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XPS 720 - need to decrease Corsair RAM speed
Just bought 8GB of RAM from Corsair - 4 sticks of CM2X2048-6400C5C. They are 2048MB 5-5-5-18 1.80v ver6.1 @ 800MHz.
If I put them in my Dell XPS 720 tower, the machine boots up and BIOS recogizes that I have 8 GB of RAM at 800MHz. But, after a few minutes and after I'm booted up, I get a blue screen. If I take the RAM out and go back to my original 4 sticks of 1GB Dell RAM provided with the original system, I boot back up fine. One other observation - with the Corsair RAM in, even though the BIOS shows 8GB of RAM, Windows only shows I have the original RAM amount.
Someone on the Corsair forums recommended that I decrease speed of the Corsair RAM, but BIOS shows my memory settings as read-only.
Any suggestions? I really want to upgrade this PC and keep it for another few years.
Thanks!
RoHe
10 Elder
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December 6th, 2010 15:00
I suppose you could upgrade to a 64-bit OS if you really want to use 8 GB of RAM.
0x0000008E is a typical RAM error message. So this RAM may not be compatible with the system, even with only 4 GB installed. Don't know if you can get Corsair to implement the fix Dave suggested.
BTW: Read this from Microsoft about 8E errors and a possible HaxDoor virus infection. Seems unlikely since the old RAM works, but just in case...
Can you sell the new RAM on eBay and get more for it that way than paying a restocking fee at Newegg?
Ron
EDIT: If you don't have an add-in PCI-e video card, the system may be sharing a portion of RAM for video so that amount will be unavailable to Windows and therefore it'll show less than you think it should. Typically 4 GB will show up in Windows as ~3.2 - 3.5 GB available.
siteworthy
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December 5th, 2010 16:00
Running XP here.
Blue screen does not give any specific error message - just the general one about "there was an error so windows shut down. if you added a new device, yada yada"
The very first blue screen I got right after installing the RAM was "IRL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL". Since that time, that message no longer appears though.
RoHe
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December 5th, 2010 16:00
Exactly what does the blue screen say?
What version of Windows?
Ron
Davet50
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December 5th, 2010 18:00
Blue screen info is very helpful. The only possible downclocking of the ram you might be able to do is in the bios. I believe it is under the Advanced section. you would want to make sure the setting EPP is set of OFF.
The system if is very picky about ram when populating all 4 slots. Your ram voltage levels are good as you need to keep it under 2.1v . What may be the problem is the Ram SPD's are not right for the system.
When i added in the 8 gigs of OCZ ram I'm running I had to have them write new SPD's for the sticks to make it work. I'm not sure it Cosair offers that same option.
A SPD is program that is on each ram stick. it contains info that the interfaces with the memory controller as to how the ram operates.
RoHe
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December 5th, 2010 18:00
Are there any numbers like 0x0000008E in the blue screen and/or does it name a specific process, like XYX.sys or XYZ.dll?
Do you have the latest version of BIOS?
Ron
RoHe
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December 5th, 2010 18:00
Me again...
Hang on a nano-sec! Is XP the 32-bit or 64-bit version..??
If it's only the 32-bit version, it cannot use more tnan 4 GB, even if the motherboard can support it. And if it's 32-bit XP, Windows will only use ~3.2 - 3.5 GB when 4 GB are installed. Just a limitation of the OS.
So if if this is 32-bit OS, see if you can return some of the new RAM.
Ron
siteworthy
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December 5th, 2010 18:00
I'm running the 32-bit version of Windows XP Pro SP3, so you are probably right on track that I have too much RAM for this computer. However, I did try running with just two of the 2GB sticks in the machine and got the same blue screen. Anything else I can do? Looks like Newegg.com is going to charge me $24 to restock these items upon return.
siteworthy
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December 5th, 2010 19:00
The help and feedback here has been great. I really appreciate it.
I took some extra time and went through the entire process and here's the scoop:
When I put the new RAM in from Corsair 4 modules of 2GB each, I get the following in BIOS:
8.0GB, 800MHz, Dual Interleaved, DDR2 SDRAM
EPP/SLI = standard
slot 1, 2 GB, ECC=no, Unbuffered, x8
slot 2, 2 GB, ECC=no, Unbuffered, x8
slot 3, 2 GB, ECC=no, Unbuffered, x8
slot 4, 2 GB, ECC=no, Unbuffered, x8
Memory Command Rate = Auto (choices: auto, 1T, 2T)
2.66 GHz, 10x FSB, 1066 MHz, 1.35v
Performance Application Support = Off
Speedstep = Off (I tried this with on and the machine completely locks up in Windows instead of blue screen)
When I get into Windows System Setup, here's what it shows with the 8GB of new RAM in (until I get the blue screen):
1.57 GHz
3.00GB of RAM
XP Media Center Edition, SP3
When I get the blue screen, I get the generic message plus the following numbers:
STOP:
0x0000008E (0xC0000005, 0xE156E4A5, 0x00000000)
Begin dump of physical memory
So, if there is nothing else to try, I'll be returning these to New Egg and paying the restocking fee. Strange that the 4.0GB of stock Dell RAM shows as 3.0GB in Windows.
Any last suggestions? Thanks again everybody. Much appreciated.