Global Conflict

Thanks! that will come in handy for two reasons:

1) I cleaned all the dust I could but I still BSOD
2) After a crash there is no code and reviewing the Event Viewer... well... That program sounds very handy and helpful.

sounds to me like either 450W is not enough to run your PC, or something is overheating (probably CPU if you didn't put better cooling on it than factory).

What I usually do is take RAM out of slots and put in one by one. Probably nothing wrong with RAM just a bad connection with the pins.

I would get nirsoft bluescreen viewer and see what exactly is causing the issues. From there you can roughly determine your next actions.

.Sup wrote:What I usually do is take RAM out of slots and put in one by one. Probably nothing wrong with RAM just a bad connection with the pins.

I would do that too, if you have more than one stick try taking one out and see if it works.

Just read that you had a 450W PSU, that might actually be the problem because that is really low for a computer today.

knorren wrote: Just read that you had a 450W PSU, that might actually be the problem because that is really low for a computer today.

Ran a quick check of the numbers here, and 450W do seem like enough (it did work without a problem for a year).

There's a nice crash dump analysis utility WhoCrashed I used once - http://www.resplendence.com/whocrashed_help.htm. It can help find what triggered the BSOD. Not extremely useful but any information can help

There are various utilities which stress different parts of your hardware, and can be used to try and isolate the issue. A few examples:

• HWMonitor for temperatures
• Memtest86+ for memory
• Various benchmarks such as Unigine or 3DMark for GPU
• OCCT provides several system stress tests

Ultimately, if it's a hardware issue it boils down to swapping parts one at time and testing the system stability.

An 450W power supply is really low for a gamers computer with a good power hungry graphic card.
PS may also wear out over time.

i'd recommend heading to sevenforums.com or eightforums.com and post the dump file there.
I don't think you'll be able to find the real reason for it yourself.

...the saga continues...

I'm definitely keeping in mind replacing the Power Supply. But I finally ran Memtest and I have a crap-ton of errors.

I ran with both sticks plugged in and I'll be running it one stick at a time. But, in the mean time, here is the memory I bought back in November 2012: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a ... 6820231311

Being a Computer Building n00b: What numbers do I need to pay attention to when considering buying new memory? Is it just easier to buy the same set? What if I want to upgrade to 16GB?

Numbers from the link:
DDR3 - Assuming you aren't changing your motherboard, you need to keep this the same. DDR2 and DDR4 won't fit into the DDR3 RAM slots.

1333 - Frequency of the RAM in MHz. Larger this number, the faster the RAM can run. This will be limited by your motherboard as some can't run really fast RAM (2000+). Most can run 1600 and it's not much more expensive (if at all).

9-9-9-24-2N - RAM timings. Generally the smaller the number the better. Again, this will be motherboard limited. See here for more info

1.5V - RAM voltage. How many volts the sticks need to run properly. 1.5V is a typical amount. As ever, the motherboard needs to be able to supply the voltage.

Everything apart from the DDR# may have to be set in the BIOS/EFI depending how advanced your motherboard is.

MOAR RAM:
Just buy a bigger set with more volume. I don't know how 2x8GB vs 4x4GB would stack up against each other. You would want the same type of ram if you buy more than one set though. Plus the set up will depend on the motherboard's maximum supported amount of RAM and the number of slots it has and how they are configured.

G.SKILL offers a lifetime limited warranty, so you can contact their support and see if you can get your defective RAM replaced. Their support number listed in Newegg is: 1-909-598-6860.

I assume this might take a while and since RAM is still relatively cheap you can of course still buy new sticks instead. Seems to me the following is more than enough for today's requirement: 2X4GB DDR3 1600 9-9-9-24

One final thing to consider, sometimes the MB doesn't automatically recognize the correct memory settings (voltage, timings, etc.). Could be a good idea to check those in the BIOS.

As Razy noted, Some vendors have a life time warranty on the RAM sticks.
When buying a new set, i'd check the MoBo verified compatibility list just to make sure the MoBo will recognize the X.M.P profile and the RAM will run at its designated speed. Otherwise the MoBo might run it at one level lower then what it supposed to be.

above posts have covered all the bases more or less, although I always suggest 2x[value] over 4x[half of value] for RAM. Generally more efficient.

not sure how your slot setup is right now but it may be worth swapping to the opposite channels assuming you're running 2 sticks of RAM. might be a mobo problem and not the RAM itself

Seeing the two generals work together to fix insanity's computer...

Out of interest, what's your motherboard?

I generally like to stick with Kingston, lifetime warranty and most reliable in memory storage (that I have seen). Again, dunno how many slots you have on your Mobo but you really won't notice much of a difference between 1/2/4 sticks. 1600 speed is also pretty standard as far as gaming and what not.

Kingston has their new series HyperX which replaces the Blu series, just as a heads up

Thanks for all the information guys.

Here's the MoBo I have: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a ... 6813157280

I'll be sure to check the documentation, but on the site it reads: 1600(OC)

Does that mean I have to OverClock in order for the MoBo to accept 1600 MHz RAM?