Help!! Advise needed please

[AnonyMooseUK]

Hi all,

 

I have built a new PC with the following details, and am struggling to get it stable, any advice would be appreciated.

 

 

• Intel Core 2 Quad Q6600 G0 Stepping CPU
  
• 2x TWIN2x2048-6400C4 Corsair Memory (Total 4GB)
  
• MSI P6N SLI V2 Motherboard (Latest Bios)
  
• MSI 8600GTS Silent GFX card
  
• Antec 500W PSU & Case
  
• Western Digital 750GB SATA HDD
  

 

 

XP installs but is flakey as hell, and bizarrely Service packs wont apply.

Vista installs but then wont start up and bluescreens with "memory management" errors etc.

 

depending on where you look, I am not sure if these memory chips are compatible with this motherboard. I have been ploughing through the forum and seen many issues, i have dropped it down to 667MHZ and set the correct timings and voltage, 4-4-4-12 2T 2.1V.

 

I have been running memory tests overnight, with different combinations of dimms. When all four are in, lots of errors, when two are in, also lots of errors (socket 1 and 3 - dual channel mode pair). its currently still running with just one in there and no errors so far. So it looks like an pairing issue.

 

I have compared the two pairs or dimms and they are exactly the same, so i cannot see why i am getting the problem.

 

Please advise, will these ever work, or should i swop memory or M/B?

I would think its unlikely to be a memory problem, as its surely rare to get four forty dimms....

 

HELP !! thanks in advance.....

[DerekT]

You need to drop your DRAM bandwidth when populating all four DRAM banks.

 

The memory controller can not keep up with the extra DRAM at the rated 6400 speed. You will need to drop the speed of the DRAM from 800Mhz to 667Mhz. If you had purchased 4 X 1024MB of PC8500 (1066Mhz) DRAM, then you would have had to drop to PC6400 (800MHz) DRAM, etc. 2 X 2048 will not issue this problem. This is a problem of all 4 banks being populated.

 

Think of it this way. If you have a small phone book, then when you go into the index to find the page where you will find the phone number you are doing so at a certain speed due to the pages of the Index. Then you have to drive through the pages to get to the number. Now if your index is twice as large and the pages twice as many, then it takes longer to access the data. Now DRAM has a Strobe and the length of the strobe is how long the rows and columns can be left open before they must be refreshed. There is not enough time for the dram to be refreshed and then accessed with 4GB at the full access speed of the DRAM. The chipsets are optimized for 2GB, not 4GB and for 2 DRAM slots, not 4 DRAM slots populated. You can overclock the FSB (and hence the Memory Controller Hub = MCH) to gain some extra bandwidth and thus access the capabilities of the DRAM since the chipset is now clocked up. Usually when you clock up the FSB and concurrently the Memory Controller Hub (MCH) you need to raise the voltages of the CPU/MCH a bit as well.

 

Download memtest from http://www.memtest.org and extract the ISO image. Burn the ISO image to an optical disk.

 

Enter your BIOS and try these settings:

Advanced BIOS Features

 

Cell Menu

 

DOT Control = Disabled

Intel EIST = Enabled

System Clock Mode = Manual

FSB Clock = 333MHz (1333Mhz QDR)

Memory Clock Mode = 667Mhz

 

Advance DRAM Configuration

Memory Timings = Manual

 

tCL = 4

tRCD = 4

tRP = 4

tRAS = 12

CMD = 2T

tRRD = Auto

tRC = Auto

tWR = Auto

tWTR = Auto

tREF = Auto

Command Per Clock = 2T

Adjust PCI-e Frequency = 100Mhz

 

CPU Voltage = Auto

Memory Voltage = 2.1v

NB Voltage = Auto

SB Voltage = Auto

FSB VTT Voltage = Auto

 

Spread Spectrum Configuration

 

CPU Spread Spectrum = Disabled

PCI-e Spread Spectrum = Disabled

CPU/LDT Spread Spectrum = Disabled

SATA Spread Spectrum = Disabled

Boot to the optical drive with the memtest disk and allow for two full passes.

 

Results?

[AnonyMooseUK]

Thanks for the reply derek, I will give that a go. But note i have already done most of those settings, including the 667MHZ memory speed suggestion.

 

I am already using memtest to test them out, the Single chip test actually went through fine and i am now able to get an OS onto the box, and the service pack.....

 

Once thats finished, i will give your suggestions a try.

thanks again, i will let you know how i get on.

[AnonyMooseUK]

Derek,

 

this hasnt made any difference, i have put one dimm back in, so there is now two in, one in socket 1 and one in socket 2 (the dual channel pair).

set the settings as you specified, and i am still getting errors in memtest.

 

Any other ideas?

 

thanks

[DerekT]

You have tested the modules singly. Have you tested them in Dual Channel Pairs?

 

If so, you may have to increase the FSB MHz to increase the MCH MHz and achieve stability.

 

Set your CPU multiplier from 9 to 8 and raise your FSB from 266 to 300MHz.

 

Change

 

NB Voltage = 1.4

SB Voltage = 1.55

FSB VTT Voltage = 1.35

 

This brings you from:

 

9 X 266 = 2.4Ghz

 

To:

 

8 X 300 = 2.4Ghz

 

So, your CPU is running at the same speed (2.4Ghz) but your FSB is running 33Mhz X 4 = 133MHz (12%) faster. Concurrently, your MCH/Northbridge (Memory Controller Hub) is also running that 12% faster.

 

Results?

[AnonyMooseUK]

Derekt, thanks for the help, i have already tested all the dimms one by one and found that two out of the four 'brand new' dimms are faulty, hence why i had headache problems. i am sending them back to the supplier for replacement.

 

Until i get the replacements, i have put the two working ones into dimm1 and dimm3 (dual channel mode) and they work at any of the settings now.

 

I have run memtest and prime95 and its rock solid now, at 667 or 800 MHZ at 4-4-4-12 and 2t, so i have left it at 800MHZ until i get the replacements.

 

So it looks like i just have really bad luck, and a 50% memory failure rate, which isnt good.... if any of the replacements do not work, i will send the whole lot back and get another make instead.

[DerekT]

if any of the replacements do not work, i will send the whole lot back and get another make instead.

 

These things do happen. Before you speak about moving to a different company, you may wish to check that companies help and RMA.

 

I know that's what brought me here and has made me a very satisfied customer. They went out of their way to make me happy. Shyt happens but it is the method of sweeping up the dung that creates loyal customers. Anybody can be happy when no issues occur, that's simple. It's what happens when issues occur. Was I treated well? Was I made to think that other things were to blame? Did they give me an easy route to RMA, etc. etc... That's why I come here and give my own free time to help. GRATIS. You do not seem very appreciative and maybe you may find better elsewhere. The reason I say that you do not seem very appreciative of the help is that you have said if any problems remain, then off you will go. For my part, I say: Good luck!!! I can say this because I have no affiliation with Corsair and only do this on my own time and dime.

 

Good luck if stuff happens and you move to another manufacturer. See how their RMA and online help goes. For me, there is no other...