idoru Posted November 30, 2005 Share Posted November 30, 2005 Installed these modules today (2 x 1GB), replacing a pair (2 x 512MB) of Twin X Platinum XMS (2-2-2-5 @ 1T) sticks. Old sticks ran fine in my new board, Asus A8N-E (bios 1005), at latencies listed above (Auto setting in BIOS). CPU is A64 3500+ Newcastle core. New modules booted up OK at default SPD timings of 3-3-3-8 @ 2T (though why those are the SPD timings rather than the advertised 2-3-3-6 I don't understand). Ran one cycle of Memtest which showed no errors. Then attempted to run the sticks at advertised settings of 2-3-3-6 @ 1T using manual settings in BIOS. Windows XP failed to load, citing a problem with a corrupted config file in the System folder. Rebooted, got back into the BIOS (second attempt) and reset the BIOS DDR settings to Auto. Thankfully booted into Windows OK. Restarted, went back into BIOS, and set 1T command - booted into Windows OK again, though have yet to run Memtest again. Clearly these sticks won't do the advertised/guaranteed timings - I might as well have saved £30/$50 and got the normal 3200 CL3 sticks. RMA candidate? Thanks. Edit: DDR voltage has been manually set to 2.75v. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corsair Employees RAM GUY Posted November 30, 2005 Corsair Employees Share Posted November 30, 2005 Please make sure that you have the latest bios and then load setup defaults and set the voltage to 2.8 Volts and set the timings manually and test them with http://www.memtest.org one at a time to be sure. And all of our modules that end with a "C2" designation will have their SPD set to JEDEC defined values for the IC we use to make that specific part the tested setting would need to be manually set. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idoru Posted November 30, 2005 Author Share Posted November 30, 2005 Thanks for the swift reply. That said: (a) I'm not overly excited about flashing my mobo BIOS, never have been, never will be - checking the ASUS website, it seems there have in any case been minimal changes between my BIOS v1005 and the latest official v1008 (whereas there were more significant changes made, including one relating specifically to memory compatability, between v1004 and v1005). If someone can offer solid proof as to why flashing the BIOS might correct the problem, I will of course try it. EDIT: another user of this mobo and RAM combination has confirmed the same problem as I experienced, this time with the v1008 BIOS (b) My concern about manually adjusting the BIOS again, even in incremental steps, is that I will end up hosing my XP installation (guess I got lucky last time). Not sure why I should be taking that risk in the circumstances... © Is the 2.8v DDR voltage setting covered by the warranty? (d) Why does one of the modules have a manufacturing date of November 14, 2159? :bigeyes: Seems to me that one or both of these modules has just got speed binned too high ie CL2 rather than CL3. Not trying to be awkward (really)... Thanks again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idoru Posted November 30, 2005 Author Share Posted November 30, 2005 Blah.... haven't flashed the BIOS, but did up the DDR voltage to 2.8... attempted CL2 (2-3-3-8) - same problem, failure to load XP and warning about missing config file comes up. So, RAM won't do CL2 @ 1T. Which it is supposed to do in the A8N-E. If I wanted CL3 RAM, I would have saved 50 bucks and got it in the first place...:mad: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corsair Employees RAM GUY Posted November 30, 2005 Corsair Employees Share Posted November 30, 2005 I have no problem replacing your modules, but mormally this is caused by bios or some other hardware issue, as command rate is not really a memory setting. To be sure I would test the modules one at a time and test with http://www.memtest.org to be sure. In addition what slots do you have them in? You might try the other slots. 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...
idoru Posted November 30, 2005 Author Share Posted November 30, 2005 Again, thanks for the reply. The problem seems to be the move to CL2, rather than 1T. It may be a compatability issue with the A8N-E, using both BIOS 1005 and 1008, although Corsair has tested this board obviously with the RAM. The system works fine with 2 x 512MB sticks of your 2-2-2-5 memory @ 1T, so perhaps 2Gb is a factor... I would try the latest 1008 BIOS, but as noted another user with this mobo and this RAM had an identical problem. Plus the layout of the wretched mobo means I have to keep removing the video card in order to pull or insert the RAM modules... Everything else in this system has been tried and tested in my previous system, with the exception of the PSU which is a 550W Antec TruePower 2.0 that is putting out very solid voltages. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corsair Employees RAM GUY Posted December 1, 2005 Corsair Employees Share Posted December 1, 2005 We have given our suggestions so please let us know how you make out, and or when you get the new modules. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idoru Posted December 1, 2005 Author Share Posted December 1, 2005 We have given our suggestions so please let us know how you make out, and or when you get the new modules. You did, and they were appreciated ;): I am in the process of negotiating RMA with my reseller (Overclockers.co.uk). As an aside, further digging turned up this thread further down the forum: http://www.houseofhelp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=44244 As the guy says near the bottom: "They don't seem bad necessarily, just not up to specs". That seems to be the boat in which I find myself. He has an A8N-SLI board btw. Anyway, many thanks again for your help. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corsair Employees RAM GUY Posted December 1, 2005 Corsair Employees Share Posted December 1, 2005 Well it may be the module as I have said, but from experiance with this MB and CPU it usually is some other issue, but I have no problem replacing the modules if the reseller will not help you. 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...
idoru Posted December 2, 2005 Author Share Posted December 2, 2005 Flashed the BIOS to 1008, tried 2.5 CAS at 1T, and it loaded XP OK. Maybe it was the new BIOS, maybe not attempting CAS2. Then went to TRAS 6, loaded again OK. Now running Memtest86 (I'm writing this on my wife's PC) at 2.5-3-3-6 @ 1T, three cycles completed with no errors... I'll let it run overnight, if no errors, I can live with those timings :biggrin: Perhaps the memory controller on my older A64 (Newcastle core remember) struggles with 2GB in combination with this board... whatever, many thanks again for your time and advice. EDIT: should add, changed two other things, one obvious, one not - set DDR voltage back to 2.75v, and disabled DRAM over 4G remapping (enabled by default). May prove useful to anyone with a similar problem in future... EDIT#2: 14 cycles of MemTest86 completed (both sticks/dual mode) with no errors at 2.5-3-3-6 @ 1T :biggrin: I should be able to rely on it being stable now, right? As I said above, I'm happy not to try and push the CAS any higher. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corsair Employees RAM GUY Posted December 2, 2005 Corsair Employees Share Posted December 2, 2005 No problem, we have a lifetime warranty so we will be happy to replace them at any time, but I would give it a few more weeks and see if there is a newer bios that may help this even more. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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