Old DIMM fails memtest86+

[fred47]

Hi!

I have a system that's over 3 years old:

Athlon XP 2500, ECS motherboard (KT400(A)/600 Chipset),GeForce 3 Ti4200 video card. For the last few months, I've had random errors. When I ran memtest86+, I got 283 errors before halting the test.

 

Given that it worked OK for 2 and a half years on the default (automatic) settings, and the system is working fine with more recent Corsair memory (I borrowed 2 1 Gig "ValueSelect" DIMMs from another system, and they work fine..) I think that my CMX512-2700C2 has developed a problem. Is there anything I should check before RMA'ing the unit?

 

Thanks,

Fred

[RAM GUY]

Can you tell me the bios settings you have set for both CPU and memory and any performance settings that you may have set?

[fred47]

Hi!

 

Here are the settings, which have been unchanged for 3 years:

CPU Clock 166 MHz

DRAM clock: By SPD

Timing: Auto by SPD

DRAM Burst Length 4

DRAM Command Rate 2T

Tras 7T

DRAM CAS Latency 2

Precharge to Active (Trp) 2T

Active to CMD (Trccd) 2T

Bank Interleave Disabled.

 

In other words, everything is stock, no changes made.

 

Thanks!

Fred

[RAM GUY]

With this platform you have to run the memory in sync with your CPU or it will cause a bottelneck in the chipset and may generate errors, or at the verry least will have poor performance.

CPU Clock 166 MHz

DRAM clock: 100% 1-1

Timing: Manual

DRAM Burst Length 4

DRAM Command Rate 2

Tras 7T

DRAM CAS Latency 2

Precharge to Active (Trp) 3T

Active to CMD (Trccd) 3T

Bank Interleave Disabled.

Then please test the modules one at a time and lets make sure one is not failing

[fred47]

Hi!

 

1. The CPU clock and the DRAM clock are identical: 166 MHz.

2. DRAM clock - Auto by SPD is the only valid choice: other choices are "Turbo" and "Hyper", which sound to me like non-standard.

3. There is only one module which is failing - it provided the total RAM for this computer. There is no other module, and bank interleave is disabled

4. I would imagine that the two parameters you suggest at 3T rather than the 2T set automatically by the BIOS from the DIMM would not change over time. I'll check that, of course.

 

Thanks!

Fred

[RAM GUY]

Fred,

Please set the settings I suggested, and you may need to look in the manual to set the bios settings, but (DRAM clock - Auto by SPD is the only valid choice: other choices are "Turbo" and "Hyper", which sound to me like non-standard.) that tells me you have a performance setting set and should be disabled. Or I would suggest testing the module in a known working system to be sure.