additional RAM causing crash?

[SLP Firehawk]

Hello.
I bought this RAM
https://www.newegg.com/g-skill-128gb-288-pin-ddr4-sdram/p/N82E16820232965?Item=N82E16820232965
and it has been working great for 2+ years
Recently I bought another set of the silver version of it
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B088QS8D6J?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details
because the original gold was discontinued

and I installed 2 sticks of the silver kit to the 4 from the earlier kit so I now have a total of 6 sticks installed

Everything seemed to be fine but as I am using the PC more now it is having some random reboots and error screens. I also changed up and added some SSDs around the same time so I am unsure what the problem is. Attached are screen shots that may help. I figured I better ask the wonderful experts here since I don't know what to do.
Thank you for your time.

 

[pendragon1]

start with running memtest

 

[SLP Firehawk]

thank you I see memtest86 and memtest86+
2 different sites? - memtest.org , memtest86.com

lists DDR5 but mine is DDR6

 

[pendragon1]

thank you I see memtest86 and memtest86+
2 different sites? - memtest.org , memtest86.com

lists DDR5 but mine is DDR6

either
you do not have ddr6

 

[SLP Firehawk]

either
you do not have ddr6

Thanks I just noticed its DDR4 and was about to reply but you beat me

 

[pitingres]

You have B and D channels dual-ranked, but A and C not. While this configuration ought to work in theory, I don't know how well it will do in practice. In addition to memtest to make sure you don't have a bad stick, I'd maybe try turning off XMP (or DOCP or whatever Asus calls it) and see if you are stable that way. If so, you probably need to manually downclock the memory for stability.

What was the reason for adding more memory? Were you actually running short, or was it more of a "seems like a good idea" thing?

 

[SLP Firehawk]

You have B and D channels dual-ranked, but A and C not. While this configuration ought to work in theory, I don't know how well it will do in practice. In addition to memtest to make sure you don't have a bad stick, I'd maybe try turning off XMP (or DOCP or whatever Asus calls it) and see if you are stable that way. If so, you probably need to manually downclock the memory for stability.

What was the reason for adding more memory? Were you actually running short, or was it more of a "seems like a good idea" thing?

Thank you. The AIO blocks a slot which caused me to use the 6 slots/channels I'm using. I added more memory because of "seems like a good idea" since I am using this for 3ds max renders and 4k video editing and wanted to buy the same RAM while it was still available versus waiting til all discontinued

 

[dasa]

Memtest will let you know if one of the sticks is faulty and if so try one stick at a time till you find the culprit.
But it probably wont show errors if the memory controller is unstable due to the different sticks of RAM, for this you want to use OCCT (CPU, large data set)

 

[SLP Firehawk]

memtest in progress:
on the original PC it has 28 errors so far, 6hrs into it

I also have a 2nd PC with similar MB, same CPU and same RAM situation as original - a matched kit of 4 gold sticks plus 2 silver sticks added later. This one has more errors already.

Each of the two PCs got a matched 128GB gold Ram kit and later I split a matched set of silver 128GB ram kit between them so they both ended up with 6 sticks (192GB).

I never ran memtest previously nor did I have any random crash/reboot errors previously. 1st pic from PC1 and 2nd pic from PC2

 

[pendragon1]

ok am i under standing that you have 2 sets of 4 sticks, one silver and one gold? if so, dont mix them, put all of each into one board. then id try upping the voltage a bit like 10%. if that doesnt help, then id lower the timings one notch.

 

[SLP Firehawk]

PC1 has a set of 4 gold
PC2 has a set of 4 gold

Then I bought a set of 4 silver and put 2 sticks of silver in each PC. All same specs

 

[pitingres]

I'd try a couple things: one, pull the added "silver" sticks and re-run memtest just to make sure your original kit is stable. Two, pull the original gold sticks from one machine, put in all 4 sticks of the new silver, and run memtest.

I suspect it's the mix, possibly along with the unbalanced channel setup, that is causing you trouble. If the kits test out OK individually, pendragon has some good ideas to try.

 

[riev90]

memtest in progress:
on the original PC it has 28 errors so far, 6hrs into it

I also have a 2nd PC with similar MB, same CPU and same RAM situation as original - a matched kit of 4 gold sticks plus 2 silver sticks added later. This one has more errors already.

Each of the two PCs got a matched 128GB gold Ram kit and later I split a matched set of silver 128GB ram kit between them so they both ended up with 6 sticks (192GB).

I never ran memtest previously nor did I have any random crash/reboot errors previously. 1st pic from PC1 and 2nd pic from PC2

try like this:
1. Plug 4 kits of your ram to these slots: A2, B2, C2, D2
2. Plug remaining of your kits to: B2. D2
3. Try to boot to windows without activating XMP
4. Then try to run TM5 (download from here https://mega.nz/file/vLhxBahB#WwJIpN3mQOaq_XsJUboSIcaMg3RlVBWvFnVspgJpcLY)
5. Load preset extreme anta / absolute, run it until it finishes.

If no error found, you can try to activate the xmp (3200 c16), then run the TM5 again.

 

[SLP Firehawk]

I removed the silver sticks out of both PCs and ran memtest for 10 hours on both with just the 4 gold sticks in each one. No errors so far.
So the two gold kits may be good.
Then I removed the set of 4 gold sticks from one PC I put the kit of 4 silver sticks in and it only boots to a black screen. No POST, nothing but black. The PC is on, the RAM lights up but no screen.

 

[Jinto]

May just be a bad set of ram.

 

[SLP Firehawk]

A huge thanks to everyone. You guys are always graciously helpful.
I took the silver kit out and put back in the gold kit and it was able to boot again.
I'm sending the silver kit back. Too many problems to track down and they all go away once there is no silver RAM in the PC

 

[pendragon1]

I put the kit of 4 silver sticks in and it only boots to a black screen. No POST, nothing but black. The PC is on, the RAM lights up but no screen.

i missed that yesterday... that is probably because its still using the gold sticks settings. clearing the cmos might get them going. then you could try adding in the golds as they will(should) clock to match the silver's settings. but if you've already returned them that point is moot...

 

[SLP Firehawk]

Thank you again. Darn oh well my return period was almost up so I shipped them this morning else I would have tried this. Question : since the sticks are all identical (same model/specs/timings) why is it that your idea would work? Not doubting the idea - just trying to learn. I realize RAM are not manufactured identical but the manufacturers supposedly match up kits to they are "identical" and should work together. So is that why ? - because the 4 gold set and 4 silver set are not the same as a matched 8 set should be?

 

[pendragon1]

Thank you again. Darn oh well my return period was almost up so I shipped them this morning else I would have tried this. Question : since the sticks are all identical (same model/specs/timings) why is it that your idea would work? Not doubting the idea - just trying to learn. I realize RAM are not manufactured identical but the manufacturers supposedly match up kits to they are "identical" and should work together. So is that why ? - because the 4 gold set and 4 silver set are not the same as a matched 8 set should be?

sticks are sold in matched sets. they should intermix but not always and clearing the cmos will force the board to retrain to the new ones.

 

[SLP Firehawk]

Well drat. I'm sorry I wasn't able to do this troubleshooting earlier. The silver ones gave a ton of memtest errors running with the gold ones but perhaps if we went at it backwards with CMOS cleared do the silver first and then add the gold to the silver they might have adjusted...

 

[pendragon1]

Well drat. I'm sorry I wasn't able to do this troubleshooting earlier. The silver ones gave a ton of memtest errors running with the gold ones but perhaps if we went at it backwards with CMOS cleared do the silver first and then add the gold to the silver they might have adjusted...

possibly, or they are actually bad....

 

[SLP Firehawk]

True. either way I am hopefully through with that problem and they will be refunded.

You are tremendous help and I am grateful!