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Problems Running 4x VS512MVB400 in Dual Channel mode


levander

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Hi I have a motherboard I am using that has had 1GB (2xvs512mb400) and been running fine for a year, just fine in Dual-channel mode.

 

I recently purchased two more of these simms to make 2GB. I've been having stability proglems since.

 

What works.

*any two simms in dual channel no problem

*any 4 simms not in dual channel no problem

 

What doesn't

*All four simms in dual-channel mode = eventual crashes.

 

I don't know what is wrong, but I have my suspicions:

a) Fake Memory? The new SIMMS look a lot different from the orignals. the ValueSelect sticker looks cheap, the simm doesn't have "CORSAIR" printed in gold on it. The SIMM silicon is of different size.. aka one is a little higher. and the ink is fading on the new ones, the old ones look better

 

b) Maybe ther is some settting in bios I need to set? But I figured if I ordered the exact same brand VS512MB400 it would be no problem. besides, One old simm and one new simm seems to work in dual channel mode.

 

any clues are hlelpfull. I don't want to send them back, but I would feel a lot better if they at least looked like corsair SIMMS.

 

Lance

:eek:

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Check this link : http://www.soyousa.com/products/proddesc.php?id=238 You will notice "Three DDR 2.5V DIMM sockets support up to 3GB" under 'Recommended Memory'... So basically you want to use 4 DIMMs while the motherboard wants to use 3 only...

 

Four DIMM works but some chipsets don't like having 4 DIMMs as it puts too much stress on the chipset. It's ever worse when you have chips on both sides of your memory, 8 banks is overkill...

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Jabberwok:

 

That's the wrong motherboard. You've listed the current model and his is the discontinued SY-P4I865PE Plus DRAGON 2 V1.0. You'll notice the current model has only 3 DIMM slots while the discontinued model has 4. He say's he's trying to run 4 DIMM's, so it's got to be the old model.

 

Regardless...

 

levander:

 

What are your current BIOS memory settings? I'd try relaxing the latencies (if they're not already) to 3-4-4-8 and increase the VDimm to 2.75 volts. Make sure that the module pairs are in corresponding color-coded spots for best compatibility and test with Memtest86+.

 

PLUR

CK

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Actually, that VS512MB400 (without the "C3") memory should have been able to be run at 2.5-3-3-8 timings. The trouble with running four sticks of memory in dual-channel mode on an i865PE-based motherboard is exactly as you described.

 

And CK's suggestion of relaxing the timings to 3-4-4-8 may or may not solve the stability problems. And some motherboards will try to set the SPD-detected speeds and timings no matter what, if left at the BIOS defaults.

 

If your motherboard is setting DDR400 and 2.5-3-3-8 timings even with all four modules installed, then you will have stability problems. The i865PE's memory controller is the culprit. In this case, then try manually setting the memory clockspeed to 166MHz/DDR333.

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