Memory errors after several hours use

Evil 8 Ball · #1 10-31-09, 12:45 PM

I have an ongoing problem with my computer I'd really like to sort out. I've had it since building the rig but because it's intermittent it's really hard to find the cause.

After many hours of use the RAM in my computer starts to show errors. On rebooting and going straight into Memtest it will find many errors, but if I boot down and then boot into Memtest it will pass without errors.

The odd thing is I could have no issues for a few months and then it strikes again.

I originally thought it was the RAM being faulty but I changed some Crucial PC2-6400 RAM for my current Corsair PC2-8500 RAM and have just started getting the errors again.

With both sets of RAM I set up the timings and voltage to the requirements stated by the manufacturers. I've tried loosening the timings and changing the voltage but it hasn't helped.

I have been through 3 different BIOS versions, which made no difference.

Today I moved the RAM into the two other memory slots to see if the actual memory holders are faulty.

What else can I do and are there ways of testing whether the motherboard is faulty?

In my mind the RAM can't be faulty and it really points to either the motherboard or CPU, although I rather suspect the motherboard is more likely. For all I know, there's a setting in the BIOS I shouldn't have enabled or something.

Memory remapping is currently disabled.

Any ideas would be great.

jdrom17 · #2 10-31-09, 01:36 PM

Try bumping up the northbridge voltage.

Also maybe feel your RAM and NB after however long it takes for these errors to popup. Maybe things are just getting too warm.

Evil 8 Ball · #3 10-31-09, 02:04 PM

Thanks for the reply, jdrom17.

The northbridge doesn't feel very warm to the touch although the RAM feels quite hot. I've been thinking of getting the Zalman RAM cooler to see if it makes any difference.

I've got both Prime 95 and memtest for windows running at the moment and no errors so far. The RAM does feel hot I must admit. I'm just waiting to see if moving the modules into the other slots has made any difference.

What voltage would be safe to increase the northbridge to?

jdrom17 · #4 10-31-09, 08:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Evil 8 Ball

What voltage would be safe to increase the northbridge to?

Not sure for a P35 to be honest. I'd check your Hardware Monitor page in the BIOS and see if the NB voltage is listed. If so, then when you set it, just look at it again and see how much it increased/decreased from what it was.

My X38 can take quite a bit of voltage though, on auto and 400FSB, it sets it at like 1.65V which is insane as I can run stably at 1.5V.

Evil 8 Ball · #5 11-01-09, 10:31 AM

Yesterday I got errors with the RAM in the two other slots.

The stock northbridge voltage appears to be 1.25v. In the BIOS I have now set it to 1.4v to see what happens.

I left my PC stress testing with both Prime 95 and Memtest for windows running and went out for a few hours. Just got back and no errors so far but it's early days. I'm hoping it's simply the northbridge voltage causing the problem but time will tell. (That said the temperature could be contributing to it)

jdrom17 · #6 11-01-09, 01:33 PM

Well best of luck. And like you said, you can always get one of those RAM fans of sorts from OCZ, Corsair, Arctic Cooling or Zalman.

Of course if you use your Dominators, it would probably be wise to just get the Corsair one that is designed for them. Then it'll fit properly height wise.

Evil 8 Ball · #7 11-02-09, 11:13 AM

Thanks for the advice, jdrom17. I take it if raising the northbridge voltage doesn't work and cooling the RAM doesn't help there's not much more I can do other than RMA the motherboard?

jdrom17 · #8 11-02-09, 11:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Evil 8 Ball

Thanks for the advice, jdrom17. I take it if raising the northbridge voltage doesn't work and cooling the RAM doesn't help there's not much more I can do other than RMA the motherboard?

Seems that way since you've switched RAM already.

And I'm guessing you have the latest BIOS?

Evil 8 Ball · #9 11-02-09, 11:48 AM

OK, no problem. Thanks for getting back so quickly.

Yeah, I've updated to the latest BIOS version and I've tried 3 different versions.

There have been no errors since increasing the northbridge voltage but it's early days and as it's intermittent I'll have to wait and see what happens.

When I bought my Corsair Dominator RAM it actually came as a pack with the Corsair RAM cooler. I took it out though as after about a week the 40mm fans started screeching.

From what I hear the Zalman RAM cooler's height can be adjusted so I'm hoping it will fit over my RAM.

Evil 8 Ball · #10 11-06-09, 12:38 PM

Well, although it worked for a few days it restarted yesterday. Memtest found hundreds of thousands of errors and then crashed giving me a black screen. Could be because I enabled memory remapping again though.

I decided to work on getting temps down today. I opened up the PC and cleaned out all the dust, moved the hard drives down to the bottom cage and set the fans running at a faster speed.

The graphics card temp is down from 70C to mid 50s under load, air is flowing better without the top hard drive cage in the case and temps are better generally. The RAM should get a little more air too.

If it's a temp issue I should now know.

Btw, I'm getting the Corsair cooling fan RMA'd for a new one so can fit that when it arrives. I have to send the old one to the Netherlands; shame there's not a Corsair in the UK.

Evil 8 Ball · #11 11-06-09, 05:25 PM

I give up. Yet ANOTHER system restart.

Even if I return the motherboard I doubt they'll even have another Asus P5K Premium/WiFi-AP to send me.

Remind me never to build an Intel system again.

My AMD systems were always good.

jdrom17 · #12 11-06-09, 07:52 PM

That sucks. Not really sure what else to say now...