nightjester Posted September 27, 2004 Share Posted September 27, 2004 Hello, In late July I purchased a set of the TWINX512-3200C2PT XMS ram for my MythTV box. I have been having problems since then with different components of MythTV segfaulting with no reason. (For those that are not familiar with MythTV, think of it as a client/server software to create a TiVO on steroids. Record/pause live TV, Transcode MPEG2 video -> XVID for space, plays/records MP3s, shows pictures, weather, news, phone etcetctec. End result is more or less constant transcoding or playing of different digital media formats cause I record alot of TV shows). Last weekend, I started to run through MemTest86+ to see if there might be any memory problems and found that between the 4 memory modules in my system, 21 errors were reported. I removed the non-Corsair memory and re-ran the test, finding one error that continued to show up on the same test each time. I have not yet split the pair of modules to see which of them may be responsible for the bad memory address (if they are). My question is this: How reliable are the results of Memtest86+ viewed and what suggestions might anyone offer? (I will be individually testing each module to see if I can't narrow which module(s) may be creating problems) System Details: MythTV (Various revisions) Mandrake Linux 10.0 - kernel 2.4.x Soyo SY-P4I875P Dragon 2 v1.0 Black Label Prescott 3.2 Mhz 200gb Seagate SATA drive 2 x Kingston 512mb DDR Dual-Channel 2 x TWINX512-3200C2PT XMS NVidea GeForce 5700 LE video Hauppauge WinTV250 PVR Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corsair Employee RAM GUY Posted September 27, 2004 Corsair Employee Share Posted September 27, 2004 Please do not mix and match memory module, since it will not work; also make sure that you have the latest BIOS for your MB and load Setup/optimized default settings, and try the following BIOS settings; TwinX1024 or TwinX512-3200C2 SOYO COMBO Features CPU Freq: 200 DRAM Clock: 400 MHz Memory or Dim Reference voltage: 2.75 Volts System performance: Standard AGP Voltage: Default *unless you have ATI 9200 or 9600 then 1.6 Volts suggested!* Advanced/Chipset Configure Dram timing by SPD: Disabled/User define SDRAM CAS Latency: 2T (2.5T AMD Platform) SDRAM RAS to CAS Delay (tRCD): 3T SDRAM Row Precharge (tRP): 3T SDRAM Active to Precharge Delay (tRAS): 6T SDRAM Burst Length: 8 All other settings should be set to default settings! Then please test them one at a time with http://www.memtest.org and let’s make sure it's not some other issue! I would run the test for at least 2-3 passes to be sure! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nightjester Posted September 27, 2004 Author Share Posted September 27, 2004 > Please do not mix and match memory module, since it will not work.. Does that mean that I should not try to install a Kingston 512mb Dual Channel kit (2 dimms) and a Corsair 512mb Dual Channel kit (2 dimms) in my 4 DIMM slots at the same time? Or is it ok as long as the Corsair Dimms are in DDR_A1 and DDR_B1 and the Kingston ones are in DDR_A2 and DDR_B2? (I believe there are CAS differences between the two sets of DIMMS) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corsair Employee RAM GUY Posted September 27, 2004 Corsair Employee Share Posted September 27, 2004 All I can tell you is that it may or may not work. You are welcome to try anything you like, but I would not suggest it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nightjester Posted September 28, 2004 Author Share Posted September 28, 2004 I attempted to follow the steps that you outlined in your earlier post. I could not select DRAM volage of 2.75, my closest choices were 2.7 or 2.8, so I left it as default. I also did not have an option for SDRAM ROW Precharge or SDRAM Burst Length, but the other options I set as you specified. I am still receiving (I believe the same) memory errors when using the TwinX memory modules. After swapping both modules with the Kingston modules (and switching settings back to default), I did not receive any error errors on the tests. Are there any other steps I should try? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corsair Employee RAM GUY Posted September 28, 2004 Corsair Employee Share Posted September 28, 2004 Please set the DIMM setting to 2.7 volts, and you have to go under the Advanced Chipset Feature to set up the memory timings, as soon as you see the page to set the timing settings, please set it accordingly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nightjester Posted September 30, 2004 Author Share Posted September 30, 2004 Ok, been there. done that. Still showing error when running the memory test. Should I attempt to test the modules separately? i.e. can they be individually replaced, or should I just follow the procedure for an RMA? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corsair Employee RAM GUY Posted September 30, 2004 Corsair Employee Share Posted September 30, 2004 What are you setting the timings too? You might try Cass 3-3-3-8 at 2.75 Volts! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corsair Employee RAM GUY Posted September 30, 2004 Corsair Employee Share Posted September 30, 2004 Yes please test the module one at a time, and see if either one of the memory will produce an error or both modules. Please let us know how you make out! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nightjester Posted October 7, 2004 Author Share Posted October 7, 2004 Sorry for the delay in trying this. Since the Kingston modules tested without errors, I've been running the box with them installed for the last week or so. Hopefully this weekend, I will be able to tear the box apart and test the Corsair modules individually to find which one has the error. It is passing strange that you would replace half of the purchased product instead of just replacing both the dimms that were in the package, though. NJ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wired Posted October 7, 2004 Share Posted October 7, 2004 It is passing strange that you would replace half of the purchased product instead of just replacing both the dimms that were in the package, though. HUH??? Where in the world are you reading that? Ram Guy has never said that. Now if you are deriving that from the request to test them individually, that is primarily to make sure it isn't a slot causing problems. TwinX memory is always recommended to be replaced in pairs, although some people do only choose to send in one. If only one is replaced then they are no longer a TwinX pack of course. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nightjester Posted October 7, 2004 Author Share Posted October 7, 2004 Sorry bout that. I suppose Ram Guy and myself were not communicating clearly. My question about "Should I attempt to test the modules separately?" was really trying to determine if is was important whatsoever to determine which of the 2 modules was bad for return purposes. Since I have been running the same system on the Kingston dual channel pair in same slots that the Corsair were showing bad in, I think we can say that the rest of the system is not responsible for the errors reported in memtest86+. Now, A) because the results of memtest86+ are considered reliable indicators of bad memory (original question) and B) because memtest86+ is showing errors when running against the corsair memory and not other dimms in the same slots and C) because these modules will both be replaced regardless of whether one of them, or the combination of them is bad : Do I need to spend a day tearing down my MythBox and running memtest86+ diagnostics to narrow down the bad DIMM or can I just get an RMA and have the pair replaced? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corsair Employee RAM GUY Posted October 7, 2004 Corsair Employee Share Posted October 7, 2004 Let's get your modules replaced! Please follow the link in my signature “I think I have a bad part!” and we will be happy to replace them or it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nightjester Posted October 8, 2004 Author Share Posted October 8, 2004 Great. For the online RMA request, when I submit that, is there supposed to be some sort of acknowledgement that it was successfully sent, or just drop me back at corsair's main page? (Cause it's dropping me onto the main page with no acknowledgement and that's fairly confusing) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corsair Employee RAM GUY Posted October 8, 2004 Corsair Employee Share Posted October 8, 2004 Try to fill out the excel form and send it via email, you may want to copy your self just to be sure everything is working as it should be. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nightjester Posted October 14, 2004 Author Share Posted October 14, 2004 Try as hard as I will, I am unable to get MS Excel to install on my system. Strangely enough, not even the installation program will launch without a substantial amount of effort. Too bad. guess it's that no Microsoft OS thing again. :) I just sent an email to you though, if that doesn't do it, I'll just chuck em and remember the next time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corsair Employee RAM GUY Posted October 14, 2004 Corsair Employee Share Posted October 14, 2004 Sorry about that! Please send an email manually to Customer Service with all of your information, Name , Address, and phone # and the module's part# and an explaination to the problem. I am sure they will help you! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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