RedRedSuit Posted June 21, 2006 Share Posted June 21, 2006 Hi there. You can see my specs in the profile. In short, it's a new AM2-based mobo on the nVidia 570 SLI chipset, with new RAM from Newegg, new PSU, new graphics, new CPU, new everything. I don't know. I'm in pure Hell. Sometimes it POSTs, sometimes it doesn't. When it does, it usually hangs in about a minute, even if I'm just browsing around BIOS Setup. Weirdly, if I swap the two RAM sticks, it definitely doesn't POST, but if I put them back, it POSTs but can't go anywhere after that (hangs). It's semi-stable when I remove one of the sticks, put the other into DIMM2 (not DIMM1). With this, Windows Setup is able to get pretty far, but eventually it BSODs out (stuff like IRQ_NOT_LESS and other "driver" problems, while still in text mode -- no GUI). Do I need to set the timings manually? Shouldn't it be already at 5-5-5-15 autodetected? Well, I set it to 5-5-5-15 and upped the voltage to 2.1V from 1.9V. Would that help? (Unfortunately, I cannot tell, because I left Memtest running with these settings and had to go to work. Back home in a couple of hours.) Unfortunately, I have no other DDR2 RAM with which to test. What should my strategy here be? Thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corsair Employees RAM GUY Posted June 21, 2006 Corsair Employees Share Posted June 21, 2006 Yes please load setup/optimized defaults and then set the Dim Voltage to 2.1 volts (+.2 Volts W/Giga-Byte) and then set the timings manually to the tested settings for the specific module you have, XM2S5400C4 Cass 4-4-4-12 and then test the module/'s one at a time with http://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...
RedRedSuit Posted June 22, 2006 Author Share Posted June 22, 2006 Hi there. I am having _some_ success -- the stable config I was able to find is 4-4-4-12 2.1V 533MHz For some reason, 667MHz (which is what this RAM was rated at) is too much. The thing is, if the system is able to POST, Memtest86 passes even at 667MHz beautifully. The problem is, when I try, say, Hitman: Blood Money demo for a few minutes, it always crashes unless I bump it down to 533MHz. Any idea what gives? Could it be a motherboard incompatibility? Corsair says it should work with the MSI board, but, in retrospect, MSI didn't test it themselves. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corsair Employees RAM GUY Posted June 22, 2006 Corsair Employees Share Posted June 22, 2006 Please test the modules one at a time to make sure one is not failing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedRedSuit Posted June 23, 2006 Author Share Posted June 23, 2006 Please test the modules one at a time to make sure one is not failing. Will do. However, note that even both modules at 667MHz don't "fail" according to Memtest. Overall system stability -- that's another question. But yes, I will try just one stick at 667MHz with some games, to see if that works. Then the other stick. Will report back here. Thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corsair Employees RAM GUY Posted June 23, 2006 Corsair Employees Share Posted June 23, 2006 That would suggest some other problem, have you checked for the latest bios! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedRedSuit Posted June 23, 2006 Author Share Posted June 23, 2006 I have. There was one BIOS update, no effect. This is a new board on a new chipset, though. That's what I get for being a glorified beta tester. :(: I did actually get an equivalent mobo from Fry's (returnable), so I *can* swap it in to see if Newegg shipped me a malfunctioning mobo, or if it's just incompatible. But it's just so painful. Still have to run those one-stick tests.... The weekend will provide some time to do it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corsair Employees RAM GUY Posted June 23, 2006 Corsair Employees Share Posted June 23, 2006 Lets try replacing your modules or can you test them in another system? Let's get it or them replaced, please use the On Line RMA Request Form and we will be happy to replace them or it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedRedSuit Posted June 24, 2006 Author Share Posted June 24, 2006 Following your suggestion, I will, in fact, try to test the modules in an identical motherboard from another source (Fry's) -- this weekend, when there's time. If it works, then the motherboard I have must be defective and has to be RMA'd. If it does not work, then either (a) I've found an incompatibility between these modules and that board model (how likely is this?), so I'd better refund the RAM and buy something MSI says is compatible; or (b) the modules are defective and must be RMA'd. Looking ahead, assuming it doesn't work in another identical motherboard, which of (a) or (b) would you say is more likely? Note: When I say identical, I mean it is another new MSI K9N SLI Platinum. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedRedSuit Posted June 26, 2006 Author Share Posted June 26, 2006 After upping the voltage and manually setting the RAM to 4-4-4-12, it doesn't look like the RAM is bad or to be blamed for any further blue-screens. They still happen with different RAM (Value RAM) and even with the identical MSI board, different video card, and even different power supply (across multiple Windows XP reinstalls). The only part that has been common in all these tests is the hard drive, so perhaps it is the culprit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corsair Employees RAM GUY Posted June 26, 2006 Corsair Employees Share Posted June 26, 2006 I would check with MSI and see what they suggest! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedRedSuit Posted June 28, 2006 Author Share Posted June 28, 2006 Thanks. It is definitely the hard drive, though. Replacing it with another WDC hard drive makes all the blue screens go away. Odd, but true. Maybe it's a malfunctioning power connector or SATA connector. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corsair Employees RAM GUY Posted June 28, 2006 Corsair Employees Share Posted June 28, 2006 Well at least you know what the problem is, that is the main challenge. But please let us know how you make out! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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