It’s possible a motherboard with a defective RAM slot could fail soon, depending on the severity of the issue.
It’s possible a motherboard with a defective RAM slot could fail soon, depending on the severity of the issue.
Hey there! Let's chat about what happened with your PC. From what you described, it sounds like a mix of luck and timing. The fact that the issue only showed up when you had specific RAM configurations suggests there might be a connection between the memory setup and stability.
Since you're not a beginner, you likely handled things carefully—just enough to notice the problem. The good news is that with three modules in the first two slots, it worked fine, which points toward the 4th slot being the culprit.
As for your system's age and components, an i5 4690k with DDR3 RAM and a GTX 950 is still solid, but motherboards can degrade over time. If you're keeping it stable with just two modules on the first two slots, it’s probably safe to continue that approach. However, if you want extra peace of mind, you could try swapping in a different configuration or using a more recent RAM module to see if the symptoms persist.
For long-term health, monitor temperatures and ensure proper cooling—especially with older parts. It’s not impossible to keep it running, but staying informed about its condition will help.
To check whether it's the board or CPU, you might test with another CPU.