Memory Issues
Memory Issues
One of my machines is older than I am prepared to give up on, because it still contains programs I’m unsure about licensing will carry over to a new device.
The computer has always run smoothly until recently, when memory problems began to appear a few months ago.
Details:
Processor – Intel® Core™ i7-4770 CPU @ 3.40GHz (3.40 GHz)
Installed RAM – 32.0 GB
Graphics Card – NVIDIA GeForce GTX 650 Ti BOOST (2 GB)
System – 64-bit OS, x64 processor
Operating System – Windows 10 Home
Initially only 16 GB of RAM were installed; a couple of months ago I upgraded to 32 GB without any significant change. With just 16 GB, the machine would crash under heavy load (around 70% usage) if programs ran low on memory, unless I limited others or restarted it. Now with 32 GB, at about 40% usage, similar problems occur. As expected, no major difference has been noticed.
I installed CPU-Z to verify all four DIMMs are being recognized, and it appears they are.
I’m curious if further testing or driver updates could help resolve these issues.
Additionally, I usually keep around 50 browser tabs open; I once had many more without problems, but have since reduced to about 50 due to the current difficulties.
Appreciate your help ahead of time.
I haven't tried running memtest86 yet. I just downloaded it and put it on a USB stick. When I started it, it froze after 22 seconds during test 3 with inversions, ones, and zeros. While it was frozen, I read more about it and think I should run it overnight. I plan to do this later this evening. Do you have an idea of how long it usually takes? I didn't notice any errors before it froze; it just stayed frozen for about 10 minutes before I checked again.
Ram is sold in kits for a specific reason.
A motherboard needs to handle all the RAM according to the same voltage, case, and speed specifications.
The internal design is tailored to the capacity of the kit.
Ram from the same vendor and part number might have different manufacturing parts over time.
Some motherboards are particularly sensitive to these changes.
This becomes more challenging when multiple sticks are used.
The XMP settings built into the sticks themselves can vary, leading to problems.
If you purchase more varied sticks, ensure they match in speed, voltage, and case numbers.
Even then, your chances of success drop significantly.
I estimate around 90% success rate for Intel.
If you manage to run memtest with no errors, your RAM is likely fine.
Any single error indicates a problem.
What are the details of the motherboard and RAM we’re considering?
Check the make/model of the RAM sticks and the motherboard’s BIOS status.
If the BIOS isn’t up to date, see if any updates improve RAM compatibility.
If your BIOS supports setting RAM voltage, raising it could resolve the issue.
Motherboard details for ASUSTeK COMPUTER INC. Model 787-K
Bus Specifications: PCI Express 3.0 (8.0 GT/s)
RAM Configuration: Slots #1 & #3 match; Slots #2 & #4 match
PNY Electronics PC3-12800 (800 MHz) 8GB
PNY Electronics PC3-12800H (800 MHz) 8GB SPD Ext. XMP 1.3
Recent RAM Purchase: Slots #2 & #4 were bought recently; they didn’t resolve the problem. I thought increasing RAM capacity would extend the system’s lifespan.
According to CPU-Z, the BIOS displays a date of 10/25/2013 and version 0903 from American Megatrends Inc. Is there a method to verify if the latest version is installed?
The list of bios updates for your motherboard is outdated. Many recent releases focus on memory compatibility problems. A bios updater tool is mentioned. I recommend updating that first, followed by applying the latest 1302 update. If this doesn’t fix your problem, the Z87 bios may let you set a higher RAM voltage, which can sometimes enable mismatched RAM to work.
Thank you for your message. I wasn't informed about any recent changes. It seems logical to begin with 1103, which appears to follow 0903, and proceed upward from there. Could this adjustment lead to any additional complications?
Unless given different instructions, typically only updates to the latest release are possible.
In this scenario, I’d begin with the version that features the updater tool initially.
Changing a BIOS can seem daunting, especially with older motherboards.
Try not to disrupt the process; it might take 15 minutes or longer.
Familiarize yourself with the procedure for your motherboard beforehand so you understand what to anticipate.
Thank you. I truly don't want to worsen the situation or render the machine unusable. I will definitely look into the next steps. Is there a difference between using 1302 and BIOS updater versus 1401 and BIOS updater? It appears that the 1401 package includes the BIOS updater as well.
I just wanted to share an update. I attempted to run memtest86 again and managed to complete four tests before it froze. Then I adjusted the BIOS settings and changed XMP to auto. This allowed me to finish the entire five-hour test without any problems, with zero errors detected.
Currently, everything appears to be running more smoothly when XMP is set to auto. I plan to monitor the situation over the coming days before considering a BIOS update.