Victus 16-d0012np blue screens after ram upgrade

[user10952874]

I recently purchased and installed Crucial (2x16gb) memory for my HP Victus, upgrading the previous Samsung 2×4gb. Although windows boots up normally, when I get some tasks going the computer randomly blue screens and reboots (with decent intervals of time between each blue screen). This has happened several times but always when I was installing a game from steam (this is one of the first tasks I've tested so it probably would have happened with other tasks).

I've also ran a MemTest86 test and it passed so I do not know what is wrong.

The system also recognises 32gb and tends to use a small amount of it. I'm not sure if it is a compatibility issue or if I got bad ram modules.

Edit, a few days later: It hasn't happened ever since but the few times that it did still worry me, as I've seen some reviews of the specific ram model I bought stating that every few days or so they also got a blue screen.

[Nal_NR]

Hi @user10952874,

Welcome to the HP Support Community. 

I'd be glad to help you! 

The random blue screens after upgrading your HP Victus by HP 16.1 inch Gaming Laptop PC 16-d0000 (3S9N7AV) to 32GB of Crucial RAM could indeed be related to compatibility, faulty modules, or configuration issues. Since the system recognizes the RAM and a MemTest86 test passed, it’s less likely to be a hardware fault, but it’s still possible. Here are steps to diagnose and potentially fix the issue:

Step 1: Verify RAM Compatibility

1. Check Crucial’s Compatibility:
   • Confirm the exact model of your Crucial RAM against HP's compatibility list for your laptop model or through Crucial's compatibility tool.
   • Ensure the RAM speed, voltage, and type (e.g., DDR4, 3200 MHz) are suitable for your HP Victus model.

Step 2: BIOS Update

1. Update BIOS:
   • Go to the HP Support page and check for the latest BIOS update for your model.
   • A BIOS update can improve memory compatibility and stability.

Step 3: Test Each RAM Stick Individually

1. Test One Stick at a Time:
   • Remove one of the Crucial RAM sticks and test the system with just one installed. Run your typical tasks and see if the issue persists.
   • Swap the sticks and test the other one alone to determine if one stick may be faulty.

Step 4: Check RAM Configuration in BIOS

1. Enter BIOS:
   • Restart your laptop and press F10 to enter BIOS Setup.
2. Check Memory Settings:
   • Look for settings related to memory speed, XMP profiles, or manual timings.
   • Ensure that the memory speed is set correctly according to the specs of the Crucial modules (e.g., 3200 MHz).
   • If available, disable any XMP profiles temporarily to see if stability improves.

Step 5: Check for Driver or System Updates

1. Update Drivers:
   • Go to Device Manager and check for updates on critical drivers like Chipset, Storage Controllers, and Graphics drivers.
   • Visit HP's support page to ensure all drivers are up to date.
2. Windows Updates:
   • Ensure your system is fully updated through Windows Update.

Please find the remaining steps in the next post.

Hope this helps! Keep me posted for further assistance

Please mark this post as “Accepted Solution” if the issue is resolved and if you feel this reply was helpful click “Yes”.

[Nal_NR]

Hi @user10952874 ,

Please find the remaining steps below.

Step 6: Run Windows Memory Diagnostic

1. Run Windows Memory Diagnostic:
   • Open the Start menu, type Windows Memory Diagnostic, and run it.
   • Choose Restart now and check for problems.
   • This will perform another memory check to rule out OS-level memory issues.

Step 7: Adjust Virtual Memory Settings

1. Adjust Virtual Memory Settings:
   • Go to Control Panel > System and Security > System > Advanced system settings > Settings (under Performance) > Advanced tab > Virtual Memory.
   • Ensure it’s set to System managed size or adjust it manually to a stable size.

Step 8: Check for Other Hardware Issues

• Run HP Hardware Diagnostics:
  • Restart your laptop and press F2 during boot to access the HP PC Hardware Diagnostics UEFI.
  • Run a full system test to check for other hardware issues that might cause instability.

Step 9: Revert to Original RAM

1. Test with Original RAM:
   • Reinstall the original Samsung 2×4GB RAM modules and run the same tasks that caused blue screens.
   • This will confirm if the issue is strictly related to the new RAM modules.

Step 10: Consider Returning or Replacing RAM

• If the issue persists despite all troubleshooting, consider replacing the Crucial RAM modules, as they might still be faulty even if MemTest86 passed.

These steps should help you pinpoint whether it's a compatibility issue, faulty RAM, or another configuration problem. If the issue continues, you might want to test with a different brand or specification of RAM known to be compatible with your laptop.

Hope this helps! Keep me posted for further assistance

Please mark this post as “Accepted Solution” if the issue is resolved and if you feel this reply was helpful click “Yes”.

[user10952874]

Hey there, thank you for replying. I will try the things you mentioned, but before could you just address the fact that it hasn't happened in a while? How would that affect the troubleshooting methods? Thank you once again.

[Nal_NR]

Hi  @user10952874,

These are the machines, and while we cannot predict if the issue will occur again, troubleshooting might help us determine whether this is an internal issue or just a software glitch.

Keep me posted. 

Thanks and have a great weekend. 

[user10952874]

Hey there. I have tried some of the methods you mentioned, not getting any signs of blues screens up until now. After more than a week of laptop use, I've confirmed that they only appear when downloading large files, interrupting the the downloads some minutes in. Would you happen to know if this is a common faulty / incompatible ram module consequence? Thank you.