I recently upgraded my computer's RAM by adding two 8GB sticks to my existing 16GB setup. Initially, everything seemed fine as my BIOS recognized the new RAM. However, after booting into Windows, I experienced two blue screens. One time, it prompted me to reinstall Steam, and then I encountered a critical issue where Windows couldn't load due to a missing or corrupt system driver. I'm unsure how to proceed and am considering whether I should reset the CMOS or update the BIOS. Here's the installation process I followed: I installed the RAM sticks, powered on, and got into the BIOS where the new RAM was recognized. I checked Windows, and it showed the new RAM was there, but then the blue screens began.
2 Answers
First off, make sure you're using compatible RAM. Mixing sticks, even if they're the same brand, can lead to instability. Check the speed and timings of your new RAM against the old ones. Also, did you enable XMP or EXPO in the BIOS? This helps in getting the RAM to run at its rated speed.
Another option is to reset the CMOS. This can help set everything back to defaults and might fix the issue. If that doesn’t work, and if you can access the BIOS, you could also try disabling XMP to see if that stabilizes things while you troubleshoot the RAM setup.
Resetting the CMOS is definitely a good troubleshooting step! Just remember to check your BIOS settings afterward, as you might need to enable XMP again for optimal performance.
Yeah, and if you're not sure about the timings, it might help to run the system with just the old RAM first to see if that stabilizes things. Once that's confirmed, try adding the new sticks one at a time.