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TWINX1024-3200PT w/ DFI Infinity nF4 Ultra ??

hlygrail

By hlygrail
in Memory

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hlygrail

hlygrail

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(New account here, no sig yet, sorry...)

 

Building a new DFI rig for my father and having trouble with the memory (memtest errors in test 8, of course). Specs as follows:

 

- DFI Infinity nF4 Ultra (socket 939)

- AMD64 3500+ (Venice, 90nm)

- Corsair TwinX1024-3200PT (2x512MB DDR, dual-channel)

- Seasonic S12-430 (430W PSU)

- MSI Geforce 6600LE ("lite" version, no secondary power connector)

- regurgitated hard disks / DVD drives from old box

 

Having built a DFI LanParty nF4 Ultra-D for myself and ending up populating it with TwinX1024-4400C25 (PC4400) memory before I was happy [Prime95/memtest stable at 280x9], I went with Corsair, and not the cheapest, on his box as well. Imagine my chagrin when I got BSOD after BSOD while trying to install WinXP Pro, and trouble copying files off disc (CD is good -- tested on another box).

 

Memtest86+ shows 4-6 errors in each pass of test #8. Did some digging and it looks like the Vtt circuit on these boards is weak and may not provide enough voltage. I've tried upping the memory voltage to 3.0v and CPU up as well with same (bad) results.

 

Looks like I'll be returning this memory to Newegg as well, unless there's a good bank of settings that will make this work.

 

Suggestions for how to adjust the nF4 to work with TwinX-3200PT, or suggestions for alternative memory that WILL work? I'd like to stick with Corsair, but the prevailing "wisdom" is that DFI boards don't LIKE Corsair memory (though my LanParty nF4 Ultra-D w/ DDR500 proves otherwise!)...

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hlygrail

hlygrail

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Upped memory voltage to 3.0v, set 3-3-3-8 with everything else default. Still no love. More errors in Memtest test #8 than before, even.

 

Any other ideas before I have to pack it up and write off Corsair memory with DFI mobos as others have suggested (NOT my first choice)??

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Yellowbeard

Yellowbeard

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Upped memory voltage to 3.0v, set 3-3-3-8 with everything else default. Still no love. More errors in Memtest test #8 than before, even.

 

Any other ideas before I have to pack it up and write off Corsair memory with DFI mobos as others have suggested (NOT my first choice)??

Do you have another system to test the memory with? DFI has had some bizarre RAM issues.

 

You may need to look around the DFI Forums and see if you can get some info on the optimized bios'. They have several bios versions floating around and some work better than others with specific modules. I think it was Garvin here that posted some good links. You may want to do a search here for Garvin and DFI and find his posts with specific links.

 

Mike.

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  • Corsair Employees
RAM GUY

RAM GUY

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Please make sure you have the latest -3 BIOS installed for your MB (download the Beta version) and load optimized defaults settings, and try the following BIOS settings;

Genie BIOS/DRAM Configuration

DRAM Frequency Set: 2:1 or 400MHz or 200 (if option are 133/166/200)

Command per Clock: Enabled

SDRAM CAS Latency: 2T

SDRAM RAS to CAS Delay (tRCD): 2T

SDRAM Row Precharge (tRP): 2T

SDRAM Active to Precharge Delay (tRAS): 5T

And leave the rest at AUTO setting

Genie BIOS

FSB BUS Frequency: 200

LDT/FSB Frequency ratio: 5X

LDT Bus Transfer Width: 16 16

CPU/FSB Frequency ratio: Auto

PCI Ex: 100

K8 cool N’ quiet: Disable

CPU VID Start Up Value: 1.55

CPU VID Control: 1.55

CPU VID Special Control: Auto

Chipset Voltage Control: 1.6

DRAM Voltage Control: 2.8

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!

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hlygrail

hlygrail

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These are 3-3-3-8 sticks. Obviously trying to run them at 2-2-2-5-ish won't work. Nevertheless, I attempted your settings and ended up with no POST (no beep). Had to reset CMOS again. Also, I can't find a beta BIOS for this board, and it is running the latest (8/11/05) I could find.

 

Here's the best I can get (BIOS settings are different with the Infinity vs. the LanParty board):

 

Single (1) stick of XMS 3200PT (slot 1)

Cleared CMOS

Load optimized values

Reboot, just to be sure

In BIOS, Memory/CPU set as follows:

 

 

Genie BIOS Setting

CPU Frequency: Default

Hammer Fid Control: Startup

HT Frequency: 5x

HT Width: 16 up, 16 down

PCIE Clock: 100Mhz

 

AMD K8 Cool/Quiet: Disabled

DDR Voltage Control: 2.8v

Chip Voltage Control: 1.6v

CPU Voltage Control: Default (shows as 1.37V at bottom - bumping in .025V increments to 1.5V makes no diff.)

 

DRAM Configuration drill-down

Timing Mode: Manual

Memclock Mode: Limit (no idea what this is - other choice is "Update")

Memclock Index value (Mhz): 200Mhz CPU:DDR 1:1

CAS Latency (Tcl): 3

Min RAS# to CAS# delay: (Trcd): 3

Row precharge (Trp): 3

Trrd: Auto

Trc: 12T (no "Auto" setting)

Trfc: 24T (no "Auto" setting)

Twr: Auto

Twtr: Auto

Trwt: Auto

Tref: Auto

Twcl: Auto

DDR output driving: Auto

DDR DQ drive strength: Auto

User Config Mode: Auto (shown as: 2T mem timing, 5.5ns read preamble, 7ns Async latency value)

 

 

Using that configuration with 1 stick, single channel doesn't survive more than 1/2 second in test #8. Running 3 passes of memtest86+ (v1.65), it passes all other tests but test #8.

 

Changing out with the other stick -- hmmm... this stick seems to be passing. 4 passes of just test #8. Now to run all tests... one of these sticks (matched pair!!! hmmm... me wonder) may just be bad.

 

Will post results of full test of the "working" stick as well as a re-test of the "non-working" stick shortly. Did test them individually before, but may not have had all the right settings.

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hlygrail

hlygrail

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What is the module part# that you have? You have XMS4400C25 listed and they should run at these settings when not over clocking.

 

 

The TwinX1024-4400C25's are in my DFI LanParty box (the one in the sig). I'm asking about a different board (see first post), and different memory:

 

A DFI Infinity Ultra

TwinX1024-3200PT

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hlygrail

hlygrail

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Go figure.

 

So I essentially did nothing but switch the DIMM slots each chip is in and have now been through 4 passes of MemTest86+ without a single error. They had been reseated (same slot) before, and I tested yesterday with these same exact settings.

 

I seem to recall from my last DFI + Corsair build (the one listed in my profile) that the memory had to "settle in" before I got solid performance. Or maybe I'm just imagining that.

 

Either way, they seem to be working now. I'll let memtest go for awhile and see where things go, but the net change was nothing but switching DIMM slots (1 to 2, 2 to 1).

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hlygrail

hlygrail

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Either way, they seem to be working now. I'll let memtest go for awhile and see where things go, but the net change was nothing but switching DIMM slots (1 to 2, 2 to 1).

 

Short runs of Memtest seem to be clear on these sticks now, but I'm unable to load an OS (hangs, blue-screens). Put in a new HDD, same thing. Tried different OS (different disc), same thing. Frustration mounting...

 

BSOD is IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL_ZERO, which always indicates a memory problem to me (we haven't even gotten to the driver load part -- this is during the initial OS install). I'll let memtest run the rest of the day and see if it turns up anything.

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RAM GUY

RAM GUY

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The TwinX1024-4400C25's are in my DFI LanParty box (the one in the sig). I'm asking about a different board (see first post), and different memory:

 

A DFI Infinity Ultra

TwinX1024-3200PT

Sorry about that, just load setup defaults and then set the memory voltage to 2.7 Volts should be all you have to do. The timings should be set by the bios or BY SPD!

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hlygrail

hlygrail

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Sorry about that, just load setup defaults and then set the memory voltage to 2.7 Volts should be all you have to do. The timibgs should be set by the bios or BY SPD!

 

That's the first thing I did. Even fail-safe defaults runs with memtest errors, but only on test #8.

 

This motherboard is already tagged for RMA. I strongly suspect the vdimm/vtt can't keep the voltage steady on test #8 (also seen indication of that on other DFI boards, as well as documentation of such elsewhere on the Inferned). It'll be replaced with an Abit AN8, and I've made a 4th-strike mental note not to pair Corsair memory (unless PC4400 or better like my primary box) on a DFI nForce4 board.

 

The memory (or at least 1 stick) may very well be bad, but I can't tell with this motherboard, and don't have time to break down *my* box (being used for video editing and DVD render) to test. New mobo will be here in a few days.

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hlygrail

hlygrail

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I have no problem replacing your modules if you want to try that! Please follow the link in my signature “I think I have a bad part!” and we will be happy to replace them or it!

 

I may end up doing that next week after the Abit board gets here. Will let you know. Thanks!

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hlygrail

hlygrail

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Testing with replacement mobo, an Abit AN8 (also nForce4, socket 939), and multiple passes of test #8 seem fine. Too early to declare the problem solved (need to run full memtest passes overnight), but I suspect (as I did before) that the DFI Infinity has a weak voltage regulator circuit for the memory. Go figure.

 

Anyway, I'm testing at stock speeds now and will let it run overnight to be certain. Thanks for the help thus far, and I'll report in once I'm confident we're go for lift-off.

 

:sigh!:

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hlygrail

hlygrail

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Try the install with the SP1 disk and then update after.

 

Did that - still BSOD, unstable, can't load chipset drivers. Even backed it down to DDR333, memtest fails on multiple passes (only test #8), and WinXP is horrifically unstable, if it even loads at all without BSOD.

 

So I pulled out the TWINX1024-PT and put in 1 stick of my TWINX1024-4400C25 and re-tested loading WinXP+SP1. Hit the new thread for the followup. You'll be unpleasantly surprised....

 

Link to new thread is here: http://www.houseofhelp.com/forums/showthread.php?p=222553

 

...no need to confuse everyone on this thread now that I'm using a different mobo.

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