Incorrect RAM configuration causes system issues.
Incorrect RAM configuration causes system issues.
Hello all, welcome! I’m new here and came because I have some hardware questions. I’m really glad this community exists. Let me start by explaining the whole situation I’m dealing with.
I built my PC 2-3 years ago to replace my old setup. Here’s what I had:
Processor: MSI Z270 Gaming Pro Carbon
CPU: Intel i7 7700k
RAM: 2x 8GB Corsair LPX Vengeance 2400
GPU: Nvidia GTX960 (from an older machine)
Power Supply: Be quiet! 10 500W PSU
Cooler: Just a basic one
The GTX960 worked fine for a while, since I wasn’t too focused on gaming graphics. But when I needed more power for tasks like Photoshop, I added another 16GB of RAM. The two 8GB sticks were in dual-channel slots (probably 2A and 2B), and the 16GB was in slot 1A. It all functioned properly at first—Photoshop ran smoothly, games played perfectly.
About a year ago, I upgraded to a Gigabyte RTX 2070 Gaming OC with 8GB RAM. That didn’t work well. I experienced BSODs or crashes during gameplay. I reached out to Nvidia Support for help, but they couldn’t find the root cause. We tried downclocking the GPU, adjusting power limits, testing different drivers, and even checking PSU specs.
They suggested my PSU might be too weak, estimating it was only 650W compared to my 100W requirement. I thought that could cause instability, but I was determined. I ran stress tests and benchmarks, and surprisingly, my system never exceeded around 400W. It was strange—no crashes even under heavy load, unlike other games.
Over time, I noticed more BSODs, especially with the GTX960. Eventually, I bought another RTX 2070 from MSI. Still had issues, but they were less frequent. Eventually, I encountered a SYSTEM_SERVICE_EXCEPTION error, which pointed to GPU or RAM problems. But I wasn’t sure if it was the card or something else.
After some troubleshooting and support calls, I realized the PSU might be the culprit. It seemed to be underpowered for my setup. Eventually, I replaced it with a better model. Since then, the system has been stable—only occasional crashes during intense gaming.
Now, about RAM: 16GB is still quite limited for modern tasks like photo editing or running Chrome. Should I upgrade again? Or is there another way to improve performance without buying more RAM? Also, how should I handle dual-channel configurations moving forward?
Thanks for all the help so far! I’m trying to figure this out step by step.
Ensure the RAM modules are identical, differing only in part numbers like 8GB vs 16GB. I’m currently using 4GB and 8GB modules without any problems. Have you attempted a clean Windows installation? It appears no issues existed before upgrading the GPU and drivers. Consider using DDU before performing a clean install.
The current version is 1.90... while the latest on the site is v19. I believe they refer to the same release despite the command center listing a date of March 7, 2018 and the website showing July 16, 2018. Updating my bios was one of the first tasks in 2019. The MSI Live Update doesn't suggest new drivers or a new BIOS. I double-checked the parts—MSI Command Center shows everything except one number, which I think isn't important. Part numbers: CMK16GX4M1A2400C16 for the 16GB model and CMK16GX4M2A2400C16 for both 8GB models. Both have 16-16-16-39 written. A clean Windows install would have been next, but removing RAM changed something? I used DDU multiple times in the past when testing different versions. I also ran DDU with the GTX960, cleaned all drivers, then swapped to the 2070 and installed the newest drivers. EDIT: M1 and M2 seem to mean different products—M1 is 16GB in 1 bar, M2 is 16GB in 2 bars. Updated May 19, 2020 by Sire_Hank. New information.
Long time no talk. For personal reasons, I couldn’t check my PC for a while. Anyway... Swapping and repositioning the RAM seems to have resolved the BSOD issue—no need to explain why. But after a few days of doing nothing, another problem appeared when I restarted. There were extreme delays, making even the mouse jittery without any input. I installed LatencyMon and DPC Latency, checked drivers, and found several conflicting ones. Sometimes fixing one driver would bring it back with another, including system files like ndis.sys (related to network card) or nVidia drivers, and sometimes something like Wdf01000.sys. I became really frustrated, ended up buying a new SSD, reinstalling Windows 10, and only noticed one mouse lag issue. It seemed linked to my USB-C hub; moving the mouse elsewhere helped. After playing some games, even the 2070 started warming up. So far, I’ve had two or three game crashes, which appear connected to the poorly written game. One crash was reported with strange audio behavior minutes before it stopped. I’m just noting that these latency problems match what many users report using external sound cards. My Allen&Heath mixer had driver issues for a year after Microsoft updated their SoundSystem—it really impacted professional gear. The only real concern was a complete shutdown without warning, which usually points to overheating or PSU failure. I ran a stress test with CPU-Z and pushed both CPU and GPU to their maximum temperatures. The CPU stayed around 84°C after ten minutes—still within safe limits. The GPU hovered between 60-70°C. Could a game be stressing the graphics more because it uses VRAM? Is a blackout possibly due to CPU, motherboard, or RAM? Or is this strong evidence the power supply is the culprit? Anyone have suggestions for further testing? Thanks a lot!
I discovered a tool named HWInfo that verifies my system uses roughly 300-400 W under load. I’ve been gaming for a few hours without any problems until a random BSOD appeared. Since it’s a fresh Windows 10 on a new SSD, no extra drivers are needed at the moment. I’ll share the minidump file here. From what I see, there seems to be another RAM problem linked to dwm.exe, which runs Windows Desktop Manager. That process showed unusually high GPU usage earlier that day. The crash happened while playing Ori, so it could just be a coincidence. With this new software, it probably points to a hardware issue... guess what?