Upgrading RAM from 2x8 to 4x8 have some weird problems.

Lalo01 · March 27, 2023

Hey guys!

I just bought a new kit of 2 RAM sticks to upgrade my system and things are not going well. I tried to find the best match to my old RAM kit since i couldn't find the same ones anymore.

I installed the new kit, first i didn't even notice i had any problems at all. Didn't run mem test just started playing and after an hour of gaming my pc froze. Then i ran a memory test and it failed hard.
My PC is overclocked a little so i restored everything to stock but that didn't solve the issue. I tested the new kit alone and it works fine, no problem there. Tested the unused slots separately one at a time and they both worked without fail separately with XMP off, although i had a BSOD after i changed slots, but after that the ram didn't fail. With XMP turned ON i couldn't boot with only one stick in Slot 1.
I also tried to install 2 sticks in Slot 1 and 3 and my pc couldn't boot. This may be because it is not even intended to work like that, i don't know.
When i had 4 sticks installed i got errors with and without XMP.

I could remove the CPU to check for a bent pin, but is it ever possible after i could use all 4 slots separately at stock speeds?

My system:

CPU: I7 9700k @ 5GHz (testing at stock speeds tho)

MB: MSI MPG Z390 GAMING PRO CARBON
Old RAM: Kingston HyperX Predator RGB 16GB (2x8GB) DDR4 3200MHz (KHX3200C16D4/8GX according to HWiNFO)

New RAM: Kingston Fury 2x8GB rgb KF432C16BBAK2

Both rams are 3200MHz CL16

GPU RTX 3070

PSU 850W Seasonic
3 HDDs

1 m.2 nvme SSD

arctic freezer 240 AIO

Any idea what the problem might be?

Thanks for the help in advance!

ComradeBard · March 27, 2023

A bent pin would cause more problems than that. But it looks like slot 1 might have a problem. Have you tried running every slot popluated except 1? (im asuming you tried to have only one stick in slot 3 and it worked) Mixing and matching RAM stick can be a real gamble though