Just put together a new build based mostly on the most popular suggestions for a roughly $1200 gaming/video editing system on these forums. Build consists of:
i5 2500k (stock cooler...I don't overclock, but I thought I might try at some point in the future)
ASRock Z68 Extreme3 Gen3 Mobo
Crucial M4 128gb SSD (Win7/Frequently used programs)
Western Digital Caviar Black WD1002FAEX 1TB (everything else)
G.SKILL Ripjaws X Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1333 (PC3 10666) Desktop Memory Model F3-10666CL9D-8GBXL x2 (16gb physical memory)
MSI N560GTX-TI Twin Frozr II/OC GeForce GTX 560 Ti (Fermi) 1GB 256-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI Support Video Card
CORSAIR Enthusiast Series CMPSU-550VX 550W ATX12V V2.2 SLI Ready CrossFire Ready 80 PLUS Certified Active PFC Compatible with Core i7 Power Supply (recycled from my prior build)
Everything seemed to be working fine at first, but after about a day of usage, I would get random freezes in windows. No blue screens, just completely frozen, requiring a reset. Then, upon reaching the Windows loading screen, it would freeze again, requiring another reset. After a couple reboots, it would boot into Windows.
So, I decided to test the memory. Keep in mind that I'm no expert, and I generally just try things based on other peoples experiences. I downloaded Memtest (windows app) and began testing blocks of 2074 (which it recommends). After starting a couple up, within just a few seconds, the computer shuts down completely. I start up Windows and try it again. Same thing happens. So, next step, I remove two of the sticks, leaving 2x 4gb sticks in dual channel mode. Boot Windows, start Memtest taxing all the memory, and let it run for 20 minutes. Everything is fine, no errors. Put those two sticks in the other dual channel slots, test it, everything fine. Move onto the next two sticks, putting those in the first then second slots and run the tests. Everything fine with the other two sticks.
Hmmm...
Put all four sticks back in, run the tests, CRASH.
So, I guess my question is ... is this the memory or the motherboard? It runs fine on 8gb with either set of sticks, but will crash with both sets of sticks. Is it possible for the sticks to be bad but only evident when running 16gb, or is it more likely something wrong with the mobo?
Another interesting thing. I was excited for the move to SSD, so I eagerly ran tests, finding great speeds in CDM. Windows Experience Index, however, would only give me a 6.0 for Hard Disk Rating... just .1 above my WD HDD from before. Same rating after multiple SSD recommended tweakings. But now, running on just the 8gb of RAM, I retested and got a 7.9 (the max) for the SSD, which I totally was not expecting. Everything else stayed the same rating, including the memory (7.6), but the SSD performance sky-rocketed.
Hope this is enough info for you gurus out there! I'm hoping its just the memory and not the mobo....
i5 2500k (stock cooler...I don't overclock, but I thought I might try at some point in the future)
ASRock Z68 Extreme3 Gen3 Mobo
Crucial M4 128gb SSD (Win7/Frequently used programs)
Western Digital Caviar Black WD1002FAEX 1TB (everything else)
G.SKILL Ripjaws X Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1333 (PC3 10666) Desktop Memory Model F3-10666CL9D-8GBXL x2 (16gb physical memory)
MSI N560GTX-TI Twin Frozr II/OC GeForce GTX 560 Ti (Fermi) 1GB 256-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI Support Video Card
CORSAIR Enthusiast Series CMPSU-550VX 550W ATX12V V2.2 SLI Ready CrossFire Ready 80 PLUS Certified Active PFC Compatible with Core i7 Power Supply (recycled from my prior build)
Everything seemed to be working fine at first, but after about a day of usage, I would get random freezes in windows. No blue screens, just completely frozen, requiring a reset. Then, upon reaching the Windows loading screen, it would freeze again, requiring another reset. After a couple reboots, it would boot into Windows.
So, I decided to test the memory. Keep in mind that I'm no expert, and I generally just try things based on other peoples experiences. I downloaded Memtest (windows app) and began testing blocks of 2074 (which it recommends). After starting a couple up, within just a few seconds, the computer shuts down completely. I start up Windows and try it again. Same thing happens. So, next step, I remove two of the sticks, leaving 2x 4gb sticks in dual channel mode. Boot Windows, start Memtest taxing all the memory, and let it run for 20 minutes. Everything is fine, no errors. Put those two sticks in the other dual channel slots, test it, everything fine. Move onto the next two sticks, putting those in the first then second slots and run the tests. Everything fine with the other two sticks.
Hmmm...
Put all four sticks back in, run the tests, CRASH.
So, I guess my question is ... is this the memory or the motherboard? It runs fine on 8gb with either set of sticks, but will crash with both sets of sticks. Is it possible for the sticks to be bad but only evident when running 16gb, or is it more likely something wrong with the mobo?
Another interesting thing. I was excited for the move to SSD, so I eagerly ran tests, finding great speeds in CDM. Windows Experience Index, however, would only give me a 6.0 for Hard Disk Rating... just .1 above my WD HDD from before. Same rating after multiple SSD recommended tweakings. But now, running on just the 8gb of RAM, I retested and got a 7.9 (the max) for the SSD, which I totally was not expecting. Everything else stayed the same rating, including the memory (7.6), but the SSD performance sky-rocketed.
Hope this is enough info for you gurus out there! I'm hoping its just the memory and not the mobo....
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