coynatha Posted January 3, 2005 Share Posted January 3, 2005 I've got two sticks of 512mb PC3200 that have apparently gone bad, or not been good from the get-go(purchased over a year ago) and I never noticed. I recently disassembled my PC, and my new wifes PC, and took the best parts from both and rebuilt my PC. So I basically took her mainboard(A7N8X) and ram(the 512mb sticks). I cannot get the 512mb sticks stable at 200Mhz, stock timings(2.5-3-3-8), in either the A7N8X or the 8RDA, at various CPU/FSB clock speeds and voltages. I've tried each individually, in each system, they are not Prime95 stable. One stick generated 2 errors in MemTest86 in the 2nd pass, I'm off to run MemTest on the 2nd stick now. I think I've ruled out the rest of the PC components being the problem, in that the two 256mb sticks of PC3200 work flawlessly in both boards. Suggestions? I wanted to follow the guidelines here and ask for help before I went asking for an RMA from Newegg.com/Corsair. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corsair Employee RAM GUY Posted January 3, 2005 Corsair Employee Share Posted January 3, 2005 First thing, with 512 Meg modules because if bank interleave you would increase the memory bandwidth just because of the higher density. Second, you would need to run the memory in sync with your CPU for best performance and stability with AMD. If you try to run your CPU Freq at 133 or 166 FSB and the memory Freq at DDR400 that may cause a bottleneck in the chipset and would generate errors that are not the fault of the memory. System #1 Athalon XP-M 2400+ Asus A7N8X Deluxe v2.0 2xCMX512-3200C2PT v1.2 CPU Freq: 133 MHz Memory Frequency: 125% 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 Then please test the system with http://www.memtest.org to make sure, but for best performance the memory Frequency should be set to 100% or at DDR266 with this configuration. Or with System 2 I would try this config. System #2 Athalon XP 2500+ Epox 8RDA v1.1 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 Please try these settings and lets make sure, but if you get errors I would not have a problem replacing your modules. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coynatha Posted January 3, 2005 Author Share Posted January 3, 2005 First thing, with 512 Meg modules because if bank interleave you would increase the memory bandwidth just because of the higher density So that might explain why the 256mb modules are working fine, but the 512's are causing problems. I spent all morning testing the 2nd 512mb DIMM with Memtest, followed by looping 3DMark2k1 w/ Prime95 running also. It's looking like the other DIMM is the culprit, I'll put it through the ringer at your suggested settings. Another item of note, both boards set to SPD, detect the timings to be 2.5-3-3-8@200Mhz. I thought that was odd, being the Corsair website lists them at 2-3-3-6*, and the * meaning 2.5 instead of 2 for AMD systems. No mention of the 6 turning to an 8 on AMD systems. That's causing some shady business practice from Corsair's resellers, cause I know that Newegg doesn't make any mention that it's actually only guarenteed at Cas 2.5 on AMD systems. Definately would have changed my purchase habits if I had known that before I bought the ram, but that's another thread entirely. Anyways, report back tomorrow probably. Keep up the good work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corsair Employee RAM GUY Posted January 3, 2005 Corsair Employee Share Posted January 3, 2005 Well yes and no! All of our modules that end with a designation of C2 will have their SPD set to JEDEC defined values for the IC used to make that specific part. The tested settings as defined in XMS Qualification and Testing would need to be manually set. But please let me know how you make out I have no problem replacing your modules, but there are limitations with most systems. This chart may help explain it as well. If the FSB of your CPU is 400 For Intel and 100 MHz for AMD, the memory speed supports only DDR 266. If the FSB of your CPU is 533 For Intel and 133/166 MHz for AMD, the memory speed supports DDR 266/333 If the FSB of your CPU is 800 MHz for Intel and 200 MHz for AMD, the memory speed supports DDR 333/400 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coynatha Posted January 5, 2005 Author Share Posted January 5, 2005 Okay, back. Each 512mb stick got around 20 passes in MemTest86 @166Mhz, 2.5-3-3-6, FSB@133Mhz. No errors at all. Just finished 5 straight hours of Prime95 at 166Mhz FSB/166Mhz Memory. No errors. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coynatha Posted January 5, 2005 Author Share Posted January 5, 2005 Got my hands on my roommates Corsair Value Select memory to test with, part #VS512MB400. What are the default timings for this ram@200Mhz? I'm going ahead and trying it at 8-3-3-3. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corsair Employee RAM GUY Posted January 5, 2005 Corsair Employee Share Posted January 5, 2005 The VS512MB400 rated speed will be DDR400, and the timing settings for it will be 2.5/3/3/8. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coynatha Posted January 6, 2005 Author Share Posted January 6, 2005 Requesting RMA of one CMX512-3200C2PT stick. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corsair Employee RAM GUY Posted January 6, 2005 Corsair Employee Share Posted January 6, 2005 I was under the impression that you were not getting any errors? Okay, back. Each 512mb stick got around 20 passes in MemTest86 @166Mhz, 2.5-3-3-6, FSB@133Mhz. No errors at all. Just finished 5 straight hours of Prime95 at 166Mhz FSB/166Mhz Memory. No errors. But if you just want to replace the modules, I would suggest you replace them both. 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...
coynatha Posted January 6, 2005 Author Share Posted January 6, 2005 Correct. No errors at 133Mhz and 166Mhz. 200Mhz on the other hand, sync, async, whatever, one stick doesn't pass anything. I'll go ahead and RMA both sticks to play it safe though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corsair Employee RAM GUY Posted January 6, 2005 Corsair Employee Share Posted January 6, 2005 Well that could be the CPU, but lets get them replaced and see what happens! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coynatha Posted January 21, 2005 Author Share Posted January 21, 2005 Well that could be the CPU, but lets get them replaced and see what happens! So I got the two sticks replaced. Or did I. I'm in the same boat after RMA. One stick runs fine, the other doesn't. (@200Mhz, 2.5-3-3-6) Suggestions before this one gets RMA'd again? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corsair Employee RAM GUY Posted January 21, 2005 Corsair Employee Share Posted January 21, 2005 Please tell me the exact system configuration and the bios settings you had set! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coynatha Posted January 22, 2005 Author Share Posted January 22, 2005 AthlonXP-M 2400+@2400Mhz(200x12) Asus A7N8X Deluxe v2.0 CMX512-3200C2PT v1.2, fresh from RMA, 2 sticks Timings set to 2.5-3-3-6 2xMaxtor DiamondMax Plus 16mb cache SATA in Raid 0 BFG 6800OC 128mb One stick just went Prime95 stable for 12hrs 44min at those settings, Memtest error free for 42 passes. The other one fails Prime after 5 minutes, and has 100's of errors in Memtest by the 3rd pass. Even if I drop the multiplier to 9.5, and up the memory voltage, or relax the timings. When I recieved my new sticks from RMA, I immediatly installed them both and was greeted by BSOD errors, mainly "BAD_POOL_HEADER" I removed each and tested them alone, with the above results. Frustrating. Did I even get the sticks replaced by going through the RMA process, or are these the same two sticks I had before, because it's the exact same situation. One is fine, the other isn't. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wired Posted January 24, 2005 Share Posted January 24, 2005 RMAs are ALWAYS replaced with new memory, no exceptions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corsair Employee RAM GUY Posted January 24, 2005 Corsair Employee Share Posted January 24, 2005 And I would try and lower your multiplier to 9 or 10 and set the Dim Voltage to 2.8 Volts and set the CPU VCore up and few tenths. And in what test are you getting errors? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coynatha Posted January 25, 2005 Author Share Posted January 25, 2005 And I would try and lower your multiplier to 9 or 10 and set the Dim Voltage to 2.8 Volts and set the CPU VCore up and few tenths. And in what test are you getting errors? Done. Doesn't make it through one pass of MemTest86+ v1.5 before generating 16 errors. If I let it get to Windows I get BSOD's, and I'm not letting this stick of ram near Windows again, because I don't want to chance hosing my disk array. Again, the other stick in my opinion is 100% perfect, and at the exact same settings the one that just generated errors, does just that. I'm trying it at 3-3-3-8 just to see what happens now. Just as I finished typing I turned to see how it was doing, nothing but a screen full of red. 27 errors and counting. This is at 2.8vdimm; 9.5x200FSB; vcore at 1.575v. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corsair Employee RAM GUY Posted January 25, 2005 Corsair Employee Share Posted January 25, 2005 And does the system pass at 166 MHz 1-1 with the Memory? If so that could be the CPU topping out. Can you test the modules in another system that will run DDR 400 not over clocked? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coynatha Posted January 25, 2005 Author Share Posted January 25, 2005 And does the system pass at 166 MHz 1-1 with the Memory? If so that could be the CPU topping out. Can you test the modules in another system thta will run DDR 400 not over clocked? Yes, both modules will pass 166Mhz sync. I don't believe it's the CPU topping out, as I said before, it's totally stable at 200 x 12 with the other 512mbstick, my two other sticks of 256mb, and even my roommates 512mb sticks of value select. And by totally stable I mean MemTest all night long with no errors, and Prime stable for over 24 hrs. Define not overclocked, because I"m tempted to just go buy a 3200+ AthlonXP to make a point. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corsair Employee RAM GUY Posted January 26, 2005 Corsair Employee Share Posted January 26, 2005 We can try and replace them again. Please reply to the last email you got from our Customer Service and let them know you are having toruble with one module, and we will pay for the freight both ways! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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