need advice - Dual Channel causes reboot

ShockwaveVT

Senior member
Dec 13, 2004
830
1
0
a couple of months ago I built an entry level C2D system with an Asus P5NSLI and 2 GB of GeIL memory (2x 1GB of DDR2 667, dual channel kit).

The system was plagued by intermittent reboots but I was too busy with the holidays and other things to really use the PC, much less diagnose the problem.

Fast forward to last weekend, I decide its about to time to sort this issue, and figure that a memory issue is the likely culprit and try Windows Memory Diagnostic.

With the RAM installed in Dual Channel configuration (i.e. Bank1,Slot1 + Bank2,Slot1) the system reboots 3/4 of the way through test #5, the "checkerboard pattern" test. No error capture by WMD, just a soft reboot - just like the random reboots I had been experiencing. I tried shifting the memory to B1S2 + B2S2 and got the same result.

Further experimentation showed that both memory modules operated fine by themselves, passing the standard WMD tests, and the worked fine when both were installed single channel configuration (i.e. Bank1, Slot1 + Bank1, Slot2).

Currently my system has running stable with the memory in single channel, but obviously I would like to run Dual Channel to maximize system performance.

Any thoughts on the culprit? Motherboard or Memory?
Any tips or advice appreciated.

memory -> http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16820144046

motherboard -> http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16813131032
 

bamacre

Lifer
Jul 1, 2004
21,029
2
81
Motherboard most likely. I have had nothing but problems with that motherboard. And IMO, Intel chipsets >>>> Nvidia chipsets.
 

HybridSquirrel

Diamond Member
Nov 20, 2005
6,161
2
81
Originally posted by: bamacre
Motherboard most likely. I have had nothing but problems with that motherboard. And IMO, Intel chipsets >>>> Nvidia chipsets.

most likely mobo, have another you can test with?
 

ShockwaveVT

Senior member
Dec 13, 2004
830
1
0
Originally posted by: HybridSquirrel
Originally posted by: bamacre
Motherboard most likely. I have had nothing but problems with that motherboard. And IMO, Intel chipsets >>>> Nvidia chipsets.

most likely mobo, have another you can test with?

nope :/
I'm going to run the extended WMD tests as well as Memtest86 tonight and see if they can dig up any problems with the individual memory modules, just to make sure its the motherboard.

Time to dig up warranty and RMA info it seems
 

HybridSquirrel

Diamond Member
Nov 20, 2005
6,161
2
81
Originally posted by: ShockwaveVT
Originally posted by: HybridSquirrel
Originally posted by: bamacre
Motherboard most likely. I have had nothing but problems with that motherboard. And IMO, Intel chipsets >>>> Nvidia chipsets.

most likely mobo, have another you can test with?

nope :/
I'm going to run the extended WMD tests as well as Memtest86 tonight and see if they can dig up any problems with the individual memory modules, just to make sure its the motherboard.

Time to dig up warranty and RMA info it seems
well i hope it all works out asus is normally fast at turn arounds