Win 7 x64 Pro freezes on Starting Windows screen after memory upgrade

[blackdogdeek]

I have 2x2gb ddr3-1333 currently installed. I upgraded to 2x4gb ddr3-1600. When I startup everything looks ok in POST and everything is recognized in the BIOS (I even ran memtest to make sure the modules weren't faulty).

However, the system now freezes at the Starting Windows screen right before the animation of the Windows 7 icon begins whirling onto the screen right above the Starting Windows text.

I rebooted and selected repair windows and the system froze during the "loading system resources" or some other status text that occurs as the first step of the repair.

Is there something I need to set in Win7 before I upgrade memory? Is there something I forgot to do?

After downgrading back to my 2x2gb ddr3-1333 everything went back to normal.

Thanks!

 

[Bubbaleone]

If BIOS recognizes the modules you might check your mobo manufacturers BIOS listings and see if Windows 7 x64 needs a BIOS update to run that memory. Also, check if it'll boot into safe mode; if it will then you've probably got a driver (or other) conflict.

 

[blackdogdeek]

If BIOS recognizes the modules you might check your mobo manufacturers BIOS listings and see if Windows 7 x64 needs a BIOS update to run that memory. Also, check if it'll boot into safe mode; if it will then you've probably got a driver (or other) conflict.

Thanks! I'll check that out.

 

[ViRGE]

Are you sure the memory is good in the first place? That sounds more like a faulty memory issue than it does a BIOS or Windows issue. It may be time to break out MemTest86.

 

[Snoop]

Are you sure the memory is good in the first place? That sounds more like a faulty memory issue than it does a BIOS or Windows issue. It may be time to break out MemTest86.

This is exactly what i was thinking. I have ran into incompatibilities before and usually the system will not boot. Freezing while loading windows sounds like a bad stick. Try the new sticks 1 at a time and see if one of them is causing the freeze.

 

[Ketchup]

Memtest can't find everything. You said you bought two sticks. Try them one at a time and see if one stick is causing the error.

If it crashes with each stick individually, there may be a compatibility issue between those sticks and your board. As Bubbaleone mentioned, their may be a BIOS option to address this.

 

[PingSpike]

memtest will not find everything. I seem to recall way back I had a board with an issue running 1t timings and memtest passed and actually the PC only crashed in a few unusual scenarios. Still, memtest is pretty good and I think they did actually update it to catch this issue. Its so long ago I can't remember though.

Isolating the memory sticks is a good idea too. Are you running SPD timings on the new memory and not manually set timings from the previous sticks? I've done that in the past and it caused problems, although memtest did catch them.

 

[blackdogdeek]

Thanks, everyone! I'll try isolating the sticks and see how that goes. I can't remember if I have manual timings set up for my original pair so I'll check that, too. Still have to check the bios listings for the ram from the mobo manufacturer, as well.

Thanks!

 

[SimMike2]

Bad memory most likely the cause. Either that or you are trying to force memory to perform higher than it is rated.