RAM problem - HELP!!! (desperate)

[coolVariable]

My RAM seems to be broken but MEMTest 86+ does not show any errors after 1 Pass of tests. What to do?

I have a 1GB RAM stick in my laptop that seems to be the source of the problem.
What should I do?

With the 1GB stick in the laptop refuses to post anything in most instances.
The RAM was fine for 2 years ... the laptop seemed slightly unstable the last 2-3 weeks but nothing definitive ... I thought it was time for a re-format and fresh install.

Yesterday everything freezes. And now the laptop refuses to post or boot 95% of the time.
I managed to boot into windows 2x today with the faulty RAM and both times the whole laptop froze again.

 

[pcgeek11]

How did you run a memory test if the machine will not POST? Did you just happen to run the mem test when it did post? Only one time or cycle through a memory test is not enough to properly test the module. When you get it to boot run the test and walk away and let it run for a while.

pcgeek11

 

[Blain]

Originally posted by: pcgeek11
Only one time or cycle through a memory test is not enough to properly test the module. When you get it to boot run the test and walk away and let it run for a while.

pcgeek11

Several hours and loops should do.

 

[coolVariable]

How many loops should do it?
Do I need to run the test with cache off?

I think it might also be the actual slot on the laptop's motherboard that is the cause of the problem:
After using a 256MB stick out of my GF's laptop without any problems for a while (aside from the fact how SLOWWWWW it was), the laptop all of a sudden again refused to post.
So I took her stick out and the laptop again booted fine.
Then I put my 1GB stick in and put something on top of the RAM to push it down a little further when the case is crewed on top of it.
Since then the laptop has booted fine ... but it crashed on me twice today (black screen => reboot).

 

[Tarrant64]

Time for a new laptop?

 

[coolVariable]

Originally posted by: Tarrant64
Time for a new laptop?

Want to wait until Feb/March.
I definitely want to get Vista and Office 2007 with it, as well as maybe some of the new technology (Flash drives etc).
Sadly, I will probably not make it until the next generation of Centrino which requires flash memory ...

 

[bob4432]

Originally posted by: coolVariable

Originally posted by: Tarrant64
Time for a new laptop?

Want to wait until Feb/March.
I definitely want to get Vista and Office 2007 with it, as well as maybe some of the new technology (Flash drives etc).
Sadly, I will probably not make it until the next generation of Centrino which requires flash memory ...

flash drives being new technology? next gen of centrino requiring flash drive/memory? please enlighten...

 

[Tarrant64]

Yeah I must have missed something there...


If you buy now, a lot of PC/Notebooks are coming with free Vista upgrades or at least coupons for like $10.

 

[coolVariable]

No thread crapping please!

 

[coolVariable]

Ran one of those memtests for 10 passes (all night) and it found 0 errors.
But it took me 5 tries to boot into windows and get the program started before the laptop froze or re-booted (which it did 4 times).

What could it be?

 

[Oyeve]

Originally posted by: coolVariable
Ran one of those memtests for 10 passes (all night) and it found 0 errors.
But it took me 5 tries to boot into windows and get the program started before the laptop froze or re-booted (which it did 4 times).

What could it be?

I get this a lot at work. Its 99% bad system board on the laptop. Loose solder or trace. When the laptop freezes try gently twisting it or put light pressure on it to see if it unfreezes.

 

[coolVariable]

Damn it - so I am probably looking at a $250+ mainboard replacement?

... or ebaying it with the error which will probably be a big price impact.

 

[coolVariable]

Are you really sure it is the motherboard?

Running the laptop WITHOUT any RAM sticks installed (it has 128MB) on board, it has NO problems at all.

But both with my 1GB stick and my GF's 256MB stick it is experiencing problems.
(Either does not post, does not boot fully, or sometimes crashes or freezes.)

Strangely at work, where I have one of these cooler pads with fans, the Laptop will run fine all day (provided I can get it to boot into windows). But if it were a heat issue, I would think that the laptop would start up without problems if I kept the cover over the RAM off (which I did) ... and it still had problems.

 

[bob4432]

Originally posted by: coolVariable
Are you really sure it is the motherboard?

Running the laptop WITHOUT any RAM sticks installed (it has 128MB) on board, it has NO problems at all.

But both with my 1GB stick and my GF's 256MB stick it is experiencing problems.
(Either does not post, does not boot fully, or sometimes crashes or freezes.)

Strangely at work, where I have one of these cooler pads with fans, the Laptop will run fine all day (provided I can get it to boot into windows). But if it were a heat issue, I would think that the laptop would start up without problems if I kept the cover over the RAM off (which I did) ... and it still had problems.

maybe pick up a couple of brand new 1GB sticks (at a place you can return them to) and try out a couple. this would be my last ditch effort. your issues are so random and if you can boot into memtest and run for some time, well that says something. also d/l and run one of those live liniux dvds like knoppix and see how it handles that. maybe the issue is with windows.

and if you were referring to me thread crapping about the centrino and flash dirve memory, i wasn't thread crapping, just interested.

good luck

 

[Yellowbeard]

Originally posted by: coolVariable
Are you really sure it is the motherboard?

Running the laptop WITHOUT any RAM sticks installed (it has 128MB) on board, it has NO problems at all.

But both with my 1GB stick and my GF's 256MB stick it is experiencing problems.
(Either does not post, does not boot fully, or sometimes crashes or freezes.)

Strangely at work, where I have one of these cooler pads with fans, the Laptop will run fine all day (provided I can get it to boot into windows). But if it were a heat issue, I would think that the laptop would start up without problems if I kept the cover over the RAM off (which I did) ... and it still had problems.

Just to be clear, when you are testing, are you using the 1gb DIMM with the original OEM 128mb DIMM? If so, this is most likely your problem. With modern systems, you cannot mix and match memory. Try try 1gb DIMM solo. Also, can you list the brands and part numbers of your laptop and all the memory?

 

[Nocturnal]

You need to run Memtest more than one pass. Just because it passed once doesn't mean your memory is trouble free. Try running test 5 over and over for a few hours and see if any errors come up.

In the past I had to run Memtest on test #5 roughly around 15-20 passes in order for it to show errors.

The system was doing something similar to what your's is doing, locking/freezing up.

 

[coolVariable]

Originally posted by: bob4432

maybe pick up a couple of brand new 1GB sticks (at a place you can return them to) and try out a couple. this would be my last ditch effort. your issues are so random and if you can boot into memtest and run for some time, well that says something. also d/l and run one of those live liniux dvds like knoppix and see how it handles that. maybe the issue is with windows.

and if you were referring to me thread crapping about the centrino and flash dirve memory, i wasn't thread crapping, just interested.

good luck

That is actually a really good idea.
I will do that. I assume BestBuy will allow you to return RAM same day.

It can't be a Windows problem since the problem sometimes already occurs during the BIOS boot up (half the time I start the laptop it shows a black screen (doesn't post ANYTHING) and I can just hear the laptop running.


The new Centrino plattform (from what I heard) will include WAN access (e.g. Cingular) and will have to have either a flash chip on board, a harddrive that has a flash memory and regular disks, or a SSD hard drive.
I also assume that Vista is going to force manufacturers to up their system specs.

I am not necessarily going to buy a Centrino but such a plattform spec change is usually accompanied with price drops and other technical evolutions (e.g. I personnaly do not need an internal CD/DVD drive but half the "thin and light" laptops still waste space and weight with one).




Centrino Pro / Santa Rosa:

The code-name Santa Rosa refers to the fourth-generation Centrino platform, scheduled for release in April 2007 with the following features:

* second generation Intel Core 2 processor (code named Merom) that uses Socket P
* 800 MT/s front side bus with Dynamic Front Side Bus Switching to save power during low utilization
* Intel Mobile 965 Express chipset (code named Crestline) with Intel's GMA X3000 graphics technology
* Intel PRO/Wireless 4965AGN IEEE 802.11 a/b/g/n mini-PCIe Wi-Fi adapter (code named Kedron)
* NAND flash-memory caching (code-named Robson)
* WWAN Internet access via HSDPA codeveloped with Nokia (code-named Windigo)
* EFI, a successor to BIOS
* WiMAX [3]
* Intel Dynamic Acceleration (IDA), better Windows Vista Aero support

The Santa Rosa platform will be branded as "Centrino Pro".

 

[coolVariable]

Originally posted by: Yellowbeard

Just to be clear, when you are testing, are you using the 1gb DIMM with the original OEM 128mb DIMM? If so, this is most likely your problem. With modern systems, you cannot mix and match memory. Try try 1gb DIMM solo. Also, can you list the brands and part numbers of your laptop and all the memory?

It's 128MB on board.

1GB: Legacy Electronics Inc.99L5KDG0-1PDG 9110
1GB 128x64 PC2700 CL2.5 DDR

I also have the same problem (not as often) with my GF's RAM which is a 256MB stick ...

 

[coolVariable]

Originally posted by: Nocturnal
You need to run Memtest more than one pass. Just because it passed once doesn't mean your memory is trouble free. Try running test 5 over and over for a few hours and see if any errors come up.

In the past I had to run Memtest on test #5 roughly around 15-20 passes in order for it to show errors.

The system was doing something similar to what your's is doing, locking/freezing up.

I ran it 10 passes (= 10 hours or so = all night). Will try again though (if I can get it to boot into Memtest)

 

[coolVariable]

After running the memtest for hours last time, I was able to find errors almost immediately today. (Actually got three problems, and two different errors, one shortly after the other):
1st Time:
Laptop stopped responding, froze and stopped running the test (after 1h 37min).

2nd time
Unexpected interrupt
65 errors

3rd time:
it failed at 4095.9 on test 2, pass 0 for a total of 1045 errors.

Both times the laptop stopped responding.


BUT: I do not think the RAM that is bad since I tested every other RAM stick that I had in the house (1x 1GB and 2x 256MB) and all of them had problems with the laptop (I try to start the laptop and can hear it turning on (lights go on) but the screen stays black and the HD is not read). The two 256MB sticks work fine in my girlfriend's laptop - sadly I cannot test the 1GB in hers.

Bad mobo?

 

[coolVariable]

Just in case anybody was wondering or if someone stumbles upon this thread with similar symptoms:

It indeed was the motherboard.
After I replaced it, it immediately worked fine.