ram and windows loading problems

[atreyu55]

I have 2 different sets of 512mb ram (totaling 2gb). I have had them in my computer for several years with no problems. The last few weeks windows would randomly (more often than not) freeze on start up (but if i could get windows to load, it runs fine).

I did a diagnostic on the hard drives, ram and removed any non essential hardware and have pretty much narrowed my problem down to the ram (even though the diagnostic didnt come up with anything) because I removed one pair and things at this point seem to run fine.

Is there any sense or rhyme to why this would happen suddenly? Or could there be a bigger problem that im missing?

thanks.

[Broni]

What RAM diagnostic did you run? memtest?

[atreyu55]

I used 2 tests and i believe one was memtest ... though i will verify when i get home in a few hours


thanks

[Eg0Death]

Also, do you know the latency of your RAM? 

[atreyu55]

Im not sure how to check the latency of the ram.

If it matters here are the specs of the 2 sets of ram:

GeiL
512 PC3200
DDR400 CL=2-6-3-3

Corsair
VS 512mb400

I took the set of Corsair out and so far no loading issues have come up... I'll try using memtest once more to see if i can get anyproblems. I'm just not sure why any conflicting issues would come up after several years (given that memtest hasnt found any problems with the ram).

[Eg0Death]

CPU ID will display information about your RAM, but the RAM of course must be installed.  Have you tried removing the Geil and running with just the Corsair?

[atreyu55]

I actually just booted windows with the corsair ram and had no issues but i should try rebooting several more times over a few hours to verify there's no problems (it really sucks when to begin with, issues happen randomly).

Corsair:
frequency 200MHz
CAS# Latency = 2.5
RAS# to CAS# = 3
RAS# Precharge = 3
tRAS = 8
Voltage = 2.5v

I will check the GeiL info once i switch out the RAM.

[Eg0Death]

According to the info you gave earlier, it should be 2-6-3-3.  While it is not recommended to run RAM of different latencies, it is very odd that it has been running fine for a long time and just started acting up. 

Have you recently added any peripherals to your computer?  (i.e. Printer, scanner, USB hub, etc.)

[atreyu55]

btw. thanks for all your advice / suggestions.

GeiL     = 2-3-3-6
Corsair = 2.5-3-3-8

Thats what CPU-Z showed.


Ive neither added or taken away any hardware or programs for the last year or so and have had no errors previous. Like i said earlier there seems to be no rhyme or reason as to why its happening now.

[Eg0Death]

When the computer was freezing, at what point in the system startup were you?  What was displayed on the screen when the computer was frozen?

[atreyu55]

sorry about the delay went camping with my wife....

It freezes on the black windows load screen with the load bar on the bottom.

[Saving space - attachment deleted by admin]

[Eg0Death]

I'm stumped.  (That's been happening to me a lot lately.)  I'll have to do some digging.

[ChrisXPPro]

Don't think this has been covered - so wondering if going into safe mode might help - and inspect running services in case at this early stage something is stalling the boot.

[patio]

Was this machine recently moved or relocated ? ?

[atreyu55]

Its a self made system from years back (i stopped upgrading once i got married 2 years ago) so nothing in the system has changed hardware or software. We moved in Janurary but the machine hasnt been moved since.

Once I removed the corsair ram i havent had any problems booting in the last few days (I had no problems when I removed the geil ram but I only booted a few times so i cant say definitively about that).

So if I boot into safe mode would there be anything specific I should look for in the running services?