15 R3, memory upgrade

Question

Hello Dell community,Recently I noticed my 8GB of memory hasn't been enough for some of the applications/games I have been running on my Alienware 15 R3 laptop. For this reason I have finally decided to upgrade it since I found out my laptop has 2 memory slots (1/2 of 8GB currently). I have bought a 16 GB DDR4 2400 RAM stick to upgrade my laptop but have encountered 3 bluescreens with 2 different stop codes. Before buying this new RAM stick I checked if it is suitable for my laptop and it said it was, hence why I am so confused to why I am getting several errors.The RAM stick I bought:https://www.amazon.nl/dp/B07CMFBQRG?ref_=pe_19967891_422970411_E_301_dt_1Errors I have encountered:- ATTEMPED_EXECTUTE_OF_NO_EXECUTE_MEMORY- DRIVER_IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUALI have looked up several possible solutions for these errors and have tried:- Switching RAM sticks slots- Update all drivers and adapters- Uninstall network adapters- Ran the windows diagnotics tool for memory (which froze on 8% total for 2h while having both memory cards in)Sometimes I was able to use my laptop normally with both memory sticks in but it didn't take long until it gave me another bluescreen. 2 times of starting up my laptop the lighting turned on with my custom colouring but the screen was black, I noticed the power button was blinking red and blue (2 red and 3 blue). I looked this up and concluded it was an error in the new RAM stick. Am I getting this wrong, should I buy a new or 2 new RAM stick(s)?If my computer specs are needed, please let me know and I will leave them below! I'd like to receive a respond as soon as possible so I know if I need to ask for a refund or not.

crimsom · Accepted Answer

Hi @LtHusky thank you for sharing another update.

Alienware 15 R3 Service Manual Diagnostics Table says Light Pattern 2,3 = No memory or RAM detected. The system is happy to boot using the original ram card, but not when the new 16GB ram card is used in any of the ram slots. You have undertaken all the necessary problem solving activities to ensure that it is not a ram card seating/connection problem. In conclusion: this out of the box, brand new 16GB ram card has a manufacturing fault and the manufacturer's quality control should have rejected this item.

Having purchased via Amazon, you have double purchase protection. This faulty item should be rejected via Amazon online. The vendor is responsible for paying postage if they want this faulty item returned. The vendor is obliged to provide a full refund (including the delivery postage). Getting a replacement, will not give the same return if faulty protection, and this item might be from a faulty manufacturing batch stock item, its just not worth the risk.

crimsom · Answer

Hi @LtHusky Setup and Specifications for Alienware 15 R3 Table 1. Memory specifications. says supported Speeds 2133 MHz, 2400 MHz, and 2667 MHz and Configurations 8 GB, 16 GB, and 32 GB.

Evidently Configurations not supported 8 GB + 16 GB = 24 GB. Have the 8 GB and 16 GB DDR4 cards been individually installed and the 15 R3 booted without problems? If they are individually ok, then mismatching to get 24 GB is the problem. Although not stated, guess that your cards are the same speed.

LtHusky · Answer

Hello @crimsom, Thank you for your reply, before buying a new card I checked if both cards are the same speed and they both are DDR4 2400mhz. I have tried installing both cards individually and I have only had problems with the 16GB chip I had bought; My laptop wouldn't turn on and it would give me the blinking power button lights (2 red, 3 blue). Meaning it detected no RAM. While the first time I had both cards in, I was able to power it on and it said it had 24GB total RAM and then gave me a bluescreen quickly after launching a game. My guess is the card I bought is corrupted but I'm not that familiar with computers and decided to ask around either way.

crimsom · Answer

Hi @LtHusky thank you for sharing update. RAM cards are normally very reliable. Hopefully you have installed the SupportAssist application from Alienware 15 R3 Drivers and Downloads which includes a start-up diagnostic capability.

If the 15 R3 was briefly happy with 24GB, perhaps it is a seating problem.

Focus on using just the 16GB RAM card. Try the new 16GB card in either slot to see if one of the slots is happy to accept it. Try cleaning the 16GB card's plug-in terminations with a dry lint free cloth (do not use water or solvents). Visually check to confirm that when installed the 16GB card's plug-in terminations are fully home (do not use force). Having completed these checks with just the 16GB card installed, the 15 R3 start-up splash screen should have announced that it has detected a problem with the 16GB RAM and switched to diagnostic mode to check memory. Try holding down the F12 key when the splash screen appears and start diagnostics.

If all of these attempts to get the 15 R3 to acknowledge the 16GB card fail, then this 16GB RAM card must have a fault.

LtHusky · Answer

Hey @crimsom,. Thank you for replying again,

I have not tried or downloaded any Support applications from Dell/Alienware but I am willing to when I have the time to.

Although I have tried turning on my laptop with just the 16GB in and it wouldn’t turn on, like I said it’d give me a blinking power button. it would only turn on with the 8GB in with it. My guess is that when I ran the game it ran out of the 8GB of memory and tried to switch to the 16GB and gave me an error.

Not sure if I’m correct but I will try out the application you suggested and keep you updated!

LtHusky · Answer

Hello again, @crimsom,Sorry for the long wait but I have finally managed to work on my laptop again. I have installed the support application from Dell you mentioned above. I updated my drivers and checked if my hardware was correct before putting the 16GB back in and no errors were given to me.When I had installed the 16GB I was not able to turn my laptop back on, I tried turning it on with both chips and just the 16GB in. Both times it gave me the same result; The same error code I received before, 2 red and 3 blue blinking power button lights. From my perspective there is indeed a fault in the chip I bought, I'm thinking of asking for a refund and buying a new 16GB chip from Crucial. Let me know if you have any other ideas or if I need to look for a different memory chip(s).

LtHusky · Answer

Thank you @crimsom,Thank you so much for helping me with my computer problems. I'm returning the product to amazon and buying a Crucial RAM chip for the same money instead. I've heard this is the best option besides Dell's official RAM chips.

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15 R3, memory upgrade

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