Gigabyte P45 board won't boot with 8GB+ RAM, fine with 6GB

S

Skipper007

Limp Gawd
Joined
Jun 28, 2004
Messages
185
Hello,

I'm running a Gigabyte GA-P45T-ES3G (V1.3) with a Core 2 Quad Q6600 at stock speeds.

I've tried using the following memory, all of which works fine in other systems:
2x2GB G.Skill RipJaws X DDR3-1600 CL9 1.5V
2x4GB G.Skill RipJaws X DDR3-1600 CL9 1.5V
2X2GB Mushkin Silverline DDR3-1333 CL9 1.5V

If only 4GB modules are used, the system will not POST.
If a combination of 2GB and 4GB modules are used, the may boot fine, but when it does the BIOS and Windows will see only the 2GB modules (although CPU-Z can pick up the 4GB modules).
If only 2GB modules are used, the system will usually work fine with up to three modules*, while four modules will fail to post or result in a reboot before Windows can load. I've tried three modules in two different slot combinations (1, 2 and 4 and 1, 3 and 4 and it makes no difference..

*I did have it fail to boot with three modules on one occasion, but this was resolved by reseating the module and resetting the power.

Anyone have any idea what's going on here?

Additional info:
FSB speed is 266mhz, RAM is 1066mhz, timings are auto, DRAM voltage is 1.5V
BIOS is F2A (the only update available)
GPU is HD4770
PSU is 600W OCZ ModXStream from 2012

I did google RAM issues with this board and while there are quite a few reports of RAM issues with it, there's also reports of people being able to run 8GB or even 16GB of RipJaws series memory with no issues.
 
cyclone3d said:
I would try upping the RAM voltage a bit.
Click to expand...

Seems like all the ram modules on the QVL for that board are from 1.6v to 1.9v. I would set the speed and timings the same and try to run the ram at 1.65v at 1333. If that works, I'd move the speed up to 1600.

Once you mix and match modules, they don't always play nice together unless they are exactly the same make, model, speed etc. This varies board to board.
 
BillR said:
Pretty much the same issue came up in this thread.

You are asking for problems mixing trying to match which is why all manufactures recommend using "binned sets" of RAM.
Click to expand...

My original plan was to add 2x4GB G.Skill DDR3-1600CL9 to the 2x2GB G.Skill DDR3-1600CL9 I had in there already, precisely because I wanted stuff rated for the same frequencies and timings. Unfortunately the 4GB modules just plan don't seem to work with the board (they work perfectly fine in a friend's rig), even if they are the only modules installed. I then borrowed the Mushkins from a friend because I don't have access to any other DDR3 to test with.

I did finally manage to get the system to boot with four modules by putting the two G.Skills on one channel (slots 1 and 2) and the two Mushkins on the other (slot 3 and 4) but even if I manually force really loose settings like 1066CL9 this configuration generates errors after a while.

As for the voltage suggestions - all the modules are rated at 1.5V and since the Mushkins are borrowed I'm a bit reluctant to overvolt them. Also, the 2x2GB configuration I was running previously was just fine with 1.5V.
 
So I've noticed the configurations that aren't stable seem to generate errors on MemTest86+ test #5 pretty consistently, allowing me to test various configurations much more quickly.

One G.skill 1600CL9 module and one Mushkin 1333CL9 module is stable at 1333CL9.
Two G.skill 1600CL9s (both of which I've run for years with no issues) and one Mushkin 1333CL9 is unstable at 1066CL9.

In light of that I'm skeptical that ordering matching modules would fix the problem. At this point I'm really suspicious that the mainboard itself is a lemon.
 
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