4 POST beeps on startup, bad RAM?

solidMGSsnake

Ok guys so this is like my 4th time with a problem on my gaming rig, i swear the second I solve one, another one appears

So on start up the PC makes 4 fast beeps and then shuts off, it then attempts to reboot and repeatedly fails until I power it down. The monitor receives no signal either. I googled the problem and apparently more often then not, it's related to a device being disconnected or bad RAM.

So I start by disconnecting my GPU and making sure everything is properly connected and making sure my PSU isn't dusty. Still same error. I take out the RAM, clean the slots and put it back in, still same error. I then take out the RAM and swap the RAM into each others slots, still same error. I then take out what I deem the "Secondary" RAM and leave in the "Primary". Still same error.

I then take out the Primary RAM and insert the Secondary RAM into the 1st slot out of 4 by itself, where the Primary was. Success! The PC boots up, no problem. I double check a few times and the PC consistently starts up properly.

I put the Primary RAM into the 3rd slot, where the Secondary RAM used to reside, failure again. So does this mean my Primary RAM is broken? It looks fine. I then put the Primary "broken" RAM into the 4th slot and....success again!

So here's my problem. Is the RAM broken, or is the slot broken? I would think it's the RAM since it wouldn't work in the Primary slot by itself either, but now why does it suddenly work in the 4th slot.

Also do you think it's ok to leave it like this? I mean the system seem to run fine now, and I'll still get my 8GB, right? Don't the slots run on different channels? I'm pretty sure the 1st and 3rd slot were linked and the 2nd and 4th slot were linked, so will I still get all 8GB if they're on different channels or speeds or whatever?

If it's just the 1 slot broken, I wouldn't care, I'm never going to add another stick anyway, 8GB is enough. What should I do?

My mobo is the Asrock z75 pro 3, my RAM is the G.Skill 8GB (2x 4GB) Dual Channel Ares Series, my GPU is the Nividia Geforce GTX 770, my CPU is the i5 3750K and my PSU is the Corsair Builder Series CXM 500W Modular.

Sorry for the really long post and some strange terminology but I wanted to explain my troubleshooting thought process to make it easier to solve the problem. What do you think I should do? I am grateful for all help.

UPDATE: Ok so even when I'm writing this I have an update, despite the "broken" RAM failing consistently in the 3rd slot. I decided to check every possible order of the RAM to see what worked and after each combination worked, I decided for the hell of it, I would try the broken RAM in the 3rd slot again and to my amazement, it actually worked!

So now I am utterly confused, was it just out of place despite me making sure it was in correctly, or was it only a temporary problem? Either way the PC is now in the same configuration as it was when I started, except the RAM sticks are in each others slot.

In some of the case people said it happened to them in, they said it stopped after a few tries and then happened again a week later. I hope this isn't the case here and I tested turning it on and off multiple times and it seems fine.

Please anyone try give me some advice as to what to do or what could have happened.

RossieMan

Ram stick sounds dodgy. If it breaks again, it's the ram stick.

This really didn't require a new thread, either. Just update the old one(s).

solidMGSsnake

Hey man thanks for the feedback, hopefully it was just a one off thing and won't happen again.

RossieMan wrote: »

This really didn't require a new thread, either. Just update the old one(s).

That sounds like the opposite of what I've been told. For one each thread would be about a specific problem, so posting a new problem there would be off topic. Also they're all old by now, so that would be necrobumping wouldn't it?

crazydom

Try reseat ram in slot 1/3 or 2/4