Memory Testing Questions

[KaRRiLLioN]

I have an
AMD FX-53
GA-K8NSNXP-939
512MB Crucial Ballistix ram

I have been trying to run Prime95. I've run it 3 times. The first time it errored out after 3 mins. The second time it errored out on the 3rd test. The 3rd time it errored out after 3 mins again.

So, I rebooted and went to use Memtest86 to see what I'd get. I moved the RAM stick to DIMM slot 3 since this mobo uses slots 1&2 as one dual channel and 3&4 for the second. Memtest gave me a lot of errors, so I moved the RAM to slot 1 again. This time memtest found 2 errors on the 2nd pass of test 5, but after running for an hour it didn't find any other errors.

I'm rather perplexed...is the RAM bad, or perhaps the memory controller?

I have another stick of the same RAM, but I was crashing a lot in windows, so I tested both sticks of RAM a few days ago in memtest86. This stick of RAM got a lot of errors consistently. The other stick didn't register any errors (that's the stick I tested today).

Also, I have 2 sticks of Corsair 3200 512MB. I tried running them in dual channel mode. I've used these sticks in my Asus A8V 939 mobo, and memtested them so I know they're good. I started getting BSOD's in a game.

I dunno what to think.

 

[Shimmishim]

hi

what timings ar eyou trying to use for the ballistix ram?

and what speed are you trying to run them at with what voltage?

tha twould help first

 

[KaRRiLLioN]

This is what it has in the CMOS. I haven't changed anything in there yet.

Max Memclock - 200
CAS Latency - 2
Row Cycle time - 11 bus clocks
Row refresh cyc time - 11
Ras to Cas delay - 2
Row to Row delay - 3
Min RAS active time - 8
Row precharge time - 2
Write recovery time - 3
Write to read delay - 2
Read to Write delay - 3
Refresh Period - 2x3120
Enable 2T Timmings - AUTO

I think the "Enable 2T Timmings" is supposed to be "Timings" but that's exactly what it says in the setup.

I looked at the Anand reviews for the 939 mobo's and I was thinking of trying their settings, but I can't figure out which settings match up. This is what the reviews had:

CAS - 2
Ras to Cas Delay - 2T
Ras Precharge - 10T
Precharge Delay - 2T
Command Rate - 1T

I know which one is the CAS, it's pretty obvious, and the Ras to Cas delay is also labeled the same. But I'm not sure which is what for the last 3 in the list.

Is there some better way to check this?

 

[Shimmishim]

interesting... nice timing options in the bios

max memclock i think is the ratio so 200 should be a 1:1

but what speed or HTT are you trying to run this at?

 

[spin02]

I have been having great luck with the Ballistix. You may want to try increasing the Vdimm to 2.5-2.8v. If that doesn't work, relax the timing a little and go back to default voltages. Once you have found a stable speed you can start slowly being a little more aggresive. Good luck!

 

[KaRRiLLioN]

What do you mean by HTT? I'm just trying to get by on default speeds if that's what you mean.

 

[Shimmishim]

okay that's what i was asking..

in A64 there is no such thing as fsb, it's called hyper transport something or HTT for short

so i was wondering what you were trying to run at

hmm....

maybe someon else with this board could decipher the timing options...

but i would think if you haven't touched it then it gets programmed by the ram sticks themselves...

i think it is possible you may have just gotten some bad sticks...

do you have another board to test this on by any chance?

 

[KaRRiLLioN]

Heh, I have 3 939 boards. The Abit AV8, Asus A8V, and the GB K8N. I've run memtest on my corsair 3200 modules with my Asus mobo, and they ran with no errors.

Anyway, last night I went into BIOS and changed the Max memclock to 166 (from 200). I started Prime95 and it ran 5 hours before it had an error.

I guess the lower clock helps it, but I am really beginning to think this GB K8N has some issues with memory. This is with just 1 stick, BTW. If I put in my corsair modules for dual channel then it'll BSOD randomly.

Well, I guess I'm just going to have to get the MSI board and see if my luck is any better. Grrr.

This is the bad thing about NewEgg. They'll only allow exchange for a like item on this mobo.

 

[imported_davey]

Originally posted by: KaRRiLLioN
Heh, I have 3 939 boards. The Abit AV8, Asus A8V, and the GB K8N. I've run memtest on my corsair 3200 modules with my Asus mobo, and they ran with no errors.

Anyway, last night I went into BIOS and changed the Max memclock to 166 (from 200). I started Prime95 and it ran 5 hours before it had an error.

I guess the lower clock helps it, but I am really beginning to think this GB K8N has some issues with memory. This is with just 1 stick, BTW. If I put in my corsair modules for dual channel then it'll BSOD randomly.

Well, I guess I'm just going to have to get the MSI board and see if my luck is any better. Grrr.

This is the bad thing about NewEgg. They'll only allow exchange for a like item on this mobo.

incredible to see you having 3 s939 boards!
btw, i'm having serious memory problems with my K8NSNXP-939 too......... frustrating.

 

[Peter]

Try the RAM test from www.memtest.org