1x8GB + 1x8GB in a dual channel, same model bought 1 month apart. Will it work?

[corsair-everywh]

Hello there. I'm working on getting two Corsair vengeance 1600 1x8GB sticks working in a Biostar B75MU3B motherboard (two ram slots in dual channel). I bought the first 8GB stick and then realized it was not enough so I purchased another of the same brand. I know mixing non pairs is not a good idea but I would like to know if it will work at all. I have tested the below without luck.

Slot A 1x8GB-Slot B EMPTY= Boots
Slot A EMPTY-Slot B 1x8GB= No POST
Slot A 1x8GB-Slot B 1x8GB= No POST

Specs:
Biostar b75mu3b
i7 3770
1x8GB Corsair VengeanceLP
XFX Radeon R9 290
Corsair RM750x

 

[maxfly]

you will have to go into the bios with one of the two installed in whatever slot is required to boot by your mb. set up the timings and voltage manually. for example timings will look like 7-7-7-24 and voltage will look like- dram voltage 1.65v.
if you still have issues come back and post a screenshot of CPU-Zs memory and spd tabs.
you can dl cpuz here if you dont have it.
https://www.cpuid.com/softwares/cpu-z.html

also post a link to both of your modules so we can compare the two for you.

 

[corsair-everywh]

Maxfly,
I changed the timings like you asked and raised the dram voltage to 1.6v and then 1.7v as there was no 1.65. I am getting the same no POST with two sticks in. It powers up and then shuts off to power back on again about 3 seconds later. After the second power on it stays running but no POST. I also checked the timing after removing the single stick and saw it was now set to the SPT profile. I have attached the screen shots from CPU-Z and from the Bios where I made the changes.

 

[maxfly]

ok change the voltage back to 1.50 like it shows in cpuz. i was just throwing a number out there i wasnt sure what your voltage actually needed to be. no biggie it wont hurt anything.
can you run each module by itself at the 9-9-9-24 and 1.50v successfully? if one fails to boot by itself and run correctly its likely defective. if they both allow you to boot successfully after testing them one at a time. try running memtest86.
https://www.memtest86.com/
run memtest86 on each module by itself for about an hour. if they both run properly by themselves then we know its a bios setting like timings or voltage(less likely). which means youll need to try timings like 10-10-10-24 or something even more lax. if you get errors with one of the two modules then you know you have a defective module and its rma time.

also do both of the modules have the same part number under the cpuz spd screen?

edit- can you run either of them using the xmp profile in the bios?

 

[corsair-everywh]

Im able to run each by its self with the default settings. Ill try running the memtest86 now. I have a ticket in with Biostar support and Corsair about this but Biostar likes to respond at 2am EST. I appreciate the help. Ill post my findings after running memtest. I can run both of them with the XMP profile in order to get the full 1600 speed. The part numbers also match.

 

[Johan45]

Can you post the CPUz SPD for both sticks? just to compare even though they're the same part number doesn't always mean they are actually the same. Do they have the same Ver. number
EDIT: after rereading it appears that if a DIMM is installed in the "B1" slot at all the system doesn't post, is that correct? You have tried both sticks in that same slot and neither one will post? Could be a bad slot or even debis in the slot.

 

[Niku-Sama]

something I've run into before that I am noticing on your screens.
even though its got an XMP profile for 800Mhz the specs above it say max is 667, try running both at a lower speed and see if it'll boot.

What I have run into is it'll work fine with one channel at a faster speed but the XMP profile wont work for dual channel for some reason. To get around it I "overclocked" it to the XMP specs and it still worked. Results may vary however...

 

[corsair-everywh]

So this is what I came up with. Ill try to group them together.
First Stick:


Second Stick:


@maxfly,
I ran the memtest86. Everything looked to come out good.

@Niku-Sama,
I will have to look at how to lower the speeds.

@Johan45,
I used an air can and a crappy magnifying scope to check the Dimm B slot for debris but it looks clear.

@all,
I really appreciate the time you all are spending on this. Thank you very much!

 

[Johan45]

One more thing I asked for. On the ram by the part# details etc.. There will be a revision number do they match? If they are different then the sticks likely have different chips under the hood even though it's the same part#

 

[maxfly]

one last thing. try running them both at the same time but in dimms 2 and 4 rather than 1 and 3.

 

[corsair-everywh]

I only have two dimm slots unfortunately. The versions are also the same. I would really like to get this working. Im not sure why its putting up such a fight. Is there anything else I can try with the timing?

 

[maxfly]

you could try dropping the timings to 10-10-10 or 11-11-11 and 30/32 @ 1.55v or 1.60v if that doesnt work then id say you definately have a bad dimm slot. if your mb is still under warranty i would go ahead and start the rma process
im not sure if this was also mentioned but if there is a newer bios available for your mb give that a try as well. gl!

 

[wingman99]

Do you have the latest BIOS update and your saying that both sticks wont boot up with optimized default settings in BIOS?

 

[corsair-everywh]

I do have the latest Bios. I have tried with default and the 7-7-7-24 settings as well as specifying the 9-9-9-24 settings. I have ordered a set of 2x8 Corsair Vengeance LP sticks to see if its the board or if its the ram not being an actual "pair". It should be here tuesday. If the new sticks wont load ill need to look for another board for an Intel 1155 socket. Any suggestions? Preferably I would like to stay around $120.

Thank you all for the help this far!

 

[wingman99]

If the new memory won't work I would go with ASUS or Gigabyte Z-68 Z-77 1155. I had good luck with Gigabyte.

 

[Niku-Sama]

oh I just noticed you have a biostar board.
I wouldn't call this a problem but it is an issue.
A few of their boards I have had of theirs in the past had the memory clock mislabeled, these were AM socket boards (1-3) and the problem seemed to persist through bios updates.
What would happen was I would set the ram at the advertised speed of 800 and it wouldn't boot until I juiced it up and noticed it was actually much higher than 800, when I set it to the next lower setting, 667, reset the timings and voltage and it booted at 800. I chalked it up to some one not paying attention when coding it.

mind you its something I had on AM series socketed boards but its entirely possible its a similar thing on your board, blue team but same era. something to keep in mind but i'd find it unlikely

I actually just got a biostar H81MHV3 ver 7.2 today for a 4th gen i7 and i'll see if it does the same thing, could be something to go on even if they aren't the same board


edit:
I did some through testing on my board with mis matched ram and its got no problems. if one of the sticks doesn't have a 2nd XMP profile it blocks it from being used of course but XMP 1 works fine. I'm using a pair of g-skill 8gb 1600 ripjaws (I think) ones a red heatspreader at 1.5v and the other is a blue heatspreader at 1.35v both operate at similar timings, and work at either voltage well enough. theres about a year or so difference between to two, if not more.