Computer boots to Windows once only when moving RAM to a different slot. Also have display issues

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Goldenwinged

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Oct 8, 2020
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OS: Windows 10 Home Edition, Version 2004 (OS Build 19041.508)
CPU: Intel Core i5-4460 LGA 1150 - BX80646I54460
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-B85M-DS3H
Primary RAM: Patriot 16GB(2x8GB) Viper III DDR3 1866MHz (PC3 15000) CL10 Desktop Memory with Black Mamba Heatsink - PV316G186C0K
Secondary RAM used in testing: Patriot Viper 3 Series, Black Mamba, DDR3 8GB (2 x 4GB) 1600MHz Dual Channel Kit - PV38G160C9K
Third RAM used in testing: G.Skill 8GB DDR3-1600 8GB DDR3 1600MHz memory module - F3-12800CL9D-8GBXL
PSU: Corsair CX Series 430 Watt 80 Plus Bronze Certified Non-Modular Power Supply - CP-9020046-US
GPU: Gigabyte GeForce GTX 1060 Windforce OC 3GB GDDR5 Graphics Card - GV-N1060WF2OC-3GD
SSD (Windows is installed here): Crucial MX500 500GB 3D NAND SATA 2.5 Inch Internal SSD - CT500MX500SSD1
HDD: Western Digital 1TB WD Blue PC Hard Drive - 7200 RPM Class, SATA 6 Gb/s, , 64 MB Cache, 3.5" - WD10EZEX
HDD: Western Digital 4TB WD Blue PC Hard Drive - 5400 RPM Class, SATA 6 Gb/s, , 64 MB Cache, 3.5" - WD40EZRZ
Optical disk drive: Asus DRW-24B1ST-28
Case: Corsair Carbide Series 88R MicroATX Mid-Tower Case - CC-9011086-WW

Hello, I hope you are well. For a long time, I’ve been getting various blue screen errors and I’ve never been able to diagnose the culprit. So about a week ago I decided to run Driver Verifier after I read on a Microsoft forum that is a way to diagnose bad drivers. After I set it to run, it bluescreened after restarting and restarted again. It took me to a Windows Repair screen with the option of either ‘Restart’ or ‘Advanced settings’. I chose restart.

Upon restart, the computer entered a boot loop, it would start and after about 8 seconds it would shut down and the cycle would repeat, no BIOS available or anything. It would start, shut down, start, shut down, forever. One of the things I tried to get to BIOS was reset CMOS by taking out the battery for 10 minutes but that didn't help. After lots of trial and error I found that after taking out one of my two sticks of RAM (this RAM is the Primary RAM I have listed at the top) it would boot and I could get to the BIOS. Hooray! I went to the BIOS and used Windows Repair by booting from a Windows image on a USB and completed a System Restore to before I started Driver Verifier. So now I could get to Windows again.

After doing some testing, here’s the problem: with the Primary and Third RAM listed at the top, the computer only boots to Windows after I move a stick of the RAM to another slot. I’ve tested single sticks at a time with no GPU in in all slots, and the computer boots once to Windows, however after a shutdown and powering on the computer boots but nothing shows on the monitor. It turns on and the lights come on, but nothing appears. Sometimes instead of this, it will instead boot loop in the fashion described in the above paragraph after the initial successful boot. I also tested with the Secondary RAM (that I have described at the top of this post) and surprisingly I have gotten it to boot consistently with this RAM, booting to Windows every time either in single sticks or with both and in any slots. However the booting seems finicky, sometimes I will have to pull out a RAM stick and reboot for it to boot consistently with the secondary RAM. The presence or absence of a GPU does not seem to affect the boot consistency with any of the RAM.

I have tested all RAM with Memtest86, all return 0 errors.

As an addendum:
Since the computer boots to Windows with the Second RAM tested, I have been using it with the GPU mentioned at the top. I’m having display issues, occasionally the screen will go black briefly and when the screen comes back I can’t interact with the apps I have open. I have to force close them through Task Manager and start them again. I have updated the display drivers through Nvidia GeForce Experience, removed them and updated them again. I’ve tested with both my monitors together and the monitors alone, and with different cords for one of them. I've even tried with a GeForce GTX 1050 Ti that I have lying around. But it keeps happening anyway. This makes it quite annoying to use the computer, as this will frequently crash apps.

Not sure what to make of all this. Sorry for the essay. I appreciate any response. Feel free to focus on one issue at a time! Thanks!
 
I'm also not sure what to make of all that!
but with the time you have already spent, and the potential to keep applying band-aid solutions and still not get a resolution, I would be nuking that rig from space.

backup your data.
wipe clean the SSD and fresh install Windows.
keep it simple initially - one stick of that primary RAM and no GPU.
if stable after a dozen reboots and a day or two, add back all the RAM.
if still stable, add back the GPU - first with Windows driver than with the Gigabyte driver.
and if still stable, restore your data, software, customisations, updates etc.

at least this way, you'll have logical 'break points' where the last thing you just did should be the culprit.
and beng such a I/O intensive exercise, any short-comings with the mobo, memory or graphics card should highlight itself.
 
Hi Bruce,

Believe me, your suggestion definitely seems enticing at this point! But I'm hoping it will be a last resort until I exhaust the rest of my possibilities.

Today I swapped out my CX 430 PSU for a CX 550M PSU that I had around, and I tested it with one stick of the primary and secondary RAM at a time, testing the booting in all slots (without the GPU in). The booting patterns are the same as with the CX 430. The primary RAM would be the problematic one and the secondary RAM would boot fine. I then tested with the GPU in, and the booting patterns were the same. So I don't think it is the PSU causing these issues.

At this point I have considered updating my BIOS. I was something I was hesitant to do since I've heard you need to know what you're doing. But it feels like it's on the table now. What do you think?
 
definitely worth a shot.
in all my BIOS updates, I'm yet to have one go bad (quick - touch wood).
and I would be estimating I'd easily be in triple digits with the number I've done.
they are dead simple - just make sure you get it from the mobo's website and it's the right version for your mobo.
you can either download the binary firmware file (a .BIN file) and upload to from within the BIOS menu, or use the mobo's BIOS flash utlity software and it'll do it all for you from within Windows.
 
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