Upgrading Ram Issues

xFiveSevenx

xFiveSevenx

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May 31, 2013
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Hey all I'm currently trying to replace the RAM in my computer with new 4GB sticks. I bought Kignston 2x4GB 1333MHz DDR3 sticks and when I removed my 3x1GB 667MHz DDR3 sticks and put the new ones in and restart my computer it doesn't load the BIOS. So I decided to remove one, to only have 4GB and it loads the BIOS but crashes at the Windows Loading screen (restarts and tries again).
I looked up anything related to this and couldn't find anything.

My BIOS is Alienware: A04 and I run Windows 7 Premium Edition
Intel Core i5 650 @ 3.20GHz

If anyone could help me or point me in the right direction I would appreciate it.
Thanks
~FiveSeven
 
What motherboard do you have?

Two possibilities at the moment.
1) Bad RAM. One or both RAM sticks are bad. Obvious method to test: try one stick at a time. If that fails, retry the original sticks you had to just ensure they work.

2) Incompatible RAM. Your motherboard doesn't recognize the RAM at default, or doesn't even use them period, especially if it's an older one (rare, but possible since you are using 667MHz sticks). You need to figure out what model your motherboard is, or if from a manufacturer, find out which RAM speeds are compatible with it.
 
Not only what snipeye said but if it also could be the TYPE of ram there are different types P-1600 etc, probably should look and see what your RAM Type is....
 
StealthGus said:
Not only what snipeye said but if it also could be the TYPE of ram there are different types P-1600 etc, probably should look and see what your RAM Type is....
Click to expand...

You're talking about incompatible RAM then.

DDR3 1600 is PC3 12800
DDR3 1333 is PC3 10666/10660/10600/8500
DDR3 1066 is PC3 8500

Most motherboards using DDR3 will cover the gamut of DDR3 speeds, except for the super-high ones (which would be more commonly found on boutique or OC boards). Either way, both are equally likely still, though I'm leaning more towards you using DDR3 when your motherboard only accepts DDR/DDR2 RAM. That's just my guess right now; you'll figure it out soon enough.
 
My old 1GB Sticks are DDR3 1333 as are the new 4GB sticks. I've tried 4 different 4GB sticks one at a time. With just one the BIOS recognizes it and goes through to load windows. This is where it hits a wall and restarts.
My Motherboard model is 0RV30W
 
xFiveSevenx said:
My old 1GB Sticks are DDR3 1333 as are the new 4GB sticks.
Click to expand...

xFiveSevenx said:
I bought Kignston 2x4GB 1333MHz DDR3 sticks and when I removed my 3x1GB 667MHz DDR3 sticks
Click to expand...

Which is it? 1333MHz or 667MHz?

As for the motherboard, I'm guessing what you're saying is that you're using an Alienware Auroroa R2 motherboard, which should be compatible with 1066 and 1333MHz.

Reuse the 1GB sticks (whatever they are), verify that the mobo and restart goes fine. If so, you got a pair of bad sticks. You can RMA them back to the manufacturer with a full refund/replacement provided you still have a receipt.
 
Well heres the problem. The laptop only recognizes ddr2 memory & you're trying to put in ddr3 laptop memory. That's why you're not getting a reading from the memory. The laptop thinks of it as foreign memory since the technology is newer than the laptop understands it to be. You need to return it to wherever you got it & get compatible ddr2 laptop memory. *This will be your answer if indeed your laptop came originally with 667 mhz memory.

Please feel free to correct me if I am wrong in my statement tho.
 
So just an update, the 4GB sticks all work... my gf tried them in her computer and all 4 are reading fine so it's not defective RAM so we can rule that out. When I put my 3x 1GB sticks back in it loads fine and acts normal. It's almost as if when I put more than 3GB total my machine can't handle it. I've created a forum post on the alienware tech site and still waiting for a response. I'd like to thank everyone so far for their help... Hopefully I can get this fixed before BF4 comes out... Or I may be attempt to get a new motherboard :(
 
FiveSeven, did you read what pillar and I said about the RAM types? You're motherboard is only accepting DDR2 RAM and you're trying to use DDR3 RAM. It's incompatible.
 
Finally the issue is fixed!!!! My girlfriend brought over some Corsair Vengeance RAM and it worked fine. So yeah I'm glad she had some spare RAM laying around... Thanks again everyone for your help! Cheers!
~Fiveseven
 
FiveSeven, did she give you some older DDR2 RAM to use? It's like you ignored everything we said about the DDR types being your issue...
 
Snipeye said:
FiveSeven, did she give you some older DDR2 RAM to use? It's like you ignored everything we said about the DDR types being your issue...
Click to expand...

yea, if that is his mobo then it runs DDR2 not DDR3 and there in lies the issue, incompatible RAM. When purchasing RAM, DDR type and compatible speeds must conform to the mobo specs as well as, in some cases, number of channels supported.
 
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Snipeye said:
FiveSeven, did she give you some older DDR2 RAM to use? It's like you ignored everything we said about the DDR types being your issue...
Click to expand...

No it was all DDR3. I posted that in my first thread. Even the Corsair, which honestly makes no sense other than it's a little more expensive and I believe runs at a higher frequency or it is just more compatible with different motherboards.

Appreciate the help though, I actually sat down and learned a lot from this. We can't all be born from computers, lol.
Cheers.
 
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I see what it is actually for clairifcation its 1333mhz running at dual channel 667 mhz ddr3. Thats probably the confusion that we had as far as ram types.
 
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