Sigume Posted January 27, 2009 Share Posted January 27, 2009 Hi All, I'm having a bit of trouble getting some stability with this RAM/MB combination. I've spent a little bit of time investigating/trying to work out what is going wrong and I've made a little bit of progress towards getting it fixed. Hopefully its just a matter of me being silly and getting some BIOS settings wrong. The problem is that when placed under load, Vista x64 will just bluescreen. Its a different error each time but it does have a few favorites like PFN_LIST_CORRUPT or IRQ_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL (something like that). With everything in BIOS set to AUTO it will just randomly bluescreen. It has even bluescreened before the Vista setup even finished :eek: So I searched and searched and found something similar here: http://www.asktheramguy.com/v3/showthread.php?t=75177 - I tried to copy the settings kindly provided by DerekT (and then probably messed them up a bit - sorry!!). (ps - I noticed that even when it had default for everything - even the voltage @ 1.8, memtest didn't return any errors) I found that if I only have one stick in with the settings below, it will run rock solid. So I took the second stick out and put it in another PC and ran memtest - no errors. Put it back in my machine - no errors within memtest (ran for 10hrs). Yet as soon as I put load on the machine - bluescreen. So why would it die like this with the second stick in (I have tried slots A2 and B1)? Is it any of my settings? Ai Overclock Tuner Manual OC From CPU Level Up Auto Ratio CMOS Setting Auto FSB Frequency 333 CPU Clock Skew Auto NB Clock Skew Auto FSB Strap to North Bridge 333 MHz DRAM Frequency DDR2-1066 DRAM CLK Skew on Channel A1 Auto DRAM CLK Skew on Channel A2 Auto DRAM CLK Skew on Channel B1 Auto DRAM CLK Skew on Channel B2 Auto DRAM Timing Control Manual (1st Information : 5-5-5-15-3-80-6-3) CAS# Latency 5 DRAM Clocks DRAM RAS# to CAS# Delay 5 DRAM Clocks DRAM RAS# Precharge 5 DRAM Clocks DRAM RAS# Activate to Pre 15 DRAM Clocks RAS# to RAS# Delay Auto Row Refresh Cycle Time 80 DRAM Clocks Write Recovery Time Auto Read to Precharge Time Auto 2nd information : 7-3-5-4-5-4-6 (auto all) 3rd information: 14-5-1-6-6 (auto all) DRAM Static Read Control Disabled MEM. OC Charger Disabled Ai Clock Twister Lighter Ai Transaction Booster Manual (C/P : A1 A2 A3 A4 A5) (LVL : 08 08 08 08 08) Common Performance Level 08 PCIE Frequency 100 CPU Voltage Auto CPU PLL Voltage Auto FSB Termination Voltage Auto DRAM Voltage 2.10475 North Bridge Voltage Auto South Bridge 1.5 Voltage Auto South Bridge 1.1 Voltage Auto CPU GTL Reference (0) Auto CPU GTL Reference (1) Auto CPU GTL Reference (2) Auto CPU GTL Reference (3) Auto NB GTL Reference Auto DDR2 ChA Reference Voltage Auto DDR2 ChB Reference Voltage Auto North Bridge DDR Reference Auto Load-Line Calibration Enabled CPU Spread Spectrum Disabled PCIE Spread Spectrum Disabled Memory Remap Feature Enabled Memory Hole Disabled oh yes, and I cant find where I'd set the DRAM Command Rate. Either I'm blind or the option is hidden under something else.. :sigh!: Thanks in advance! :D: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DerekT Posted January 27, 2009 Share Posted January 27, 2009 You mention VISTA. VISTA has a but with installations of > 2GB unless the version is SP1. If you have the Pre SP1 version, it is advised to remove one stick and install VISTA, update to SP1 and shut down. Then install the second stick. What version is your BIOS? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sigume Posted January 27, 2009 Author Share Posted January 27, 2009 You mention VISTA. VISTA has a but with installations of > 2GB unless the version is SP1. If you have the Pre SP1 version, it is advised to remove one stick and install VISTA, update to SP1 and shut down. Then install the second stick. What version is your BIOS? Hi DerekT, thanks for your reply. I've tried Vista x64 SP1 and also XP x64 SP2 which wasn't stable either (I put it down to it being XP x64 though :biggrin: No bluescreens like Vista, however programs just crashed randomly). The BIOS is 1901, dated 2008-12-31 (most recent). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corsair Employees RAM GUY Posted January 28, 2009 Corsair Employees Share Posted January 28, 2009 Try raising your memory controller voltage 1-3 steps above the stock setting. You may simply need a small bump to accomodate the 1066 memory frequency. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sigume Posted January 28, 2009 Author Share Posted January 28, 2009 tried that, didn't make any effect... I'll call the sticks M1 and M2. I had only M1 in the system with the above settings (stable). It was in slot A1. I then increased the voltage of the NB to 1.25 (default is 1.1) and placed M2 into slot B1. This produced a bluescreen (quite fast too!) The NB voltage was then increased to 1.3. This produced a bluescreen. I have attempted 1.4 before so I did not do it this time. I then moved M1 from A1 to A2, and M2 from B1 to B2, and left the voltage at 1.3. This was also unstable. I borrowed 4gb-6400 today and tried that (reverted BIOS to default and then increased only the RAM voltage to 2.0) and that was stable with 4gb. sigh!! I'm now trying only M2 in slot A1 and it seems ok (memtest did not return any errors on this stick). :sigh!: It only seems to die when I have 4gb of this RAM there. Any suggestions? I'm not particuarly fussed at how fast it runs - I just want it to be stable :sigh!: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DerekT Posted January 28, 2009 Share Posted January 28, 2009 Have you tried inserting the DRAM in the high speed tuned slots being the second and fourth slots? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sigume Posted January 28, 2009 Author Share Posted January 28, 2009 I think I've tried just about every possible combination :confused: Yeah, I've tried slots 2 and 4 (they're labelled A2 and B2 on the board, but I know what you mean). I'll keep trying. I was thinking of the following: resetting the BIOS to default, setting DRAM voltage @ 2.1 setting NB voltage @ 1.25 setting DRAM Frequency to DDR2-800 and leaving everything else as default. would that be worth trying? Would it force the RAM to run at 800 rather than 1066? Is there anything else I'd need to set? Are the BIOS settings in my first post correct? ie, should it be working with those settings? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DerekT Posted January 29, 2009 Share Posted January 29, 2009 Yes, your settings should be enough. However, I think that you have mainboard memory controller issues and as such the problem may be alleviated with such a drop or the use of a single module but very possibly sooner or later the issue will degenerate and you will lose system stability. I would RMA the mainboard personally if I had your shown issue. I think I've tried just about every possible combination :confused: Yeah, I've tried slots 2 and 4 (they're labelled A2 and B2 on the board, but I know what you mean). I'll keep trying. I was thinking of the following: resetting the BIOS to default, setting DRAM voltage @ 2.1 setting NB voltage @ 1.25 setting DRAM Frequency to DDR2-800 and leaving everything else as default. would that be worth trying? Would it force the RAM to run at 800 rather than 1066? Is there anything else I'd need to set? Are the BIOS settings in my first post correct? ie, should it be working with those settings? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sigume Posted January 29, 2009 Author Share Posted January 29, 2009 thanks guys, I appreciate your help with this. I suspected as much. I just wanted to be absolutely certain it wasn't the RAM before I got onto Asus. When I got the board, it didn't have any thermal interface material (at all) between the NB or the SB and the heatsink(s). The thing overheated @ 90C twice whilst idle before I got suspicious and took the heatsink off and made the 'discovery'. Should have RMA'd it then and there :mad: I dont think thats normal and it really makes me wonder :confused: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DerekT Posted January 29, 2009 Share Posted January 29, 2009 Just to be on the safe side, I would test the DRAM in another machine that is capable in running it at spec. Measure twice and cut once :): thanks guys, I appreciate your help with this. I suspected as much. I just wanted to be absolutely certain it wasn't the RAM before I got onto Asus. When I got the board, it didn't have any thermal interface material (at all) between the NB or the SB and the heatsink(s). The thing overheated @ 90C twice whilst idle before I got suspicious and took the heatsink off and made the 'discovery'. Should have RMA'd it then and there :mad: I dont think thats normal and it really makes me wonder :confused: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sigume Posted January 29, 2009 Author Share Posted January 29, 2009 Almost certain its the second stick. Its bluescreening with just the one stick in there (I've only tried the OTHER stick by itself or with this stick). The other stick is completely stable. So regardless of whether or not there is a problem with the NB, this stick of RAM may also something wrong with it. trying it in another PC is the next obvious thing to do. I'll give it a go and post back. cheers! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sigume Posted February 1, 2009 Author Share Posted February 1, 2009 ok I had a mate try it in a P5Q, with the settings above. the second stick bluescreens in his PC too. Is that enough to get me an RMA? Can I just take it back to the shop I got it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DerekT Posted February 1, 2009 Share Posted February 1, 2009 To be clear. One stick passes memtest and the other fails? You need to memtest. ok I had a mate try it in a P5Q, with the settings above. the second stick bluescreens in his PC too. Is that enough to get me an RMA? Can I just take it back to the shop I got it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sigume Posted February 1, 2009 Author Share Posted February 1, 2009 no errors on memtest yet it will bluescreen in both systems? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DerekT Posted February 1, 2009 Share Posted February 1, 2009 I would tend to agree with you, however Memtest is the standard and you want to be able to inform RMA of memtest. Download Memtest86+ V2.11 from--->Hereand extract the ISO image. Burn the ISO image to an CD-ROM disk. Insert a stick in slot one and boot to the memtest CD. Allow for two full passes. Remove the stick and insert the second stick. Repeat the test. Results? no errors on memtest yet it will bluescreen in both systems? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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