BSOD since changing RAM

[#1]

Hi all,
I tried to upgrade my ram on my laptop from 3gb (2 + 1) to 4gb (2+2) but it wouldnt boot into windows instead all I got was the option to load windows normally or something like fix errors or run debug check ( cant fully remember ).  Option 1 would just load back to the options and option 2 would do nothing, just a blank screen.
so I put the 1gb ram back in and windows loaded mo problem but I have been plagued with bsod's ever since,  they have been:
Page fault in nonpaged area
memory management
irql not less or equal
system service exception
Other ones with just stop errors
I have tried the bellow to fix it :
changed the virtual memory to no paging and back to system managed size
Update windows
checked device manager but no devices werenrequiring attention
run windows diagnostic twice (1 normal and 1 extended) both times said no errors detected
my bios doesnt give memry options to change settings
it started of random maybe anything from 2 mins to 1hr or if you were trying to do a system thing (like update or preforme a test) but started to be more kike as soon as you signed into windows, so I ended up pulling out the 1gb stick and so far not had any problems.
anyone now whats causing the bsod with the old stick
and is there anything I can do to make the new stick work (update bios or somethin) or do I just returnit and get another 1
regards

[#2]

could be faulty chip, test it with http://www.memtest86.com/

[#3]

There are many reasons as to why you're getting the BSoD, considering your PCs been working without issue for some time, I assume. This is what I would do even though it may appear convoluted, but I've been there, done that, and got a collection of quite trendy t-shirts to prove it. First ensure that the motherboard is cold, to allow anything that expands with the heat to contract again. Open the lugs on the slot where you want to install the new RAM. Get your 2Gb module and slide it down the slots on the lug pillars and into the channel ensuring that the notch in the RAM lines up with the dimple in the channel. Place a thumb on each edge of the RAM module and gently push the RAM into place. The lugs on the slot should automatically lock with the RAM.
Before rushing to turn the power on, check each and every other connection on the board by exerting a little bit of pressure on each one to ensure it is 'home' in its socket. You do this just to make sure it wasn't disturbed accidentally during this or your previous attempt.
With all this done slide the case back on and if it's a tower put the unit upright again. At this point turn on the power and enter the BIOS and make sure it reports 4Gb. Have a look around your settings and look for the extended boot option (the one that tests the memory at start up). Enable this option and save the new setting and exit the BIOS.
I know there will be a tedious delay (coffee time?) while the machine boots but you're only doing this once and it's worth the effort. Assuming the memory passes the BIOS check let the machine boot into Windows. Once it's started, go to Control Panel > System and Security > System and check the Memory meets the BIOS. Remember in order to use your full 4Gb you must be running a 64 bit Windows.
If all is well shut your machine down, screw the case in to place and reset the Extended Boot in the BIOS.
However, if this approach does not work test the memory using the link provided by dvorak. If it fails this test then contact your supplier, but if it passes then you may have fractured the motherboard when you did the original upgrade. Too much pressure can cause hairline fractures in the PCB (motherboard) especially on an old board by over flexing it while removing / inserting the RAM (or other connectors etc).
I hope this works for you, so let us know what happens (assuming you even do it).

[#4]

They said it was a laptop, there's probably not much access to other components.
If all the memory diagnostic tests pass, it sounds more like a software problem. Could try running sfc /scannow and see if it can find any files that somehow got corrupted.

[#5]

Oh dear, note to self; Pay Attention.

[#6]

Quote from: greg16

so I put the 1gb ram back in and windows loaded mo problem but I have been plagued with bsod's ever since,  they have been:

That suggests, to me, that either there has been some damage (as suggested elsewhere), possibly to contacts, or there is a need for cleaning the contacts. Carefully removing and reinserting the module may improve the situation. However, check there are no problems without the 1GB stick first.
I would not rely on the BIOS check finding memory faults as I had one system which repeatedly passed that test and (apparently) ran Windows XP without errors (none were detected ), but my first attempts to install Linux would fail near the start. The version of Memtest86 I had detected errors in, IIRC, 2 bytes on one of the two memory sticks.
Phil

[#7]

Quote from: greg16

run windows diagnostic twice (1 normal and 1 extended) both times said no errors detected

I must have misread this earlier as windows memory diagnostic, which is the same kind of thing as memtest86 and memtest86+.

[#8]

Hi All,
thanks for the replies and sorry for the typo's.  I was using a tablet lastnight coz of the laptop issues.
I am going to try the new 2gb again along with memtest.
Laptop works ok with the 1gb ram taken out but as you can imagine, it runs slow with just 2gb of ram installed lol.
ejs - sorry for the confusion but yeah, it was windows memory diagnostic that I used but will try memtest as well as I don't trust everything that windows makes.
I don't know if its a coincidence but one of the TOSHIBA services has stopped working since the BSOD started (its a Toshiba machine), I keep getting a popup asking to diagnose the problem everytime I log in .
regards,

[#9]

the obvious thing to do is remove the 1 gig stick of ram, so just the internal 2 gig is left.
IF the BSOD's stop then its ram related, if they continue its something else (the internal 2 gig is probably ok).
If its ram related check contacts, make sure its seated correctly as well.

[#10]

I have a HP laptop which will run fine with 2Gb but will BSOD constantly with anything larger.
Have you Googled your laptop model to see if others have had the same issue ?

[#11]

have to ask,
did you buy the ram via crucial using there compatibility checker and just buy 1 stick to upgrade with ? or did you just pick up a stick from a seller that had the same speed rating as your current ram ?
personally I always buy my ram as sets (if I upgrade I replace all of the current ram) and I always find out what ram to get based on either the QVL from my mobo or the crucial upgrade checker http://uk.crucial.com/gbr/en the crucial checker is better if the printed QVL is more than a few months old (and for some companies they don't update it once the mobo has gone on sale)
buying the same make and speed ram doesn't mean its compatible with the system, and don't waste money getting ram from the manufacturer.
i'm hopeing you just bought a single stick because it was the same speed as windows said your original ram was without using a checker

[#12]

thanks for the more replies,
nanotm - I used crucial checker to identify what RAM I needed and then bought it from online retailer
Doms - I haven't googled the model to see if issue but I did google it to see that the RAM was compatable as I realised yesterday that it was actually 4gb I bought and not 2gb as advised at the start of this convo
chrcoluk - I did that and it stopped the BSOD but was terribly slow and wouldn't play video's (youtube).
I re-installed the new stick yesterday and run memtest, it would crash before even starting lol but no error codes were given but it was then that I noticed it was a 4gb stick and BIOS detected it as 4gb as well.
I then swapped it out for the 1gb stick and re-did memtest it passed no problem and so far I haven't had any BSOD but the laptop does appear to be running slower then before I tried the upgrade of RAM but it at least plays youtube videos.
so I will send it back and get another one and hopefully have no issues with it
regards,

[#13]

have you tried removing both original ram sticks and just putting the new stick into each of the slots ?
a single 4gb stick will often run slower than 2 x 2gb sticks
did you check with Toshiba's support pages to see if thee are any bios updates for your mobo ? if the ram was made after the original release then chances are it will need updating to operate properly (bios updates are normally straightforward nowadays with a simple windows based GUI unlike days of old with a bootable disk and command line code)
if your laptop sill support 8gb of ram and its not to pricey then there's no harm in getting 2 x 4gb sticks (unless your running a 32bit operating system) windows will just scale to use all of it as required for your tasks/background tasks, I upgraded some old hp laptops a few years ago by adding in a secondary hdd and popping from 2gig to 8gig of ram (with a few bios updates) and whilst the 7 yr old onboard gfx and the 4 core 1.8ghz cpu struggle with some of the most recent games there still perfectly capable machines and will handbrake a standard dvd in under 25 minutes which isn't that slow compared to the 10 minutes for the 8 core 4ghz cpu in my desktop 

[#14]

Hi Nanotm
I haven't tried both slots but I removed both sticks and tried the new stick just on its on, the computer went straight into BSOD when switched on.
im sending the stick back and ordered a different one.
when I googled the motherboard I read that it could only take RAM with 256 x 8 bits instead of the normal 512 x ??  meant nothing to me but im guessing I just ordered the wrong one lol

[#15]

that would be strange, the crucial scanner only offers you the range of compatible ram for the device normally, unless there was a bios update required for it to work, mind you if the laptop is more than 12 months old its likely it will require a bios update for any new ram