Bad CMX512-3200C2

[trones]

I have a 512mb stick of PC3200 ram that i am quite sure is bad... The first sign was blue screens attempting to install windows xp on this:

 

ASUS K7V8X-X

AMD AthlonXP 3200+

Corsair PC3200 512M ultra-performance DDR memory

NVidia Ti4200 AGP video

WD400JB 40gb hd

400W P/S

 

Tried different memory: (Corsair PC3200 256M ultra-performance)

- install went fine... Tried the memory in a different box (Gigabyte GA-600, AMD 2600xp, ATI Radeon 9800XT), same story.

 

Ran the memtest86 from my Gentoo Linux Live Boot CD, Got *many* errors - ran the same test on the stick that XP installed fine with, Got no errors.

 

Im a big fan of Corsair, and this is the first of probably 50 or so sticks that I have either bought for myself, or gotten for friends/acquaintances

that has ever had an issue. (Perfection is a goal to be strived for, but never entirely achived).

 

Any help in this matter will be greatly appreciated! Thank you in advance

=)

[RAM GUY]

Please make sure that you have the latest BIOS for your MB and load Setup/Optimized default settings, and try the following BIOS settings;

CMX512-3200C2

CPU Freq: 200 MHz (400 FSB)

System Performance: User Define

Memory Frequency: 100%

Resulting Frequency: 200 MHz (400 FSB)

Memory Timing: User Define

SDRAM CAS Latency: 2.5T

SDRAM RAS to CAS Delay (tRCD): 3T

SDRAM Row Precharge (tRP): 3T

SDRAM Active to Precharge Delay (tRAS): 6T

DDR Reference Voltage: 2.7 Volts

AGP Voltage: Default *unless you have ATI (9200 or 9600) or NVIDIA (5200 or 5700) then 1.6 Volts suggested!*

All other settings are motherboards defaults

Then please test them one at a time with http://www.memtest.org and let’s make sure it's not some other issue! I would run the test for at least 2-3 passes to be sure!

[trones]

I have been through all of that.

 

I ran memtest86 on the original board I installed the ram in, made sure that *all* of the bios settings were correct, as per the technical reference for this ram, cpu, and video.

 

I did the same on two other motherboard/cpu's - with very similar results - several thousand errors reported per pass; the addresses of the errors seemed fairly random; although im not the best in seeing patterns in hexidecimal numbers

 

I'm actually a tech at Custom Computers of Redmond Oregon - so I am well versed in the testing of hardware - normally I find this kind of problem with no-name brands and occasionally Samsung - but I feel very confident in my diagnosis... Thank you much for your time and support in this matter =)

[RAM GUY]

Please follow the link in my signature “I think I have a bad part!” and we will be happy to replace them or it!