Did my ram just go bad?

[PCJake]

Two months ago I added another 4GB (2x2GB) of G.Skill DDR2 800 to my system for a total of 8GB. It worked perfectly until yesterday.

For the last couple of days my system start to freeze up frequently, which a fast system with 8GB of ram shouldn't do. While I was playing Burnout Paradise, I noticed that it was freezing up and the graphics were being temporarily distorted across the whole screen. I've done a fair amount of overclocking and those graphical glitches were different than the normal overheating type.

Last night while using Photoshop (key indicator?) I got a nasty BSOD, and every time I tried to boot it would give me a different error. I pulled out the two new sticks of ram and I was immediately able to get it to boot. I restarted a few times with success, put the ram back in, and immediately got another BSOD.

I'm telling you all this to see if you guys think it is in fact bad memory, because I really don't want to put those things back in and have to clean up any more problems caused by it just to run a memory test. I also really don't want to have to just get rid of that ram, especially since I'm not sure whether or not I can return it to Newegg after two months.

Anyway, I'd like to hear your opinions. Thanks.

 

[BlueAcolyte]

Run Memtest?

 

[n7]

You already know what you need to do.

You might need a bit more NB/MCH voltage too, as 4x2 GB is harder on things than 2x2 GB.

 

[ElBurro]

Originally posted by: n7
You already know what you need to do.

You might need a bit more NB/MCH voltage too, as 4x2 GB is harder on things than 2x2 GB.

this is where I was going. I would definitely look in that area. A lot of mobos have a hard time running with all 4 slots filled.

 

[Blain]

Is Limewire installed?

 

[ElBurro]

Originally posted by: Blain

Is Limewire installed?

If it is installed you can pretty much count on some sort of malware also being installed.

 

[PCJake]

Originally posted by: n7
You already know what you need to do.

You might need a bit more NB/MCH voltage too, as 4x2 GB is harder on things than 2x2 GB.

I've already got extra voltage (+.2V to DDR2, +.1V to MCH, +.1V to FSB). I'm a little wary about turning the voltage up higher, I hate to go into the mobo's yellow and red "danger" zones. Besides, I don't see how the voltage would be the problem. I've run this PC with the same exact overclock 24/7 for the last 2 months, including P95 tests and lots of Photoshop and 3d editing, all with 100% stability. Why would I suddenly not have enough voltage?

Originally posted by: Blain
Is Limewire installed?

No Limewire, no malware. I'm very careful about the programs I install. Besides, I just ran a full Spybot and avast! scan the day before this happened. Neither one has ever picked up anything.

Originally posted by: BlueAcolyte
Run Memtest?

I'm afraid to put the memory back in. The errors caused by having the bad memory in (while troubleshooting) branched off into other errors. Checkdisk had to fix a bunch of bad sectors on the hard drive, I had to clear my cmos to get my overclock back, Windows was temporarily thrown out of whack, etc. You know how it is, after you have a bunch of things go wrong with your computer and you finally get it working again, you just want to let it be. At least for a while.

I guess I'm just asking for your guys' best guess. Judging by the symptoms that I listed, am I right to assume that it is in fact bad ram?

 

[BlueAcolyte]

Probably, but we can't be sure until you run memtest.

 

[TemjinGold]

If you want to know if that's bad memory, take out your current two sticks and try just the two new sticks. See if you have any problems then. The other thing you can test is to remove the OC and see if the problems are still there.

 

[ElBurro]

I've run this PC with the same exact overclock 24/7 for the last 2 months, including P95 tests and lots of Photoshop and 3d editing, all with 100% stability. Why would I suddenly not have enough voltage?

That's like saying my car was starting every day and all of a sudden I need a new starter. If you are overclocking than you are running a higher risk of damaging components.

 

[n7]

Originally posted by: PCJake
I've already got extra voltage (+.2V to DDR2, +.1V to MCH, +.1V to FSB). I'm a little wary about turning the voltage up higher, I hate to go into the mobo's yellow and red "danger" zones. Besides, I don't see how the voltage would be the problem. I've run this PC with the same exact overclock 24/7 for the last 2 months, including P95 tests and lots of Photoshop and 3d editing, all with 100% stability. Why would I suddenly not have enough voltage?

When i said you know what you need to do, i meant you need to start testing the memory individually, or at the very minimum run Memtest on all of it.

Not sure why you wouldn't have done that already...

 

[Elixer]

Originally posted by: PCJake

Originally posted by: BlueAcolyte
Run Memtest?

I'm afraid to put the memory back in. The errors caused by having the bad memory in (while troubleshooting) branched off into other errors. Checkdisk had to fix a bunch of bad sectors on the hard drive, I had to clear my cmos to get my overclock back, Windows was temporarily thrown out of whack, etc. You know how it is, after you have a bunch of things go wrong with your computer and you finally get it working again, you just want to let it be. At least for a while.

I guess I'm just asking for your guys' best guess. Judging by the symptoms that I listed, am I right to assume that it is in fact bad ram?

Memtest does NOT run in windows, it is a boot floppy/CD/whatever you make.
It will NOT touch the HDs or anything else reallly, just check the memory.

 

[rarebear]

I dont know if this could happen to you but I RAIDed my HDD and had to roll back some of my OC speed to get stable..

I not sure if adding memory would cause the same problem but try rolling back some speed...