Stability problems after installing second stick of RAM on OC'd machine

[CrazySaint]

Specs on my system are:

P4 1.8A@2.4GHz
Asus P4B533-V
Antec TruePower 330 PSU
Seagate 'Cuda IV 80GB HDD
Corsair PC2700C2 256MB
Buffalo PC3200 512MB
Radeon 32MB DDR (next on my list to upgrade, after OS)
Win98

My system can run stable at 2.61GHz with just the Corsair stick in, and the Corsair can handle DDR387. I clocked the system back to 2.4GHz/DDR333 after some heat issues. Yesterday, I installed the 512MB stick in the second RAM slot, with the 256MB stick remaining in the first. Remaining at 2.4GHz, I haven't noticed any problems, but when I raised the FSB another 5MHz to 2.48GHz, I started getting severe crashes while running my video game.

I've also had an unrelated issue for some time now, where if the system freezes hard, I can't turn it off with the power switch, I have to completely turn off power from the PSU, and sometimes the system won't start up again for a few minutes.

 

[boyRacer]

Have you tried swapping slots? Try running memtest on that one stick alone...

 

[EeyoreX]

I see a couple issues/problems...

First, using unmatched RAM (in terms of size, and ,ost likely specs like timing and latency) will often affect the stability of a non OC'd machine, and more often than not will kill your OC attemps.

Second, You are using different brands of RAM. The different RAM may simply not play well together, which again is addressed by using closely/identically matched sticks of RAM.

Maybe the RAM will pay nice together, and it could be a bad stick, so by all means check that was wwas suggested too.

Third, I am guessing your "unrelated issue" may be related to your overclock. Unexplained crashes/freezes are often signs of instability. Either due to OC'ing or other hardware issues, especially bad RAM. The first stick of RAM may cause the problem there (and also maybe with the OC'ing instability). Test it.

\Dan

 

[Duvie]

Most ppl know that ocing on single channel mobos are best with one stick of memory. Often times the board through voltage draw of 2 sticks or just timing issues or in your case mismatched timings can play havoc. Many who run 2 sticks have often lost their top ocing fsb. Likely will have to back down...I say sell the sticks and get one or get 2 matching sticks and go to i865 or i875...either way the mismatched sticks will hurt you...

Also consult you manual....That 512mb stick could be double-sided and therefore may need to be in one slot or the other to work properly with the the other stick. I would use the 512mb stick and test that solo and sell the other stick altogether...

 

[CrazySaint]

I know that in general, a second stick of RAM in an OC'd system can cause problems, however one reason I chose this motherboard is that it was supposed to handle that better most. I'll definitely check it out with just the new RAM and see how it goes. Also, I've forgotten how to check if RAM is single-sided or double-sided, except I think it has to do with how the chips are aligned, been out of the loop a while...