incompatibility between seemingly identical parts -- This is why its always recommended to order RAM as a "set" of the intended size for maximum stability

I am a Design engineer - worked with DDR but not the newer versions - but the control of DDR memory is far from simple.

David

PS memory I have in my VI Hero are Corsair Memory Vengeance Pro Series Red 16GB DDR3 2133 MHz Dual Channel Desktop

[kalniel]

The ram controller can only operate with matched sets of DDR3 memory, the Clock speed and CAS latency must be the same ( I.E. PC3-17066 (2133) CAS Latency: 11-11-11-27 ).
(Also operating voltage 1.3V or 1.5V)

So unless the Corsair Vengeance Pro 1866 and 8GB Hyper X RAM have exactly the same specifications it is not going to work.

They just need to be set to the same speed/timings to work. That means dropping to the worst common denominator with regards to timings and voltages. RAM should be able to run at lower than it's rated timings so that shouldn't cause any stability issues, but it's also harder work on the memory controller to run 4 sticks, so you may need to relax the timings/speed and/or increase controller voltage.

That's assuming all sticks are working fine. Test them individually and in pairs to rule out faults first.

[Mark@SCAN]

Check the CPU socket on the motherboard carefully for any bent pins.

It should look something like the one pictured on the following link, if it does not that could be the cause of your problem:

http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?imgur...d=0CEIQMygYMBg

Regards

[DragonWoLf]

Thanks Dave and kal, possibly right but I did pick the the RAM with the closest timing as possible within my budget:

1866MHz RAM Speed, CAS 9-11-9-24 Timings - Kingston HyperX Beast
1866MHz RAM Speed, CAS 9-10-9-27 Timings - Corsair Vengeance

Mark, I've not touched the CPU since I built the machine.

[kalniel]

Thanks Dave and kal, possibly right but I did pick the the RAM with the closest timing as possible within my budget:

But what timings and voltage did you set them to? And have you tried the sticks individually?

If you're suggesting that you can't boot even going back to your old set up then it's not a mismatch, there's something fundamentally set wrong or damaged - bent pins are a common problem as highlighted and can show up as memory problems (usually unable to detect extra RAM).

[DragonWoLf]

Timings: 9-10-9-27
Voltage: 1.50

Ok got rid of the Kingston RAM and went back to my normal memory, it seems that I'm going to have to remove the overclock for the time being and have a working system, don't have much time now days

[kalniel]

Timings: 9-10-9-27
Voltage: 1.50

But the Kingston was rated as:

1866MHz RAM Speed, CAS 9-11-9-24 Timings - Kingston HyperX Beast

So you're running it out of spec for the tRCD, which might be one of the issues. In general if you're running 4 sticks you need to relax timings, not push beyond spec.

Also, if I'm correct, the Hyper X beast need 1.55-1.65v to run at the stated timings, so you're also undervolting which is likely to cause issues.

edit: I'm probably not, regarding voltage - just seen one product sheet suggesting 1.5V, but a retailer recommended higher. Depends on the exact kit part.

[Lee H]

Even if you get RAM with similar timings, you can still get problems with interoperability between memory modules due to different IC's that are used.

For the best stability and compatibility we always recommend matching up memory brands and ranges and where possible to use the exact same RAM.

Best Regards,