Only one channel of ram is working

[Lbrthelbr]

So I recently built a ryzen pc with used parts.
Specs:
Gigabyte a320m-h
Ryzen 2600
2x Corsair Vengeance 8gb 3000mhz (both exact model)
Powercolor R7 265
500w PSU (it has 4 pin cpu connector but I will buy a new psu soon)

The problem is when I install into first ram slot, it appears to be working but if I try the second slot the fans spin but there's no image. If I install into both slots it also works, bios detects 16gb ram but windows says only 8gb is usable. Also xmp won't work with both installed.
What could be causing this?

 

[agent_x007]

Check pins on CPU.

 

[Lbrthelbr]

Check pins on CPU.

Pins are in good shape. I tried to reseat the cpu carefully multiple times but same thing happens.

 

[Nash]

Run Windows Memory Diagnostic (type into the search box). Second attempt, remove one module, restart and test it all the way into Windows. Move it to the next slot and do the same test in each slot, for each stick.

 

[Lbrthelbr]

Run Windows Memory Diagnostic (type into the search box). Second attempt, remove one module, restart and test it all the way into Windows. Move it to the next slot and do the same test in each slot, for each stick.

So I ran that and both sticks passes test in slot A but slot B just doesn't work(no display)
With both installed into slot A and B it also passes test but windows still recoginses it as 8gb instead of 16.

Anybody?

 

[agent_x007]

You can check pins inside the slot (maybe they are misaligned ?), but that's a long shot.
Also, you should test CPU in other MB to see if it works on Dual Channel with it.

 

[Nash]

So I ran that and both sticks passes test in slot A but slot B just doesn't work(no display)
With both installed into slot A and B it also passes test but windows still recoginses it as 8gb instead of 16.

Anyody?

If Windows only sees 1/2, I would replace it. The socket may be bad or the memory manger in the CPU.

 

[Lbrthelbr]

I will try testing on another mobo. Is it possible that the internal memory controller is faulthy? Mobo is still under warranty but cpu is not.

 

[The red spirit]

Hard reset BIOS, this stuff happened to me after BIOS didn't properly detect RAM settings and it sort of kept running with old RAM settings. And by hard reset, I mean removing battery and unplugging power cable, then pressing on power button for a minute or two.

 

[Nash]

I will try testing on another mobo. Is it possible that the internal memory controller is faulthy?

It's PROBABLE, I don't think it's the most likely point of failure. At the moment I'm more concerned with video output failure than a stick of memory.

Hard reset BIOS, this stuff happened to me after BIOS didn't properly detect RAM settings and it sort of kept running with old RAM settings. And by hard reset, I mean removing battery and unplugging power cable, then pressing on power button for a minute or two.

That's a good suggestion. I thought I read that it was tried and I completely forgot to re-read the OP.

 

[Jose Jeswin]

1.Clean the memory slot with isopropyl alcohol....take a flashlight and shine it into the slot...look for any foreign bodies or bent pins...
2..Try using a different ram kit if you have any..
3.Look for any standoffs touching the back of the ram slot..

 

[GerKNG]

does either of these sticks work in the second channel?

 

[Lbrthelbr]

Hard reset BIOS, this stuff happened to me after BIOS didn't properly detect RAM settings and it sort of kept running with old RAM settings. And by hard reset, I mean removing battery and unplugging power cable, then pressing on power button for a minute or two.

Tried resetting bios multiple times but still no luck.

1.Clean the memory slot with isopropyl alcohol....take a flashlight and shine it into the slot...look for any foreign bodies or bent pins...
2..Try using a different ram kit if you have any..
3.Look for any standoffs touching the back of the ram slot..

The slot seems to be in great shape. I will try different sticks soon.

does either of these sticks work in the second channel?

They both work in the slot (or channel) that is close to cpu but other slot (or channel) won't work with either of them.

 

[Valantar]

My prime suspect would be dust or debris in the slot, especially for a used motherboard. It doesn't need to be big to cause a channel to not work. After that, I'd check if the board has any signs of having been bent around the ram traces, as even a single broken trace would kill a slot. Then it's the CPU/memory controller's turn, though the only test for that is another CPU. Of course check the socket for dust and debris as well.

 

[GerKNG]

when there is no debris in the socket and ram slot and nothing on the pins aswell... i'd say the board is damaged.

 

[eidairaman1]

Return the corsair ram, go with anyone but corsair

 

[jayseearr]

Return the corsair ram, go with anyone but corsair

Why? the o.p already confirmed both sticks work by trying them in the working slot...?

I agree with this:

when there is no debris in the socket and ram slot and nothing on the pins aswell... i'd say the board is damaged.

this is the one of the drawbacks of 2 slot boards and buying used, if the board had 4 slots you could still (possibly) run dual channel, and I have no problem buying used but only local so i can see it working myself. Some douche nozzle probably sold you the board knowing full well that it was broken. Anyway good luck, and p.s I think you can just get an adapter for the psu no sense in buying a new one if it works fine.

 

[delshay]

There's also possible corrupt BIOS, may want to try updating with one stick in working slot.

 

[eidairaman1]

Why? the o.p already confirmed both sticks work by trying them in the working slot...?

I agree with this:


this is the one of the drawbacks of 2 slot boards and buying used, if the board had 4 slots you could still (possibly) run dual channel, and I have no problem buying used but only local so i can see it working myself. Some douche nozzle probably sold you the board knowing full well that it was broken. Anyway good luck, and p.s I think you can just get an adapter for the psu no sense in buying a new one if it works fine.

There is a incompatibility of corsair ram on ryzen platforms

 

[Lbrthelbr]

There's also possible corrupt BIOS, may want to try updating with one stick in working slot.

Updated the bios, no luck.

There is a incompatibility of corsair ram on ryzen platforms

It appears to be compatible in the official gigabyte site.

Why? the o.p already confirmed both sticks work by trying them in the working slot...?

I agree with this:


this is the one of the drawbacks of 2 slot boards and buying used, if the board had 4 slots you could still (possibly) run dual channel, and I have no problem buying used but only local so i can see it working myself. Some douche nozzle probably sold you the board knowing full well that it was broken. Anyway good luck, and p.s I think you can just get an adapter for the psu no sense in buying a new one if it works fine.

I also suspect that the problem is mobo. I will test the cpu in another system and replace the mobo probably.

 

[sneekypeet]

Can you boot with a single stick and tell us what the BIOS/UEFI shows for RAM voltage and SOC?

Also, just on a guess..... do these sticks share the same revision number after the part number? Can you run Thaiphoon burner and show us what it says?

 

[Lbrthelbr]

Can you boot with a single stick and tell us what the BIOS/UEFI shows for RAM voltage and SOC?

single stick xmp disabled:

Also, just on a guess..... do these sticks share the same revision number after the part number? Can you run Thaiphoon burner and show us what it says?

They are the same model.
Both sticks installed xmp disabled thaiphoon burner:

And task manager says 8gb usable:

Tried running memtest86 and it also detects 16gb but says 8gb usable.

 

[eidairaman1]

Go find other ram to test.

 

[sneekypeet]

single stick xmp disabled:
View attachment 206023



They are the same model.
Both sticks installed xmp disabled thaiphoon burner:
View attachment 206025
View attachment 206026

And task manager says 8gb usable:
View attachment 206027

Tried running memtest86 and it also detects 16gb but says 8gb usable.

Just so I know I have this information right....

You say in what I quoted that "Both sticks installed xmp disabled thaiphoon burner:" which makes me think it is possibly not enough SOC voltage, assuming that 1.35VDIMM set with DOCP is actually delivering that. From old school use of gigabyte, they tended to undervolt a bit, but no idea if that is still a thing.

Also my intention was to get a screen shot with DOCP enabled, but I did not say that much, sorry.

I would look into borrowing another set of RAM, or whatever you need to do to troubleshoot this. I see you are on the latest BIOS, so that would fix many of the issues. the only other thing I could suggest is opening a support ticket with Gigabyte and see what they may say.

 

[Valantar]

I don't know, from what we've seen so far I feel very sure that the issue is either with the slot/board or cpu/memory controller. Given that each stick of RAM works in the primary slot but neither work in the secondary, and that Windows sees it but doesn't activate it tells us that Windows thinks that one stick is faulty - I've seen that exact thing happen on systems with faulty memory. If one of the sticks was actually faulty, the system wouldn't boot with only it installed (it refusing to make use of that DIMM doesn't change if its the only one installed), so that's ruled out. In other words, something between the OS and the DIMM must be faulty. Which means memory controller or board.