[andyinNH]

During my bench test I put in one memory stick in slot 1 and everything was fine. But, when I add one to slot 2 according to the mb instructions, I get no bios. I changed configurations and tested each stick individually. Both cards work when alone in slot 1. But as soon as I put them in together in slots 1 and 2, it doesn't work. But, if I put them in slots 1 and 3, all's good and they are both recognized in the BIOS.

Could the Gigabyte MB instructions be wrong about which slots to use with dual channel? They say use slots 1 and 2 for dual, but I can only get it to work in slots 1 and 3.

I'm using Gigabyte 770T-USB 3 mb and Mushkin DDR3 2X2GB.

 

[MonsterMiata]

The slots should be color coded for dual channel. It sounds like there is an issue with slot 2 on your mother board. Do slots 3 and 4 work?

Your pc would still boot if the memory were not in dual channel mode

 

[JMPC]

My Gigabyte manual (diff. mobo) says to use slot 1 and slot 3 for two stick, dual channel.

 

[Tyree]

What JMPC posted would be the norm. Can't hurt to try it.

 

[MonsterMiata]

After reading the manual it seems to be very confusing. It says channel 0 is memory slots 1 and 3 and channel one is slots 2 and 4. Here is the catch though. It recommends that if you only install two modules that they be installed in slots 1 and 2 or 3 and 4 for dual channel mode.

http://download.gigabyte.us/FileList/Manual/mb_manual_ga-770t-usb3_e.pdf

 

[andyinNH]

The color coding of the slots agrees with the user manual: slots 1+2 for dual channel or slots 3+4. But with a stick in slot 2, it doesn't boot at all. Also, with sticks in slots 3 and 4, it also does not boot. What is going on?

Summary of cards in slots:
1 boots
1+2 no boot
1+3 boots
3+4 no boot

So, do you think the motherboard is bad? Send it back?

 

[MonsterMiata]

The color coding of the slots agrees with the user manual: slots 1+2 for dual channel or slots 3+4. But with a stick in slot 2, it doesn't boot at all. Also, with sticks in slots 3 and 4, it also does not boot. What is going on?

Summary of cards in slots:
1 boots
1+2 no boot
1+3 boots
3+4 no boot

So, do you think the motherboard is bad? Send it back?

That would be my assumption. Do you have other memory to try in the motherboard?

 

[linderman]

see if you can boot into windows with ram in slots 1 & 3 and download and run CPU-z / check the memory SPD tab and see if it says "dual channel or single channel"

 

[andyinNH]

Good point MonsterMiata - I only focused on the statement about dual channel and I didn't see the channel 0 and 1 stuff. It seems to contradict itself. But, it also does not boot with sticks in 2+4. Should it?

 

[linderman]

try booting in 1 & 3 is the configuration that works most often / then check inside cpu-z for dual channel enabled

 

[linderman]

enter the bios and set the memory profile to XMP or enhanced or whatever it might be called

 

[linderman]

worse comes to worse / RMA those sticks back to Newegg and swap for these

Newegg.com - G.SKILL 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory Model F3-12800CL9D-4GBNQ


but I have built this same exact system numerous times and never had an issue / sticks were always in slots 1 & 3 .....never had reason to try anthing else

 

[andyinNH]

The OS (Windows 7) won't install. I have the OEM system builder pack. I attempt to boot from the CD, and it gets hung up every time on a black screen that says "Starting Windows". I have used another computer to reformat the hard drive, but it seems to have no effect. I never get any prompts for the windows install; I choose boot from CD and it goes through a short installing files screen, then goes to "Starting Windows" and hangs. Help!

 

[andyinNH]

Okay, just before I completely gave up on this, I removed one of the sticks of memory and rebooted. Now, the OS installation seems to actually be working. I now just have 1 stick of memory in the first slot. Considering it wouldn't even boot up with memory in slots 1 and 2, I have no idea what is going on with the memory/motherboard.

I'll install the OS then try to run some diagnostics on the memory to see what is up. Any other suggestions?

 

[andyinNH]

Yeah, it still got hung up. I chose language and then it started to install windows. It got to step two where it was expanding the files and it hung up. It never got past 0% expanding. Do you think it is a memory problem or a motherboard problem? Return the memory and try again?

 

[linderman]

memory problem

even the best make a dud set of sticks now and then

RMA those sticks and get the ones I linked in post #12


keep us posted with your progress

 

[andyinNH]

Okay, I got new memory and I have been able to install the OS (windows 7 64 bit) successfully. Everything seems to be okay now.

But, I have memory in slots 1 and 3 (now the memory is what Linderman suggested in #12 above) and CPU-Z says it is single channel mode. I initially tried to boot with them in slots 1 and 2 but it wouldn't boot.

I read here that single vs. dual channel produces only a slight performance difference. Should I worry about this? Is there a setting I can adjust that causes it to operate in dual instead of single channel?

 

[andyinNH]

Well... I changed position of the memory and restarted in slots 1 and 2, just to see if I'd get the same failure to boot. Nope, it boots fine now with the memory in 1 + 2. And, CPU-Z says it is Dual channel now. Okay! Not sure why it didn't work the first time. Whatever.

Everything seems to be cool now.

Thanks to all of you for your help!