RAM Configuration - does it matter?

[pixeljay]

My Rig was giving me trouble - it was cycling on and off - so I took it into a local PC repair store...Altex Electronics..and they told me it was the power supply. Prior to my taking it in, I had read that sometimes switching the RAM around into other channels can fix the problem OR it could be the PSU. Because I had no way of testing whether the PSU was really failing I relied on the hired help to diagnose and fix these issues. He said the bearings had gone out on one of my fans as well.

Well.. they fixed it by changing out the PSU - instead of buying a new PSU, I had them install a PSU (around 8 yrs old) from an earlier build. Both PSU's are 1000W. The thing is, this service rep moved the memory to new channels - which are not the channels that the MOBO manual recommends for only 16g of memory (2 8G sticks). He also installed a new GPU which is water cooled: GeForce GTX 1070 Ti. - I can try and get a screen shot of the manual

I am not so certain I really trust this PC geek installer.. because he tried to steal one of my large fans (he had to remove to install the GPU on top of the case) AND.. he tried to take all of my cabling from my (supposedly) bad power supply. I requested them back and he ran me a line that they won't work with other PSUs.. etc. I finally got them back when I spoke to another rep who told me he had to go look for them--they were hiding in the back--whatever that means.. so I had to ask for both items back. ..[They switched a CORSAIR RMi Series RM1000i 1000W 80 PLUS GOLD --> to my older Corsair Professional Series HX1000 80 Plus Certified Modular PSU]..Now I don't know if the older one is "Haswell ready" like the newer one claimed.. I wonder if he just did the memory trick and my PSU was fine..this is enough to get me to buying my own PSU testor equipment

Now it appears that I am getting all sorts of memory issues..maybe I didn't notice before, but my virus software lets me know when I have high memory usage on a particular app. This wasn't happening in the past.

Well.. that said - does anyone here know if installing the memory in other slots can cause issues with your PC. You can see my specs below.View attachment 207635

 

[bigtallanddopey]

In most cases (still think it is the case) if you have two sticks of ram you should put them into slots 2 & 4 first and then 1 & 3. In my experience there isn’t anything noticeable in doing it either way. Doing it that way allows it to run in dual channel mode.

However if both sticks are in slots 1 & 2 it could be running or 3 & 4 the ram could be running in single channel mode. Which may cause the odd issue and lower performance.

As for the pc repair place you took it to. Yeh sounds dodgy. Why would the install a gpu that you didn’t seem to ask for or indeed need? Who needs a water cooled 1070ti, seems silly to me.

 

[mackerel]

Eww. Two sticks in a quad channel system? Anyway, it doesn't matter much which channels they are in, but there may be some small stability advantage in having them in the slot further from the CPU for each channel.

 

[trents]

Eww. Two sticks in a quad channel system? Anyway, it doesn't matter much which channels they are in, but there may be some small stability advantage in having them in the slot further from the CPU for each channel.

This. Potential stability issues. But it wouldn't cause high memory usage. They may have moved the RAM to the other slots because they suspected the channel/slots originally holding the RAM had a problem.

I would also do some testing of the RAM modules themselves with memtest86 run overnight.

 

[mackerel]

Just saw the edited in image. Probably wont make any difference. The new configuration is more typical for a 4 slot, 2 channel system.

 

[EarthDog]

this is enough to get me to buying my own PSU testor equipment

Don't. It won't tell you much of anything for this.

If I was you, I would be sure your BIOS is updated to the latest version and place 2 sticks in the slot your manual tells you. Then give it a go.

What app is showing high memory use? Is it really using a lot? Check...

I also wouldn't trust that repair shop... a 1070Ti on water and moving the sticks around (hopefully they were in dual channel in the end) plus the other weird issue about the PSU and cables... yikes.

 

[pixeljay]

I re-posted updated pic of the channels they are in.. - they went from A1/C1 slots to D1/C1

As far as the GPU - I purchased that GPU upgrade and had asked if they could install it..it had been laying around for a while as I recovered from surgery. it was what was available and what I could afford on credit at the time --I wasn't sure about the new RTX at the time working with my software. I suppose the GPU choice may be for another thread as I am not sure if I did the right thing adding that...

I do wonder, however, if the new GPU could be causing the issues with memory

 

[EarthDog]

I do wonder, however, if the new GPU could be causing the issues with memory

Doubtful. One doesn't have much to do with the other.

 

[pixeljay]

Don't. It won't tell you much of anything for this.

If I was you, I would be sure your BIOS is updated to the latest version and place 2 sticks in the slot your manual tells you. Then give it a go.

What app is showing high memory use? Is it really using a lot? Check...

I also wouldn't trust that repair shop... a 1070Ti on water and moving the sticks around (hopefully they were in dual channel in the end) plus the other weird issue about the PSU and cables... yikes.

Definitely going to update the BIOS that may help things immensely..

Thanks for the replies folks!

 

[Mr.Scott]

For 2 sticks of ram on that board, they need to be in A1 and C1. Those are the two red slots furthest from the CPU.
That's probably in your manual BTW.