Abit NF7-Sv2.0 and memory problems

[WhatHaveIdone]

I have:

XP Pro+SP2.

Tagan 480W

Abit NF7-S v2 + Bios Saviour.

XP3200+Aero7 Lite cooler

2 x Corsair 512MB TwinX PC3200C2PT (matched pair)

Creative FX5900+ Zalman cooler.

dvd+cd-rw burners.

etc.....

 

I was running my system as an xp2500 333mhz with 1 x 512MB pc3200 Corsair value ram + 1 x 512MB pc2700 Matrix ram, and it ran fine.

After selling most of my body parts, I bought a matched pair of Twinx PC3200, switched off the puter, removed the 'old' memory and insalled the new in dual channel mode......slots 2 + 3.....i.e. the 2 slots furthest from the cpu as advised by the manual.

I then switched on, and the puter went into a boot loop....i.e. it got nearly to the desktop before rebooting.

It would not boot in safe mode either.

I tried an installation of XP over the top, and that didn't work.

I tried booting from both bios chips........stock abit and mantaray bios........still no good.

I then put both sticks in the 'normal' slots.

After doing a format and reinstallation (XP + SP2 slipstreamed, DX9c, chipset drivers, video drivers) the installation completed.

I find that if I put the TwinX in dual channel the puter just keeps rebooting, but in the normal slots it is ok.

At the moment I have shoved the Corsair value ram stick into the 3rd slot enabling dual channel and it runs ok, just to give me 1.5GB memory.... :):

I am having a lot of trouble with memory on this board. Originally I bought a stick of 512MB PC3200 from Crucial but had all sorts of errors and none of their suggestions worked so it got RMA'd and they refunded me...........top marks to Crucial..... :):

It's a pain................if I run the TwinX as dual channel........reboots, in the normal slots it is ok.

If I put the value ram into the 3rd slot it still runs.

Anyone any ideas ? In the BIOS memory is set to 'auto'.

Oh BTW I.E.6 keeps crashing with 'sorry IE has a problem and has to shut down'..................but perhaps that is due to something else.

Very many thanks, and sorry if this post is a bit long winded........ :o:

[RAM GUY]

Please try these settings and then test the system with http://www.memtest.org.

CPU Freq: 166 MHz

Memory Frequency: 100%

Dim Voltage to 2.7 Volts

Resulting Frequency: 166MHz

SDRAM CAS Latency: 2.5T

SDRAM RAS to CAS Delay (tRCD): 3T

SDRAM Row Precharge (tRP): 3T

SDRAM Active to Precharge Delay (tRAS): 6T

 

But if you are trying to run the modules at DDR400 and you CPU at 166 MHz that will cause a bottleneck in the chipset and may generate errors that are not the fault of the memory.

[WhatHaveIdone]

Many thanks for the reply RAM GUY.

On installing the new memory I reset my XP3200 to its proper setting....200fsb x 11, and the memory to auto.

I had also upped the volts to 2.7 and the cpu to 1.675v from 1.6v.

It works in slots 1+2 but not in 1+3 or 2 + 3...........it won't boot.

I will run memtest and see what happens.

Many thanks for your interest.

 

Oh dear...............how do I run memtest ?

I downloaded it, extracted the files to a clean floppy and when I click on the 'instal.bat' file I get:

 

C:\WINDOWS\System32\cmd.exe

C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\AUTOEXEC.NT. The system file is not suitable for running MS-DOS and Microsoft Windows applications. Choose 'Close' to terminate the application

 

Life just aint easy sometimes..... :o:

[RAM GUY]

First thing, to run http://www.memtest.org, you need to download and extract it to your HDD and then run the install.bat file from the HDD with a blank freshly formatted floppy and follow the on screen prompts.

 

Next if the system will run the modules one up or in single channel but will not post when installed in dual channel you need to send the MB in for repair.

[WhatHaveIdone]

Thanks again RAM GUY.

For memtest, I extracted the files into a folder on my desktop, shoved in a fresh floppy and clicked on the install.bat file and got the same error message:

 

C:\WINDOWS\System32\cmd.exe

C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\AUTOEXEC.NT. The system file is not suitable for running MS-DOS and Microsoft Windows applications. Choose 'Close' to terminate the application

 

Also with the floppy in the drive on boot up, I get a message to remove the disc and press any key to restart, so the needed files don't get copied on to it.

I blame SP2...... :):

 

The board will run in dual channel if I have the 2 x 512MB TwinX in slots 1+2 and the Corsair value 512MB ram in slot 3, but not if I put a stick of TwinX in there...............weird..... :sigh!:

Many thanks for your help..........appreciated.

[RAM GUY]

Slots 1-2 would be single channel. Dual chgannel would be slots 1-3 or 2-3 with Nforce2. And I would try and create the floppy on another system. It sounds like you have something set for another program that might be conflicting.

[WhatHaveIdone]

Thanks for your help RAM GUY.

he twinx works ok in 1+2 but not in 3

The value ram works in any slot and also works in slot 3 if the twinx is in 1 + 2.

Weird....:)

 

I am having loads of problems with game crashes, files won't install, and IE keeps crashing with the message 'IE has encountered a problem and must close' or near enough.

For instance, I have on a cd-r disc a patch for BF1942 to bring it up to v1.6 and it is 267 megs.

It won't install from the disc and I have since downloaded it again from 2 different sites and neither of them will either with the message:

 

see attached pic.

 

I am getting all sorts of weird problems that I haven't had before.

I might try another fresh install of XP Pro using the value ram and with only SP1 installed, and then try adding things to see what happens..........:)

[RAM GUY]

Are you trying to mix our modules with some one elses or 2 different typs of modules? I am sorry but you would not be able to do that with this chipset.

[WhatHaveIdone]

The memory I have used is all Corsair.

I have mixed the TwinX with a stick of 512MB Value Select memory i.e. TwinX in slots 1+2 and the Value Select in slot 3 and the system boots and runs.

If I just use the TwinX in slots 1+2 it runs and boots.

If I use the TwinX in either slot 1 + 3 or 2 + 3 then the computer just keeps rebooting.

However, I have just run memtest86 v3.2 with just the two sticks of TwinX in slots 1+2 and on one pass it showed 204 errors................so I reckon one or both of the sticks are duff.

I will have to contact my supplier (The Cooling Shop) here in the UK to seek their advice and probably have to return it to them as faulty.

Many thanks for your time.....................appreciated...:)

[RAM GUY]

Let's try replacing your modules. Please follow the link in my signature “I think I have a bad part!” and we will be happy to replace them or it!

[WhatHaveIdone]

Just an update........problem solved............. :):

 

I RMA'd my dual channel kit back to my supplier, and upgraded to a matched pair of 2 x 512MB PC3200XL Pro........with the posh flashing led's..... :): ....as I wasn't keen on trying 3200C2PT again.

 

Received the kit today, pulled my Corsair VS 512MB stick and bunged in the XL memory in slots 2 + 3 (dual channel) switched the puter back on.............and it booted to windows with no problems............. :D:

Went back to the BIOS and changed the memory speed from SPD to Turbo saved and rebooted and bingo, up comes the desktop again........ :biggrin:

 

It seems that either one of the sticks of 3200C2PT was bad, or my NF7-S v2 just didn't like it.......................it does like this XL stuff though.

A very happy bunny again.......... :D: