Why is the new RAM not working? (Aspire M3910)

2

Answers

  • JackE
    JackE ACE Posts: 44,868 Trailblazer

    »»>Should I try to change to AHCI? Or is this a bad idea when both hard drives are already configured as RAID?»>

    If you try to break the RAID, it may no longer boot and risks corrupting the drives and the data on them. I agree that RAID is a complication and AHCI is less troublesome. But doing so will likely require a Windows re-install. Best to back up your personal files on an external drive if you want to try it. A normal complete system backup/restore as an image won't help since it'll be backing up the RAID structure.

    Jack E/NJ

  • OwnsAspire3910
    OwnsAspire3910 Member Posts: 30 Troubleshooter
    https://community.acer.com/en/discussion/comment/1184383#Comment_1184383

    Thank you for trying to help, but you've obviously not read the thread.

  • OwnsAspire3910
    OwnsAspire3910 Member Posts: 30 Troubleshooter
    https://community.acer.com/en/discussion/comment/1184388#Comment_1184388

    Ok, thanks!

    I still can't see how RAID settings would affect the RAM, especially since it's worked with RAM:s in all slots before, albeit 12gb. I'm not that keen on tinkering with that until I have a better understanding of what's happening, but I'm running out of ideas now.

  • JackE
    JackE ACE Posts: 44,868 Trailblazer

    Agreed. A RAID setup shouldn't affect the RAM buss. But this also doesn't mean that it won't. Loading & unloading RAM from two disks instead of one does complicate the situation. And might present some timing issues if the RAM modules aren't a matched set with nominal 1333MHz or 1600MHz ratings. For example, this means that trying to pair a nominal 1333MHz-rated module that actually operates at 1400MHz max with another nominal 1333MHz-rated module that actually operates at 1250MHz max might cause timing issues especially with RAID setup.

    After all that's been tried, if it was mine I'd probably break RAID, temporarily disconnect one of the drives and install Windows on the other drive in AHCI mode. Then reconnect the other drive and use it as the D : \ drive. I've done this on one of my factory-raided notebooks because it was giving me nothing but problems after almost every Win update. A bit slower to booting now, but at least it boots everytime.

    Jack E/NJ

  • billsey
    billsey ACE Posts: 34,101 Trailblazer

    The M3910 models use DDR3 memory, not DDR3L. The DDR3L runs at a different voltage than DDR3 does. You need to use the 1.5V DDR3 memory.

    Click on "Like" if you find my answer useful or click on "Yes" if it answers your question.
  • OwnsAspire3910
    OwnsAspire3910 Member Posts: 30 Troubleshooter
    https://community.acer.com/en/discussion/comment/1184430#Comment_1184430

    Thanks! Yes, so the new Corsair are definitely a pair, so I gathered it should at least work if I put only those two in and remove all the old ones. That's probably what baffles me the most, they are the same make and model as the working ones I use now. As far as I can gather the only difference is that the old Corsair seem to have been singles. However, I can't see any settings in the BIOS that suggest you would be able to switch “RAM mode” between singles and pairs. From what I understand from the specs, the motherboard should be fairly agile when it comes to mixing RAM (and has been previously)

  • OwnsAspire3910
    OwnsAspire3910 Member Posts: 30 Troubleshooter

    Thanks! I was sceptical from the Crucial scan results from the start.

    1.5V DDR3 is what I have - all four. These are the ones I bought:

    RAM Corsair D3 1333 8GB C9 VS K2 (CMV8GX3M2A1333C9)

    image.png

    However, the PC won't even start past the “Acer screen” if I put just the two new ones in (which are the same make and model as the old ones that work). It's only when one of the old RAM sticks are placed in slot 0 that I can get into the BIOS and windows will start to boot (then go into the BSOD loop). I just can't make sense of this.

  • JackE
    JackE ACE Posts: 44,868 Trailblazer

    Are the old modules also unbuffered and non-error-correcting (EEC) with CL9 latencies?

    Jack E/NJ

  • OwnsAspire3910
    OwnsAspire3910 Member Posts: 30 Troubleshooter
    https://community.acer.com/en/discussion/comment/1184591#Comment_1184591

    Yep, they're exactly the same, except for two of the digits in the part number.

    image.png

    So this should be the old ones (same part no.):

    https://www.computersalg.se/i/617376/corsair-value-select-ddr3-modul-4-gb-dimm-240-pin-1333-mhz-pc3-10600-cl9-ej-buffrad-icke-ecc

    image.png

    4th letter in the part no. is “4” on the old ones, whilst the new ones have “8”. I assumed this indicates that the old ones were sold as 4gb singles whilst the new ones came as a pair (8gb).

    Also, the "M1A" I reckon also indicates they're singles, and “M2A” that it's a pair.

    These are my own conclusions. I could be totally wrong on these assumptions though, but it seems to make sense to me. They should be the same, and in any case they should work on their own as a pair if nothing else.

    The short answer is: Yes, they're unbuffered, non-ECC and CL9.

  • JackE
    JackE ACE Posts: 44,868 Trailblazer

    What happens when you try to pair a new one in slot0 and an old one in slot1? And vice-versa?

    Jack E/NJ

  • OwnsAspire3910
    OwnsAspire3910 Member Posts: 30 Troubleshooter
    https://community.acer.com/en/discussion/comment/1184652#Comment_1184652

    If there's a new RAM in slot 0, I don't even get past the Acer start screen and can't get into the BIOS.

    With an old RAM in slot 0 it goes into windows boot/BSOD loop - regardless of which combination and order the others are in.

  • JackE
    JackE ACE Posts: 44,868 Trailblazer

    Sorry. I misunderstood. I thought it booted OK with just one old or new module in slot 0. Here are the RAM socket population rules for single and dual channel mode operation. Are your slots numbered 0-3 or 1-4? What sequence?

    poprule.jpg

    Jack E/NJ

  • OwnsAspire3910
    OwnsAspire3910 Member Posts: 30 Troubleshooter
    https://community.acer.com/en/discussion/comment/1184675#Comment_1184675

    So I'm not quite sure how they're actually numbered (haven't actually seen numbers on them). I read somewhere online that someone called them 0-3, so that's what I've stuck to.

    Physically, there are two blue slots and two black slots, placed in the order: blue, black, blue, black. So I've assumed blue are 1 & 2, and black are 3 & 4. That would give the physical order “1-3-2-4”. It works atm with the old RAM in the blue slots, I assume this is dual channel mode.

    There might be something in this though, as my RAM were placed rather strangely before all this started (and I can't remember why I placed them like that - it's been many years!) - it was Blue: 2gb - Black: 4gb - Blue: 4gb - Black: 2gb

    The numbering is confusing though, and it's a bit of a guessing game. I'll see if I can snap a picture of the current setup shortly…

  • OwnsAspire3910
    OwnsAspire3910 Member Posts: 30 Troubleshooter

    @JackE here's a couple of pictures. Hope my ramblings makes more sense now:

    IMG_20230302_013624688.jpg
    IMG_20230302_014052806.jpg

  • OwnsAspire3910
    OwnsAspire3910 Member Posts: 30 Troubleshooter

    ...and zooming in on the second picture now I actually see the numbering - it is indeed 1-3-2-4 (ie 1blue - 3black - 2blue - 4black) - with 1&2 populated.

  • JackE
    JackE ACE Posts: 44,868 Trailblazer
    edited March 2023

    youIf no labels on the mainboard, the blues are probably channel B 1&3. Do you recall how the old 2GB modules were placed?

    3910mb.jpg
    3910mb-1.jpg

    Jack E/NJ

  • OwnsAspire3910
    OwnsAspire3910 Member Posts: 30 Troubleshooter
    https://community.acer.com/en/discussion/comment/1184801#Comment_1184801

    Well, as per the mainboard markings I found yesterday after zooming in on the picture I took, blues are 1 & 2. So what they call a channel would be a combination of a blue and a black slot, if I'm not completely backwards on this…

    image.png

  • JackE
    JackE ACE Posts: 44,868 Trailblazer

    I think I see a problem with the socket. Bent pins.

    bentpins.jpg

    .

    Jack E/NJ

  • OwnsAspire3910
    OwnsAspire3910 Member Posts: 30 Troubleshooter
    https://community.acer.com/en/discussion/comment/1184830#Comment_1184830

    LoL, that's the sticker on the RAM that has come off a bit - the pin's are reflecting on the surface of the RAM's sticker.

    I'm pretty sure the sockets are good, since the old RAM's are working fine

  • JackE
    JackE ACE Posts: 44,868 Trailblazer

    An optical illusion. 🙂

    Jack E/NJ

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