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nouseforaname
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Location: Toronto, Canada
PostPosted: Tue, 21st Oct 2014 04:26    Post subject: RAM upgrade advice
OK, so I have a fairly mediocre PC (see sig) mostly put together from spare parts I've gathered over the last while... but given I'm going to migrate over to an SSD for my OS HDD (and 64 bit) I thought maybe the RAM could be upgraded.

An extra 4gb is only like $50 (thinking adding 2x2gb to add to the 2x2 I already have), but I don't really know if it would make any difference for games that aren't shitty ports.



also, I really have no idea where I got the RAM I have but it seems to be "server" ram vs. regular (edit= it is unbranded by the part # says server but only 8 chips on the ram). can I just add this shit and all will be OK?
http://www.tigerdirect.ca/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=5625839&CatId=11481

or will it just be a pointless upgrade?

asus z170-A || core i5-6600K || geforce gtx 970 4gb || 16gb ddr4 ram || win10 || 1080p led samsung 27"
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Frant
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Location: Your Mom
PostPosted: Tue, 21st Oct 2014 13:28    Post subject:
4->8GB is a good upgrade no matter what but I'd lose the weird RAM you have and get 2x4GB. Mixing server RAM with desktop RAM is basically inviting trouble.

Here's the RAM you have:

UNIFOSA 2GB PC3-10600 FULLY BUFFERED DDR3-1333 MEMORY MODULE

MANUFACTURER: UNIFOSA
PART NUMBER: GU512303EP0202
COMPONENT DENSITY: 2GB
PRODUCT BUS TYPE: PC3-10600
COMPONENT SPEED: DDR3-1333
MODULE TYPE: SERVER MEMORY (NOT FOR DESKTOPS)
PIN COUNT: 240-PIN


Put on e-bay and get something like 2x4 G.Skill Ripjaws PC12800 (DDR3-1600) and you'll be set. Just make sure your CPU-cooler doesn't cover the RAM-slots.

Ph'nglui mglw'nafh Cthulhu R'lyeh wgah'nagl fhtagn!

"The sky was the color of a TV tuned to a dead station" - Neuromancer
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moosenoodles




Posts: 18411
PostPosted: Tue, 21st Oct 2014 13:46    Post subject:
Also you dont have to go all derpo maxo on ram price or spec, its a misconception that you need uber best ram for gaming or the like. Those types of ram are primarily for enthusiasts that overclock insanely.
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sabin1981
Mostly Cursed



Posts: 87805
PostPosted: Tue, 21st Oct 2014 20:16    Post subject:
Man, things have certainly changed. I remember back in the day when you physically couldn't use Server RAM on standard desktop motherboards. But yeah, I'm with Frant; get rid of the server crap and stick a pair of decent 4GB sticks in there - you don't need uber RAM, as Moose pointed out, but a couple of Dominator/Vengeance sticks would be fine Very Happy
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scaramonga




Posts: 9800
PostPosted: Wed, 22nd Oct 2014 01:07    Post subject:
2 x 8Gb sticks matched (16Gb) cheapest you can find.
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nouseforaname
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Location: Toronto, Canada
PostPosted: Wed, 22nd Oct 2014 02:31    Post subject:
these look ok?
http://www.canadacomputers.com/product_info.php?cPath=24_311_312_612&item_id=062494

happen to be on sale and I can pick them up from an actual store

or worth the extra for vengeance sticks?
http://www.canadacomputers.com/product_info.php?cPath=24_311_312_612&item_id=035070

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scaramonga




Posts: 9800
PostPosted: Wed, 22nd Oct 2014 02:40    Post subject:
Either or, both are good Smile

Cant go wrong with the vengeance sticks though, hey its Corsair Wink
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nouseforaname
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PostPosted: Wed, 22nd Oct 2014 03:09    Post subject:
there is also Frant's suggestion of ripjaws

http://www.canadacomputers.com/product_info.php?cPath=24_311_312_612&item_id=035786

$93 for those (not on sale), $95 for the vengeance sticks ($9 off) or $87 for the ADATA XPGs ($18 off).

thinking probably the cheapest of the bunch will do that way it's just under $100 with tax. yeah I know a bit cheaper at newegg but the store is just down the street from my work so willing to pay a couple extra dollars to just go grab them Smile

still haven't decided on win8.1 vs 7 yet Razz

asus z170-A || core i5-6600K || geforce gtx 970 4gb || 16gb ddr4 ram || win10 || 1080p led samsung 27"
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scaramonga




Posts: 9800
PostPosted: Wed, 22nd Oct 2014 03:21    Post subject:
ADATA sticks are fine, honestly you will not notice the difference, unless clocking lol, grab what your wallet says Smile
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nouseforaname
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PostPosted: Thu, 23rd Oct 2014 03:08    Post subject:
ok, bought... but lol who wants to take bets on how long it takes me to actually put it in? I've been sitting on that SSD for over a month now (granted I need a new OS and a really good cleaning job/cable rerouting before I put it back together)


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Mortibus




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Location: .NL
PostPosted: Thu, 23rd Oct 2014 03:14    Post subject:
5-10 minutes? that would be my time with cleaning and shit
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nouseforaname
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PostPosted: Thu, 23rd Oct 2014 21:21    Post subject:
^^ I meant that I'm lazy and actually need to get around to doing it Wink

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nouseforaname
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PostPosted: Mon, 27th Oct 2014 03:29    Post subject:
bah, got everything cleaned out and windows 8.1 up and running on the new ssd (yeah it sucks but I guess I'll get used to it) .. but, the new RAM just freezes the computer.

I can get past the bios screen, but it always freezes at the windows logo. I'm just trying with one stick, not mixing new with old (which works fine on its own).

any ideas? I googled but can't really find a solution since this RAM seems compatible with my MB and whatnot...

(on the good side even with just a single 2 GB stick in things are running fast as fuck on the new ssd, boot time is like 10 seconds and apps open in an instant)

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Shoshomiga




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PostPosted: Mon, 27th Oct 2014 04:19    Post subject: I have left.
I have left.
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nouseforaname
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PostPosted: Mon, 27th Oct 2014 04:40    Post subject:
Shoshomiga wrote:
Try testing them for errors with memtest86


if only memtest didn't freeze as well Wink

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Kristian




Posts: 3168
Location: Norway
PostPosted: Mon, 27th Oct 2014 07:06    Post subject:
Try updating the bios.

I hate you.
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Mortibus




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Location: .NL
PostPosted: Mon, 27th Oct 2014 13:34    Post subject:
reset bios, remove-reinsert battery, unless you already did that, also try swapping slots
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nouseforaname
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PostPosted: Mon, 27th Oct 2014 20:21    Post subject:
Ok will try that when I get home and report back Smile

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nouseforaname
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PostPosted: Tue, 28th Oct 2014 02:09    Post subject:
ok, reset bios by taking out battery, tried every slot in combination of one or two of the new sticks and nothing worked.

BUT, I tried all 4 sticks at once and for whatever reason it seems to be working fine now. I ram memtest as well and no errors reported.

afraid to restart though Razz

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nouseforaname
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PostPosted: Tue, 28th Oct 2014 02:24    Post subject:
MisterBear wrote:
If its working with 4, it can still be bad ram, it just isn't accessing faulty spot with 4 sticks while loading windows. I suggest trying memtest if you can load it up with 4 sticks installed.


I did mention above about memtest Wink no errors reported.

is there something I can run in windows to make sure my system is stable?

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MisterBear




Posts: 940
PostPosted: Tue, 28th Oct 2014 02:25    Post subject:
nouseforaname wrote:
MisterBear wrote:
If its working with 4, it can still be bad ram, it just isn't accessing faulty spot with 4 sticks while loading windows. I suggest trying memtest if you can load it up with 4 sticks installed.


I did mention above about memtest Wink no errors reported.

Yeah, i deleted my post, saw that after posting, i'm little bit tired Smile

edit: for windows you can use http://hcidesign.com/memtest/
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nouseforaname
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PostPosted: Tue, 28th Oct 2014 03:57    Post subject:
so it's still super unstable. also ran the built in windows 8.1 ram test and no errors. also everything runs fine in safe mode too. the error I usually get on boot is the MEMORY_MANAGEMENT BSOD

guess I'm not going to solve this tonight.

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SpykeZ




Posts: 23710
PostPosted: Tue, 28th Oct 2014 04:07    Post subject:
nouseforaname wrote:
Shoshomiga wrote:
Try testing them for errors with memtest86


if only memtest didn't freeze as well Wink


Which memtest are you running..there's 2 of them.

You want the memtest that runs before you get into windows. Running a memory test in windows itself doesn't generally scan the part that windows is taking up. Running it in the bios like mode frees up all the memory so you can get a more accurate scan and doesn't have to worry about an unstable windows or anything.

Also go into your bios to make sure the settings are correct.

What motherboard do you have? Some MB's are picky with what memory runs on them.
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nouseforaname
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PostPosted: Tue, 28th Oct 2014 04:19    Post subject:
SpykeZ wrote:
nouseforaname wrote:
Shoshomiga wrote:
Try testing them for errors with memtest86


if only memtest didn't freeze as well Wink


Which memtest are you running..there's 2 of them.

You want the memtest that runs before you get into windows. Running a memory test in windows itself doesn't generally scan the part that windows is taking up. Running it in the bios like mode frees up all the memory so you can get a more accurate scan and doesn't have to worry about an unstable windows or anything.

Also go into your bios to make sure the settings are correct.

What motherboard do you have? Some MB's are picky with what memory runs on them.


I ram the proper booting memtest86+ (no errors) and the windows one.

There aren't actually too many settings in my bios I can modify that seem relevant (just the 'clock to all dimm/pcie/pci' and something about distributing that I've tried all combinations of).

This is a bit of a frankenstein computer, a gateway DX4840 ... there is no MB guide on the website but the Crucial website tool says this RAM should be supported on it.

Are there still such things as IRQ conflicts that freeze stuff like this? Given everything seems fine on safe-mode is this a driver thing?

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scaramonga




Posts: 9800
PostPosted: Tue, 28th Oct 2014 06:09    Post subject:
Is it stable with just original ram installed?

Check the 'event viewer' for any signs of errors, and for more info relating to them, if there are. That can often throw up some clues to problems.
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Mortibus




Posts: 18053
Location: .NL
PostPosted: Tue, 28th Oct 2014 14:19    Post subject:
try to use only slot 2 and 4 with new ram, had something like that in one of the asus boards back then, pc would not boot with memory inserted into slot 1 and any other
otherwise i'd blame the ram compatibility, get it replaced with something like kingston or corsair
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nouseforaname
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Location: Toronto, Canada
PostPosted: Wed, 29th Oct 2014 23:15    Post subject:
wow it looks like I threw out the bag and receipt (or likely my wife when cleaning) so better make these fuckers work or I'll have to sell for a loss on ebay.

I've read power supply issues can be a thing (not enough voltage), so I'll try with my video card unplugged for built-in one (although I have a 500w thermaltake in there).

and yeah it's totally stable with the server memory that has been in there for a few years now.

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