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How to deal with a RAM issue?

T

tsmori

Member
I had 2x512 PC4000 DDR of Cruical Ballistix installed in a Gigabyte GA-K8N-SLI motherboard and was experiencing random lock-ups, reboots, and BSODs. These started out in some online games, but soon affected other games and eventually even my web browser.

Each time, Windows reported the problem as a "Device Driver Error". I finally booted up Memtest86 and saw that on test 5, the RAM gave me a bunch of errors. Sometimes they wouldn't error out, i.e. I could reboot and re-run the test and sometimes it was okay, but once they started erroring out, they did so everytime that test was run.

Since I wasn't sure if the issue was related to the memory beforehand, I switched to a Lanparty UT NF4-SLI-DR board and reinstalled windows. I again started getting the reboots when doing my Windows updates. The system would just shutdown when it hit that ActiveX control within the windows updater.

Anyway.. long story short, I upped the voltage from 2.6 to 2.8 and I also enabled a setting that theoretically adds +.03v if the voltage is less than 3.2v. Not sure if this really works, the DFI Manual doesn't really explain the BIOS very well.. er, I mean at all.

My question boils down to this, is this a good "fix" or is the RAM working on being toast? The Ballistix modules supposedly come with a lifetime warranty, so if they're going bad, I want to get them replaced. Does anyone know if the Ballistix modules require a bit more voltage? I did notice that the motherboard wasn't reporting the full description of the RAM at 2.6v, but now shows all the major specs at 2.8v.
 
If I understand you correctly, you raised the memory voltage to 2.8 volts and now the memory works properly. Well, the Ballistix modules are made for 2.8 volts, aren't they? If you buy a Dodge Viper and it calls for 93-octane gasoline, that's what you put in the tank 😉
 
Well, that was my question. I didn't really know what the standard voltage was for Ballistix. I assumed the motherboard ran the memory voltage properly, but apparently not. If they are made for 2.8v, then that's fantastic.

 
You're safe 🙂 It's routine to run the memory voltage higher than what the mobo defaults to, especially with "fancy" RAM that's shooting for extra-tight timings. Enjoy! 😎
 
These seem to have non-standard timings also. Ironically, my own memory is failing me now. My newegg order lists the 6464Z505 as what I bought and the Crucial site lists the timings as 2.5-4-4-8, but the motherboard autodetects them as 2-3-3-8. I was pretty sure when I bought them they were listed at Newegg as 2-3-3-8.

I wish Crucial had a serial number look up since Newegg lists the serial numbers on my order too. I wonder if something has changed in their manufacturing in the last 6-8 months.
 
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