PC doesn't boot after RAM replacement

Question

I bought two used sticks of AMD Radeon™ R5 Entertainment Series 4GB (1x4GB) DDR3-1600 MHz CL11 R534G1601U1-G ram to insert into my Asrock P55DE3 motherboard, but no matter what I tried the system doesn't start - no bios loaded, no beeps, just black screen and motherboard keeps restarting after some seconds. I read manual.pdf but there is nothing special, except for advice to try B1 slot first of all, I also read QVL.pdf file and AMD ram is not listed there (though I don't expect every single ram to be listed). The ram sticks are of proper frequency and seem to be supported. I don't exceed 16GB motherboard RAM limit. My old working sticks are Kingmax 1GB, Kingston 2GB, Hynix 4GB, all of 1333Mhz frequency, working separately and all together.

I tried:

• Resetting CMOS by jumper
• Single or both sticks (in proper dual-channel slots) inserted
• Setting lower frequency (1333 Mhz, 800 Mhz) in BIOS while my old RAM inserted, replacing stick with the new ones after that
• Setting Overclocking mode in BIOS with 1600 Mhz explicitly, using my old RAM, then switching the RAM to a new one.
• Setting higher DRAM voltage up to 1.9v, though it should work with 1.5 v (I'm pretty noob in hardware, so I did what I could think of. I was afraid to increase voltage more, though possible)
• Begging "Please work"

Right now I don't have a possibility to check the RAM at someones other PC, so it might be faulty. Though I hope it's not. As a side note, I recently tried 8GB new stick (which is evidently not supported) and the symptoms were the same, so it makes me think there might be something else wrong.

Could you please suggest what else I may try to make it work?

Answer 1

As the RAM is used, the RAM may be faulty. If you have tried both sticks in the 1st slot on their own and the computer doesn't boot it would indicate that either the memory is not supported or the memory sticks are faulty. The Asrock P55DE3 motherboard does support the memory you have bought looking at AMD's spec sheet and the motherboard's specs on the ASRock webpage you posted.

I would try once again to confirm for sure by slotting just one DDR3 stick into DDR3_A1 (White Slot). If either of them prevents the computer from booting then I am sorry, but the relevant memory stick is faulty.

Answer 2

A black screen appears only if your RAM is not functioning or is not compatible with your motherboard.

As your RAM is new, it is unlikely that it is broken but it is best if you try it out on another system. It is possible but very unlikely that you got a defective piece of hardware.

Since you have run all the required tests, and if the RAM funtions on another config, it means that your motherboard does not support it and the only solution is to buy new RAM and sell your old memory.

Answer 3

Sometimes it is worth to follow the conventions. Near each RAM slot there is written an order number. In your case, you first fill all blue slots and then white ones. In other words, in this order A1 B1, A2 B2.

This is not always an issue, but sometimes it helps.

Answer 4

i did not read all the answers above. but my first solution would be to insert 1 memory block at a time and see if they both are functional.

try them both on each slot and see if the system detects/ boots.

If one of them is faulty you need to go back to the seller and have it changed.

another scenario would be that these rams are not compatible with your machine. you need to go to the manufacturers site, put in your computer model number/ serial/ product code - information etc and see detailed specs on the machine as to what product number the vendor recommended rams have and compare it with the ones you have.