Hey all, Got a problem I am hoping somebody with more experience than me can help with. Memtest revealed a bad stick of RAM; RMAed it to Crucial and got a new one. Memtested it, and it worked just fine through about 5 hours of testing. Now, two weeks and two random BSODs later, Memtest is throwing errors again, even when running it at the stock 5-5-5-12 timings at 800Mhz (200 less than its rated for). The kicker, though, is that Prime95 runs fine for about 6 hours with no errors. I will be running the memory through another machine to test it independently this afternoon, but in the meantime I thought I’d ask for opinions here. . . What the heck is going on? I find it really hard to believe that I got a bad stick of RAM as an RMA for another bad stick, especially since it didn’t TEST as bad when I received it. If it isn't the RAM, which seems kinda unlikely, what is it? Does this sound like a mobo failure, maybe one gradually getting worse? CPU issue? Any ideas, anybody? Thanks, Tuthmose
Run memtest? Just because it makes it through prime95 for a bit doesn't always mean it's not error-free. Could be a mobo failure, but I doubt it. The only real way to eliminate it is to buy a different brand and speed of memory, then slap that in there for a bit.
Already ran Memtest. . . . . .that's what confirmed my problems. My puzzlement comes from the fact that the memory passed a Memtest run with flying colors on 3-3-3-9 at 2.3v less than two weeks ago, and now is showing the same failures even at stock 5-5-5-12 that caused me to RMA the original stick that this one replaced. What would make two different sticks of initially good memory start testing bad, on the same series of tests, after a week or two? I don't really have the years of in-depth experience that many here have, so this problem is new to me . . . Tuthmose
so you've put the timings back to default? and I assume the voltage as well. Maybe the RAM isnt getting enough volts?
Update: Ran the RAM on rig I built for my mom - same Mobo as mine (P5W DH) but with a E6600 Core2Duo CPU instead of the 560J P4 I’ve got. Memtests stable, even at 800Mhz at 3-3-3-9 at 2.3v. RAM seems not to be the problem. Simple, right? Wrong. Took her RAM (2GB Corsair 667Mhz) home with me, and ran it on my machine. It runs with no problem at all, at 4-4-4-12 at 1.9v. So . . . my RAM runs on another P5W DH just fine, but not on mine. But, other RAM runs just fine on my mobo. Possible remaining variables: 1) Something wrong with my mobo – will run dual channel 667, but not 800, OR, will not provide higher voltages 800Mhz RAM requires 2) For some reason, my CPU (at its slower 800Mhz FSB) doesn’t like the faster RAM, while my mom’s Core Duo at the faster 1066FSB has no problem with it. 3) I’m beset with evil Gremlins, bent on driving me crazy(er) I’d certainly appreciate any hints/suggestions/pointers/experiences anybody’s got to share that might help me troubleshoot this PITA. Thanks, Tuthmose
Easy solution: Swap it with your mother's rig and hope she doesn't notice? Real solution: Like Doug said BIOS. Failing that you may have to RMA the motherboard.
