Steve Woods Posted March 20, 2009 Share Posted March 20, 2009 The system has been running faultlessly over the last few months but I now need to increase the memory from 4Gb to 8Gb. I have added 2 more identical 2Gb modules but the system will not post. It powers up and the fans start running for 4-5 seconds and then powers off. A couple of seconds later, it tries to power up again (with no intervention), fails and then powers off again. There is no video output. Have tried the system with 3 modules (6Gb) and this works OK. I have updated the bios to the latest version. Either pair of modules will work ok on their own (4Gb) suggesting the memory is not faulty. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corsair Employees RAM GUY Posted March 20, 2009 Corsair Employees Share Posted March 20, 2009 You will need to increase the voltage to your memory controller when running 4 modules. Try the 1.35v to 1.45v range. Also, you may need to reduce the memory frequency to DDR667 due to the load of 4 modules. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Woods Posted March 20, 2009 Author Share Posted March 20, 2009 Thanks for the quick response I have reduced the memory frequency to DDR667. I wasn't sure which option in the bios is the one to increase the memory controller voltage you suggest but the most likely one seemed to be the (G)MCH OverVoltage control. I have read somewhere the default is 1.25 and and so have tried increasing it firstly by 0.1v and then by 0.2v but the problem still exists. The maximum I can increase this by is 0.375v. Have I adjusted the correct value? The other bios options are:- DDR2 Overvoltage control - values between 0.05v and 0.5v PCI-E Overvoltage control - values between 0.05v and 0.35v FSB Overvoltage control - values between 0.05v and 0.35v CPU Voltage control - values between 2.35v and 0.7v (default 1.225v) Thanks in anticipation Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DerekT Posted March 20, 2009 Share Posted March 20, 2009 Download Memtest86+ V2.11 from--->Here Download CPU-z from Here .Insert a single stick of your prior memory in the first slot (closest to the CPU). Restart. Enter your BIOS. On the main BIOS screen press Ctrl + F1. You will see the screen flicker. Next select the MB Intelligent Tweaker option. On that screen you will see many additional settings that were not there before. Load Setup Defaults. Save Setup Defaults. Set to these values:MIB Intelligent Tweaker (M.I.T.) Robust Graphics Booster = Auto CPU Clock Ratio = 9 CPU Host Clock Control = Enabled CPU Host Frequency (Mhz) = 333Mhz PCI Express Frequency = 100Mhz C.I.A.2 = Disabled Performance Enhance = Standard System Memory Multiplier = 2.0 DRAM Timing Selectable = Manual CAS Latency Time = 5 DRAM RAS# to CAS# Delay = 5 RAS# Precharge = 5 Precharge Delay (tRAS) = 15 ACT to ACT delay = Auto Bank Write To READ Delay = Auto Refresh to ACT Delay = 0 Read to Precharge Delay = Auto System Voltage Control DDR2 OverVoltage Control = +.2V PCI-e OverVoltage Control = Normal (G)MCH OverVoltage Control = +.2v CPU Voltage Control = Auto Shut the system down. Boot to the Memtest CD with that single stick and allow for two full passes. Shut the system down. Remove the first stick and insert it in slot two. Repeat memtest. Shut the system down. Remove the first stick and insert it into slot three and repeat memtest. Do the same for the last slot. You have now tested one stick and all four slots. Shut the system down and insert the second stick in slot one. Retest. Shut the system down and remove the second stick and insert the third stick in slot one. Repeat Memtest. Do the same with the last stick. You have now tested all four sticks in single channel mode. Now test for the Dual Channel Mode function of the memory controller. Insert a stick in slot one and three and memtest. Remove the set and insert the second set in slot two and four and memtest. Finally, insert a stick in slot one and slot three, a stick in slot two and slot four and repeat Memtest. If Stable enter Windows and post screenshots of CPU-z's CPU, Memory and SPD tabs. If Stable enter Windows and post screenshots of CPU-z's CPU, Memory and SPD tabs. As well, please post your report such as: Stick 1 - Slot 1 = No boot/Pass/Fail Memtest Stick 1 - Slot 2 = No boot/Pass/Fail Memtest Stick 1 - Slot 3 = No boot/Pass/Fail Memtest Stick 1 - Slot 4 = No boot/Pass/Fail Memtest Stick 2 - Slot 1 = No boot/Pass/Fail Memtest Stick 3 - Slot 1 = No boot/Pass/Fail Memtest Stick 4 - Slot 1 = No boot/Pass/Fail Memtest Stick 1 & 2 - Slot 1 & 3 = No boot/Pass/Fail Memtest Stick 2 & 4 = Slot 2 & 4 = No boot/Pass/Fail Memtest Results? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Woods Posted March 21, 2009 Author Share Posted March 21, 2009 Thanks Derek. There are a few anomolies with the bios settings i.e 1) Athough I pressed the Ctrl + F1 and the screen did flicker, I don't get the option "Hi Speed DRAM DLL Settings". 2) The lowest I can set the "Refresh to ACT delay" is 1 although the options suggest it will accept 0. The original value was 42 3) I have increased the "(G)MCH OverVoltage Control" by +0.025. This was the closest to your value of +0.03. Options were +0.025 then +0.05. I have now started the tests with memtest but it will take a while to run all the tests you suggest. I'll post again when I have the results. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DerekT Posted March 21, 2009 Share Posted March 21, 2009 My mistake on the G(MCH) Voltage setting. Please set to +0.2V rather than +.03v. Thanks for the update on the BIOS. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Woods Posted March 22, 2009 Author Share Posted March 22, 2009 Looks like I've isolated the problem to a faulty stick (one of the originals). When testing stick 2 in slot 1 with memtest, it ran for approx 8 minutes then came up with the error "Unexpected interrupt - halting". When I tried to reset, it would not post. Tried the stick in another slot but still would not post. Carried on with remainder of tests (where possible) and found other 3 sticks are OK. Have requested RMA from Corsair and will send back both sticks 1 & 2so they are replaced as a matched pair. Here are the results of the testing stick 1 - slot 1 - pass memtest stick 1 - slot 2 - pass memtest stick 1 - slot 3 - pass memtest stick 1 - slot 4 - pass memtest stick 2 - slot 1 - Fail memtest then no boot (see above) stick 2 - slot 2 - No boot stick 3 - slot 1 - pass memtest stick 4 - slot 1 - pass memtest stick 1 & 3 - slot 1 & 3 - pass memtest stick 3 & 4 - slot 2 & 4 - pass memtest When the memory is replaced, I'll test it as you suggest. If OK, should I keep the revised BIOS settings or are these just for testing purposes? Thanks for your help. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DerekT Posted March 22, 2009 Share Posted March 22, 2009 Keep the revised settings and let us know when you've received the memory from RMA and tested it all out. Looks like I've isolated the problem to a faulty stick (one of the originals). When testing stick 2 in slot 1 with memtest, it ran for approx 8 minutes then came up with the error "Unexpected interrupt - halting". When I tried to reset, it would not post. Tried the stick in another slot but still would not post. Carried on with remainder of tests (where possible) and found other 3 sticks are OK. Have requested RMA from Corsair and will send back both sticks 1 & 2so they are replaced as a matched pair. Here are the results of the testing stick 1 - slot 1 - pass memtest stick 1 - slot 2 - pass memtest stick 1 - slot 3 - pass memtest stick 1 - slot 4 - pass memtest stick 2 - slot 1 - Fail memtest then no boot (see above) stick 2 - slot 2 - No boot stick 3 - slot 1 - pass memtest stick 4 - slot 1 - pass memtest stick 1 & 3 - slot 1 & 3 - pass memtest stick 3 & 4 - slot 2 & 4 - pass memtest When the memory is replaced, I'll test it as you suggest. If OK, should I keep the revised BIOS settings or are these just for testing purposes? Thanks for your help. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Woods Posted April 18, 2009 Author Share Posted April 18, 2009 Have now received new memory from RMA. Tried memtest with all 4 sticks but failed with hundreds of errors. Installed just new stick 1 in slot 1 and tried memtest - failed immediately with many errors. Installed new stick 2 in slot 1 and ran OK. Looks like I need to RMA the new set. Is this common or have I been extremely unlucky? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Woods Posted April 18, 2009 Author Share Posted April 18, 2009 Meant to mention this on my last post. Memory returned to Corsair was v4.1 but the new memory sent is v3.1. The other 2 sticks that are working OK are also v4.1. Is it OK to run 1 pair of v3.1 and 1 pair of v4.1 together? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DerekT Posted April 18, 2009 Share Posted April 18, 2009 The only memory Corsair supports in a four DRAM slot population is their Quad kits. This does not mean two dual kits or even worse two dual kits of different versions or different manufacturers will not work together, just that you have no recourse to RMA Corsair if they do not work together. If there are problems with the Corsair DRAM modules, they are still supported via lifetime warranty, but that is for physical defects and errors in a two stick kit mode. Matched Quad sets are highly binned modules for a four slot population. The Dual sets are tested as a kit, not a Quad and warranted as a dual kit, not a Quad setup. You need to Memtest them as Kits (2 modules, not as a four DRAM slot population). If they fail as a kit or singly, then you have RMA. Keep in mind that there is no support for mixing and matching different versions of DRAM either since different version are of different fabrications and/or manufacturers. They might work, they might not work, but you have no support if they do not work. Thus you are advised to buy (requesting the same versions) all the DRAM at the same time and in this way be more assured of getting the same versions. It is advised that if you buy online, you are sure to specify same versions of the modules. You are advised to drop the bandwidth to 667Mhz and raise the NB Voltage +.2v (for P35 chipset board). Set the memory voltage to 1.9v and the timings for 5-5-5-15 2T. There is two possibilities here, you can not get the modules to play nicely together OR the motherboard chipset just will not allow four modules to work together. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Woods Posted April 18, 2009 Author Share Posted April 18, 2009 Thanks for the reply. I take on board what you say regarding the quad kits but without discarding what I already have and purchasing a quad kit, I will have to take my chances. Before the RMA, all four sticks were version 4.1 and I was surprised to be supplied with version 3.1's from the RMA. Should they not be replaced with the same version? I have tried the new (faulty) stick alone in 2 different slots and it fails in both of them so I feel I have reasonable grounds to return the pair under the lifetime warranty. The other stick works fine in either slot. I have kept the same timing / voltage settings as you recommended previously in this thread. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DerekT Posted April 18, 2009 Share Posted April 18, 2009 Yes, take your chances, see what you can get and you can always contact Corsair and see what they would say about a two kit RMA for two kits of the same version. The kits are sold and supported as a kit. They are not sold and supported as a Quad. Yes, if you have issues that are tested singly, then indeed you have RMA. Now, you need to send the two modules of the kit back so that the return will be a matched pair. But you will have to talk with Corsair about your unique situation and see what they can do for you. Give them the link to this page ( http://www.houseofhelp.com/v3/showpost.php?p=394773&postcount=1 ) and see what happens. Toll Free: +1 888-222-4346 The quickest way to receive technical support or request an RMA is through our Tech Support Express. No forum sign-up is required. Click Here to access Tech Support Express Thanks for the reply. I take on board what you say regarding the quad kits but without discarding what I already have and purchasing a quad kit, I will have to take my chances. Before the RMA, all four sticks were version 4.1 and I was surprised to be supplied with version 3.1's from the RMA. Should they not be replaced with the same version? I have tried the new (faulty) stick alone in 2 different slots and it fails in both of them so I feel I have reasonable grounds to return the pair under the lifetime warranty. The other stick works fine in either slot. I have kept the same timing / voltage settings as you recommended previously in this thread. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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