- Joined
- Dec 14, 2010
I have an unusual issue here.
Normally I prefer to do my own troubleshooting if possible, but I've been troubleshooting this motherboard all day and I'm no closer to a solution.
Okay, I have an Asus P6T SE (LGA1366) motherboard that is not detecting all of the installed memory. This is strange because the last time I used this motherboard it was working normally and all memory slots detected installed memory sticks. I put it into storage in an anti-static bag, probably a year ago now. But, I decided to take it out to test it because I decided I wanted to try to sell it.
I took the board out of the bag, popped in a CPU and some memory and started getting it set up for testing. Power it on and it only sees 4GB of memory, but I have 6GB installed (Orange slots, A1, B1, and C1) from a 3x2GB kit. Through process of elimination of swapping sticks out one at a time I discover that the slot not working is B1. So, I swap the stick from channel B1 into C1 to verify if the stick is working, and after booting back up the stick that was in B1 is then detected in C1 slot and shows 4GB installed. Then, I take the stick that was in B1 originally and put it into slot B2, and put the stick originally from C1 back in its slot (C1), this results in the stick in B2 not being read but C1 still reads fine and showing 4GB between A1 and C1. So, channel B is totally dead, no sticks being accessed in either B1 or B2.
This is where it gets strange. Now, this is when I pulled out some more memory sticks and figured I would just fill every slot on the board in an attempt to ascertain which slots are working more quickly, so I put in 6x2GB sticks for 12GB. Board only reads 8GB (channel B is still not reading). Then I decided to screw in the bolts for my CPU cooler (Noctua NH-D14 in this case), suddenly on the next power up of the system channel C's memory completely disappears and I'm seeing only the 4GB from channel A (A1 & A2 slots). I discovered through further troubleshooting that channel C disappears from the BIOS and is unreadable by POST if I fully secure a CPU cooler. During initial testing I just had a large tower cooler sitting on top of the CPU, but not bolted/fastened down (board is horizontal).
Now, the really strange part is that some programs in the OS are seeing the full 12GB of memory (CPU-Z and MaxxMem2), but the system isn't fully able to access the memory, and even though these programs see the full 12GB I have installed Task Manager only reports 4GB to 8GB (depending upon whether or not the CPU heat sink is bolted down) being accessible. CPU-Z even reports the timings and rated speeds of the memory sticks in the SPD tab, along with the model numbers of the sticks and the rated voltages. This tells me that the board sees the memory is there (on some level), but is for some reason unable to access it.
Now, does anyone have any ideas as to why a motherboard which was in fully working order would suddenly exhibit these symptoms after being taken out of storage to be used or tested again? Or does anyone have a theory as to what might fix this?
Normally I prefer to do my own troubleshooting if possible, but I've been troubleshooting this motherboard all day and I'm no closer to a solution.
Okay, I have an Asus P6T SE (LGA1366) motherboard that is not detecting all of the installed memory. This is strange because the last time I used this motherboard it was working normally and all memory slots detected installed memory sticks. I put it into storage in an anti-static bag, probably a year ago now. But, I decided to take it out to test it because I decided I wanted to try to sell it.
I took the board out of the bag, popped in a CPU and some memory and started getting it set up for testing. Power it on and it only sees 4GB of memory, but I have 6GB installed (Orange slots, A1, B1, and C1) from a 3x2GB kit. Through process of elimination of swapping sticks out one at a time I discover that the slot not working is B1. So, I swap the stick from channel B1 into C1 to verify if the stick is working, and after booting back up the stick that was in B1 is then detected in C1 slot and shows 4GB installed. Then, I take the stick that was in B1 originally and put it into slot B2, and put the stick originally from C1 back in its slot (C1), this results in the stick in B2 not being read but C1 still reads fine and showing 4GB between A1 and C1. So, channel B is totally dead, no sticks being accessed in either B1 or B2.
This is where it gets strange. Now, this is when I pulled out some more memory sticks and figured I would just fill every slot on the board in an attempt to ascertain which slots are working more quickly, so I put in 6x2GB sticks for 12GB. Board only reads 8GB (channel B is still not reading). Then I decided to screw in the bolts for my CPU cooler (Noctua NH-D14 in this case), suddenly on the next power up of the system channel C's memory completely disappears and I'm seeing only the 4GB from channel A (A1 & A2 slots). I discovered through further troubleshooting that channel C disappears from the BIOS and is unreadable by POST if I fully secure a CPU cooler. During initial testing I just had a large tower cooler sitting on top of the CPU, but not bolted/fastened down (board is horizontal).
Now, the really strange part is that some programs in the OS are seeing the full 12GB of memory (CPU-Z and MaxxMem2), but the system isn't fully able to access the memory, and even though these programs see the full 12GB I have installed Task Manager only reports 4GB to 8GB (depending upon whether or not the CPU heat sink is bolted down) being accessible. CPU-Z even reports the timings and rated speeds of the memory sticks in the SPD tab, along with the model numbers of the sticks and the rated voltages. This tells me that the board sees the memory is there (on some level), but is for some reason unable to access it.
Now, does anyone have any ideas as to why a motherboard which was in fully working order would suddenly exhibit these symptoms after being taken out of storage to be used or tested again? Or does anyone have a theory as to what might fix this?
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