Windows 10: Old 2x8 GB DDR4 ram runs dual, 'new' only Single? Mobo screwed?

As I had a strange crash, followed by unstable computer, BSOD, or just irregular annoyances. I checked everything.. then did a simple Win 10 memtest and it more or less howled out 'faulty hardware' withing a few seconds. I soon found the (really!) faulty stick of Corsair Vengeance LPX Red 2666M, out of the 4 I had. I removed the faulty 'Pair' And kept running Memtest86+ until both me and the computer got sick of it 8+ passes.

So ordered and got 2 new sticks, (and a new mobo just to be safe) started up Memtest86+ for just 2 runs. it found nothing to complained about, so I started up computer. Everything were fine until I did the mistake of checking it in CPU-Z, where the new pair showed as single channel.
Hmm, I took out the old ones from their places and put the new ones there, still showing single!?
they are a damn pair are they not?

Went into BIOS and thought the numbering were really strange? (sorry about the extreme fuzziness)

Both the 'pairs' alone in the same slots (A2 and B2) when taking the awful pics

Old Ram, order of numbers seems sane?





New ones.. what kind of order it that!?





So booted up with all of them in random different positions, always the new pair said single, and old said dual.

ASUS Z170-A Motherboard BTW

Also in CPU-Z the new showed them running at a different latency on JEDEC #6, [RAS# Precharge] 15 instead of 14 on the old. I were running XMP, so didn't think it mattered = I didn't check it first







I hopefully get a new motherboard tomorrow, so I can try it all out from the start. But as I already have a faulty 'pair', well one of them is really dead at least, that I were going to send for RMA tomorrow.
I currently don't dare to send it to them, if I get another 'pair' of singles.

I tried changing BIOS back and forth, with no luck.

Mem OK LED gives me a red light at times.. but can a straight from the shelf 'Pair' of RAM be this screwed up?
I previously only had one stick of RAM die on me in 25 years!

Anyone brave enough to take a guess if it's just bad luck, or almost dead MoBo?

PSU is currently celebrating it's 7'th year! In this computer, An XFX (silver rating) 850W 'Modular enough to still be useful'

(Or I'm just an idiot, that after 25 years of building my own computers, just should get a PS4 and hide in someones basement?)

:)

 

16G ram installed only 7.95g available

I only have the new ram....its ddr4.....old ram was ddr2 on a ep45 Intel mobo ....new ram does match their database...I checked that before buying it and it is plastered all over the ram packaging. Will have to wait till after Easter for any RMA stuff is
suppose.

The only thing that is having troubles with it is Win10. Everything else recognizes the 16G....even Win10 says it is installed just that only 7.95 is usable?????

Tried the 2nd stick several time again singly and no issues at all.....?????grrrrrrrr I would prefer anything wrong to just fail.....it doesn't....just win10 doesn't like it.

 

16G ram installed only 7.95g available

Firstly I thoroughly reseached the mobo/ram/cpu compatibility and got fully matched and approved parts.

1. Mobo is a Gigabyte B350 chipset (AB350M-DH3)specifically for dual channel ram for the AMD Ryzen 5 processor (6core12thread) and will accept up to 64G of memory.

2. The mobo has 4 memory slots and the ram is correctly installed for dual channel (slots 2+4...i have tried all other combos as well). The BIOS recognizes the full 16 gig of ram ok.

3. It is brand new ram ...GSkill 2x8g matched dual channel memory kit specifically matched to the Ryzen processor. The memory model is specifically approved by the mobo manufacturer for that mobo and processor.

4, The BIOS has been reflashed to the latest version (dated 7/4/17).

5. The memory has been reseated many times and the bios has no issues with recognizing it.

6. Windows itself says there is 16G installed but only 7.95 G usable.

7. If I remove all ram and reseat it, the first time booted after that it says the full 16g is useable but after any reboot it reverts to 16G installed but only 7.95 usable. Same with the modification of the boot script using MSCONFIG. It reverts after a
reboot.

8. DXDIAG recognizes the full 16G installed.

The problem is with Windows itself not the hardware. Initial boots after reinstalling the ram or after using MSCONFIG/BOOT manipulation will show the correct ram.... BUT after any further reboot it reverts to 16G installed but only 7.95 G usable. It is not
a hardware issue but seems a problem with Windows picking up an old setting from somewhere despite recognizing the ram is installed.

Very very frustrating.

 

First right now you have your ram in the wrong slots. I too, have a Asus Z170 based motherboard the ram goes in A2 (2nd slot from cpu) first and then B2 (farthest slot from cpu). They have to be put in, in that order. The other 2 ram slots are only used if you have 2 ram kits.. In that case it would go in A1 (closest to cpu) 3rd and the last stick goes in B1 93rd slot from cpu).

Did you press F5 to load optimized defaults after each ram change ? That's a must do. Also enable XMP in the uefi so your ram speed is correct and press F10 to save thosettings and go into Windows.
Rerun CPU-z and post a screenshot of the Memory tab after you follow those steps. The tab you posted only show's ram speed for one stick. The Memory tab shows what it actually is single-channel, dual-channel or quad-channel.

 

In my screenshot you'll see in the CPU-z Memory tab where it say's Channel # Dual towards the upper right. That's what yours should say in that tab.

 

As far as where to set XMP for your ram. You'll need to look in your Asus motherboard manual in the Software section and under UEFI and follow thr instructions. My motherboard is a Asus Maximus VIII Hero, so it's actually a Asus Republican of Gamers motherboard. Some settings between your UEFI & my motherboard are different.

 

Sorry about the hideously fuzzy pics, and I uploaded a wrong one..(since my phone were running out of battery)
The 'main' Memory is always in A2 and B2. (if not testing a single stick and then it's in A2)
And in CPU-Z it says Dual on that screen, but on the SPD tab it always show the 'new' memory as single, no matter if I put it in A2 and B2.. or totally random. I've had this piece of s..surely.. nice MoBo since June, and I added 2x8 GB ram once before. it just clicked in as a Dual with no problem

But had a bit of a 'blowout' for some reason, that was when I when suddenly got a crap stick.
I have to press the redlighted Mem OK button before I even can get into BIOS, and I've defaulted a lot of times
I'm a bit scared of doing anything right now, as I don't want my $800 GTX 1080 to join the old RAM, to where now old ram go when they blowup.
If you check your SPD tab, don't you have Dual on all your memory? or do you only have 2 sticks?










Check the numbers on this one, they don't follow any logic, as they don't count up? And the different latency on JEDEC #6, [RAS# Precharge] 15 instead of 14 in the SPD tab don't seem correct. I'll unplug the memory now, as I want computer to survive a few more hours before I get to try it with a new mobo

 

Ok.. installed the new motherboard, put in the 'new' ram first.. and guess what, it still said 'Single channel' *Confused
Put in the old ones, they said dual.. swapped places with them again. 'It' (CPU-Z) still says old is dual and new is single, but at least I got the full 1333 out of it now in Dual.
Speccy and RAMMon just showed a bit of different timing, but it feels slower then with the 16GB old ram.

I contacted Corsair support, so I'll know in a while, what to tell the idiots in the online store.
So I'll keep myself updated here at least. (If it's my Cpu that's blown.. then I give up!)