System Stability and Prime95

[flawlssdistortn]

I have been struggling to attain system stability ever since i put this system together. I'm facing an issue with running dual channel DDR400 (you can check this thread to find out the specifics.) Basically I fail the prime95 torure test within 2 hours at memory at 200mhz and 1T, 4 hours at 200mhz at 2T. 166mhz - ran without error for 10 hours (i stopped it myself). So what does this mean? Besides BSODs, can any other errors occur if my system is proven "unstable"? Could this cause copied or downloaded files to be corrupted? I just want to know if it's a big deal to fail prime95 "early." I know what the prime95 readme says, but I would rather hear it from you guys. Thanks in advance!

 

[Childs]

Try running Memtest86 for a few hours and see if you can pass without errors. If you fail Prime95 early it maybe memory related, depending on which Prime test you are running. Memtest86 will let you know if its memory related.

 

[flawlssdistortn]

yes, I ran memtest before at 200mhz 1T for a few hours and didn't get any errors. But I was under the impression that prime95 would catch memory related errors that memtest would not.

 

[Childs]

I use Prime95 torture test first. In my experience, if it errors out right away its probably related to memory. I then run memtest86 to verify it. They are complementary tools. If you can pass memtest for a few hours and fail prime early, I personally would look at some other areas besides memory. But thats just me. It may be voltages.

Whats interesting in your case is that the lower you put the memory the longer prime runs. Maybe you need to up the voltage on your memory.

 

[flawlssdistortn]

I don't really think there's a manufacturing error with my memory, it's just that everyone with my mobo has had dual channel stability issues with corsair. But then again, the memory controller is now integrated with the cpu... I really don't know exactly where the problem lies. Anyway, with regards to the voltage - would it be safe to up it to 2.7 if it's rated at 2.5?

 

[Childs]

Oh, you have Corsair VS ram? I had prime and memtest errors with Cosair too on a MSI K8N. I replaced it with Kingston Value and no errors, and it looped memtest for 2 days and prime95 for 2+ days.

I wouldn't up the voltage then. Just use your PC they way you normally would and see if you get random errors. If not then maybe its not a problem. I personally didn't like seeing the errors, especially since I was building it for a relative and I don't want to be bothered with random problems. I tried each stick individually, and there were errors on both Corsair sticks at different addresses.

 

[flawlssdistortn]

So it's just a matter of preference? I was just wondering if the memory errors could cause any sort of file corruption. Btw, I looped prime95 for a day with no errors. I had to either use 2T at 400mhz or 1T at 333mhz. That seems to be my limit. Anyway, thanks for your help. I think i'll invest in some other brand of memory that is more compatible with my mobo.

 

[Childs]

Well, I was thinking that it would might lead to errors in other situations. If it produces rounding errors in Prime95, it would most likely do it when computing something else. In my case it was easy to exchange it because I was still within the return period, but if you can't return it, then you sorta have to make due. The relative I built this for will be encoding video 24/7, so I think any potential memory errors are a bad thing. If she was just surfing the web and occasionally playing games and I was past the return period, I wouldnt worry about it, as long as the system "seemed stable".