Any thoughts before I RMA these g.skills ?

EPoX EP-9npa3 ultra
8-11 bios (tried 2 other older ones, including betas)
g.skill 2x1 gig kit 2.5-3-3-6 (loosened to 3-3-3-8 2t, loosened ALL other settings)

Problem is I bluescreened during windows install. I then switched sticks to other slots, and it worked for a while, then froze up during priming (stock). Now I cannot post with 2 sticks. Have a good windows install now, but can only run on one stick. (either stick will work) Just about ready to RMA. I took a chance with g.skill (long time OCZ user, never any issues with 4 sets) and it seems I got burned. Any thoughts?

Misfit138 said:

EPoX EP-9npa3 ultra
8-11 bios (tried 2 other older ones, including betas)
g.skill 2x1 gig kit 2.5-3-3-6 (loosened to 3-3-3-8 2t, loosened ALL other settings)

Problem is I bluescreened during windows install. I then switched sticks to other slots, and it worked for a while, then froze up during priming (stock). Now I cannot post with 2 sticks. Tried any and all combinations of slots.
Have a good windows install now, but can only run on one stick. (either stick will work) Just about ready to RMA. I took a chance with g.skill (long time OCZ user, never any issues with 3 sets) and it seems I got burned. Any thoughts?

Click to expand...

Run Memtest86 from a boot disk for each stick. This should tell you if you have a bad stick of RAM. Set your BIOS for command rate and timings on auto. Are you overclocked?

If they both check ok, run them in pairs like you normally would and check them the same way.

it can be your motherboard =P. i had bad relationships with epox hah. but do what the guy above me said and if you get errors then rma it.

if it runs fine with each stick one at a time then how can it be the ram lol?

Do what RollingThunder suggested. From what you're saying though, it doesn't sound like the RAM itself is the culprit.

90 percent sure it could be your motherboard. put in both sticks. then reset the cmos via cmos jumper. fire it back up see if it boots.

i would try another reinstall using a single stick (for stability) just to double check. If, after that, memtest only passes both alone, then the board is your only viable problem.

Ok, a few things.

Both sticks pass memtest seperately overnight (10 hours)
I got it to post with 2 sticks in single channel and pass memtest 10 hours.
Both sticks in left slots (single channel) is Windows, prime, memtest, BF2 and Linux stable.
I was originally able to install Windows and get a few hours of flaky use in dual channel, but then while priming, it rebooted and will not even post in dual channel any more.
I'm thinking of just leaving it alone, due to the 15% restocking fee, the possibility of the mobo being the culprit, the down time and the tiny real world performance advantage of dual channel.
I have had boards (Lanparty) that simply would NOT post with certain RAM, so I was initially leaning toward RMAing the sticks (rather than the board which would require reinstalling the OS) in favor of some OCZ or Crucial, and trying my luck with that.
My cousin has 2 gigs of OCZ platinum, but he lives a few hours away. When I get over there I will test those sticks out.
Maybe I'll just stick with single channel for now.
Thanks for the responses, more are welcome.

there is no restocking fee for defective products. that is only to return. if it is defective return the motherboard. which it proablly is. so return the motherboard and get another one. you should be fine. all you have to do is pay shipping. <10 dollars.