PC won't boot with more than 1 ram stick.

Posted by xxx3366@reddit | buildapc | View on Reddit | 47 comments

So yesterday I decided to move my setup to another case. PC worked perfectly fine before.

Here's the issue: pc won't boot with more than 1 ram stick (i have 4). It only boots when ram is in first or second slot. When I put 2 rams stick in first and second slot (not dual channel slots tho) it boots but freezes on bios splash screen. Neither configuration works when sticks are put in slot 3 and 4. It won't turn on, DRAM and CPU blinkers blink alternately, then DRAM lights constantly untill pc turns off and on itself and whole thing is happening over and over.

Here's my setup: i5-11600K, Gigabyte Vision G Z590 Rev 1, g.skill trident z RGB 4000mhz.

Here's what I tried to solve it:

Reseated cpu, changed thermal paste.
Checked for bent pins
Checked every single ram stick
Updated bios
Fresh installed windows
Turned off memory fast boot in bios
Reseted bios milion or even more times

I am running out of solutions, none seems to work and I really don't wanna go back to the shop with this cpu and it's gonna take month to repair it (if it's broken tho).

PLEASE HELP I'M DROWNING

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Techanderer@reddit

I've been having problems with my second RAM stick for months, until finally my computer wouldn't boot up unless I took the second stick out. I tried every possible solution, and in the end it was something that seems to happen a lot, but isn't very well documented. I'll just give you my experience in case anyone comes here with a search engine: IT WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE CPU.
The computer was less than a year old:
Ryzen 5 5600 with an MPG B550I GAMING EDGE MAX WIFI and corsair Vengance LP 32GB.
It seems that something was wrong with the CPU's B channel. There were no bent pins or any other damage.
I've just bought a cheap used Ryzen 5 1600 to test. Everything immediately worked as it should. I sent the 5600 to RMA. I received a new one in less than 2 weeks and now everything works perfectly.
I hope this helps people like me who couldn't solve the problem with the "normal" solutions!

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Time_Mammoth_9917@reddit

My friend, you helped me, he just needed to fix the cooler.

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Apprehensive_Pop_227@reddit

how did you figure out the problem? Since you have a msi mobo did red and blue light also blink for you alternatively when trying to boot with 2 ram sticks?

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pape03@reddit

hello guys. your solution about increasing the voltage of memory saved me.

Thanks to all.

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Some_Limit8383@reddit

What did you increase the voltage to? 🙏🙏🙏

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rawwhhhhh@reddit

ddr4 1.2v -> 1.25v fixed the issue for me. 1.3v to 1.5v doesn't work for some reason.

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Honster_Munter@reddit

Mine worked from Auto to 1.35 (ram's specified voltage), broke after a few months again. Now working with 1.36v

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madladolle@reddit

Also wondering. Trying to review my brothers old pc

Slewedsloth@reddit

How to increase ram voltage on gigabyte motherboard

Metalheadzaid@reddit

I had this same situation. Computer would freeze when running both sticks, but each stick also me worked in any socket no issue by themselves.

I'd try increasing the voltage slightly on the ram. When in dual channel, the power draw is slightly higher which could be your issue. Give it more juice. That fixed my issue personally.

xxx3366@reddit (OP)

So you mean I should put in one stick, Increase voltage and then put another stick?

NewOperationsv3@reddit

How do you increase ram voltage?

Mackuxa@reddit

Yea how to do this?

Yes, exactly what I did to get them to work in dual channel.

StVad3r@reddit

Yoooooooo that worked also for me, thnx!

ThirtyFour_Dousky@reddit

can't believe this worked. you're a life saver

Framisito@reddit

I know I'm 4 years late, but increasing the voltage saved me. I thought the other RAM slot on my motherboard was defective!

shrayder@reddit

3 years later and still helping people. Thank you for your suggestion! Someone give this metalhead a medal! gif

shamimurrahman19@reddit

I fixed my problem by increasing the ram voltage too.

marcoman_@reddit

Also fixed mine! Thanks for obscure reddit threads fixing my very obscure problem lmao

cosmicvu@reddit

how much did you increase it by?

Very little. Like .0005.

okay thanks, any tips? I've never done this ever and just built my first pc. having these same problems

ObjectiveNothing6@reddit

current voltage is 1.350v. how much should i increase it?

ik its an old thread but am desperate

You shouldn't be increasing it much beyond a few tenths. It also depends on the ram, but test jumping it a little at a time. Likely wouldn't try above 1.4v, but again it'll depend on sticks.

sadly that didn't work. sometimes all sticks work but after sometime all fans go full speed and its just a black screen

Rutherfordium_@reddit

For those searching in 2026:

My programs would crash and I would get the occasional BSOD with error info usually pointing to ram issues (system exceptions, page file missing etc.)

If both rams work in all slots individually but not in unison (run memtest86 to verify this) your problem is most likely motherboard or psu related. Either your psu isn’t able to sustain the voltage for two sticks, or your motherboard is dead/dying.

If (like me) your ram works individually in one slot but not in the other slot you would usually use (I.e works in slot two but not in slot four) then I would recommend reseating your CPU.

I took mine out and realised the thermal paste had slowly seeped into the CPU pins, and additionally some of the outer needles had bent. I used a tooth pick and a plastic spudger to gently take off the thermal paste, and then used a credit card to gently bend the teeth back into place. After completing this process my pc was fixed - I didn’t even have isopropyl alcohol for this fix, just a micro fibre cloth and thermal paste. If you follow these steps and you’re still experiencing ram issues, a new psu or motherboard is the next likely route.

I really hope this helps somebody out there because it took me a full week and a reset pc (all photos lost lol) to fix this.

Bubbly_Match8190@reddit

I switched from 3000 MHz non rgb to 3200 MHz rgb, system wouldn’t boot in dual channel. After reading this thread, I changed the voltage from 1.344v to 1.35v, now it boots in dual channel. I wonder if the rgb needed extra power. This thread saved me the headache. Thought I bought faulty used RAM.

Prestigious_Sort_485@reddit

Same problem

Jankkenoi@reddit

Im quite late but I just wanted to share how I fixed the issue, I had previously taken the cmos battery out while just one stick was placed into the pc but them I tried again with all of the ram sticks in place it all started working

Motor-Top9890@reddit

The problem is identical to the one described at the very top. I replaced the power supply - no change. I also added a different motherboard, but it didn't help. I asked a friend for RAM, but it didn't help. I added a new video card, but it didn't help. I wiped the entire system and installed only official apps, but it didn't help. The only thing left to replace is the processor, but I can't believe an i9 11900 could fail without overclocking. I read about increasing the voltage, increased the voltage to 1.38, and then 1.39 for the RAM. It didn't help. I'll take it to a service center and leave it without a computer for two months.

So did you ever figure put what the problem was and how did they/you fix it

Practical_Tennis1889@reddit

I had same problem with my AMD Ryzen 7 5800X cpu.

Cleaning RAM slot with brush solved my the issue, which make sense why some people also solve it with increasing voltage.

deleted_by_reddit@reddit

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TimelyJunket2560@reddit

I just wanted to say i had this problem for few years. Always thought i will not find anything new on Reddit etc. I was sure my psu was faulty or cpu or ram itself somehow. Ive did that. Just enabled some „high voltage possibility” or something in BIOS. My PC runs like new. Lmao. Thanks

zifmaster@reddit

If anyone sees this, and you've updated bios prior to this issue happening, get into your bios using one stick and verify XMP is enabled. It'll automatically set the voltage for extra RAM and you should be able to use all 4 slots no problem.

ferikk92@reddit

I am having this problem, but enabling XMP hasn't fixed it unfortunately. With a second stick slotted I get CPU and RAM failure.

The XMP profile selected is displaying the correct speeds for the RAM you have?

It is. I have 2 sticks of DDR5 16gb clocked at 6000Mhz. Without XMP they were at 4800Mhz.

Proto1_psn@reddit

Same issue here, fixed?

Unfortunately no.

Update, changed MB, All "fixed". Who knows what happened.

So it boots to bios with one stick but not two, and the profile is set correctly. Only thing else I can really think of is verify they're in the correct slots (1&3). Mine was DDR4, not sure if that's a big difference maker or not

Didn't work for me

Disastrous_Diver8713@reddit

This thread saved my life

My ram specification is 1.350V at 3200mhz

My mobo is set to 1.200V at 2666mhz

After changing the voltage set on the mobo to the specified voltage to 1.350V or bumping it to 1.360V it detected both of the ram

Adventurous_Dress351@reddit

Go into bios and enable xmp profile, worked for me