BSOD when 16GB RAM installed (but not 8GB), what can I do?

[Aaargh Zombies]

re:

I really don't see what the big deal is and why you do not want to disable the paging file for the simple sake of troubleshooting.

I'm only trying one thing at a time, and the other solutions sounded more promising so I put them at the head f the queue of things to try.

I'm still getting a BSOD with the other ones, so I've now disabled paging on all discs.

 

[a5cent]

Re: BSOD when 16GB RAM installed (but not 8GB)

I may have missed it, but how did you upgrade to W10 exactly?

a) Online/in-place upgrade?

b) Install from media to a second partition alongside you existing windows installation

c) Install from media to the same partition (over) the existing windows installation?

d) Format of the single OS partition, then install from media to that

e) restoration of a W10 image file

etc

Basically, how many Windows OSes are installed on your system and in what order and by what mechanism did they get there.

Looking forward to the results of your pagefile and hibernation deactivation file tests.

 

[Aaargh Zombies]

Re: BSOD when 16GB RAM installed (but not 8GB)

I may have missed it, but how did you upgrade to W10 exactly?

a) Online/in-place upgrade?

b) Install from media to a second partition alongside you existing windows installation

c) Install from media to the same partition (over) the existing windows installation?

d) Format of the single OS partition, then install from media to that

e) restoration of a W10 image file

etc

Basically, how many Windows OSes are installed on your system and in what order and by what mechanism did they get there.

Looking forward to the results of your pagefile and hibernation deactivation file tests.

The first time I took a factory installed copy of Windows 7 and used the in place upgrade option from the nag screen that Microsoft puts on your task area. I did a regular upgrade over the top of Windows 7 on my master boot disk using the default options.

The second time I took a completely new disc. I unplugged the old disc, and plugged a new SSD into a different Port on the motherboard using a brand new cable and a different power cable from the original.

I then used the Media Creation tool and a Windows 10 ISO from the Microsoft website and installed a totally clean install from a USB Stick. I used the default options. At the time the other disc was unplugged, so this Windows 10 install was the only OS on the machine, and there was nothing else that it could have booted to.

I've since plugged the old disc back in to use as a data volume, but the computer BSOD when it wasn't there. My computer isn't set to multi-boot to different OS, my boot sector\partition is set up using the Windows 10 default settings.

 

[a5cent]

Re: BSOD when 16GB RAM installed (but not 8GB)

^ good. That rules out windows being confused over what its system drive is.

 

[Daeneroc]

Re: BSOD when 16GB RAM installed (but not 8GB)

Had quite the same problem few years ago (like 5 years ago) when i built a new PC on windows 7.

Had 4x4 GO ram corsair and had BSOD randomly but not with 2x4GO only. Switched sticks, switched slots, ran mem test for hours, cleaned install on fresh SSD, updated firmware, bios, drivers etc ... Nothing would do.

I finally bought 2x4 GO ram from an other brand (don't remember which one) and put 2x4GO from corsair and 2x4GO from the other brand, though it's not recommended. Worked like a charm for years.

Still can't explain why lol.

 

[WesleySmalls]

re:

The various executable binaries that make up the OS are loaded to different memory addresses at each boot. If it was a certain range of memory addresses that was corrupt, something different would be loaded into that range each time (or nothing at all), so the OP would witness either no problem at all, or crashes occurring at seemingly random points in time. If it was a general memory problem that wasn't confined to a certain address range he'd also be seeing random crashes. In both cases the very extensive memory check would also have noticed something.

There is no way it's a faulty memory module. At the very least it's not only that.

A faulty memory module doesn't have to mean that something fails on the same address consistently.

But yes, considering that each work fine individually a faulty memory module is becoming more unlikely.

Because the OS writes stuff to the paging file during shutdown and reads from it during startup (except if you had a crash... hint hint). Turning it off would at least allow us to rule out one of the possible causes. With the exception of the memory test and BIOS update, I don't think any of the other tests were helpful, because they didn't allow us to exclude anything. Changing the size of the paging file achieves pretty much nothing in this regard.

Ah yes, that makes sense.

Anyways, to the OP:

What kind of power supply are you using in the computer?(brand, Watt, etc.) I'm starting to think it is the power supply that is the problem here. Power supply's have reduced output over the course of years, and can give many interesting problems if it can't give sufficient power anymore.

 

[Aaargh Zombies]

re:

What kind of power supply are you using in the computer?(brand, Watt, etc.) I'm starting to think it is the power supply that is the problem here. Power supply's have reduced output over the course of years, and can give many interesting problems if it can't give sufficient power anymore.

I'm not certain why a problem with the power supply would bring up an error on a clean boot?

I have a Corsair CX 750W 80 PLUS, factory installed like the RAM. I keep it clean and dust free, and my case is well cooled. The internal sensors say that my PC idles not so far above ambient, and that temperatures while gaming are lower than you'd expect for my components as I opted for extra cooling fans.

I would have thought that a faulty power supply would have given me problems with Windows 7 as well, and that I'd have been having problems while gaming or other high intensity activities.

 

[a5cent]

re:

A faulty memory module doesn't have to mean that something fails on the same address consistently.

Obviously. You might want to reread my post.

 

[a5cent]

Re: BSOD when 16GB RAM installed (but not 8GB)

Had quite the same problem few years ago (like 5 years ago) when i built a new PC on windows 7.



Had 4x4 GO ram corsair and had BSOD randomly.

Ehmm... his crashes aren't random. Completely different problem.

 

[WesleySmalls]

re:

I'm not certain why a problem with the power supply would bring up an error on a clean boot?

I have a Corsair CX 750W 80 PLUS, factory installed like the RAM. I keep it clean and dust free, and my case is well cooled. The internal sensors say that my PC idles not so far above ambient, and that temperatures while gaming are lower than you'd expect for my components as I opted for extra cooling fans.

I would have thought that a faulty power supply would have given me problems with Windows 7 as well, and that I'd have been having problems while gaming or other high intensity activities.

That's the fun of problems with the power supply, it can manifest in whatever way possible.

An extra module would bring in extra load(although not much), and if the connector cannot give enough voltage then that could give problems.

If possible, you could try different memory modules or a different power supply, see if that solves the issue

 

[lupinesithlord]

re:

When you have a weird issue that has no logical answer replace the power supply.....bad ps can manifest
strangely...

 

[Aaargh Zombies]

Re: BSOD when 16GB RAM installed (but not 8GB)

I've got 4 RAM slots, and it BSOD if there are two sticks, regardless of which of the 4 slots I use.

 

[Aaargh Zombies]

Re: BSOD when 16GB RAM installed (but not 8GB)

Actually what you say, that it crashes after shutdown but not after reboot tells me that fast startup is actually enabled, and so it crashes when it tries to get back from that partially hibernated state.

I have fastboot and hibernate both switched off. I did that quite early on.

 

[Aaargh Zombies]

re:

When you have a weird issue that has no logical answer replace the power supply.....bad ps can manifest
strangely...

I don't really want to spend 80 bucks on a PS on the off chance that it might fix the problem. I can't justify spending the money right now, it's better for me to run with 1 stick of RAM to stop the BSOD right now.

The big thing here is that it wasn't falling over under Windows 7, which suggests that this is software rather than hardware.

 

[rhapdog]

re:

I actually did have this problem way back when I upgraded from Windows 7 to Windows 8.1. No problems going from 8.1 to 10, as they have the same memory management and access methods. Windows 7 accesses memory differently than Windows 8.1 and 10.

Ran for 2 years with Windows 7 without a problem on my 2x8GB RAM. Installed 8.1, and started getting BSOD on boot. I later learned that some of my files that I copied from one storage drive to another as a backup copy were corrupted. Not all, but a few. I only discovered that by running a byte compare program as I was searching for issues and solutions.

Memtest ran for 48 hours without a single error on either module singularly or in any configuration.

However, be advised that Memtest does not find every type of memory error. If it does find an error, be assured you have a faulty module, but be advised, it tests them one at a time, so when you have a problem that only appears with both modules, it may not find it.

Windows Memory Diagnostics, however, did find problems with the RAM.

You'll find that memory modules need to be properly paired, and sometimes places that build computers for you are not as diligent as they should be on making sure of that, and they may install modules that won't necessarily be meant for each other. Just because they were installed together by the builder doesn't mean the manufacturer of the RAM certified those two modules to actually be used together. They may have taken 2 singles to put in your machine because they were out of "pairs" that day.

Windows 10 will sometimes place the data "interleaved" between the 2 modules to speed up loading, whereas Windows 7 didn't really do that so much.

Windows 10 comes with it's own memory diagnostic that you need to run. Start Cortana and do a search for Windows Memory Diagnostic. It's a Desktop App, and you'll have to do a restart to run it, as it, like Memtest, needs to run while the OS is shut down. Run it with both sticks installed.

Let us know the results of that test, please.

FYI, I called Corsair, gave them the results of the test, and they sent me new memory right away (both sticks) and sent me a shipping label to return the old sticks after receiving the new. Didn't cost me a dime with their lifetime warranty.

 

[Aaargh Zombies]

re:

I actually did have this problem way back when I upgraded from Windows 7 to Windows 8.1.

How did you fix the problem?

My PC is a Chilblast, and they are one of the best companies. They make high spec gaming PCs and do custom optimizations on their top end rigs so they have to be on the ball about RAM.

I've tried moving the RAM to different slot combinations. BSOD with all of them.

I'll run the Windows Memory diagnostic. Though I think that I've already done that a while back.

 

[Aaargh Zombies]

re:

Windows 10 comes with it's own memory diagnostic that you need to run. Start Cortana and do a search for Windows Memory Diagnostic. It's a Desktop App, and you'll have to do a restart to run it, as it, like Memtest, needs to run while the OS is shut down. Run it with both sticks installed.

Let us know the results of that test, please.

No errors with the Windows Memory Diagnostic, but I am getting the following error in the Event Manager

The maximum file size for session "ReadyBoot" has been reached. As a result, events might be lost (not logged) to file "C:\Windows\Prefetch\ReadyBoot\ReadyBoot.etl". The maximum files size is currently set to 134217728 bytes.

 

[Aaargh Zombies]

re:

That's the fun of problems with the power supply, it can manifest in whatever way possible.

An extra module would bring in extra load(although not much), and if the connector cannot give enough voltage then that could give problems.

If possible, you could try different memory modules or a different power supply, see if that solves the issue

I don't actually have access to either right now, and I'm loathed to make a speculative purchase that might not solve the problem.

Given that this ONLY happens on boot, I really doubt that ti is a PSU. I previously set the RAM voltage to Automatic, wouldn't this mean that the motherboard would clock down the RAM and it would just run slowly?

Also, I'm getting perfect performance while gaming, and while doing intensive activity in Windows.

It's a 750W PSU which I brought with future expansion in mind, I should be able to run two gaming graphics cards off of it and run them at 4K. It shouldn't break a sweat with my current setup. If it was broken badly enough that its output dropped below my needs with my current setup then it would probably make my PC unstable all the time.

There is also the whole business with it only BSOD after a clean shutdown. If it were the PSU wouldn't it fall over after a dirty shutdown own as well, or while gaming?

 

[Jason Rosenthal]

Re: BSOD when 16GB RAM installed (but not 8GB)

Are the two RAM sticks the same make and model? If one stick is faster than the other then you should expect blue screens under load.

If they are the same, download the IntelBurnTest utility and run it on each stick to see if you are in fact stable. Also look for bulging capacitors on the motherboard.

I've seen start up issues like this remedied by updating the firmware on the SSD.

Trying a different power supply is a good idea.

 

[a5cent]

Re: BSOD when 16GB RAM installed (but not 8GB)

So, what's the situation after getting rid of the pagefile?