2009 Mac Pro Won't Boot after adding RAM (Crash-Keeps rebooting)

[thecanasian]

So I recently added new RAM that I purchased from OWC into my Mac Pro 4,1. It kept rebooting over and over and it gives me this error screen when it does. It doesn't get past the boot screen. I've since removed the RAM and replaced it with my old sticks (I discovered that the new sticks were the wrong speed 1333MHz vs 1066MHz). Still nothing.

This is incredibly urgent. Does anyone have any insight?

Mac Pro 4,1 (Early 2009), OS X Mavericks (10.9.2), 2x2.66GHz Xenon (Nehalem), 14GB RAM

 

[h9826790]

1333 is not a problem, your Mac will automatically downgrade it back to 1066.

I am not a professional in this area, however, it sounds like the RAM itself have problems.

May be you can try a full SMC and PRAM reset before you try to get a replacement or refund.

 

[thecanasian]

Unfortunately neither the SMC reset or the PRAM resets worked. Any other thoughts?

 

[h9826790]

How many sticks you got?

May be you can try to install them one by one to find out which one is faulty.

Mix use of different RAM should be OK to the system. I did that quite a few times already.

 

[thecanasian]

I have a total of 8 slots. All slots are occupied. I placed them both in slot 4. I have since removed them and returned to the original configuration and still no luck.

Do you think it would still be necessary for me to test them one by one?

 

[h9826790]

So, you mean now even back to the original config, still can't boot?

 

[thecanasian]

Correct.

 

[666sheep]

Remove CalDigit USB card. Its drivers are crashing your Mac, not the RAM. If you have any devices connected to the it, try disconnecting them first. If it won't help - remove the card.

 

[thecanasian]

Thank you so much! That did the trick. I can't tell you how grateful I am.

 

[h9826790]

Ahha, good to learn something everyday. That info is actually on the screen!

Anyway, is there reason why that suddenly crash? It seems he have that card before he change the RAM.

 

[thecanasian]

I think it was because I had a new peripheral plugged into the card, and had never booted with it before.

 

[DeltaMac]

Now that you are booting, and have likely moved some of your RAM sticks around - run your Memory Slot Utility, which may offer suggestions to optimize your memory configuration. You can find that utility in the /System/Library/CoreServices folder.

 

[monokakata]

All of this is why my CalDigit USB3 card is in a drawer, not in my 5,1. It caused kernal panics regularly.

 

[thecanasian]

I'll have to keep that in mind when l'm looking for a new USB 3 card.

 

[monokakata]

To be fair to CalDigit, though, I haven't tried it with the latest drivers (they got new ones out for Mavericks). Maybe they're better. The old ones sucked.