RAM compatibility problem (PC)

[Ziggy]

Ugh... So OK, my brother has 1 stick of 4GB in his PC. Since there's dual channel support, I really wanted to upgrade him to two sticks. I figured I'd also bump him up to 8GB as well. I'm having trouble finding something compatible though!

Motherboard: ASUS P5G41T-M LX PLUS (latest BIOS installed)

Here's the QVL for that specific mobo: http://forums.techguy.org/attachments/2 ... 66/qvl.gif

Here's the G41 chipset QVL: http://dlcdnet.asus.com/pub/ASUS/mb/soc ... TX-QVL.pdf

CPU: Intel Core 2 Duo E6600 (1066 FSB)

old RAM: one stick of 4GB DDR3 1066 (http://www.kingston.com/dataSheets/KVR1066D3N7_4G.pdf) - Works perfectly

first RAM upgrade tried: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a ... 6820231308 (will not POST)

second RAM upgrade tried: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a ... 6820239613 (will not POST)
(http://www.kingston.com/dataSheets/KVR13N9S8K2_8.pdf)


considering this next: http://www.pachd.com/free-images/househ ... mer-01.jpg

No, but really, I'm getting frustrated here.

When I say "will not POST" I mean this: The computer powers on (fans spin up and lights come on) but the monitor never comes on.

I've already thought about just finding another 4GB stick of the one that works, but I can only find it for ridiculous prices. Like $70 on eBay (for one used stick!).

The G.Skill set I sent back and had to pay a 15% restocking fee. I got the Kingston set with my refund, but now that's not working. I don't wanna keep paying a restocking fee or this is gonna turn into the most expensive RAM upgrade real fast. But at this point, I really don't know what to do. I don't know if this motherboard is just really picky with RAM, or if there's something I'm not aware of.

I posted this problem on another forum that I visit from time to time: http://forums.techguy.org/hardware/1124 ... oblem.html

There's more info of what I've tried in that thread, like trying to manual set the timings (which I might not have done correctly).

Any one here have any insight?

[ExedExes]

Did you check out crucial.com? Their memory is guaranteed to be compatible. I got this from a match to your ASUS motherboard.

http://www.crucial.com/store/listparts.aspx?model=P5G41T-M%20LX%20PLUS

[Ziggy]

Yeah, I tried Crucial. Look at that 8GB kit, it's DDR3 1600. The mobo says it supports 1333, 1066 and 800. Being that I can't get a set of 1333 or 1066 to work, I doubt a set of 1600 would. The other RAM it lists is a 4GB and less, and I was aiming to put 8GB in it. Although I would settle for 4GB dual channel, I put little faith in the Crucial 4GB 1333 kit being 100% compatible since A) It gave me 1600 sticks as compatible and B) This mobo seems to be picky about RAM.

[ExedExes]

Yeah, I tried Crucial. Look at that 8GB kit, it's DDR3 1600. The mobo says it supports 1333, 1066 and 800. Being that I can't get a set of 1333 or 1066 to work, I doubt a set of 1600 would. The other RAM it lists is a 4GB and less, and I was aiming to put 8GB in it. Although I would settle for 4GB dual channel, I put little faith in the Crucial 4GB 1333 kit being 100% compatible since A) It gave me 1600 sticks as compatible and B) This mobo seems to be picky about RAM.

Ah ok. Might be a bit more difficult, then. I've ordered from them before and they make some good stuff.

[Ziggy]

Yeah, Crucial, Kingston, Corsair, Samsung, G.Skill, Mushkin, and PNY are all "good stuff" when it comes to RAM. I have no brand loyalty when it comes to RAM, just whichever one of those brands happen to have the best price of whatever particular RAM I need at the time.


Also, this wasn't mentioned in the first post (but it was mentioned in the other thread that I linked to), but I know that the RAM isn't DOA. Both kits were tried on another computer and worked fine, so I know for sure that they work.

[bmoc]

Yeah, I tried Crucial. Look at that 8GB kit, it's DDR3 1600. The mobo says it supports 1333, 1066 and 800. Being that I can't get a set of 1333 or 1066 to work, I doubt a set of 1600 would. The other RAM it lists is a 4GB and less, and I was aiming to put 8GB in it. Although I would settle for 4GB dual channel, I put little faith in the Crucial 4GB 1333 kit being 100% compatible since A) It gave me 1600 sticks as compatible and B) This mobo seems to be picky about RAM.

You should be ok with a higher speed RAM than the motherboard supports. The motherboard should clock it down to the appropriate speed. The Crucial memory scanner has never lied to me yet. I'd give them a go.

[Ziggy]

It's just that this is the second time I'm gonna have to pay a 15% restocking fee to send this RAM back. Now if I get the crucial and it doesn't work...

[bmoc]

Crucial's refund policy can be found here: http://www.crucial.com/support/returns.aspx

It says they reserve the right charge a 20% restocking fee at their discretion. I'd doubt they'd do so if the memory turned out to be incompatible. You could contact them and find out for sure.

[Hobie-wan]

Ok, this is a crappy pain in the ass suggestion, but perhaps if you can borrow memory from other PCs and try them in the machine. Find some that works and either order that same type, else buy it used from that person and they use that to fund a memory upgrade for that PC.

[Ziggy]

That's not a bad idea at all, Hobie. There is another computer that I was trying these incompatible RAM sticks on to make sure they weren't DOA. I actually already tried THAT test computer's RAM in my brother's PC, and no dice. And in fact, it was DDR3 1600.

The only other computer with DDR3 that I have in my means is my very own, with three sticks (triple channel) of 1600. Maybe I'll try it anyway, but even if it works, I'd end up with one useless stick since my brother's mobo only has two RAM slots. Also, they're only 2GB sticks. I wanted to put 8GB in his PC, although at this point I'd settle for 4GB just to get something working! I suppose if my RAM did work in his PC (doubtful) that I could get myself a new triple channel set and then just have one extra stick in the other channel. It'd be weird, but I suppose it would work.