Jump to content
Corsair Community

bad memory causes hardware changes/Blue Screen?


bozobytes

Recommended Posts

Windows 7 64 Pro (OEM)

8GB DDR2 - XMS2 CM2X2048-6400C5-C x 4

Intel Q6600 Quad 2.4 GHz

MSI - MS-7345 Platinum MoBo

Nvidia GeForce 8600GT

Total available graphics memory - 4095MB

Dedicated graphics memory - 512MB

Shared system memory - 3583MB

DirectX 11

 

Computer was working fine, with 8GB DDR2 with new Win7 64 Pro since 07/01/2011. Then I turn on my computer one day,and get the following message...

 

“BOOTMGR IS MISSING”, PAGE_FAULT_IN_NON…Blue screen.

 

 

I was doing my normal computer habits using Firefox 9 (before my recent upgrade to 10.0.1) surfing around websites, then suddenly the screen goes white, “FIREFOX NOT RESPONDING”, then shuts down and restarts with a BLUE SCREEN has on the top line, “BOOTMGR is MISSING”. I hit Ctrl-alt-Delete, Launched “STARTUP REPAIR”, then another blue screen, ”PAGE_FAULT_IN_NONPAGED_AREA.” I tried effortlessly to restart in SAFE MODE by tapping on the F8 key. So after many attempts, I came to a SYSTEM RECOVERY OPTIONS, I tried the startup repair again, that did not work.

 

I shut down, I removed 2GB sticks of RAM, unplugged any USB hardware devices like my scanner/printer, etc. Rebooted, inserted the WINDOWS7 CD, “PRESS ANY KEY TO CONTINUE”, I see the WINDOWS LOADING FILES, STARTING WINDOWS, then the Blue screen again.. ”A problem has been detected and windows has been shut down to prevent damage to your computer”. Then a message,”QL_NOT_LESS_THAN_OR_EQUAL”, then “THE BOOT SELECTION FAILED BECAUSE A REQUIRED DEVICE IS INACCESSIBLE.” THEN ANOTHER,

FLTMGR.SYS, PAGE_ FAULT_ IN_ NON_ PAGED_ AREA.” COLLECTING DATA FROM CRASH DUMP.”

 

When I first started seeing all this, I tried to get into safe mode to go to Control panel and try a windows 7 REPAIR,That did not work. Well after a lot of time trying restore points,and windows repair, I left off the 4 (2x2) GB of ram until today, when I wanted to add back the 4GB @ 2GB each. When I booted up, I got that blue screen all over again, so does anything think the those last 2x2=4GB XMS2 sticks are bad?

 

I removed the last stick closest to my CPU heat sink, now leaving 6GB, and it started right up normally, so maybe that last 2GB is bad. Now these are sold in matched pairs, They are lifetime Guaranteed, I purchased all 8gb same time, to be matched, so how would they replace only one stick without the other? I'm not ready to upgrade to DDR3 yet, so I don't want to spend any more money on new DDR2, only to have to toss it out.

 

Does bad RAM, cause these blue screen issues, since I did not do anything like add any hardware changes, etc., if the computer sees a hardware change as a result of a recently blown memory stick, can these error messages pop up?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hello,

Since the last posting above, I downloaded, and ran memtest86+ v.4.20.

 

While my 6GB (3x2GB) sticks were running fine, and in the BIOS, CMOS, I wrote down a few things.

Cache Size- 4096KBx2

Physical Memory 6144MB

Dram Timing SPD – Enabled

Memory Voltage – Auto

Adjusted DDR MEM FREQ. – [800]

 

I downloaded and ran memtest86+ v.4.20, ran the 6GB (3x2GB) that I felt were working properly. After a Wall time of 1:06:59,it showed PASS COMPLETE, NO ERRORS. ECC: DISABLED

 

I shut down, removed those 3GB good sticks, and installed only the Slot 2 (which I believe is OK) and the Slot 3, green slot, which I believed is the BAD stick.

I rebooted, I then got the blue screen stating that a hardware change was a possible cause. Restarted in BIOS.

 

Changed Boot sequence to USB Memtest86+, ran it for 2:09:41 Wall time, from the beginning of this test, (which I did not see on the previous 3 stick memtest,) was a RED screen with ERRORS showing.

 

At the end of this PASS 2, 2 HOUR test, I ended it at 509184 ERRORS. I shut down, removed those two sticks, I then re-installed the known 3 sticks, except that last Slot 3 stick in question, then it restarted normally in Windows.

 

So now, that I have a test with ERRORS on this RAM stick, where do I go from here? Contact Corsair RMA Dept., or do I somehow run a DIMM Slot 3 on the MSI MoBo to see if that’s the problem, or do we now know already that the memory stick is bad?

 

I bought 2 separate RAM packages with 2 each of CM2x2048-6400C5-C. It's may be apparent now that I have a bad stick, if these are sold as matched pairs, will I have to send BOTH the Slot 2,(good) and Slot 3 (bad) sticks back, or is it OK to have 2 matched, and two that are unmatched?

 

When I did the memtest with 2 sticks, I had to include a good run, because the bad stick itself would not start windows, I repeatedly got a blue screen with various error messages, as I posted above on the original post.

 

 

Thank you!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

×
×
  • Create New...