BOOT PROBLEM AFTER UPGRADE/REINSTAL STRANGE SOLUTION?

[Mitukczuk]

Hello guys, I ran into a problem and it got me wondering.

Today I got my hands on free (bad gift from my friends gf to him) Ryzen 5 2600X chip. I updated BIOS and restored BIOS values and settings into default and switched the new CPU for my slightly older Ryzen 1500X.

I booted into windows and all was fine HW Monitor showed good temps, CPU-Z recognized the chip. I even ran PRIME95 for 15 mins just to stress test the rig after all of this. It was working fine. However after I rebooted I got BSODed
with following errors.
KMODE_EXCEPTION_NOT_HANDLED
and
DRIVER_IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL
I found that these are errors connected to some startup files which were somehow corrupted.
Sometimes the system would boot up, sometimes nothing would happen.

I tried EVERYTHING. Repaired windows install, formated the HD and clean installed. Tried to boot from my old HD. Nothing worked. Same problem. The system just wouldnt boot after restart or power on. Just black screen. Occasionaly i got the afore mentioned errors/BSODs.
I spent the WHOLE day trying to find the solution.

THEN i tried removing my RAM sticks from slots 1-3 and putting them into the other slots 2-4. PROBLEM SOLVED!

My questions are:
1. What was the problem in the first place? The slots were working with my old CPU just fine.
2. What do the error messages mean in simple understandable terms?
3. Are there any steps I should take just to be safe?

I will by very happy for any input or explanation. It got me sweating!
Thank you and have a great day!

 

[EarthDog]

1. I'd guess so. The motherboard manual explicitly states to use slots 2/4 first. Use of slots 2/4 first has been this way for as long as I can remember.
2. https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/wi...bug-check-0xd1--driver-irql-not-less-or-equal
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/wi...r/bug-check-0x1e--kmode-exception-not-handled
3. Read the manual so things are installed properly.

You should be fine now.

 

[Mitukczuk]

1. I'd guess so. The motherboard manual explicitly states to use slots 2/4 first. Use of slots 2/4 first has been this way for as long as I can remember.
2. https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/wi...bug-check-0xd1--driver-irql-not-less-or-equal
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/wi...r/bug-check-0x1e--kmode-exception-not-handled
3. Read the manual so things are installed properly.

You should be fine now.

Thank you for the reply.
I did find the explanations you posted as well, they did not help me much though. Better read them more thoroughly then
How come the PC worked fine with the previous CPU and sticks installed in 1-3 slots?

 

[EarthDog]

Thank you for the reply.
I did find the explanations you posted as well, they did not help me much though. Better read them more thoroughly then
How come the PC worked fine with the previous CPU and sticks installed in 1-3 slots?

Some board and BIOS combos work better than others in that respect.

 

[trents]

The 2600 is a different CPU with a different memory controller. More cores, more threads, more and faster L2 cache than the 1500x. So the interaction with system RAM will be different.

 

[habbajabba]

The problem was you needed a better cpu and now you need better memory sticks. It can use ecc memory DDR4-2933.
2 of 2 DDR4-2667
2 of 4 DDR4-2400
4 of 4 DDR4-1866
Double rank (bandwidth) dual channel in a 4 slot board looks like 2x2400.
https://en.wikichip.org/wiki/amd/ryzen_5/2600x
You could put 2x2933 sticks in but it would run at the single rank , lower bandwidth. I think.
Here's some Crucial ecc memory off newegg. 4x1866
https://www.newegg.com/crucial-32gb-288-pin-ddr4-sdram/p/N82E16820148842
32gb is $165, 4x8gb at 1866 ecc

 

[Mitukczuk]

The problem was you needed a better cpu and now you need better memory sticks. It can use ecc memory DDR4-2933.
2 of 2 DDR4-2667
2 of 4 DDR4-2400
4 of 4 DDR4-1866
Double rank (bandwidth) dual channel in a 4 slot board looks like 2x2400.
https://en.wikichip.org/wiki/amd/ryzen_5/2600x
You could put 2x2933 sticks in but it would run at the single rank , lower bandwidth. I think.
Here's some Crucial ecc memory off newegg. 4x1866
https://www.newegg.com/crucial-32gb-288-pin-ddr4-sdram/p/N82E16820148842
32gb is $165, 4x8gb at 1866 ecc

Interesting. I would have never guessed the RAM might have been an issue. But, the more you learn right..

id like to have only two sticks if possible, do you have any other suggestions for 16-32GB (2x8, 2x16) sticks?

 

[Ben333]

The problem was you needed a better cpu and now you need better memory sticks. It can use ecc memory DDR4-2933.
2 of 2 DDR4-2667
2 of 4 DDR4-2400
4 of 4 DDR4-1866
Double rank (bandwidth) dual channel in a 4 slot board looks like 2x2400.
https://en.wikichip.org/wiki/amd/ryzen_5/2600x
You could put 2x2933 sticks in but it would run at the single rank , lower bandwidth. I think.
Here's some Crucial ecc memory off newegg. 4x1866
https://www.newegg.com/crucial-32gb-288-pin-ddr4-sdram/p/N82E16820148842
32gb is $165, 4x8gb at 1866 ecc

I really don't think this is the best advice. Unbuffered ECC RAM would probably work, but the ECC function that he would be paying extra for most likely wouldn't even be supported on his motherboard.

Best advice: check MB manufacturers site (MSI in OP's case) and find the product page for the B350 Gaming Plus, see supported memory QVL list, buy a kit found on there.
2nd best advice: Buy the correct speed ddr4, supported by the board.


Also, check for a BIOS update! If there is a newer BIOS, grab it and flash it on.

As for the slots 2 & 4 vs 1 & 3 thing, my DDR4 3600 kit would only run at 3150 MHz max when in the wrong slots. Now I'm in the right slots, and for some reason that and that alone has now allowed me to run at 3600 and higher without any issues whatsoever. I asked some pretty intelligent people why this might happen and they didn't have any conclusive ideas.

ECC is really more something for servers, and some workstation applications. While the Ryzen chips will support ECC, your board's BIOS must also too. ECC won't offer any benefits for gaming or normal use cases.