"DET DRAM" on Asus Maximus Formula SE

TheGardenTool

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Mar 12, 2006
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Well everything was going well for about a year until I unplugged my system to plug in an older system that had a file on it my wife needed. When everything was plugged back up, all I'm getting is a DET DRAM error on the LCD poster.

I was even planning on ordering a Q9550 and some new RAM before this happened.

I've done all sorts of reading and googling to find a solution and have tried all that I've seen. Most involve trying to use different sticks of RAM in all the slots, unplugging everything that is non essential to POST, clearing CMOS and removing the CMOS battery for X amount of time (I left it out for about 6 hours yesterday), and nothing is working.

Does anybody else have any suggestions? This seems to be a wide spread problem with Asus boards, ranging from Striker Extremes to Crosshairs and lots in between. Most seem to be from using incompatible RAM. While I don't believe my Buffalo Firestix are on the QVL, they were known to be good and were working for a year on this system prior.

I'd prefer RMA to be a last option but if it does come down to that, then I will probably go ahead and upgrade to Core i7 and just sell it after it comes back. :-\ Wasn't looking to going to a new platform for awhile though.
 
I had that problem with my Maximus (1st ed), and it was the fact that the memory needed more voltage to boot. If I used regular 1.8V memory (DDR2 in my case), it would boot and I could go into the bios and change the voltage necessary to run the better sticks.

The other sticks were Ballistix I believe.
 
Hmm well perhaps I will go buy a single 1.8v stick of DDR2 later from BBY to test. I'm wondering why just using 1 of my sticks isn't working though. :(
 
Hmm well perhaps I will go buy a single 1.8v stick of DDR2 later from BBY to test. I'm wondering why just using 1 of my sticks isn't working though. :(

Not sure...I'm just telling you what worked for me when I had that same issue. That error might encompass any number of different memory issues.
 
The battery in my Maximus Formula seemed to die after about a year. When this happened I was having all kinds of problems I was thinking were related to RAM, Power Supply or graphics card problems. Turns out it was the CMOS battery and replacing it fixed my problems. So if the BBY ram doesn't fix it, give that a shot.
 
The battery in my Maximus Formula seemed to die after about a year. When this happened I was having all kinds of problems I was thinking were related to RAM, Power Supply or graphics card problems. Turns out it was the CMOS battery and replacing it fixed my problems. So if the BBY ram doesn't fix it, give that a shot.

hmm I may have a good spare laying around so I may check that first before going to best buy. Don't really want to drop $30 on some shitty ram if I don't have to.
 
hmm I may have a good spare laying around so I may check that first before going to best buy. Don't really want to drop $30 on some shitty ram if I don't have to.

When it would BSOD it wouldn't post on reboot and get stuck at DET DRAM.

Sometimes it would just do a reboot without a BSOD during a game (this led me down the Power Supply/Graphics card path for a little while).

Sometimes clearing the CMOS would fix it. Other times I had to switch off my power supply and clear the CMOS, etc. Sometimes shut down and power on would do the same thing, etc etc etc.

Since I kept on having to clear the CMOS, and pull power.. I just figured "Hmmm.. CMOS battery maybe, since it seems like it keeps losing it's 'mind'." That fixed it for about 3-4 months until I upgraded to Core i7. I ran Patriot RAM that required 2.0V to run properly, so it is a similar situation.

You can pick a battery up at the grocery store for about $4 if you don't have an extra.
 
I tried 2 other known good batteries with no avail. Tried both sticks of ram individually in all 4 slots clearing CMOS each time. Just confused why it was working and now it doesn't. Odds say unlikely both RAM sticks didn't fail at same time. Also tried 2 video cards without success.

Only things I haven't tried are swapping CPU and psu or buying some cheap 1.8v ram but iirc my ram uses standard settings if I only boot with 1 stick then I have to manually configure the settings.
 
Next time it boots properly, check your memory voltage settings. Maybe try bumping it a little and see if it fixes the problem.

What kind of RAM are you using? I've had RAM go bad over about a year period (Crucial Ballistix). I kept having to bump the voltage more and more to get them to work right even on stock settings until finally they wouldn't boot.
 
I'm using Buffalo Firestix PC2-6400 and I've been using it for about 2 years now. And like I said before for about a year in this build without problems.

It hasn't POST since this all started. No matter what I've done it always starts with CPU INIT after I clear CMOS then probably a second or two after I turn it on it goes to DET DRAM and sits there.
 
I'm using Buffalo Firestix PC2-6400 and I've been using it for about 2 years now. And like I said before for about a year in this build without problems.

It hasn't POST since this all started. No matter what I've done it always starts with CPU INIT after I clear CMOS then probably a second or two after I turn it on it goes to DET DRAM and sits there.

Can you try your memory in another setup? I'm not sure if you have access to anything else. That might be a quick check to see if its your memory gone bad.
 
Can you try your memory in another setup? I'm not sure if you have access to anything else. That might be a quick check to see if its your memory gone bad.

Unfortunately no I only have 1 DDR2 setup. That is why I was considering going to grab some $30 RAM from Best Buy just to test it.

If it works, great. Hopefully then I could plug in my RAM's settings and it works. If not, take the RAM back, buy a i7 setup, RMA this board and sell my C2D stuff later.

I guess I'll go buy some cheap RAM later and let you guys know if it works.
 
I had the same problem with my pos commando. will not run past 400mhz no matter what settings.
I've tried a few different sticks of ram and still havent got it past 400mhz.
ocz
corsair
g-skill

Mind you this only effects my overclock but it still sucks.

I hope you get it working. Best of luck
 
Okay well I think it's good to go for now.

I bought a 1GB stick of the cheapest RAM at Best Buy. I came home, put it in and it POSTed. I set the voltage to 2.2v for my Buffalo Firestix and left everything else auto and it's working.

So I'm on with my plan to go ahead and order a Q9550 and probably some of the OCZ Blade Low Voltage RAM. Hopefully with that I won't have a problem with it not supplying enough voltage to the RAM even after a CMOS clearing.

Thanks everybody for the help.
 
The OCZ Blade Low Voltage work like a charm!

With both sticks running in dual channel and resetting the CMOS, it will POST without having to go tinker with all the settings.

Once again thanks for the help and now I am glad to have a good, functioning PC again.
 
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