PC Freezing

[Ryan_R]

Hi guys.

 

I've been battling problems with my PC freezing completely for the past 5 month which has been extremely irritating and expensive.

 

Last week CPL charged $170 just to tell me there's nothing wrong with the individual core components (mobo, cpu, gfx card, psu) and that the ram should be fine, but that I might need to adjust some BIOS settings in regards to the RAM.

 

If I reset the BIOS (upgraded to P07) and use Auto settings, it detects the RAM timings as 7, 7, 7, 20 1T with 1.5 volts, whereas the RAM module sticker says 9, 9, 9, 24 1.7 volts (and some online searching says to use 2T).

 

I've set those settings and it froze just before (although lasting a fair bit longer before freezing). I have literally tried everything else, and am thinking there must be some other BIOS settings that need tweaking. I don't plan on overclocking the system, and I'm not a huge expert at settings timings, frequencies, voltages, etc.

 

If you could help me fix this once and for all I'd be really grateful.

Thanks in advance.

[DerekT]

Download CPU-z from

Here

.

Download Memtest86+ Version 2.01 from--->

Here

and extract the ISO image. Burn the ISO image to an CD-ROM disk.

 

Perform a hard reset to clear any BIOS stack corruption issues.

1. Shut the system down
   
2. Remove the power cord
   
3. Remove the CMOS Battery
   
4. Set the CMOS_CLR Jumper to On
   
5. Press the power button for 10 seconds
   
6. Let sit for 10 minutes
   
7. Set the CMOS_CLR Jumper to Off
   
8. Insert the CMOS Battery
   
9. Insert the Power Cord
   
10. Restart the system
    
11. Enter the BIOS
    
12. Load Default Settings
    
13. Save Default Settings and Exit
    
14. Restart the System and enter the BIOS
    

 

Enter your BIOS and load setup defaults. Save setup defaults and enter these values:

 

Extreme Tweaker

 

CPU Level Up = Disabled

Memory Level Up = Disabled

 

AI Overclock Tuner = Manual

CPU Multiplier = 8.5

FSB - Memory Clock Mode = Unlinked

FSB (QDR) = 1333 (333)

MEM (DDR) = 1333 (667)

LDT Frequency = 5X

PCIE BUS, Slot 1 & 2, Mhz = 100

PCIE BUS, Slot 3, Mhz = 100

SPP <--> Ref Clock, Mhz = 200

 

Memory Timing Section

 

tCL (CAS Latency) = 9

tRCD = 9

tRP = 9

tRAS = 24

Command Per Clock = 2T

 

Advanced Memory Settings

 

tRRD = Auto

tRC = Auto

tWR = Auto

tWTR = Auto

tFAW = Auto

tREF = Auto

 

CPU Configuration

 

CPU Internal Thermal Control = Auto

Lmit CPUID MaxVal = Disabled

Execute Disable Bit = Enabled

Virtualization Technology = Enabled

Enhanced Intel Speedstep Tech = Disabled

 

CPU Core 2 = Enabled

CPU Core 3 = Enabled

CPU Core 4 = Enabled

 

System Voltages

 

CPU Core = Auto

CPU FSB = Auto

Memory = 1.7v

nForce SPP = Auto

nForce MCP = 1.60v

HT nForce SPP <-> MCP = Auto

 

Run Memtest for two full passes, then (If Stable), enter Windows and post screenshots of CPU-z's CPU, Memory and SPD tabs.

[Ryan_R]

Thanks - I'll give that a shot tonight when I get home from work and let you know how I get on.

[DerekT]

Try one stick of DRAM at a time. If both sticks show the same issues, then the issue is very likely external to the DRAM and is possibly a motherboard issue. Is your boot drive the old IDE PATA one?

[Ryan_R]

Having purchased my motherboard, CPU, GFX Card, PSU and case from the same store - I took those parts back to them last week for them to test. They found that the parts were not faulty. I sent them the RAM a few days later - but they weren't definitive in telling me that the RAM was faulty or if it was just BIOS settings, etc that needed adjustment. Then they charged me $170 for the service :mad:

 

Before that I have already had every part replaced under warranty, I have run the system as bare as possible. I have tried only using 1 HDD on its own, and reinstalled Windows many times.

[DerekT]

Have you tried different hard drives? Have you run memtest on the DRAM? You sent them the parts and not the DRAM? Why would you do that? Have them test the parts and not the memory?

 

For 170.00, they should have given you a working system. Strange business.

[Ryan_R]

I wanted to make sure that the other parts were ok - I gave them the RAM a few days later.

 

I have already tested using one HDD at a time, and also purchased a new one to use on its own - made no difference.

 

I went through the above steps and ran Memtest and went out for a bit. Coming back nearly 3 hours later - I found the system still running, which was a first for this long in Memtest (I've used the latest version of it before and it would last about 40 mins the first time and only 10 on subsequent occasions). However, it did find some errors:

 

Test: 6

Pass: 1

Failing Address: 00032f55168 815.3 MB

Good: 7fffffff

Bad: ffffffff

Err Bits: 80000000

Count: 1

 

Pass: 4

Errors: 3

 

I assume the 4th error wasn't too far away, but I wasn't going to wait for it since it did last this long without freezing.

 

I'll run the OS and see if freezing is an issue - or if I should return the RAM under RMA. I assume you'll want me to run the tests again using 1 stick at a time, which I won't be able to do until tomorrow (limited time between getting home from work and having to sleep before the next day of work).

 

Anyway, thanks for your help so far - this is the most progress I've made in 5 months.

[DerekT]

Keeping the memory and giving the other parts for testing is not the way one tests a system. Can't you see that? Does it actually make sense to you to give part of the computer for testing and keep part of it?

 

:bigeyes:

 

Please test the DRAM sticks singly. Insert one stick in slot one (Closest to the CPU) and run Memtest. If it passes, remove that stick and insert it in slot three and retest. If it passes, then you have two slots and one stick passed. Then remove the first stick, insert the second one in slot one and retest. Finally, insert a stick in slot one and slot three and retest.

 

Results?

[Ryan_R]

Sorry for taking so long to get back to you - I don't have much time at home to run tests.

 

I have done what you said - run each module in each RAM slot - every test had errors in it. On one occasion the system froze, but the + icon at the top right kept flashing, despite the keyboard having no effect.

 

I'm assuming I will have to return the parts for warranty (which will be the 2nd time I've done this now), and this will cost me an unsatisfactory 6 -8 weeks to get the replacement parts back. How anyone can take that long is completely beyond me - the other store I use only takes 2 weeks.

 

Will wait for your response before taking action.

[DerekT]

If each DRAM stick errors out when tested singly, there is very likely something wrong that is external to the DRAM.

 

It's not very likely that both sticks are bad. It does happen, but seldom. There's no response I can give you. Corsair will RMA your DRAM if you wish, but I would think that you will find that the issue repeats.

 

I have never seen two sticks of DRAM in a kit error out when tested singly unless the problem was board related.

[Ryan_R]

I was told be my computer supplier that K'ston DDR3 RAM is a lot more reliable than the Corsair DDR3 RAM - when they had my PC they used K'ston RAM and the PC worked beautifully - then they used their own Corsair RAM and it became more unstable, same when they had my RAM. Note that I've already RMA'd the RAM and motherboard earlier in the year (along with every other part integral to the system).

 

I would like to return the RAM for a refund and try another product - there is nothing else worth trying considering how long I've had to put up with this faulty system. I will either look at K'ston or O see Z

[RAM GUY]

I would say your supplier does not know what they are doing or they are getting a kick back from our competitor, Please call in and talk to our Tech support tomorrow after 9:00 AM Pacific Time and we will be happy to help you try and figure out what the problem is, other wise I am sorry you will need to work that out with your reseller.

[Ryan_R]

What is the GMT offset timezone for them and the phone number? Is there an Australian number?

 

Thanks

[Wired]

http://www.timeanddate.com

PST is -8 GMT, so they're 19 hours behind you.

 

So when they're open 8:30 AM to 5:30 PM on Friday, November 21, it will be Saturday, November 22, 2008, 2:30 AM to 11:30 AM in Brisbane, Australia. Email may be best for now, but it looks like you'll have a couple of hours tomorrow where you'll both be awake and they'll be open :)

 

 

Honestly, that's odd for a store to charge $170 and not clearly state what the issue was. Do you know what speed / timings / voltage they tested your memory at, as well as their store memory at? If they didn't test them as per the specs, then their whole testing scenario is invalid.

 

Also, 6-8 WEEKS? I've never heard of an RMA take that long from ANY manufacturer, unless the part was out of stock or something, and even then, that's still pushing it. Where'd you RMA the memory to, the local store or Corsair?

[Ryan_R]

The product they used in testing was identical to mine - timings set manually. They were the first ones to tell me that the n790i board requires the timings to be set manually to increase stability.

 

My last RMA was via the store I purchased the RAM from.