Computer freezing randomly

[Cessna Skyhawk]

I tried the eraser method on the old RAM but it didn't work. The new RAM is, well, new, and didn't appear to need any cleaning. I guess I could try the different combinations of RAM slots.

I also get a strange screen on bootup when I have the two sticks in together. It doesn't indicate any problems that I can tell, but it prompts me to press F1 to continue. I'll hijack someone's phone and get a picture of it later.

[avwolf]

Have you checked to see if there's an update to the BIOS on your mobo? This is sounding more and more like an issue with the motherboard rather than the RAM, assuming that there isn't a minor incompatibility (some motherboards have issues with RAM with specific timings, usually it's higher-end RAM that the motherboard can't quite support).

[Cessna Skyhawk]

Have you checked to see if there's an update to the BIOS on your mobo? This is sounding more and more like an issue with the motherboard rather than the RAM, assuming that there isn't a minor incompatibility (some motherboards have issues with RAM with specific timings, usually it's higher-end RAM that the motherboard can't quite support).

I'd been using this RAM with this mobo for well over a year before the problem arose. I'm afraid to update my BIOS, though, because I'm afraid of messing it up. I understand it's pretty delicate and risky.

Using different combinations of slots didn't have much effect, but 2&3 and 2&4 lasted the longest before freezing. I only tried each combination once, though, so it could just be coincidence.

This is the screen I'm occasionally getting on bootup. I doubt it's relevant, but I'd think it should only come up when I change up the RAM, but it happens more often than that, and at random.

[RobbieThe1st]

Nah; updating the bios should be easy - Just stick the right file on your flash drive, plug it in, reboot and select the "update flash" option in the bios.

Even if you -do- screw things up, MSI has a "backup bios" on their boards, so you've got a way to fix it - It won't get permanently bricked.

[avwolf]

I'd been using this RAM with this mobo for well over a year before the problem arose. I'm afraid to update my BIOS, though, because I'm afraid of messing it up. I understand it's pretty delicate and risky.

If that's true, and getting new RAM didn't help, then it sounds to me like the motherboard bit the big one. Poor components (there was a bunch of Taiwanese capacitors that were bad a few years back), or dirty power can eventually do a motherboard in. I had one start to eat RAM once; I'd put new RAM in it and the new RAM would also end up going bad. Couldn't come up with any better explanation than that the motherboard had ended up with bad RAM slots.

[Cessna Skyhawk]

I guess I'll try updating the BIOS first. If it's the mobo that failed, oh well. I'll get a new computer once I'm out of boot and begin having an actual income. My processor and graphics card are pretty dated now anyway.

Thanks again, guys.

[aj]

As a random thought (was looking at my mobo options on something unrelated) try bumping up the RAM voltage by the smallest increment possible. I vaguely remember one of my older systems liking the RAM to be at 2.60V instead of 2.50V.

[Cessna Skyhawk]

I'll give that a shot. Haven't gotten around to updating the BIOS yet. I should probably do that, too.

[Lief]

Alternatively, you could try lowering the voltage. Your motherboard may very well be over-volting the RAM, and that can cause issues. In fact, my motherboard was doing that. Though now it's dead, but that's another story. RAM can't often sustain voltages higher than what it's rated for.

[Cessna Skyhawk]

Tried increasing the voltage by the smallest amount up and down, and still the same story.

Still need to stop being lazy and update my BIOS.