4 x 512 RAM causes game crash problem -- up Chipset & CPU voltage?

[WhipperSnapper]

I'm trying to solve a vexing and rather frustrating problem.

Background and Nature of Problem: I can run UT 2004 just fine with 2 x 512 RAM. However, when I take it to 4 x 512 RAM, it crashes immediately whenever I open up an in-game menu. If I load up a game map via the UT Editor (bypassing in-game menus) I don't have a problem and I can play the maps, but the entire computer freezes immediately if I try to open a menu (ie, server browser, game settings, etc.).

At first I thought it might have been a driver problem and spent hours dickering around with video drivers, but after removing the 2 x 512 RAM (leaving 2 x 512) it runs fine again. What's weird is that with the 4 x 512 RAM, the computer had no problem playing FEAR: Combat and it survived a Stress Prime95 2004 test for two-and-a-half hours before I ended the test. The problem only occurs with UT 2004.

Note that the RAM voltage was set at 2.8V with 2.5-3-3-7. Relaxing the timings didn't help any.

Computer:

CPU: Opteron 148

MOBO: Epox-9NPA+Ultra (nForce 4)

RAM: I have four 512 DDR 400 sticks of Corsair Value RAM.

Power Supply: 550W Fortron that can do SLI

Video Card: Radeon x800 GTO unlocked to 16 pipes (tests fine in the ATI Tool stress test with various overclocks, but for now I'm not overclocking it.)

Proposed Solution: Elsewhere it was suggested that I consider upping my North Bridge (Chipset, I take it?) voltage by 0.1. It's currently at the lowest setting. Does anyone think it would help? Is there a reason why a deficiency in North Bridge voltage would cause a specific game to crash? It's currently set at its default of 1.5 V and the mobo allows options to set it to 1.5, 1.6, 1.7, or 1.8. Should I take it up to 1.6 or 1.7V, and if I do that, what are the negative consequences, if any (other than increased heat)?

It was also suggested that I consider upping my CPU voltage though I can't understand how an in-game menu would be more demanding of a CPU (or North Bridge, for that matter) than actually playing a FPS map. CPU voltage for the Opteron 148 is currently set to 1.425 volts and CPU-Z reports that it hovers between 1.41-1.425V. I can overclock it to at least 2.53 (11 x 230) without any problems and I normally keep it at 2.75 Ghz (11 x 250) though Stress Prime95 has revealed instability.

So, does anyone think that upping the North Bridge/Chipset voltage would help? What would be a safe but higher voltage? Has anyone heard of anything like this before--it all works except for a single game?

 

[nefariouscaine]

make sure that you have your memory timing settings to T2 - it shouldn't allow T1 period but there isn't any Nforce4 board out there that can support T1 on 4 sticks (chipset issue) / check out that setting before you start uping volts. I'm a avid voltage increaser but its not always a good thing. You might also want to look into getting 2 1gig sticks instead if you can afford it. The performance you get with a T1 setting is much higher on a 939 set up than using a T2 setting. Back in when I used my 939 set up (I had a venice 3000+ and a Opty 146) on a MSI nforce4 ultra board I went from 2 gigs (4x512) T2 and then jump to 2x1gig T1 and things smoothed out even more for me and showed a substantial increase with desktop benchies on memory bandwidth

I also just reread your post - maybe try to uninstall/reinstall UT (at stock settings) with 4 sticks in - good luck

 

[betasub]

Memory controller is on the CPU die, so northbridge is unlikely to be a factor. vCore or vDIMM are more likely to help.

 

[Bill Kunert]

Have you run Memtest on it for a couple of hours? I've had ram that would pass Prime 95 just fine but fail memtest if I allowed it to run for a long period of time.

 

[WhipperSnapper]

Thanks for the responses, guys. I hadn't run Memtest on it but it was set to 2T. Not sure when i'll get a chance to work on it again since I pulled the 2 x 512 RAM out. It certainly is a freaky problem.

I've contemplated going with 2 x 1 GB, but that kind of defeats one of the purposes of my rig, which was to provide a value-based solution. (I'm one of those guys who likes to watch the Hot Deals forums.) I'd much prefer to find a way to get it to work with the RAM I've already purchased.

 

[Yellowbeard]

It actually sounds like a fault with the game. You may want to do some Googling. Are you stable with 3DMark06 or other benches that will stress the entire system?

I would suggest you run Memtest for 3-5 passes on each DIMM individually to rule out 1 bad stick of RAM.

Also, as mentioned since the memory controller is on the CPU, the NBv may or may not help. I would suggest small increases on both the NBv and the also CPUv to give the memory controller a bit more voltage. But, since it only fails with that 1 game, my bet is a bad DIMM or bug in the game.

 

[n7]

Memtest!

Don't know how you didn't bother to run that when you know the issue is potentially related to RAM.

That & SP2004/Orthos blend.

Now assuming those work for a few hours each, then i'd assume it's a game install issue.

Reinstall.