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Geek Culture / RAM causing custom PC to reboot...help please

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Destrugter 1
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Posted: 29th May 2011 01:57
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Ok, so I decided to buy parts and build my first custom PC...although it wasn't too custom since a lot of it came from a barebones kit.

Ok, so here is the problem. I've narrowed it down to the RAM causing it. The computer will start, all fans turn on, graphics card's fan turns on as well. All LEDs are lit up, I hear the hdd kick on and start spinning, then after about 4 or 5 seconds the computer like...I guess sort of gets a surge is the only way I can explain it. It's like someone is pressing the reset button on the front, only it's restarting harder than that. It's to the point where the LEDs blink, and the hdd kicks off and back on. The off time is not long enough for the fans to settle.

Ok, so after a while of unhooking and hooking parts back up, I've narrowed it down to the RAM.

Before anyone asks, both sticks are perfectly identical. Same size, manufactured by the same company, and it was included in the kit. Ok, so seperately each stick works, in either slot. I can put stick 1 in slot 1 or 2, by itself and it works. I can put stick 2 in slot 1 or 2, by itself, and it works. However, the second I put another one in I get that surge type of behavior.

If anyone can help, it'd be very much appreciated.

My name is Brian.
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Interplanetary Funk
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Posted: 29th May 2011 02:18
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sounds like a power issue, did it come with a PSU?


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Kevin Picone
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Posted: 29th May 2011 02:34 Edited at: 29th May 2011 02:41
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What size are the ram banks ? - The mother board might not like that particular combination. There should be some info in your mother board booklet about what about types size & speed combos it's happy with.

I remember having a drama with this system, while putting some extra banks in. The first was fine, but when slotting the second, it felt like it was clicked in, but wasn't. So perhaps it just mightn't be perfectly seated in the slot. Long shot.. but...


Hmm, I wonder what's coming in 2011?
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Destrugter 1
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Posted: 29th May 2011 02:51
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But it's part of a barebones kit...why would they sell all this hardware together if it wasn't compatible with each other?

Yes, it came with a PSU.

My name is Brian.
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Benjamin
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Posted: 29th May 2011 02:52
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Quote: "But it's part of a barebones kit...why would they sell all this hardware together if it wasn't compatible with each other?"


Well since you've ruled out the possibility of it being a compatibility issue I'm not really sure what to suggest. Perhaps something's connected wrong?



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xplosys
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Posted: 29th May 2011 03:14
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How many memory slots are there, and if more than 2 do you have the memory in the proper 2 slots as described in the manual. Still, it does seem like a power issue.

Brian.

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Interplanetary Funk
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Posted: 29th May 2011 03:20
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Ask a friend if you can borrow a more powerful psu to test out. Also, it COULD be a motherboard problem with the RAMs driver chip/buses being damaged.

At worst you should contact the seller for any help, they may know more about it, and they may simply send you a new kit.

TBH though, you could've asked people here for what components to buy, it'd probs be cheaper, and I've had a lot of practice at stretching budgets to the most powerful rig within that price range, no one ever ended up buying what I recommended though...


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Destrugter 1
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Posted: 29th May 2011 03:40
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It has 2 RAM slots =/ Not really able to go wrong with what 2 to use (lol...sorry I had to).

Anyway, It could be a damaged mobo I guess...Or the PSU...but then I got to ask why they would sell a kit if the PSU wouldn't be able to supply enough power to the components to make it run =/

Anyway, thanks guys. I'll have to ask about the mobo

My name is Brian.
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Phaelax
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Posted: 29th May 2011 07:35
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I'm thinking bad mobo. I had a Gigabyte board do that before. Everything brand new, I could put any memory stick into any of the 4 slots, but if I try to use all 4 it'd fail. The board ended up having other issues later on as well. My second Gigabyte (years later) also had issue out of the box, which is why I will no longer buy one ever!

So out of curiosity, you have a link to the kit/components you bought?

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MrValentine
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Posted: 29th May 2011 10:19
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Have you tried resetting the BIOS?

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bitJericho
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Posted: 29th May 2011 13:29
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My guess is the mobo. I'd try like Mr V said and reset the bios, and if that fails, RMA the mobo. The ram works, you tested both individually. If they both fail together, it's a mobo issue. Ram doesn't use much power and by testing the other components by removing them, you ruled out a power issue.

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Destrugter 1
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Posted: 29th May 2011 16:46
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I don't know how to reset the mobo =[

Like I said...this was the first time ever that I decided to build my own computer from parts, rather than buy it preassembled.

My name is Brian.
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bitJericho
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Posted: 29th May 2011 16:51
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It's in your manual. You'll be resetting your cmos. Here the most common way you have to do it:

http://www.wikihow.com/Reset-Your-BIOS

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Stormwire
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Posted: 29th May 2011 16:52
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Quote: "I don't know how to reset the mobo =[

Like I said...this was the first time ever that I decided to build my own computer from parts, rather than buy it preassembled."


The manual is your friend It does sound like the motherboard though. You will probably have to send it back. It is better to get a new one now instead of having further problems down the road. Every PC I ever built had some component that needed to be sent back. It is just part of the process
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Destrugter 1
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Posted: 29th May 2011 17:11 Edited at: 29th May 2011 17:15
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Ok...I did that and followed the way in the instructions...now it boots up, fans turn on for about 2 seconds and it just shuts down

EDIT

That's with 2 ram sticks, with just 1 it boots like the last time.

My name is Brian.
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bitJericho
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Posted: 29th May 2011 17:16 Edited at: 29th May 2011 17:20
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yep, bad motherboard. Contact the store you bought it from and have em replace it

You'll have to eat the time lost, but don't let the store you bought it from try and steal money by making you pay for shipping or anything else. If it's defective, they need to replace it at no extra cost to you and they need to send you a return label or reimburse you for the return shipping. Newegg.com likes to pull stunts like that.

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Destrugter 1
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Posted: 29th May 2011 17:21
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Well it was my first time assembling a computer...I can't say that I exactly knew what I was doing. I was so grateful when I opened everything up that they all had color coded books I can look at (Yes, I am this stupid...I need color codes). I could have easily messed it up.

And I ordered a new mobo with this in mind on Friday, and chose 1 day shipping. Problem is the mobo is on backorder, on top of today being Sunday and tomorrow a holiday in the states in which mail doesn't move so I could be waiting for weeks to get the new mobo...This sucks

My name is Brian.
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bitJericho
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Posted: 29th May 2011 17:29 Edited at: 29th May 2011 17:38
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I hear you. Motherboards are particularly annoying because you have to remove *everything* and clean your processor and reseat your heatsink and all that. It sucks

Keep in mind that on your heatsink that goes over the processor, the thermal pad will need to be cleaned off and replaced with heatsink compound. You can clean it up with medical type alcohol wipes (unscented) and an old credit card. Try not to get the stuff on you or on the Processor. it's nasty.

I usually clean the processor while it's still in the motherboard. Also, I'd leave it in the motherboard until you're ready to put it in the new one (or if you have to send yours back first, keep it in the original packaging)

If you have an intel chip without pins, make sure to not touch the bottom of it or you could decrease the speed of your processor by a third or more, the oil from your hands can have an adverse effect on performance.

Yeah, anyway, motherboards are a pain.

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Phaelax
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Posted: 29th May 2011 17:29
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Quote: "Well it was my first time assembling a computer...I can't say that I exactly knew what I was doing"

Don't tell THEM that! You should be able to RMA it with the manufacturer, if not the company you bought it from. Who made the board?

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bitJericho
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Posted: 29th May 2011 17:36 Edited at: 29th May 2011 17:37
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Usually manufacturers tell you to return it to the store you bought it from within the first 30 days. If you bought it from a store, it's usually very simple.

If you have to get a refund since it's out of stock, you can use the money to buy a different board. If you tell us what parts you all got, we can help you find a good one.

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Destrugter 1
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Posted: 29th May 2011 17:38
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I wouldn't tell them that, but it's a Biostar board (never heard of them =/ )

And the link to the kit is http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/searchtools/item-Details.asp?EdpNo=567433&sku=B69-0370&SRCCODE=WEM2682MH&cm_mmc=email-_-Main-_-WEM2682-_-tigeremail2682

My name is Brian.
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bitJericho
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Posted: 29th May 2011 17:40
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Yeah, biostar's pretty low-end but you could do worse.

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Destrugter 1
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Posted: 29th May 2011 17:45
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Well, the original computer I was wanting was a 3.0GHz or better quad core, and I wanted intel, and I wanted a good graphics card with 1gb or better dedicated video RAm, and the hdd size I could care less for, I've got 6tb worth of space that I barely have scratched. The dvd drive I could really not care less for, since I hardly ever use it, the only time I do is when backing up stuff, which all my stuff is backed up and I play all my games on Steam.

8gb of i5 RAM for gaming, version of windows 7 didn't matter...basically I had a few basic requirements, everything else didn't really matter to me. My friend told me about this kit and it had pretty much what I was wanting, except the graphics card (which I'm going to try to replace as soon as possible).

My name is Brian.
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Destrugter 1
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Posted: 1st Jun 2011 21:08
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Ok, just an update. I receieved the new mobo (Yeah, that was excellent 1 day shipping -_-). Plugged everything in and it all works. Installed windows, now trying to copy all the files from laptop to desktop (which is proving to be a bigger pain than it's worth at the moment). But one thing I noticed. The power button is flashing orange. It's a solid blue, but flashes orange, while remaining blue. My first assumptionw as that it was the hdd indicator. I have not removed the HDD LED to prove this yet, but I'm just wondering...is there something else I should check?

Sorry for double post, no one would read this any further if I just updated the post.

My name is Brian.
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Phaelax
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Posted: 1st Jun 2011 23:21
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Depends on the case and mobo, I don't know what wires connect to what.

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Destrugter 1
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Posted: 1st Jun 2011 23:55
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I'm pretty sure it's the HDD LED...because it behaves like it should if it was. I don't know why they couldn't have made it a different color =/ but oh well. I know there are only 2 colors, blue and orange. Anyway, this topic can be killed now, since the problem is fixed and my computer is operating fine. Thanks everyone!

My name is Brian.
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