Difference between bad mobo and bad CPU?

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Boardin087

Gawd
Joined
Jul 2, 2003
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689
Im having memory problesm with my new build, but since the memory controller is on the cpu im not sure if its the mobo or cpu. when i put my ram in either of the first two dimm slots, i get a repeating "bios rom checksum error" It will flash the bios over and over again but still the same error. When i put my memory in the other slot i get no errors and it loads to the windows install but crashes during the initialization of the windows xp pro install. mobo is an a8n5x. proc is a xp 3500+. memory is my mushkin in my sig.
 
you've tried resetting the cmos?
check your mobo manual to see if you need to short two pins or just pop out the battery.

have you tried manually setting the RAM timings and voltage in the bios with the working combination, then retrying it with all the RAM in?
 
i have done both, worked extensively with about 5 asus reps (they were nice but not the most helpful, they all just wanted me to rma my board, which i did) however it wil be back soon and im not sur eof the status, if i need to rma my chip i will do so but im really confused by all of this. Oh well i had it coming to me, over 40 computers and 200 components and 0 rma's. it was my time
 
quadnad said:
you've tried resetting the cmos?
check your mobo manual to see if you need to short two pins or just pop out the battery.

have you tried manually setting the RAM timings and voltage in the bios with the working combination, then retrying it with all the RAM in?
Click to expand...
which timings are more likely to work?... also im leaving for vacation before my mobo will be back and would like to start the rma proces on my cpu if needed... so any input will save me some time and possibly money.
 
Boardin087 said:
which timings are more likely to work?
Click to expand...

well, i mean the RAMs stock timings. obviously the looser the better, but usually the part that is mis-detected is the voltage. find the stock timings and volts, boot with the working combination, set the voltage and timings, then put the full amount back in and see if that'll help.
 
quadnad said:
well, i mean the RAMs stock timings. obviously the looser the better, but usually the part that is mis-detected is the voltage. find the stock timings and volts, boot with the working combination, set the voltage and timings, then put the full amount back in and see if that'll help.
Click to expand...
RAM is old(by today's standards) where can i find the stock volts, i know the timing are the ones in my sig.
 
Boardin087 said:
RAM is old(by today's standards) where can i find the stock volts, i know the timing are the ones in my sig.
Click to expand...

try 2.6 volts first, then 2.7, then 2.8.

also, have to memtest86'd the RAM?
 
quadnad said:
try 2.6 volts first, then 2.7, then 2.8.

also, have to memtest86'd the RAM?
Click to expand...
would my computer detect different voltages in different dimm slots.... i repeated the tests on the dimm slots over and over again. (probably 10-12 times) something is wrong with two of them :(
 
Boardin087 said:
would my computer detect different voltages in different dimm slots.... i repeated the tests on the dimm slots over and over again. (probably 10-12 times) something is wrong with two of them :(
Click to expand...

no, it'll supply the same voltage to all the slots. It is very possible that the dimm slots are bad, I just want to eliminate any possibility of this being fixable.
 
quadnad said:
no, it'll supply the same voltage to all the slots. It is very possible that the dimm slots are bad.
Click to expand...
is it possible that the cpu is bad causing only TWO of the 4 slots to malfunction? while the other two only semi fail.
 
Boardin087 said:
is it possible that the cpu is bad causing only TWO of the 4 slots to malfunction? while the other two only semi fail.
Click to expand...

It wouldn't be causing the slots to be bad, but it could cause certain memory combinations to not work.

Have you tried the different voltages? Tried setting the command rate to 2t?
 
quadnad said:
It wouldn't be causing the slots to be bad, but it could cause certain memory combinations to not work.

Have you tried the different voltages? Tried setting the command rate to 2t?
Click to expand...
nope, its sent away right now. im going to hope that my board was the problem. i should know within a few days. the only things that works is any RAM in 1B or 2B. the A slots completely dont work with any combination. Damn why cant the memory controller be on the mobo for troubleshooting purposes :(


oh and these companies have some nerve making u pay for an rma if its a DOA
 
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