Possible memory problem... Please help

[Dismandia]

Hi,
I have recently bought the parts for, and put together my first computer build after taking some time to learn the theory behind it all but when I turned it on for the first time, everything powered on except the screen.

The screen stays blank with "no input signal" whilst everything else seems to be running fine. The RAM I have is 2gb of dual channel Corsair XMS2 C5, timings are 5-5-5-12 and the motherboard is a Gigabyte GA-N650SLI-DS4.

I haven't been able to get past to the BIOS to check anything out to see if it could be anything else because on the couple of occasions where the screen did show a picture, it froze up on load whenever I tried to enter the BIOS or Boot Menu. Another point to add is that the screen has only ever turned on when I pressed buttons on the keyboard to try and get into BIOS but as soon as anything shows up, it freezes.

I know its not the screen because I have tried it on 3 different screens and still nothing (plus it has only actually shown a picture - even with keyboard pressing - on a CRT). The reason I think it could be RAM is that I have seen others with a similar problem that have found the RAM to be the culprit but I can't test with other RAM because I don't have any spare DDR 2 and I don't want to buy any more before hearing from more experience PC builders to see if it could be the reason behind my current failure.

I also thought that it could be a motherboard problem so I have put this post in the motherboard section too but I have doubts since everything else attached to it seems to be working fine except for the screen.

Please give comments on your own views, I hope this can be sorted.

 

[Cupra]

what is your full rig

 

[Dismandia]

what is your full rig

My computer specs are:
Antec Nine Hundred Case
Gigabyte N650SLI-DS4 Motherboard
Intel Celeron D 2.66 Ghz Socket 775 CPU
Corsair XMS2 2 x 1 Gigabyte DDR2 RAM
Western Digital Caviar SE 800 80 Gigabyte SATA HDD
XFX nVidia GeForce 8400 GS GFX Card
Goliath ATX 650W PSU
plus an old Floppy and DVD-ROM Drive from an old system I bought.

 

[Yellowbeard]

My computer specs are:
Antec Nine Hundred Case
Gigabyte N650SLI-DS4 Motherboard
Intel Celeron D 2.66 Ghz Socket 775 CPU
Corsair XMS2 2 x 1 Gigabyte DDR2 RAM
Western Digital Caviar SE 800 80 Gigabyte SATA HDD
XFX nVidia GeForce 8400 GS GFX Card
Goliath ATX 650W PSU
plus an old Floppy and DVD-ROM Drive from an old system I bought.

Can you tell me the exact part numbers off the stickers on your memory?

 

[Dismandia]

Can you tell me the exact part numbers off the stickers on your memory?

Uh, ok. I'm not quite sure which one of the couple of combinations is what you want so I'll give you all of them.

CM2X1024 - 6400
XMS6405v5.1
002395
07235002-0

I'm sure its one of those, knowing my luck it will be the first one and I will have wasted my time typing the others but as long as the problem can be overcome I don't mind.

 

[Yellowbeard]

Uh, ok. I'm not quite sure which one of the couple of combinations is what you want so I'll give you all of them.

CM2X1024 - 6400
XMS6405v5.1
002395
07235002-0

I'm sure its one of those, knowing my luck it will be the first one and I will have wasted my time typing the others but as long as the problem can be overcome I don't mind.

No, all of it is potentially helpful. Have you tried this:

Power off.
Remove 1 DIMM, leave 1 DIMM in slot 1.
Reboot, and set memory voltage to 2.1v.
Save settings, reboot, power off, reinstall DIMM 2.

Remember to ALWAYS make sure there is no power to the MOBO when installing or removing DIMMs.

 

[Dismandia]

No, all of it is potentially helpful. Have you tried this:

Power off.
Remove 1 DIMM, leave 1 DIMM in slot 1.
Reboot, and set memory voltage to 2.1v.
Save settings, reboot, power off, reinstall DIMM 2.

Remember to ALWAYS make sure there is no power to the MOBO when installing or removing DIMMs.

Hi, thanks for help but I can't try that exactly because I can't get into the BIOS since the screen doesn't show a picture on most occasions and always freezes when it does show a picture.

 

[Yellowbeard]

Hi, thanks for help but I can't try that exactly because I can't get into the BIOS since the screen doesn't show a picture on most occasions and always freezes when it does show a picture.

Have you actually tried it? Removing 1 DIMM "might" help your system boot, depending on what the issue is. Try clearing the CMOS, then try those steps I gave. Also, unplug EVERYTHING from the MOBO except the CPU, video card, and the 1 stick of memory.

And, if you listed it, I don't recall. What power supply are you using?

 

[Dismandia]

Have you actually tried it? Removing 1 DIMM "might" help your system boot, depending on what the issue is. Try clearing the CMOS, then try those steps I gave. Also, unplug EVERYTHING from the MOBO except the CPU, video card, and the 1 stick of memory.

And, if you listed it, I don't recall. What power supply are you using?

I have tried those methods yes but still nothing. The power supply is a Goliath 650w PSU.

 

[Yellowbeard]

Do you have access to another machine to test the memory and video card with? Or, is there a local computer shop that could test your components for you.

Another thing you could try is to remove the MOBO from the case and place it on a non-conductive surface. Then, try the above method again with only the video card, CPU, and memory installed.

Also, are you certain that you cleared the CMOS properly?

 

[Dismandia]

Do you have access to another machine to test the memory and video card with? Or, is there a local computer shop that could test your components for you.

Another thing you could try is to remove the MOBO from the case and place it on a non-conductive surface. Then, try the above method again with only the video card, CPU, and memory installed.

Also, are you certain that you cleared the CMOS properly?

On my motherboard - Gigabyte GA-N650SLI-DS4 - the only method for clearing the CMOS that is apparent is to remove the battery (which I did) and then replace after a short while. I removed it for about half an hour.