Arkangyl Posted February 4, 2011 Share Posted February 4, 2011 First post! (though have been an evil lurker for years). OK, I have a problem that has actually caused me to finally make a post so for me, it is bad. MB: ASUS P5N32-E SLI CPU: Intel Core2Duo E6850 Conroe 3Ghz RAM: TWIN2X4096-6400C5 (x2) Quick info.: I have two computers that are pretty much identical (wife and I). My profile contains the pertinent specs. One of her RAM sticks died (as in computer would not post to BIOS even with it in) so being lazy I just left her system at 6Gb of RAM for some time. I finally RMAd the bad kit and got it back the other day. Yay! Drop it in, fire 'er up, bios sees the RAM, load into Win7 64bit, looks good, 8Gb so I reboot and then boot into Ubuntu 64bit. Still good, 7.9Gb. Yay! Memtest86+ time (running from Ubuntu's GRUB boot menu) . . . Ugh, errors galore across a few of the test types but especially Test #5. OK, I test each stick of RAM individually in their current slots. Every stick passes with flying colors. I ran M86+ on my computer just for comparison (I have in the past too), and it had no errors. OK, so I ran the Windows Memory Diagnostic on her system. All 8Gb passes. So . . . back to Memtest86+ after doing some googlefu with some additional info. Now, setting the timings from Auto to Manual 5-5-5-18 2T 1.85V (MB cannot do lower than 1.85V) seemed to solve all other errors (there were only a handful really) in the other tests except Test #5. I've tried different timings (though not like 5-5-6-5-18; stuff like 6-6-6-21) so there COULD be a special timing combo to solve my problem. I have tried different Manual voltage settings for Vcore, Memory, NB in varying combinations. I have tried reducing my RAM speed from the native 800 down to various speeds. I even tried Linked FSB and RAM speed lowering. Results have been varied though always errors on Test #5 (though I have seen the quantity of errors fluctuate). Note: my computer which is identical (though my computer runs an older Version # of the RAM but the same version - her computer now is running two different Rev #'s of the RAM kit since one kit was RMAd a long time after it was bought) runs everything at Auto. I have nothing set Manually for the RAM or any speeds or voltages. In theory, her computer should work fine that way also, but I guess not. :D I tried her computer with three sticks (to "old", one of the new) and over 1.5 hours looping Test #5 only had one error. My next step is to try the two new sticks of RAM in my computer and two of mine in hers (for four total in each still of course since the issue seems to be with 6-8Gb RAM, not 4Gb) but wanted to get this posted for community ideas / RAMGUY ideas before the full on weekend hit (hoping someone has some ideas to help). Sorry for the length but wanted to cover what I have done so far. Please, if anyone has specific help on what might be causing this issue . . . I beg. ;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wired Posted February 4, 2011 Share Posted February 4, 2011 IIRC test 5 usually means memory controller. Swapping systems is a good idea. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arkangyl Posted February 4, 2011 Author Share Posted February 4, 2011 I tried the system swap. It is not a system issue or anything broken with the system which I can now verify. This is purely a RAM-RAM, RAM-MB, or RAM-RAM-MB mix issue / glitch / conflict / incompatibility. I also can note that the 3 "old" kits are version 3.1 of this RAM model. The RMAd "new" RAM is version 6.1. It is obviously a conflict with the "old" RAM or with the P5N32-E SLI MB. :( I am not saying it may not be "fixable" with some tweaks or that the RAM is bad or broken by any means. Anyone who may have seen or dealt with this issue and have and BIOS setting ideas, please share away. Thanks in advance!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corsair Employees RAM GUY Posted February 7, 2011 Corsair Employees Share Posted February 7, 2011 With two sets of mixed memory DDR667 would be suggested but I would suggest installing the new modules by them selves and load setup defaults and then set the tested settings printed on the modules and Disable Legacy USB and test them with http://www.memtest.org to be sure. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arkangyl Posted February 7, 2011 Author Share Posted February 7, 2011 Thanks very much for the reply (also thanks to Wired's reply since I think I missed thanking you). Quick question(s) for clarification please: This memory is DDR2800 so are you recommending I try and set the speed for 667? How does Legacy USB support effect the memory? I'm only asking as I don't think I have ever seen this come up before and would like to better understand its interaction (to learn something new, not to question the suggestion). Thanks again for the reply. I will be able to test this out later this afternoon and then post a reply to the results (I am guessing the new sticks together will pass cleanly since they passed when run individually and the old pair passed when run together without the new, but this is the one test I did not run - the two new together but without the old). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wired Posted February 7, 2011 Share Posted February 7, 2011 When Legacy USB support is enabled on Asus motherboards it can cause false positives in Memtest86+. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arkangyl Posted February 7, 2011 Author Share Posted February 7, 2011 Thanks for that info Wired! Well, I did as suggested (and then some actually trying a number of other things from lowering the memory speed to increasing the NB volts, etc.), and I am sad to say that I was wrong. The "new" RMAd memory when paired (i.e. just the two sticks for 4Gb total) that had passed as single sticks fails miserably on Test #5 (again - just like it was when tested with the two sticks of "old' memory). I tried with Legacy USB support off. Heck, I tried with Disabling all USB Support. Auto timing and volts; Manual 5-5-5-18 2T 1.85v settings. So . . . I cringe to even ask, but is this RMAd memory I just received bad and need to be sent back? For some bizarre reason has this memory quit working with my MB even though the older Revs worked and it is still listed as working for my MB? Are there any other suggestions I could try? Thanks in advance again as always!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arkangyl Posted February 10, 2011 Author Share Posted February 10, 2011 Sorry to double post, but . . . RAMGUY, anyone, no ideas of anything else to try? Is this new RMAs memory pretty much assumed to be DOA? If it is DOA, I want to start the RMA process but would of course prefer any other ideas to try to get it passing memtest first. Thanks in advance!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corsair Employees RAM GUY Posted February 10, 2011 Corsair Employees Share Posted February 10, 2011 When you installed these did you try and load setup defaults and then disable legacy USB and test them? If so and you still get errors please contact our customer service with your previous RMA# and they will take care of you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arkangyl Posted February 10, 2011 Author Share Posted February 10, 2011 Yes, I did. I think I did that first and then tried with manual timings and then added in manual voltage and shut down usb altogether then added in increasing voltage to the nb and then tried a round where I lowered the speed to 666.7 (I tried 667 but it made it 666.7). I will try one more time loading setup defaults and doing nothing else except disabling legacy usb just for good measure. Of note, I also used memtest 4.1 first (from GRUB boot menu - Ubuntu), but I also tried an old disk with like 1.6 or 1.7 as well as a brand new usb boot stick I made with 4.2. All reported the same though, dang, the old memtest was slow as dirt compared to the two new versions, heheh. Thanks for the yell back. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corsair Employees RAM GUY Posted February 11, 2011 Corsair Employees Share Posted February 11, 2011 You will need to run http://www.memtest.org from a CD on that MB, if you use a USB drive to run the test Legacy USB will have to be enabled. And yes just install these modules then load setup defaults and disable legacy USB and then boot from a Memtest CD from http://www.memtest.org and let it run a few passes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arkangyl Posted February 11, 2011 Author Share Posted February 11, 2011 Yep. Most of my recent tests were run with Legacy USB off. I only ran the one (last actually) test with it on for testing 4.2. Made no difference really as the results were the same. I will try one last time as I said though for posterity. ;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corsair Employees RAM GUY Posted February 17, 2011 Corsair Employees Share Posted February 17, 2011 Can you post a picture of memtest? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arkangyl Posted February 17, 2011 Author Share Posted February 17, 2011 Sorry I did not get a chance to post yesterday (when I knew for sure) to update you. The RAM was bad through and through no doubt now. Since nothing I did could get it to pass or even barely pass (i.e. just a couple errors), I went ahead and RMA'd the replacement RAM. I got it Tuesday and tested it very thoroughly with everything in the bios set as it always has been and with the two other sticks of RAM in the computer. Without having to do anything, the new(er) replacement RAM passed with flying colors. Thanks very much for your help and ideas on trying to solve the issues. I learned a few new ideas and things so I guess it wasn't a waste of time and effort. ;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corsair Employees RAM GUY Posted February 17, 2011 Corsair Employees Share Posted February 17, 2011 NP just glad you got it worked out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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