Michael Norris Posted December 11, 2004 Share Posted December 11, 2004 Here's the scenario, with specs first and narrative thereafter: SPECS Asus A7N8X2.0 Deluxe mainboard (BIOS rev. 1008) AMD Athlon XP 3000+ (Barton core; 400Mhz FSB) Corsair TWINX1024-3200C2PT (w/ individual modules ID'd on labels as XMS3202v3.1 and 0429002-1) Maxtor 120GB ATA133 6Y120P0 Hard Drive (single/master on first IDE channel) Samsung 120GB SATA SP1213C Hard Drive (secondary) Sound Blaster Audigy 2 Platinum Sound Card (internal version) Leadtek Winfast A250 Ultra TD MyVivo 128MB Geforce4 Ti4600 4X AGP Video Card Samsung IDE CD/RW+DVD-ROM Combo Drive (single/master on second IDE channel) Antec True430 Power Supply WinXP SP2 SETTINGS All hardware mentioned above has been in the system for over a year (closer to two on average), excepting the CPU (+/- 6 months), the SATA hard drive (+/- 6 months), and the current memory modules. BIOS settings, expecting normal fiddling for on/off-ing peripheral components, have been left on their typical, automatic settings. CPU and memory run at a 1:1 ratio of 400Mhz (200FSBx2) and DDR400 (200Mhzx2). Memory timings have never varied from 3-3-3-8. Voltage supplied to memory has always been the board-defaulted 2.6. SITUATION For the life of this system, I have never had any serious stability issues. When the board had a XP 2500+ 333Mhz processor in the time prior to the current 3000+, I succesfully ran 1GB of low-latency DDR333 TWINX Corsair memory in it (the memory basically co-existing with the board from the time of its initial purchase two-ish years ago). Around six months ago, I replaced the 2500+ with the 3000+ and replaced the DDR333 memory with TWINX DDR400 memory (not simulaneously, but around the same time). Through these changes, the system under stock settings offered no problems in terms of lockups or random crashing. Around a week ago, I began noticing increasingly drastic instances of instability within the desktop environment. Within Windows, the computer would simply shut down and reboot with no warnings (in the form of messages or glitchy behavior). The shut-downs occurred in a variety of areas within the desktop environment: within games, while using the web browser, while checking mail, while simply sitting at the desktop. The time until the reboot occurs (from when the computer finishes booting into WinXP) can range from minutes to an hour or so. Having poked about on the forums here a little for information, I downloaded and ran Memtest (v3.2) with the memory placed in all combinations possible given the two module-three slot limitations of my particular setup. With both modules installed in each of the two dual-channel configurations possible on the motherboard, Memtest returns a large number (above 400) of errors in Test #5. With one module isolated and tested in each slot, the results are as follows: MEMTEST v3.2 (e820std) Module 1, Slot 1 (as defined by the mb's manual): Failing Test #8, 3-5 errors each pass Module 1, Slot 2: Failing Test #8, 3-5 errors each pass Module 1, Slot 3: No errors Module 2, Slot 1: Failing Test #8, multiple errors (+/- 100) each pass Module 2, Slot 2: Failing Test #8, multiple errors (+/- 100) each pass; Failing Test #5, multiple errors (+/-100) each pass Module 2, Slot 3: No errors So, my question is, I guess: is my new situation of random rebooting a memory-originated issue, or could the 1st and 2nd memory-slots on the motherboard be faulty/failing? As the 3rd slot runs each module error-free, I'm somewhat unsure. My next step is to run the modules in another computer and run other modules in my board, but I would certainly appreciate some input on the possibility/probability of motherboard DIMM slots "going bad." If the problem lies with the modules, what other way(s) can I test them? UPDATE (10:30am EST on 12/11) I've just finished testing alternative memory modules (two separate DDR333 Kingston ValueSelect's at 2.5-2-2-7) in my A7N8X2.0 Deluxe motherboard, and each tested cleanly with no errors in all memory slots. So now I'm back to thinking that the instability problem is with the TWINX modules themselves. Any help or information on potentially replacing the modules will be appreciated. Michael Norris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Norris Posted December 13, 2004 Author Share Posted December 13, 2004 *bump* As mentioned above, I have tested different memory modules in my system, and they report no errors. Additionally, I have had no problems with the different modules for the two days I have had them in the motherboard. I am therefore assuming that my Corsair TWINX memory has at least one failing/faulty module, perhaps two, and I would like to exchange them both for a fresh set by utilizing their Lifetime Warranty. Michael Norris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corsair Employees RAM GUY Posted December 13, 2004 Corsair Employees Share Posted December 13, 2004 Michael, First thing, if you have a bad module they will fail at the same place and on the same test no matter what MB or slots you use. What you have reported would suggest some other problem, I would first try and load setup defaults and make sure that you have the FSB jumper set to pins 2-3, with the modules in slots 1-3 or 2-3, and then set the Dim Voltage to 2.7 Volts and set the timings to the tested settings for your modules, (Cass 2.5-3-3-6) then test them again with http://www.memtest.org and just use the default tests with http://www.memtest.org.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Norris Posted December 13, 2004 Author Share Posted December 13, 2004 Increasing the voltage to 2.7 and setting the memory to their specified timings resulted in the board not posting the BIOS. I'm hesitant to think the problem to be an issue resolveable by an increase in voltage because I've never used any other voltage setting other than the board's default "auto"-defined voltage setting. Anyway, I'm not trying to tell you what I know like I'm an expert here, just that everything has always been board stock and that I've never had any lockup/reboot issues before. As I mentioned, the Kingston ValueSelect stuff I've been temporarily running in it for the past couple of days seems, like all other memory types I've run in the board over the course of its life, stable, listing no errors in memtest and no visible stability issue from my two-day usage. Any other suggestions? Michael Norris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corsair Employees RAM GUY Posted December 14, 2004 Corsair Employees Share Posted December 14, 2004 Please follow the link in my signature “I think I have a bad part!” and we will be happy to replace them or it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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