Weird memory situation with computer...

M

MoreDents

Limp Gawd
Joined
Mar 9, 2008
Messages
294
I received a used computer and I set it up at my house...but it won't boot so I take out one memory stick and it runs great

I leave the memory out and take the PC to college for 1 year. Works great the entire time.

I graduate from college and bring the PC back home and plug it back to my original home...it won't even start! So I take out ANOTHER memory stick and now it can run

:mad:

Now that's pretty weird. What's the deal here? :confused:

Could it be "bad electricity" at my house? :confused:

Thanks

(btw, it's not the computer in my signature. It's an AMD Dual Core)
 
Odd that it worked for a year after pulling the first stick but still I would check the capacitors around your memory slots for signs of budging and or leaking.
 
Looks like the memory system is on the edge of stability and the balance is tipped by a less stable mains power supply or perhaps even a difference in humidity.
You can verify if more stable mains will help by trying an UPS and seeing if it improves.

To get you running without any extra hardware, boot with the one memory stick and slow it down in the BIOS setup.
You can try either reducing the memory multiplier, slowing the FSB or slowing down the memory timings.
Then try with both sticks again.
 
Alright, I'll physically check the computer and mess around with the voltages.

UPS are kinda expensive. I'm using a nice surge protector by APC and a 450W Corsair power supply. Would this suffice in protecting my equipment from voltage spikes and such?
 
Surge protectors only give partial protection from mains noise.
I only use a full blown UPS for a PC.

I am trusting that your machine can run stable from the report you gave.
Going by this I am not suspecting your PSU.
Note that in your signature you have a 550W PSU but you stated it is a 450W above.
 
Yeah, I said:
"(btw, it's not the computer in my signature. It's an AMD Dual Core)"
in the first post

;)
 
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