Kind of in a memory bind.

Tarrant64

Diamond Member
Sep 20, 2004
3,203
0
76
Summary:
1gb(512x2) Kingston Hyper X memory sticks. 1(hopefully not 2 is bad).

Ran memtest, only getting errors with both memory sticks in. Need to know how to find which one is the bad one.

Random BSOD's. Errors ranged from Driver erros, a couple IRQ errors(???), and some memory dump stuff.

Did some research, too many options to really know what's causing the problem.


Well, after I solved the heat issues with the CPU, I had other BSOD's that have been troubling me. Every so often, my PC would just up and BSOD on me. For the first couple days it was nothing but troubleshooting. First it was video drivers, and then it was my sound card. Then it was just random drivers. I wanted it to be the video card(excuse for an upgrade), but after awhile I managed to get the driver kinks worked out...and now there isn't any driver in particular causing the issue.

The windows error screen when I reboot says when I get to the microsoft website says that it's a device driver. I've never really tested memory before, so my next step was to just make sure. I have had the ram for awhile now, but recently I upgraded to a new motherboard, and this is where the problems began. It was fine for the first week however. Don't know what went wrong.

Moving on, ran that memtest program. I am using the mobo that is in my sig, and with an updated( i believe it's custom) bios, it has memtest built into it. So i ran it. FIRST TIME i ran into a LOT of errors(2000+ or so). I was like holy cow. I didn't want it to be the memory, but I figured, if it's just one of my 512 sticks, I should just single it out now.

I tested one at a time, and got nothing. I didn't have time to run it over night, so each stick got tested about 5-6 hours a day(this is day 4 of testing). I was still getting nothing, so putting both sticks back in(since that's where the error came from), I still didn't get any errors. I waited a little bit, and after another crash, decided to run memtest again(with both sticks). Did this and again, under 15 minutes got 5000+ errors this time. Lots of them. I need to single out which stick it is. If I send both in, I won't have a computer until I get the new ram back. Anyone know what I can do? Is there anyway when i'm testing both I can figure out which memory stick it is?

Again, my system info is in the sig. I am running Windows XP Pro SP2, I've done a fresh install twice already. Used both new and old drivers with each device(since it 'appeared' to be a driver issue at first). In the past it's been my video card, but I am highly doubting that now that I have run memtest. I do OC, but just lightly. I am 200mhz OC'ed. I originally(when I first go the new mobo), ran it for 1 week about at the normal clock speed(just to make sure it was ok). and then another week OC'ed, and it was fine then too. I just think somewhere along the line it just went bad. The memory is still under warranty, and I am able to RMA it.

Sorry for it taking so long. I just felt you could better help me with more details.

TIA
 

CheesePoofs

Diamond Member
Dec 5, 2004
3,163
0
0
Try raising the voltage a bit for the ram. Mine is running at 2.8v right now, thats what I need to not BSOD.
 

Tarrant64

Diamond Member
Sep 20, 2004
3,203
0
76
I was at 2.6. I raised it to 2.7. I will push 2.8 then. Thanks again. Any other suggestions?
 

CheesePoofs

Diamond Member
Dec 5, 2004
3,163
0
0
Get your hands on some other two other sticks of ram and run them together. If you still get the errors, its probably your mobo or CPU.
 

VirtualLarry

No Lifer
Aug 25, 2001
56,570
10,196
126
I'm thinking, perhaps one of the caps that is part of the DRAM power-supply on the mobo is going? Such that two DIMMs is too much load and makes the memory array unstable? Check the caps carefully.
 

de8212

Diamond Member
Jan 2, 2000
4,021
0
76
I had two bad sticks of hyperX recently. I RMA'd them for "repair" because they said they didn't make that model HyperX anymore. When I got them back my pc wouldn't even boot. I called Kingston and they actually tried to pawn off value RAM to replace my hyperX. It took me a minute or so to inform them I absolutely would not take value ram for a substitute. Nevertheless they sent me two brand new sticks fed ex next-day. They have worked perfectly.

So, just be warned if you have to RMA your RAM.

 

Tarrant64

Diamond Member
Sep 20, 2004
3,203
0
76
Alright, thanks a lot for the suggestions. I think I might have found out which stick of ram it is. I"ll pay close attention to what happens when I go to RMA it. I'm still testing the other stick now to see if it will stay stable.