Every so often my computer locks-up during the RAM check at start up. I've opened the case, popped out the memory sticks, then reinstalled them to get my system running again. Any idea on what is causing this?
dirty contacts on the ram or ramsockets or both. clean out the ram sockets with a paint brush & vaccuum cleaner, use a pink or white eraser on the gold contacts of the ram but do not touch the contacts with your fingers as you'll leave oil on them. reseat the ram a # of times to clean & get a good contact between the ram & sockets
Memory is very delicate, very easily 'spooked' or glitched if not handled/installed with the greatest of care, protected from the slightest static discharge.
Quote:opened the case, popped out the memory sticks, then reinstalled them
That'll do it, LoL :^)
Do you first blow out the area with compressed air, and never fail to wear your grounding strap?
Assuming you have not glitched the RAM, I would go into startup BIOS and set the RAM timings to 'SPD'.
They may possibly be set to Optimal, or Turbo, or Aggressive or somesuch - set them to the slowest safest setting, to achieve rock-solid stability and reliability.
Using 2 sticks introduces a wait-state. Are you running dual-channel?
Try my suggestions, but if problem remains we can take a closer look at your CPU/FSB speed, your memory speed and your settings...
These problems are usually in BIOS and rarely in the RAM sticks themselves.
We gotta sort this, so you don't touch your RAM! It's not a good thing.
Regards
Lookit that - you an Addict ddp? That's kewl,
I know you've helped lots of people :^)
Assuming he's got good contact (which he may not) do you agree there is plenty of room for memory misconfiguration in BIOS?
L8R
i've been an addict since beginning of febuary & now over 6k in posts. depends on his computer in age wise in old or new because newer can play with ram setting more than older & the age info we don't have nor the motherboard info
I built this machine from scratch.......all components are new. I used a grounding wristband during the assembly so the chance of static discharge was null. Also didn't touch the contacts..... so no oils. The "popped out" comment was merely a figure of speech. Great care was taken when handling them......I'm a former airline mechanic with avionics background so I'm used to handling electronics. The fact that it's happened three times of the last couple of months is what baffles me. Once I reseat the sticks it works fine. I slightly over-clock my AMD but it locked up before the over-clocking as well. I've been through the BIOS a couple times and everything looks to spec. from the RAM manufacturer. Defective memory stick?
Yup, both sticks are from the same manufacturer. I bought them from TigerDirect.com. Actually I think they are the PC3200's. The freeze always occurs right before the byte count starts. Normally it will roll through the count visually........but it never get's to that point when it locks up. I also double checked the motherboard specs. and installed them in the two slots they recommend to be filled first.
Seems like there's either an issue with memory settings in the CMOS, or the memory may be a little 'edgy' for the motherboard.
Have a check in the CMOS for what The_OGS suggested, failing that, if you can obtain some more memory (maybe lower rating PC2700) and see if that helps.
The fact that it freezes before the count begins, actually suggests it may actually be failing before the memory check occurs.
Only way to check fo that is to use one fo those PCI plug in diagnsotic cards that display a 'hex' value for each stage of the POST.
