I wasn't sure which subforum to ask this in, sorry if I guessed incorrectly.
I just bought a new pair of 8GB DDR3 Corsair Vengeance pro series 1866MHz memory sticks. But installing them, the machine just reboots, nothing on screen. it runs a little (aka. fan noise and lights in the mobo), then turns off, and starts again..
Can anyone tell me why this is happening and/or have any ideas how to fix it?
My motherboard is an old Gigabyte GA-EP45T-DS3
the CPU is a Intel Core 2 Quad Q9450 @ 2.66GHz
Is the machine producing any beep codes while it boots? And have you tried updating the BIOS ? Thats a pretty old motherboard make sure you're not hitting a compatability issue.
you have them in the green slots?
You tried just 1 stick in the green slot nearest the CPU?
bios were updated to the last version?
board only supports 16 total so maybe only likes 4x4?
@Raate: nope, beeps. The fan comes on, and all the lights light up, but no sounds. The reboots don't happen in equal intervals. Sometimes, it'll come on for just a few seconds. other times, maybe 15 seconds. All the while, nothing on screen, and no sounds (except fan noise)
@commodore_64: I tried them first in the green slots, and the old ram in the pink slots. Then I took the old ones out, tried with just the new ram in the green slots. Then with just one stick in the green slot near the CPU.
http://download.gigabyte.us/FileList/Memory/motherboard_memory_ga-ep45t-ds3.pdf
That motherboard doesnt support higher than 2GB sticks.
only upto 2 modules are verified but specs state 16, I rekn 4x4
Specs do say 16, but the memory support page only lists 2GB sticks. 4x4 might work.
Oh, pity.. so I'll have to return them for a set of 4x4?
I'd start there yeah, theres very little you can do if the hardware lacks in support.
google more to see what others have (or had) with that board.
You'll get tighter timing on 4x4 anyway so not all bad, It's 99.99% negligible but every little helps.
But still, Maybe your money would be better spent on a newer setup, Not brand new but more recent.
if the motherboard. support 16GB of total memory,
Then indeed 2x8GB will not work.
only 4x4GB, but i would also recommend to buy lower speed memory, just to avoid headaches.
Is there anything I should watch out for other than make sure I get a 4x4 split?
like as far as I understand as long as the frequency is 1600+MHz, I should be good right? Do I need to worry about voltage? Latency (CL rating)? XMP? anything else that might cause incompatibilities?
@MisteryAngel "lower speed memory", are you talking about clock speed? you mean I should get 1600MHz? or lower than 1600?
according to your Gigabytes specs, 1.5V DDR3 upto 1900Mhz OC.
But to get to 1900mhz might or might not work, because you need to overclock to get there.
i would recommend to grab 1600mhz 1.5V CL9 kit.
So grab 1600mhz 1.5V CL9 / CL10 rams.
According to the site where I bought the ram,
Two pairs of
2x4GB / DDR3 / 1600 MHz / CL7 / 1.5V
is the same price as one set of
4x4GB / DDR3 / 1600 MHz / CL9 / 1.5V
would you still recommend the CL9 set?
either of those should be fine.
get the 7's and run them at 9, don't let "the man" tell you how to use your stuff! ;)
@MisteryAngel so there is no chance that the lower latency will be incompatible with the motherboard?
@Commodore_64 What does that do?
It's just the timings, lower numbers means faster operation but it's such a tiny difference it's meaningless.
It does mean the parts are binned higher though.
Like 1866 parts are just the same as 1600 but better quality shown in testing as with all PC parts.
Like your Q9450 could have been a Q9550 (I guess) but failed the grade.
You can run the ram at whatever timings they are capable of.
After reading through all the comments and checking out the links and specs on your motherboard, I suggest that you should go with a set of 4 x 2gb DDR3 1866 ram. It's a safe and cheap purchase, and you don't have to overclock that much against the hardware to get to 1900. Sure it's much lower than what your original expectation of 16gb was (8gb now), but you're using old hardware and that should be expected. Sorry.