Mushkin HP Ram - Memtest Errors

[evilharp]

Hi All,

I haven't posted in a while, but I am hoping that someone can help me out.

I recently picked up some Mushkin HP PC3200 RAM (2-3-2 2x1GB) from NCIX (no, I don't work for them). The RAM came quickly and well packaged (1 day across country, very nice!). Sadly, things didn't work as I had hoped they would.

I got some weird errors in windows, so I decided that some Memtest sessions were in order. The RAM would not pass tests 6 or 7 without generating a slew (yes, that many) of errors. So many in fact, that Memtest stopped running (is there a maximum threshold?). I tried voltage adjustments, relaxing the timing and reseating the Dimms. I could not get either stick of RAM to pass.

I don't think it is my system, as it is 100% (as 100% as any PC can be) with my current BH5 OCZ ram.

Specs:

CPU: AMD Athlon(tm) 64 X2 Dual Core Processor 4200+
MOBO: A8N32-SLI-Deluxe (1205 Bios)
PSU: Seasonic S12 600W
Vid: BFG 7900 GTX
Sound: Audigy 2 value

Questions:

1) is it simply bad Ram?
2) is this Ram not compatible with A64 boards?
3) any tips on getting this stuff to work?

Any help would be most welcome.

NCIX has offered to RMA the ram and pay for return shipping, which is one of the reasons I continue to buy from them. I hoping that someone can point me in the right direction so that I can save everyone some grief.

 

[evilharp]

Update: NCIX thinks it is simply bad RAM.

It is being RMA'd as I write this.

 

[n7]

That RAM is sure as hell compatible with the A8N32-SLI.

I know because i have that exact kit running in my A8N32-SLi, & the kit previous to it i had to RMA also ran well in it (till one dimm died).

Now i do seem to remember something about the A8N32-SLI & Memtest always showing errors on a certain test in Memtest.
Somehow i thought i remember it being a common issue too.

I'd check the A8N32-SLI thread in Mobos or the big thread in XS on the mobo & see if you can find what people were doing.

But if things are actually unstable in Windows, then you may indeed actually have some bad RAM.

 

[evilharp]

Update

I received the replacement RAM from NCIX on the 10th, plugged it in, and fired up the system. XP booted up fine, Prime95 ran perfectly, so I was happy.

Then I tried Memtest (current version 1.65), and errors in test 6. Not as many, but still a few errors. So, something else was going on.

I dug around on the web, and I found that the A8N32-SLI has issues with large DIMMS (1024+) when the 1205 or 1103 bios are used. The work around is to disable "legacy USB support". Doing this will allow memtest to run without errors.

I upgraded to the new 1303 bios, and I can pass without problems with USB legacy support enabled.

Thanks for the feedback n7. This Ram is pretty sweet. The only downside is my XP-120 was blocking the A1 and A2 Dimm slots. My OCZ ram fit underneath, but the Mushkin heatsink is much taller.