New computer with old parts won't boot

geetrue · 12-05-11, 08:49 PM

Can the fact that you have 32gb of ram in four dimn slots at 8gb each slot cause a problem of the computer not even coming on?

I get no action, no lights, no bells or whistles, no nothing happens

New mobo ECS brand motherboard A885GM-A2
New CPU AM3 955 3.2ghz black edition 2 cores
New G Skill 1600 4X8gb = 32gb

old video card Ati pci-e 5500 something something

Antec 650 w power supply

The manual says that the memory slots can only accomadate up to 16gb total using 4gb only at a time.

I ordered 4 4gb sticks, but it was a black friday sale at Newegg and they sent me 4 8gb sticks. I didn't want to complain I can use them someday.

So would that keep it from coming on even?

or would the CPU be the reason?

The CPU is 2 core and can be opened up to four core.

The review said that you had to start off with a small 4 core CPU to build up the bios to handle the new 6 core which is just an up grade issue someday, but not right now.

frau kaleun · 12-05-11, 09:39 PM

The specs for that board that I got when I googled say this about memory:

Quote:

º Dual-channel DDR3 memory architecture
º 4 x 240-pin DDR3 DIMM socket support up to 32GB*
º Support DDR3 up to 1600(OC)/1333/1066 DDR3 SDRAM
º *(Due to the DRAM maximum size is 4GB at present, the memory maximum size we have tested is 16GB)
Due to the operating system limitation, the actual memory size may be less than 4GB for the reservation for system usage under Windows® 32-bit OS.
For Windows® 64-bit OS with 64-bit CPU, there is no such limitation

http://www.ecs.com.tw/ECSWebSite/Pro...uID=19&LanID=0

That looks to me like the board should support all your RAM but why wouldn't they test it for the maximum? Did they not have a 64-bit copy of Windows on hand? That just seems odd.

Arclight · 12-05-11, 09:56 PM

Their site makes no mention of a limit on capacity.

Well, they mention 32GB max, but since DDR3 can't do modules bigger than 8GB it's a non-issue.

That said, it's perfectly possible that specific kit or brand is simply incompatible with that board.

Quote:

Originally Posted by frau kaleun

That looks to me like the board should support all your RAM but why wouldn't they test it for the maximum? Did they not have a 64-bit copy of Windows on hand? That just seems odd.

8GB modules haven't been around that long. Either they didn't have any to test with or they simply didn't exist at the time.

frau kaleun · 12-05-11, 10:30 PM

Ah, hadn't even considered it from that angle.

There's a QVL for memory at that site too:

http://download.ecs.com.tw/dlfileecs..._MemoryQVL.pdf

There's some G Skill on there but the only 4 gig modules listed are by Kingston, Samsung, and Kingmax... but AFAIK that doesn't preclude the possibility of something else working, just means it wasn't specifically tested. Which doesn't really help much I guess.

geetrue · 12-06-11, 04:08 PM

I live in a very rural place so I will have a stick of 4gb air dropped in by Fed Ex just to see if that is the problem.

Thanks for looking that up

So what your saying that if everything else is okay it won't even try to turn on unless it has the correct ram?

frau kaleun · 12-06-11, 04:15 PM

I don't think a computer will boot up without RAM installed... well I don't think it would boot the OS anyway. If the RAM that's in there isn't recognized or usable by the motherboard, I expect it would be the same as having none there at all. But I don't know for sure. It seems like when I was testing my current mobo I had the fans and PSU hooked up at one point and was able to turn things on just to make sure that stuff was all good. But that was before I had an OS installed or a drive hooked up, I think. It was purely to test the power connections.

AVGWarhawk · 12-06-11, 04:21 PM

The OS draws off the RAM to operate.

12-05-11, 08:49 PM	#1
geetrue Cold War Boomer Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Walla Walla Posts: 2,837 Downloads: 5 Uploads: 0	New computer with old parts won't boot Can the fact that you have 32gb of ram in four dimn slots at 8gb each slot cause a problem of the computer not even coming on? I get no action, no lights, no bells or whistles, no nothing happens New mobo ECS brand motherboard A885GM-A2 New CPU AM3 955 3.2ghz black edition 2 cores New G Skill 1600 4X8gb = 32gb old video card Ati pci-e 5500 something something Antec 650 w power supply The manual says that the memory slots can only accomadate up to 16gb total using 4gb only at a time. I ordered 4 4gb sticks, but it was a black friday sale at Newegg and they sent me 4 8gb sticks. I didn't want to complain I can use them someday. So would that keep it from coming on even? or would the CPU be the reason? The CPU is 2 core and can be opened up to four core. The review said that you had to start off with a small 4 core CPU to build up the bios to handle the new 6 core which is just an up grade issue someday, but not right now. __________________

12-06-11, 04:08 PM	#5
geetrue Cold War Boomer Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Walla Walla Posts: 2,837 Downloads: 5 Uploads: 0	I live in a very rural place so I will have a stick of 4gb air dropped in by Fed Ex just to see if that is the problem. Thanks for looking that up So what your saying that if everything else is okay it won't even try to turn on unless it has the correct ram? __________________

12-06-11, 04:21 PM	#7
AVGWarhawk Lucky Jack Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: In a 1954 Buick. Posts: 28,303 Downloads: 90 Uploads: 0	The OS draws off the RAM to operate. __________________ “You're painfully alive in a drugged and dying culture.” ― Richard Yates, Revolutionary Road

12-05-11, 10:30 PM	#4
frau kaleun Rear Admiral Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Skyri--oh who are we kidding, I'm probably at Lowe's. Again. Posts: 12,706 Downloads: 168 Uploads: 0	Ah, hadn't even considered it from that angle. There's a QVL for memory at that site too: http://download.ecs.com.tw/dlfileecs..._MemoryQVL.pdf There's some G Skill on there but the only 4 gig modules listed are by Kingston, Samsung, and Kingmax... but AFAIK that doesn't preclude the possibility of something else working, just means it wasn't specifically tested. Which doesn't really help much I guess.

12-06-11, 04:15 PM	#6
frau kaleun Rear Admiral Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Skyri--oh who are we kidding, I'm probably at Lowe's. Again. Posts: 12,706 Downloads: 168 Uploads: 0	I don't think a computer will boot up without RAM installed... well I don't think it would boot the OS anyway. If the RAM that's in there isn't recognized or usable by the motherboard, I expect it would be the same as having none there at all. But I don't know for sure. It seems like when I was testing my current mobo I had the fans and PSU hooked up at one point and was able to turn things on just to make sure that stuff was all good. But that was before I had an OS installed or a drive hooked up, I think. It was purely to test the power connections.