Weird memory issue

[Jack]

What are the specs on the DIMMS, PS, and energy draw of the devices?

I'd be surprised that 4 DIMMS would cause too much power drain, but as others have commented, 

that is the symptom. Insufficient power, bad MB, or bad BIOS. Is there an updated BIOS for your MB?

Technically, your stated scenario should not work. There is only one supported configuration for three DIMMs on your MB.
In your case you are wanting to max out the memory to 8GB. With three it should be this configuration:
Channel A: 2 matched 2GB DIMMS
Channel B: 1 4GB DIMM in DIMM 0.
All same speed.

Some of your configurations are probably producing single channel memory operation. Probably not healthy for either the memory or your system.

With, 2 DIMMs you should be using a matched pair in slot DIMM 0 only (channel A & B).
With 4, a matched pair in DIMM 0 and another matched pair in DIMM 1.
With 3, a matched pair in Channel A, and one of twice the size in Channel B, DIMM 0.

Just curious, but what type of DIMM are you using?
Also, I think that board can't run 8GB at 800MHz, as you need 1GB memory DIMMS and the MB doesn't support 1GB @ 800MHz. 

So if your chips are 800 MHz, that may be the issue.


Jack



________________________________
 From: Kendric Beachey <kendric.beachey at gmail.com>
To: kclug <kclug at kclug.org>; kulua-l <kulua-l at googlegroups.com>; Mr. James Purl <james.purl at gmail.com>; Bert Pappas <robert.pappas at gmail.com> 
Sent: Friday, November 18, 2011 4:58 PM
Subject: Weird memory issue
 
I just got four 2GB memory modules for my computer (running on 1 GB
was starting to try my patience).  These were destined for the four
slots on my motherboard (Intel DG965RY).

These combinations produce a happily working machine:

any one DIMM in any slot
any two DIMMs in any two slots
any three DIMMs in any three slots

This combination produces a machine that can't get as far as the BIOS
power-on self test:

all four DIMMs in all four slots

It fires up the fans and stuff for about five seconds, then shuts off.
Then it waits about five seconds, and fires up again...and it repeats
the cycle, endlessly, until I pull the plug.

Has anyone seen this sort of thing before?  All of the DIMMs and all
of the slots have been proven to work in isolation or combinations up
to three...it's just when I try to use all four at once that it conks
out.

Kendric Beachey
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