memTEST86 locks up at Test#5: I guess this means...

[MichaelD]

...that my memory is bad? I boot from the CD Rom. It immediately goes into the tests. Gets thru #1-#4 w/o a problem. As soon as Test #5 starts, the proggy locks up.

Any advice here?

I'm running two 512mb sticks of Corsair XMS3200C2 in dual-channel mode. Cas 2.5, 6-3-3. Epox 8RDA+, 1/29/2003 bios.

Thanks.

 

[mechBgon]

Aaack What voltage you got on them?

 

[sharkeeper]

Try more conservative mem timings.

What is the actual DDR VMEM? Try to keep it at 2.80V or below.

-DAK-

 

[Viper96720]

Test each stick individually. If each passes then slow down the memory when going to dual channel.
If your board is one of the first versions I would run at 166Mhz dual channel. Since that's all it officially supported at the time.
Check your Vdd voltage in pchealth. Users are modding to bump it up to 1.8v. But you may have to put a heatsink on the northbridge if you do.
Vdd mod

 

[MichaelD]

Hi guys. I have since went back to single channel, CAS2, at 200MHz and have zero probs. I haven't run memtest though. Let me do that real quick.

FYI, i have the memory voltage at 2.65v, which is the default for the 8RDA+.

AFA running dual channel at 166MHz vs. single channel at 200MHz, I highly doubt that the dual channel would make up for 34MHz additional FSB speed.

Going to run memtest on single channel at 200MHz. BRB. Thanks!

 

[MercenaryForHire]

You're just having all the luck here, Mike.

Busted vidcard, dead RAM.

Check your heatsink clips.

- M4H

 

[MichaelD]

Something is definitely wrong.

I tried each stick by itself. Same thing. Test #5 locks up as soon as it starts. Both sticks get thru the first four tests w/o errors.

WTH is going on here? Could the memtest proggy itself be hosed? I used Nero to burn a CD from the unzipped ISO.

 

[MercenaryForHire]

Dead motherboard potential - RISING

Have you tried them in different slots on the mobo? Do that first, check voltage, try another MB if you can.

- M4H

 

[Viper96720]

If the cpu is overclocked. Try testing with memory at 200Mhz and processor at stock or as close as possible. If your testing with the processor bus and memory at 200Mhz. It could be the processor
overclock causing the error.

 

[MichaelD]

Originally posted by: Viper96720
If the cpu is overclocked. Try testing with memory at 200Mhz and processor at stock or as close as possible. If your testing with the processor bus and memory at 200Mhz. It could be the processor
overclock causing the error.

I hadn't thought of that. BUT, I know that bad things happen on NF2 mobos when you run things asynchronously.

I'm going to try something. BRB.

 

[mechBgon]

I'd be trying 2.77V on the DIMMs (next step up) as a fact-finding step.

 

[MichaelD]

Originally posted by: mechBgon
I'd be trying 2.77V on the DIMMs (next step up) as a fact-finding step.

Well, I went against the trouble shooting code and changed more than one thing at a time.

I flashed the bios to the latest one (5/7/2003) and I am running the "optimized settings" right now. 133MHz FSB.

It got past test 5 and is currently working on 7. I'm posting from another box, obviously.

The CPU isn't over clocked at all right now.

Interestingly, w/this new bios, the vDIMM defaults to 2.77v as opposed to the 2.63v w/all the previous BIOSes.

The PC Health bios screen at boot reports the actual DIMM voltage at 2.73v. I wonder what did it; the no CPU OC or the higher DIMM voltage?

Once this stick passes, I'll throw the other one in, check that one, then both at once, THEN overclock and check.

If they don't pass w/the overclock, I am not going to worry about it. As long as they pass at 133, they're fine, right?

 

[mechBgon]

w00t! Good luck MichaelD. Sometimes you don't have time to change just one thing at a time. Of course, there could be other explainations too. For instance, your ex might have a voodoo doll of your PC. Eh?

 

[MichaelD]

Originally posted by: mechBgon
w00t! Good luck MichaelD. Sometimes you don't have time to change just one thing at a time. Of course, there could be other explainations too. For instance, your ex might have a voodoo doll of your PC. Eh?

*shudders at the voodoo doll of my PC idea* Sheesh, it's bad enough she's got one of ME! :Q

One stick passed a complete round of memtest with 0 errors, at default settings. I have the system OC'd right now to where it was before. Let's see if it passes.

Thanks mechBgon.

 

[MichaelD]

OK, test #5 locks up at 200MHz.

As long as it passes at 133MHz, am I to assume that all is well?

 

[mechBgon]

Well, it is PC3200, so it would be nice if it would do 200MHz (edit: more of the doubt goes towards the mobo than the RAM, on that remark). But as long as they'll do 133 (and hopefully 166) together, that gets you under way with your present CPU or 333-based ones, I guess.

 

[MichaelD]

Originally posted by: mechBgon
Well, it is PC3200, so it would be nice if it would do 200MHz (edit: more of the doubt goes towards the mobo than the RAM, on that remark). But as long as they'll do 133 (and hopefully 166) together, that gets you under way with your present CPU or 333-based ones, I guess.

Thanks. Interestingly, I have Rev 1 of the 8RDA+, which is the first rev and the one that many folks say just won't do 200MHz. Mine will do 210.

Going to run some 3DM to ensure stability w/this new bios.

ps
Side note; I had to do the MAC-addy thing after flashing the bios.

 

[Viper96720]

The ram is PC3200 but his CPU is a 266Mhz FSB XP. So all the computer has to do is run at 133/133. I don't think he wants to run async to eliminate the processor overclock
as the problem. I would try upping your fsb see how high you can get it and passing the tests.