In a bit of a predicament here...need suggestions please

[thecoffeeguy]

So I am in a very odd predicament here and really need some suggestions here on how I should proceed.

I built a new rig this past fall:

AMD 945 Chip
ASRock 870 Extreme3
G.Skill DDR3 12800 (8gigs memory)

Used old HD and a GTX 260.

After my initial build of this box, it was very good. Fast, reliable, I could not be happer. After 6 weeks from launch, I started having weird issues arise; Freezes during game play or just during windows running screensaver. There was nothing in the logs or anything, so I started to investigate.

I did memtest and I *THOUGHT* I solved the puzzle. I had a bad stick of RAM. I RMA'd it, and G.SKill send me replacment (this is before I had 4 sticks, was just two sticks at the time).

Anyway, when I got my RMA'd ram back, I picked up 4 more gigs of RAM when it was on sale.

I thought I was set and everything was going well.
Then, weird stuff starts happening again.
Freezes during game play. Weird BSOD. Just odd. At this point, im very frustrated and mad.

So I am doing research and I come across this post:

http://forums.tweaktown.com/asrock/42966-g-skill-ram-question-asrock-extreme3-mobo.html#post384281

Specifically:

Hi there. I own the AsRock 870 Extreme 3 Motherboard myself and can offer a little insight on some issues I ran into with the G.Skill memory. I didn't use either one of the memories you listed but I did use this (Newegg.com - G.SKILL Ripjaws Series 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Desktop Memory Model F3-12800CL9D-4GBRL). It's also a G.Skill product that wasn't on their QVL list. To be honest I had NOTHING but issues with this G.Skill ram and this motherboard. The ram passed many many hours of memtest86 yet I still had random bluescreens from day one of building my new computer. Naturally since the ram passed I assumed it had to be something else and lets just say a couple windows installs later, hardware swaps and probably a 100 hours wasted on researching the issue only to realize it was the ram all along. I switched to some Corsair memory (Newegg.com - CORSAIR Vengeance 8GB (2 x 4GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Desktop Memory Model CMZ8GX3M2A1600C9) and haven't had one single issue since.

For whatever reason the AsRock board at least in my case seems to HATE G.Skill ram, or the ram hates it not sure what yet . If you do decide to try what you have my only advice is make sure ALL the timings are properly detected in bios, not just the main 4 timings. I noticed with everything set on auto the board was using timings 1-2 different than what they should be on a couple other timings. Once I did that the issue got a lot less worse with the G.Skill ram but I still had blue screens upon cold boot with that ram. I guess it's possible the ram was still defective even though it could seriously run for 24 hours passing memtest flawlessly but I don't know! I just mailed the ram back to them to see what they say two days ago.

Sorry for the long post I figured I'd offer my experience with similar ram and this motherboard. While researching I did find many other posts especially on G.Skill forums with issues with this board and their ram so just an FYI. Best of luck on your build! Oh and one last thing, make sure any 1600 DDR3 ram you install is installed in the two blue slots (further away from the cpu) as per motherboard manual recommendation.

SAME exact stuff I have and same exact issues! I felt like finally I was onto something.
I ended up chatting briefly with the author and he said he felt that the board and memory just did not work well together. Even now, with his new memory, he still has some stability issues with that motherboard and rig. I was a little disappointed when I heard that. I was hoping a memory change would clear it up

After chatting with him for awhile, I feel like I need to make a decision.

So my ultimate goal is to have a very stable, reliable rig, which is what I DONT have right now.

I am debating, should I just go a different direction (Intel build), or should I try a different motherboard and keep the CPU and memory.
Should I take my lumps and try to sell my AMD chip and go Intel?
At the same time, I am weary: "Could this current memory still be problematic?" I really dont want to repeat this vicious cycle.

And THAT, is what I wanted to ask fellow anandtech members here.

With all that above, any suggestions?I really could use the help. I really am quite frustrated with this build. I am trying to be patient and everything but I am just very very very frustrated right now and I am trying to avoid impulsive buying right now.

I appreciate all the help!


TCG

 

[superccs]

Could be time to pull out and nuke it from orbit (AKA ebay the components you don't want/can't use and start trolling Fry's and Microcenter ads for combo deals)

I had a great E8400 system that had the mobo die on me. I could have just got a new mobo, but found that I could sell my current ram and CPU for enough to get me a x6 and mobo from Fry's and spend a little on new memory.

I'd say try to cash in your chips and not try to solve a totally mysterious problem through guess work and replacing components.

Best of luck, we all hate the situation you are in.

 

[thecoffeeguy]

Could be time to pull out and nuke it from orbit (AKA ebay the components you don't want/can't use and start trolling Fry's and Microcenter ads for combo deals)

I had a great E8400 system that had the mobo die on me. I could have just got a new mobo, but found that I could sell my current ram and CPU for enough to get me a x6 and mobo from Fry's and spend a little on new memory.

I'd say try to cash in your chips and not try to solve a totally mysterious problem through guess work and replacing components.

Best of luck, we all hate the situation you are in.

Kind of leaning this way. Very frustrated right now.
Still doing research, but my gut says this memory and mobo dont gel well together.
Fired off a email go G.Skill to see what they have to say as well.

Grrrrrrr

 

[mb103051]

just sell your current ram and buy something else thats compatable...got to be someone on the forums that has a stable set of ram running on that board...what are you going to lose selling your ram and buying 2 sticks of 4gig ram that works...right...

 

[thecoffeeguy]

just sell your current ram and buy something else thats compatable...got to be someone on the forums that has a stable set of ram running on that board...what are you going to lose selling your ram and buying 2 sticks of 4gig ram that works...right...

True. Might do that.

Trick is, finding RAM that works now...hehe