dazmoriarty Posted November 17, 2005 Share Posted November 17, 2005 Hi all, I bought 2 x CMX512-3200XLPRO (512Mb each) from Komplett.ie some months ago, but just last week I was playing Doom 3 when my new XP box bluescreened and started rebooting. Then it stopped completing the POST altogether. I reset the BIOS settings to failsafe options and it started finishing POST properly, but every time it started Windows XP, it would bluescreen after that. So, since it was a newly constructed PC, I broke it back down and even with practically everything removed apart from the bare essentials, it was BSODing. I then reseated both DIMMs - no dice. I then swapped the two DIMMs around - same problem. So then I removed one of the 2 DIMMs (the one in bank 1) and it still happened, but this time I noticed the fancy lights on the top edge (facing outwards) of the remaining DIMM was staying red. So I swapped it out for the other DIMM (i.e. put the other one in bank 0) and the machine booted immediately and perfectly! As a test I repeated the process twice and both times the results were identical. Think I have a duff DIMM. I am going to contact Komplett now for an RMA number but was wondering if there is anything else I should check beforehand? Thanks :) DazMoriarty Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corsair Employees RAM GUY Posted November 17, 2005 Corsair Employees Share Posted November 17, 2005 Please set the Dim Voltage to 2.8 volts and then set the timings manually to the tested settings for the specific module you have, and then test the module/modules one at a time with www.memtest.org! If you still get errors, please follow the link in my signature “I think I have a bad part!” and we will be happy to replace them or it! However, if you get errors with both modules that would suggest some other problem and I would test them in another system or MB to be sure. . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dazmoriarty Posted December 6, 2005 Author Share Posted December 6, 2005 Hi there, Sorry it took me a while. Anyway, here's how I got on: 1/ I was fairly sure that ONLY one of the two 512Mb sticks was bad, so I put both in the system. 2/ I changed the DIMM slot's voltage to 2.8 (the maximum allowed by my Abit IC7-G m/board) and rebooted. The machine could not complete the power-on self-test. 3/ I took out the stick I suspected and the machine booted fine without any visible hesitations etc. 4/ I then replaced the 'good' stick with the bad one; so only 1 x 512Mb stick in there. Ironically, the machine completed POST, but after the Windows XP boot routine, it bluescreened as originally reported. 5/ I repeated point 2 but only by leaving the bad stick still in (by itself), but setting the voltage a little lower at 2.7. Same deal. 6/ This I set the DIMM volgtage to the default 2.6 - same story. 7/ I even went below the default setting, to 2.5, and the machine halted again at POST. 8/ I removed the bad stick and put in the good stick and repeated the boot routine using the 2.5 through to the 2.8 voltage settings and every time it booted perfectly. Previous to all of this of course - and how I determined that the RAM was the problem - I reduced the system to it's most basic configuration, namely: 1/ Removed the power cables from all internal components, including the motherboard - the fan started as expected, so the PSU was most likely not the issue. Mouse and keyboard were left attached however. 2/ I then added back the cables to the motherboard and graphics card only - machine powered up but could not boot as the drives were not attached/powered. 3/ Then I added the (only) HDD (a SATA HDD), booted fine. 4/ Added cables back to the audio card and SATA DVD-Burner, booted fine. 5/ Put both DIMMs back into the fray - bluescreen heaven! 6/ I then toggled between the two and determined that one was definitely bad. It's vitals are: CMX512-3200XLPRO / 2.2.2.5 / 400Mhz XMS3208v1.1 (and on the next line) 0439026-30 What can I do next?! SORRY - forgot to mention that I don't have a floppy drive so I can't test with Memtest :-( Thanks for the help! Daragh Moriarty Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corsair Employees RAM GUY Posted December 6, 2005 Corsair Employees Share Posted December 6, 2005 Let's get them both replaced. 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...
dazmoriarty Posted December 15, 2005 Author Share Posted December 15, 2005 Hi there, Thanks for your decision. However I have contacted Komplett.ie, the intermediate vendor, and they have granted me an RMA, so I will return both DIMMs to them for testing, and a replacement will be issued once they are sufficiently tested and one deemed to be defective as I have already determined. Thanks for your time RAMGuy:) DM Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corsair Employees RAM GUY Posted December 15, 2005 Corsair Employees Share Posted December 15, 2005 No problem, please let me know how you make out! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dazmoriarty Posted January 13, 2006 Author Share Posted January 13, 2006 Hi there again, Yes, one tested faulty, while the other one turned out to be fine. They are sending the good one and a replacement back to me :biggrin: However (as per http://www.houseofhelp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=46948), I decided to buy 2 x 1Gb sticks for some serious XMS lovin'! Thanks :biggrin: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corsair Employees RAM GUY Posted January 13, 2006 Corsair Employees Share Posted January 13, 2006 Sounds good and thank you for letting us know! Please let me know when you get the new modules. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dazmoriarty Posted January 13, 2006 Author Share Posted January 13, 2006 No problem! Can you explain to me (or send me a link) as to the content of my other thread - about the tangible/visible (if at all) differences between the 2-2-2-5 and 3-4-4-8 latencies? Much appreciated! DM Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corsair Employees RAM GUY Posted January 13, 2006 Corsair Employees Share Posted January 13, 2006 Please see the F.A.Q. Section and I would suggest you watch the Memory Basics Presentation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.