K7S5A eating my Crucial DDR memory?

[Kravahn]

I've had a K7S5A running for almost a year now with two sticks of Crucial 256MB DDR2100 ram with no problems. A month ago, the system would post and start to load windows, then a protection error would show up. I resolved that problem by replacing the ram in the 2nd slot with another stick of Crucial memory. Last night, the same symptoms showed up again. I resolved that by removing the ram from the 2nd slot. Now everything works fine, just a little slower Anyway, has anyone heard of this board eating memory? The three sticks I used are from the same lot and it seems that only one of them is still good (tried the other two in the 1st ddr slot and they wouldn't post). I've already rma'd the first one that went bad, now have to do it again. I'm afraid to put another stick in the 2nd slot, though; don't wanna fry another one.

 

[Peter]

Not really ... I'd rather check on whether the CPU heatsink is clogging up with dust, and also have a look at whether the voltages from the PSU are still OK - wouldn't be the first to die a slow death.

 

[Kravahn]

I thought of that, too. My +3.3V rail is at +3.26 +/- .02 and my +5V rail is at 4.94V +/- .03. I did clean the heatsink. The temps are around 53C, not great but shouldn't be causing a problem. I just ordered another heatsink just to be sure, though.

 

[Peter]

You also might want to give the board a BIOS update (new one just out).

 

[Kravahn]

That's an idea I've been toying with for awhile now... getting ready to pop in an XP2000+, so it's a must now. Thanks for the advice

 

[RU482]

I had a machine at work with a K7S5A that kept bombing on me. I opened it up and noticed the 512 DDR RAM stick was in slot 2 instead of slot 1. I switched it and it hasn't even hiccuped since. Makes me wonder if it's your motherboard/ram slot and not your RAM

 

[Kravahn]

I thought it might be the ram slot as well, but the sticks don't work in the first slot either. Could be that the second slot is bad, and damaging the dimms... I dunno. Maybe I'll just have to get a 512M stick for the first slot...

 

[RU482]

Originally posted by: Kravahn
I thought it might be the ram slot as well, but the sticks don't work in the first slot either. Could be that the second slot is bad, and damaging the dimms... I dunno. Maybe I'll just have to get a 512M stick for the first slot...

For that kind of investment, I would buy a new motherboard and a cheap microwave...then put the K7S5A in the cheap microwave and let er go!!

 

[i3rYs0n]

My board did that to me with one stick of ram, it like killed it. I rmaed it and it has been working fine ever since.

 

[Lizardman]

Come now. Spend another $5 to $10 ,over the price of the ECS mobo, on a decent motherboard and dont look back.