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

[rhapdog]

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

How did you fix the problem?

It was in the last paragraph of my post.

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.

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.

That ReadyBoot error may be your problem. No guarantees.

ReadyBoot.etl is a log that tracks all file activity at boot time.

Since all file activities done at boot time (even system updates and spyware scans) accumulate in this file, it may fill with obsolete information. The fix is to set the ReadyBoot.etl into Circular logging mode, so that only the most recent file access activity is tracked.

To do so:
a. Right click start, then click control panel
b. Click administrative tools, performance monitor
c. Expand left side tree entry for Data Collection Sets
d. Highlight Startup Event Trace Sessions
e. Open the ReadyBoot line (click it)
f. Select the File tab
g. Select the circular option
h. Click Apply and OK and restart the computer.

There have been reports of BSOD that have been traced back to this file, but it does not mean it is your issue specifically. This is certainly an easier fix than buying a new computer, and won't hurt anything whatsoever.

Let us know how it works out.

 

[Robbie_Jardine]

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

While a faulty PSU could cause your issue I would expect other issues as appear as well. What could be the most likely culprit other than the BIOS is a faulty DIMM Module. Determine which of the two causes the BSOD and replace, if after that the system runs as normal then you have found the cause, if not and the SSD Driver and other issues have been ruled out then I would suggest a faulty Mobo.

I know this system is likely to be new but this does not mean an issue wouldn't present itself either way. Hopefully you have it resolved soon.

After reading more of your previous posts where you state that you had been doing something internally, it is possible you may cause the issue with a static charge this is turn could cause the issue to affect one of the two DIMM Modules, although you may have been careful and deem this unlikely, it is plausible, especially if you don't take measurements to avoid this such as antistatic bands.

MS deems PAGE_FAULT_IN_NONPAGED_AREA to be -

"Bug check 0x50 can occur after the installation of faulty hardware or in the event of failure of installed hardware (usually related to defective RAM, be it main memory, L2 RAM cache, or video RAM).
Another possible cause is the installation of a faulty system service or faulty driver code.
Antivirus software can also trigger this error, as can a corrupted NTFS volume."

https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/li...023(v=vs.85).aspx?f=255&MSPPError=-2147217396

The reference to ReadyBoost is a driver/configuration issue and has plagued many

 

[Aaargh Zombies]

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

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

Same BSOD, same place, no change.

 

[Aaargh Zombies]

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

That ReadyBoot error may be your problem. No guarantees.

ReadyBoot.etl is a log that tracks all file activity at boot time.

Since all file activities done at boot time (even system updates and spyware scans) accumulate in this file, it may fill with obsolete information. The fix is to set the ReadyBoot.etl into Circular logging mode, so that only the most recent file access activity is tracked.

To do so:
a. Right click start, then click control panel
b. Click administrative tools, performance monitor
c. Expand left side tree entry for Data Collection Sets
d. Highlight Startup Event Trace Sessions
e. Open the ReadyBoot line (click it)
f. Select the File tab
g. Select the circular option
h. Click Apply and OK and restart the computer.

There have been reports of BSOD that have been traced back to this file, but it does not mean it is your issue specifically. This is certainly an easier fix than buying a new computer, and won't hurt anything whatsoever.

Let us know how it works out.

I've set this as requested, I will see if it fixes the problem.

 

[Aaargh Zombies]

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

While a faulty PSU could cause your issue I would expect other issues as appear as well. What could be the most likely culprit other than the BIOS is a faulty DIMM Module. Determine which of the two causes the BSOD and replace, if after that the system runs as normal then you have found the cause, if not and the SSD Driver and other issues have been ruled out then I would suggest a faulty Mobo.

I know this system is likely to be new but this does not mean an issue wouldn't present itself either way. Hopefully you have it resolved soon.

After reading more of your previous posts where you state that you had been doing something internally, it is possible you may cause the issue with a static charge this is turn could cause the issue to affect one of the two DIMM Modules, although you may have been careful and deem this unlikely, it is plausible, especially if you don't take measurements to avoid this such as antistatic bands.

MS deems PAGE_FAULT_IN_NONPAGED_AREA to be -

"Bug check 0x50 can occur after the installation of faulty hardware or in the event of failure of installed hardware (usually related to defective RAM, be it main memory, L2 RAM cache, or video RAM).
Another possible cause is the installation of a faulty system service or faulty driver code.
Antivirus software can also trigger this error, as can a corrupted NTFS volume."

https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/li...023(v=vs.85).aspx?f=255&MSPPError=-2147217396

The reference to ReadyBoost is a driver/configuration issue and has plagued many

I didn't start having the problem until I upgraded to Windows 10. Which was before I started opening the case and touching the components. So I don't think that static damage is a likely cause. It's also not my Anti-Virus as when I did the clean install I had a BSOD before I reinstalled it. The SSD isn't a likely cause as that was installed after the problem.

Could it be a setting on my motherboard, most things are currently set to Automatic.

 

[Aaargh Zombies]

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.

The RAM sticks came with the machine, they are the same make and model, and they both ran OK under Windows 7. I only have the problem is both are installed (Regardless of which sockets they are in).

I was under the impression that modern motherboards were designed to cope with different models of RAM. Most of the companies state that if you put a fast and a slow stick in together then the fast stick will be clocked down to match the slow one and your system will remain stable.

I'll look into the software that you suggested.

 

[Aaargh Zombies]

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

If they are the same, download the IntelBurnTest utility and run it on each stick to see if you are in fact stable.

I ran IntelBurnTest on its maximum settings and it didn't find any problems.

 

[Robbie_Jardine]

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

I didn't start having the problem until I upgraded to Windows 10. Which was before I started opening the case and touching the components. So I don't think that static damage is a likely cause. It's also not my Anti-Virus as when I did the clean install I had a BSOD before I reinstalled it. The SSD isn't a likely cause as that was installed after the problem.

Could it be a setting on my motherboard, most things are currently set to Automatic.

Default your mobo bios settings to see if this helps

 

[pkcable]

re:

Do you HAVE to have Win 10? Why not just revert back to 7 and call it a failed experiment?

 

[Aaargh Zombies]

re:

I have Windows 10 across most of my devices now, including my phone.

I've gotten used to having everything syncing. Going back to Windows 7 would mean that I'd need to maintain 2 diaries because the calendar software that I use doesn't sync between Windows 7 and Windows 10. Neither does my address book.

beside, it would be like quitting, and I don't want my friends with Macs to get all snooty about how much better Apple is because they can do all of the things that I want to do across my devices.

Let's call this one a matter of pride.

I'd also have to reinstall everything again on Windows 7, which would be a huge pain.

 

[Dueydoodah]

re:

Are you in the Insiders Preview program? If not, maybe you should try joining and upgrading Windows 10 to get the latest.

 

[rhapdog]

re:

Are you in the Insiders Preview program? If not, maybe you should try joining and upgrading Windows 10 to get the latest.

Let's fix the problems he already has with Windows 10 before subjecting him to a beta OS.

 

[Fernando75]

re:

I think the idea is that the beta OS has that problem already solved (it doesn't mean it doesn't have other problems).

It seems like a good plan to me.

 

[Aaargh Zombies]

re:

I had a different error message this today.

IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL

The log files are useless as usual.

The system has rebooted without cleanly shutting down first. This error could be caused if the system stopped responding, crashed, or lost power unexpectedly.

I'm also getting "Crash dump initialization failed!"

and

"Audit events have been dropped by the transport. 0"

The main change that I made was I took the RAM out to clean the slots again and when I put them back I put them in adjacent slots, rather than the matching slots to check again if it was a slot causing the problem.

 

[Robbie_Jardine]

re:

I think that either the os is corrupt or u have a faulty mobo or the latter has caused the former. Try and reinstall the OS, I know ur hesitant about doing this but if the issues are still present after doing this then it's the board itself.

 

[RobWuu]

re:

Do you have any power errors in the logs? I remember I had similar issues just before my PSU went dead.

Random BSOD's with all kinds of varying errors, hang-ups etc., which were fixed temporarily by reattaching the power cable on the mobo.
I replaced the mobo as I thought the issues were a faulty board.
But that didn't solve the issue, and in the end the PSU gave in, soI had to replace it as well. After that no more issues.

Have a good look at the connector of the main power cable, are there any black spots near one of the pins? It's hard to see when the connector is black, but it might also give off a feint burn smell.

All this can be coincidence, and nothing to do with the install of Win10, -or- Win10 is using RAM differently now, exposing a small defect in the RAM itself.
Stuff like this is hard to diagnose, especially on OS level when the PC is running. So many variables.

If you don't need the 16Gb of RAM, stick to one slot for now, at least the PC will be useful.
Be sure to use the proper slots for the RAM, often mobo's don't like random inserts of the RAM slots. Ans like people suggested, have the latest BIOS installed.

Other than that, I think everything else has been suggested I'm afraid :-(

 

[a5cent]

Re:

Other than that, I think everything else has been suggested I'm afraid :-(

Most things being tried (not all) are actually those which are least likely to be related to the problem. It's highly unlikely to be a RAM issue. It's highly unlikely to be a PSU issue. It's in fact highly unlikely to be directly related to hardware in any way. If it was purely a hardware issue, there would be absolutely no reason for everything to work fine after an abnormal shutdown. Hardware doesn't care how the OS was shutdown. Hardware would continue to fail in the usual way regardless of how the OS was shutdown.

Most ideas here are focused on hardware, which IMHO isn't going to get the OP anywhere, but those ideas probably need to be exhausted before we can move on.

I think a reasonable next step would be to boot the system in safe mode to test if that circumvents the problem.

 

[Aaargh Zombies]

Re:

What I've tried so far:​

1) Each RAM chip individually, in each spare slot - No errors
2) Both RAM chips together in different combinations of slots - Error
3) Upgraded Bios to latest version - Error
4) Reset Bios to default - Error
5) Disable readyboot\fastboot\hybernate - Error
6) Set memory available to maximum from Advanced system menu - Error
7) Memtest - No errors found
8) IntelBrun - No errors found
9) Fresh install on new SSD (Original install was on standard magnetic HD) with default drivers, new cable and new port (Other discs unplugged), no Anti virus. All drivers picked by OS - Error
10) As above but with manufacture's drivers - Error
11) Page file set grater than available RAM with both chips - Error
12) As above but with Page file set to auto - Error
13) As above but with page file disabled - Error
14) Ran Windows Memory Diagnostic - No errors found
15) Set Readyboot logging to circular - Error
16) Misc other things that I've forgotten to mention

What I haven't tried:​

Windows Insider built - My PC is only unstable on 1 in 3 clean boots. Insider is too great a risk right now. I can run my PC perfectly OK with 1 stick of RAM, as 8GB is enough for most of what I do and is less risky that the insider builds

Different RAM - I don't have any other RAM to sticks try it with, and this problem isn't bad enough for me to be able to justify spending the money on a speculative component.

New Power Supply - Same as the RAM.

Right now, I have a functional PC if I remove 1 stick of RAM, or if I hit the power button after a BSOD (It ALWAYS boots OK after a dirty shutdown). I am not really in a position where I can justify spending 100 bucks on new components that might not resolve the problem. I appreciate why people are suggesting this, and I accept that this may be the one and only way to "fix" the problem. I'm just not in a position where I can justify doing it at the moment.

 

[Aaargh Zombies]

Additional information:

I have an older model sound card that I took out of a Windows Vista PC, because it was a cheap (Free) way of giving my PC a fiber optic output and input (The motherboard doesn't have either).

Is there anything in the dump file to suggest that this could be the cause of the problem?

I'd rather not open up the case against fiddle with the sound card as it's less accessible than the RAM, if nobody things that it could be a problem.

I've tried it with the Windows drivers, and the manufacturer's drivers, but I've not taken it out.

 

[a5cent]

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

It very well could be the problem, or more precisely, the driver could be. I'd try safe boot first though.