Solved Dumb Question about Ram usage...

[AstaLaVista]

Does unplugging a stick of Ram from PC # 1 (I'll take it out from Slot 3, last slot from CPU), installing it on PC # 2 for testing purposes and later plugging it back to PC # 1 have any ill effects on PC 1? all things being equal of course.

The AGP video card on my kids PC died, instead of wasting money on another AGP card, I'd decided to update their PC so I purchased a new board with PCIe capabilities + a new PCIe video card but I forgot to buy the Ram.
Both boards (PC # 1 & 2) use DDR2 Ram.

If this is possible, then, I will buy them new Ram as well but I don't want to botch my rig.

Thanks

 

[Brink]

Hello AstaLaVista,

With DDR2 RAM, it needs to be installed in pairs of the same type and speed into the same color memory slots for it to run in the faster dual channel mode. If you only have one stick in one color slot, or two sticks in two different colored slots, then the RAM will only run in the slower single channel mode.

For what you are wanting to do, it will only temporarily have PC #1 running the RAM in single channel mode until you replace the stick back in it from PC #2 when you are able to get PC #2 it's own sticks of RAM. It will have no other side affects other than being temporarily being slower and having less RAM.

Hope this helps,
Shawn

 

[AstaLaVista]

Hello AstaLaVista,

With DDR2 RAM, it needs to be installed in pairs of the same type and speed into the same color memory slots for it to run in the faster dual channel mode. If you only have one stick in one color slot, or two sticks in two different colored slots, then the RAM will only run in the slower single channel mode.

For what you are wanting to do, it will only temporarily have PC #1 running the RAM in single channel mode until you replace the stick back in it from PC #2 when you are able to get PC #2 it's own sticks of RAM. It will have no other side affects other than being temporarily being slower and having less RAM.

Hope this helps,
Shawn

Much appreciated Shawn, I'd figure something like that might happened but I wanted to make absolutely sure.

I forgot to mention that the reason I wanted to try this is because the Motherboard on PC # 2 wouldn't even turn on, the green light was lit but pushing the power button wouldn't do anything and the answers found in google were conflictive to say the least.

 

[Brink]

You're welcome.

Yeah, without any RAM installed on that motherboard, it will not run.

 

[AstaLaVista]

You're welcome.

Yeah, without any RAM installed on that motherboard, it will not run.

Ahhhh, ok... at least I am 50% sure the installation of everything went well. Now, I only hope I don't fry my Ram along with the new board

 

[Brink]

Na, as long as you don't try and overclock it, you should be perfectly fine.

 

[AstaLaVista]

Well, the stick of Ram is plugged on PC # 2 but when I push the Power button, NOTHING HAPPENS. I have a green light on the board... can't figure it out and I have an annoyed and upset 14 yr old looking at me with killing eyes! :D


This may not be a pertinent and probably an Unrelated problem but soon after I removed 2 of my ram sticks (still left with 4GBs... 2 x 2048), I'd received my first blue Screen (I was on my Windows 7 OS though).

It all began (I think) by my IE8 not wanting to open, so I installed FF to see what the problem was, soon after, the BSOD popped up.

All I could got out of it was Stop 0x00000019, there was no other error posted and a few seconds later, the computer restarted so I couldn't get anything else out of it.

I went to the BIOS and set everything back to DEFAULT and so far (10 minutes later), nothing has happened but I wanted to see if you guys thought this was related.

 

[Brink]

Umm, did this happen as soon as you turned the computer back on after removing the RAM?

Did you remove the two sticks from the same colored slots on the motherboard on PC #1?

Are the remaining 2 sticks in the first set of same colored slots on PC #1?

On PC #2, double check to make sure that they are in the first set of same colored slots and that they are seated and locked in properly into the slots.

 

[AstaLaVista]

Wow, weird, I did not see any responses until today... my bad

Umm, did this happen as soon as you turned the computer back on after removing the RAM?

Yes, indeed, although, I can't recall if it was right after but close enough for me to bother posting it.

Did you remove the two sticks from the same colored slots on the motherboard on PC #1?

Yes I did, I removed it from Slot 2 & 3 (last 2, fartest from CPU)

Are the remaining 2 sticks in the first set of same colored slots on PC #1?

Yes they are!

On PC #2, double check to make sure that they are in the first set of same colored slots and that they are seated and locked in properly into the slots.

The board is a Mini Asus P5KPL-CM so it only has 2 slots. Now, I only inserted 1 of my DDR2 sticks that I took out from PC #1 thinking that to boot up, 1 was only needed and less problems... should I had tried with both sticks inserted?

 

[Davva2004]

Have you moved the clear CMOS jumper on the new motherboard to the correct position?

 

[AstaLaVista]

Have you moved the clear CMOS jumper on the new motherboard to the correct position?

What do you mean? I have not touched it from the default settings.

Say that I am plugging in the Power button wire in the wrong section of the board (doubtful but it could happen as I am not used to doing this often), is there a button or a jump I could try to force the board to start manually w/o the use of the power button on the pc case?

I have been getting a lot of BSODs as of late, just today I had like 4 or 5 and it won't let me get into my windows 7 boot no matter what I try, even in safe mode I can't get in.

Stop Errors:

0A ----- IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR-EQUAL
74 ----- BAD SYSTEM CONFIG INFO
D1 ----- ACPIP.SYS
50 ----- PAGE FAULT IN NONPAGE AREA

I don't even know now if these were all from Vista or windows 7... Arggghhhh.

I'd manage to make it go in the vista side and this where I am writting this right now.

I think I am going to schedule a new install by the weekend but I am afraid to do so because I have had to install vista so many times as of late that the activation is going to fail... I'll do so anyways.

Frustrating week to say the least but I guess there is no other way to learn but with first hand problems.

Edit from Windows 7:
I just noticed that everytime I restart or reboot my bios changes to an old setting I had that gave me problems with memory dumps. so far, I have tried 2 times and everytime I catch it, I start normally but if I let it continue with the old settings, the BSODs start popping.

No matter how many times I set the Bios to Default, as long as I restart or reboot, it goes back to the old settings.

How do I make this go away? is just as simple as resetting my Cmos taking the battery out and jumping the jumpers... sorry for the redundancy there folks, I am trying my best to use PC lingo

 

[Brink]

What specific setting in the BIOS is changing on you? Some settings will change like this depending on what it detects for the hardware unless there is an option to set it to manual.

 

[AstaLaVista]

What specific setting in the BIOS is changing on you? Some settings will change like this depending on what it detects for the hardware unless there is an option to set it to manual.

The memory (RAM) settings. to be more specific, when I had the 8GBs of Ram on PC # 1 (my rig), I manually had to adjust the FSB to be able to get to the 1066Mhz my Ram is supposed to be capable off. Well, even by manually adjusting the temps to 2.1 and timings to 5-5-5-15 2T (default settings by Mfr), 1048Mhz was all I was able to mustered.

As soon as I took 4GBs out of PC # 1 to test on PC #2, the BSODs started but I quickly figured that it was the Ram OC'ed that was given me the problem. This time around, though, I know for a fact that I went to the Bios and chaged it back to Auto so I freaked out when it started to BSOD on me left and right (Vista or 7).

After posting the problem here, I took a breather, restarted (hesitantly I might add ) and noticed the boot screen stating 1048 Mhz, that's when it hit me so I went back to the Bios and reverted back to Auto, restarted, enter Bios, save again, restart... rinse and repeat about 2 more times until I saw that it finally took the changes back to 800Mhz (defaul when mobo set to Auto).

 

[Brink]

I'm happy to hear that you got it sorted.

 

[AstaLaVista]

I'm happy to hear that you got it sorted.

wELL, THAT'S what I thought but, it appears that it didn't do it since when I turned it on today, I had to go back to the Bios and set it back to AUTO. I am guessing that once I put the other 4GBs back, I am no longer going ot have to worry about this so I'll just leave it alone for now and continue to manually change it, although, it is a bit annoying.

Thanks brink

 

[Brink]

Well that stinks. Please keep up informed of how it goes afterwards.

 

[AstaLaVista]

Well that stinks. Please keep up informed of how it goes afterwards.

Sure it does and I'll keep you guys posted. It appears that while the computer is on and after I have manually set the Ram in the Bios to AUTO, it does not change it no matter how many times I reboot the PC.

Now, as soon as I turn it off completely (shut down) and I turn it back on, it inmediately switches to the old Bios Settings. I am almost positive that it is something simple that I am forgetting to change in the Bios but I have no clue as to what that may be.

 

[usasma]

Have you tried replacing the CMOS battery on the motherboard? That's the most common reason for the BIOS not retaining settings.

 

[AstaLaVista]

Have you tried replacing the CMOS battery on the motherboard? That's the most common reason for the BIOS not retaining settings.

The board is less than 4 months old but I guess, it wouldn't be a bad idea to reset the battery. I am going to do it after I plug the other 4GBs back.

Thanks