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Does a DDR3 RAM Chip have a writable memory chip in it?

B

Bleeding-Edge

Joined
Jan 24, 2022
Messages
66 (0.05/day)
I had an issue with *SOMETHING* doing *SOMETHING* to my RAM chips. The something I think was Windows 10 and the Asus AI Suite on my ivybridge and Z77 chipset not communicating properly and now I have SIX RAM chips that when installed will not allow my system to boot.
I wonder if *SOMETHING* has over written *SOMETHING* on the RAM chips so that when they are installed they tell the mobo to run the chips a some ridiculous setting.....
Is there any kind of *THING* in a RAM chip that can store data like this and be re-written by the BIOS or Windows?
 
The BIOS doenst 're-write", it cant. Have you tested the ram in another system? have you tested the ram period? (with memtest/64)
 
Reset the CMOS either by removing the battery for 10 mins or short the clear cmos jumper with a metal tool for 10 secs, then see if it boots with just one stick.
 
Bleeding-Edge said:
I had an issue with *SOMETHING* doing *SOMETHING* to my RAM chips. The something I think was Windows 10 and the Asus AI Suite on my ivybridge and Z77 chipset not communicating properly and now I have SIX RAM chips that when installed will not allow my system to boot.
I wonder if *SOMETHING* has over written *SOMETHING* on the RAM chips so that when they are installed they tell the mobo to run the chips a some ridiculous setting.....
Is there any kind of *THING* in a RAM chip that can store data like this and be re-written by the BIOS or Windows?
Click to expand...
It's possible to have corrupted SPD profile's due to such interaction , I have had similar happen.

Without a valid default jedec speed profile it wouldn't boot.
 
Palladium said:
Reset the CMOS either by removing the battery for 10 mins or short the clear cmos jumper with a metal tool for 10 secs, then see if it boots with just one stick.
Click to expand...
Thanks, yes done that...a lot....all manner of mucking about has no effect.

How can I look at the SPD profile? IF I can get the pc to boot with just one stick....that might be good. I really don't think I can. I have two ram chips in it slot 2 and 4. I wonder which slot would be best to try one chip in and try for a boot....The system is fine with two "new" chips currently....
Honestly this is a weird problem. I tried to over-clock the CPU and RAM using the Asus AI utility under Win 10 and on reboot all I got was flashing CPU and RAM fail RED LED's blinking on the board. This happened with two different (but identical) mother boards and 6 RAM chips! All of them are now seemingly TOAST.
 
IF I can get the pc to boot with just one stick....that might be good. I really don't think I can. I have two ram chips in it slot 2 and 4. I wonder which slot would be best to try one chip in and try for a boot
Click to expand...

Since you did a CMOS reset already, try each stick on each slot and see if you get anything.
 
The SPD EEPROM on the RAM stick can be reprogrammed, but it is not easy to do.
 
Are you able to boot into the BIOS?

Failed OC could cause data corruption that is preventing windows from loading.

Not sure how you concluded your RAM is faulty. First I would suggest testing the RAM on another PC or friends PC to see if its actually causing
windows not to boot. Else try installing windows on another spare drive.

If the system does not post at all. Then it could be that you CPU may have been damaged as well from the OC.
 
Last edited:
Bleeding-Edge said:
Thanks, yes done that...a lot....all manner of mucking about has no effect.

How can I look at the SPD profile? IF I can get the pc to boot with just one stick....that might be good. I really don't think I can. I have two ram chips in it slot 2 and 4. I wonder which slot would be best to try one chip in and try for a boot....The system is fine with two "new" chips currently....
Honestly this is a weird problem. I tried to over-clock the CPU and RAM using the Asus AI utility under Win 10 and on reboot all I got was flashing CPU and RAM fail RED LED's blinking on the board. This happened with two different (but identical) mother boards and 6 RAM chips! All of them are now seemingly TOAST.
Click to expand...
Slot two ie 1b and set the timings up manually for at least the primary timing, it should automatically find the others and if you can set memory retry attempts to 5+ that can help, not all board's can though.
 
Bleeding-Edge said:
ivybridge and Z77 chipset not communicating properly and now I have SIX RAM chips that when installed will not allow my system to boot.
Click to expand...
You did several wrong choices at RAM purchase period. Next time get them in a KIT with warrantied compatibility. Or at minimum they should be KIT of DUAL DDR3= identical pairs.

But they are chances your mistake to be even greater = Max supported DDR3 size per slot.
 
kiriakost said:
You did several wrong choices at RAM purchase period. Next time get them in a KIT with warrantied compatibility. Or at minimum they should be KIT of DUAL DDR3= identical pairs.

But they are chances your mistake to be even greater = Max supported DDR3 size per slot.
Click to expand...
Your making a fair few assumptions there, it sounded like the memory is working initially but getting corrupted then not working?!.
No mention of quality, or dual kitted or not?

Next time read, then help!
 
TheoneandonlyMrK said:
Your making a fair few assumptions there, it sounded like the memory is working initially but getting corrupted then not working?!.
No mention of quality, or dual kitted or not?

Next time read, then help!
Click to expand...

This topic it is more blur that the dark sea, there is no facts at all of what motherboard model or RAM dims they are actually in use.
I am not going to waste more keystrokes at poorly written topics.
 
SPD chips don't get programmed or corrupted accidentally.
 
Assimilator said:
SPD chips don't get programmed or corrupted accidentally.
Click to expand...
Read the info for typhoon burner, it actually lists not to use RGB or monitoring software at the same time due to possible corruption, and as I said I Have had it happen due to those sorts of software having stuff running even when closed.

If it can happen then it can , this might just be bad motherboard bad memory controller etcof course but if you loose a kit to this it's unlucky but possible.
 
TheoneandonlyMrK said:
Read the info for typhoon burner, it actually lists not to use RGB or monitoring software at the same time due to possible corruption, and as I said I Have had it happen due to those sorts of software having stuff running even when closed.

If it can happen then it can , this might just be bad motherboard bad memory controller etcof course but if you loose a kit to this it's unlucky but possible.
Click to expand...
Huh, seems you're correct: https://www.gskill.us/forum/forum/p...l-software-corrupts-spd-s?p=123077#post123077

It seems that this happens when people are running G.SKILL's RGB control software at the same time as running ASUS' RGB control software. But I don't waste my time on RGB stupidity, so thankfully I'll never have this problem.
 
"...causing random SPD data corruption and bricking brand new RAM modules."

That is serious stuff! how easy would it be for a virus to intentionally do the same?

Maybe we shouldn't be so mad at Microsoft for tightening up security with Windows 11
 
Andy Shiekh said:
"...causing random SPD data corruption and bricking brand new RAM modules."

That is serious stuff! how easy would it be for a virus to intentionally do the same?

Maybe we shouldn't be so mad at Microsoft for tightening up security with Windows 11
Click to expand...
Only maybe though :)
 
Some interesting things going on here. Honestly this is an interesting thing. I have six ram chips that seem to be inoperable and all of them suffered the same *THING* what ever that was.....Win10, Asus overclocking software, old drivers on an old platform....I am not a noob. All of the chips seem to be toast. I was super careful when I used the Asus AI boost software which I have used a lot of times before.
I have two identical systems now and that's interesting....

It's late here but I will try to post some detail tomorrow. I want to find out what happened to my RAM chips.......I loved my RAM chips....

Assimilator said:
Huh, seems you're correct: https://www.gskill.us/forum/forum/p...l-software-corrupts-spd-s?p=123077#post123077

It seems that this happens when people are running G.SKILL's RGB control software at the same time as running ASUS' RGB control software. But I don't waste my time on RGB stupidity, so thankfully I'll never have this problem.
Click to expand...
This is interesting
 
There is only Serial Prescence Detect
 
Bleeding-Edge said:
I had an issue with *SOMETHING* doing *SOMETHING* to my RAM chips. The something I think was Windows 10 and the Asus AI Suite on my ivybridge and Z77 chipset not communicating properly and now I have SIX RAM chips that when installed will not allow my system to boot.
I wonder if *SOMETHING* has over written *SOMETHING* on the RAM chips so that when they are installed they tell the mobo to run the chips a some ridiculous setting.....
Is there any kind of *THING* in a RAM chip that can store data like this and be re-written by the BIOS or Windows?
Click to expand...
clean the pads on the bottom of the CPU, blow dust out of the CPU socket and RAM slots, reflash the boards BIOS.

The only thing that can be written to is over-writing SPD values (This is possible - thaiphoon burner has some warnings on this topic and various software conflicts), which you can tell by booting with a single stick and reading the values from CPU-Z


You can try adding one working stick of ram, manually setting timings and voltages and then (with the system off, but without disconnecting the PSU/cutting standby power) add an extra stick and boot again, seeing how many work
 
I'd like to see some pics of the sticks without pads or heat spreader on them.
 
It's well known that Asus AI Suite causing some serious issues with Ivy Bridge and Win 10(previously was working fine on win 7) and it's a real pain to uninstall it totally from you system as you will need to delete certain reg files or just to re-install your system again IF you want to get rid of Asus AI Suite....saying that this maybe not be the root cause of your problem but If the problem appeared after the installation of Asus AI Suite then its maybe a worth of trying to get rid off that program.......GL
 
To me it sounds like the bios isn't out of OC mode. I know you said that you cleared the bios, but I'd do it again.
Unplug the pc
Pull out the battery
Go eat dinner
Go to sleep
Wake up
Put battery back and try again.

I've had stubborn bios's that took an hour before they reset.
 
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