Failed memtest intermittent problems

M

MRAB54

Gawd
Joined
Sep 9, 2001
Messages
853
Sorry for the long read, hopefully somebody can help me!

I've been having problems with my new build and I can't figure out what's wrong. I had been getting random reboots in Windows with no blue screen when the machine was sitting idle. It passed prime95 and ran UT3 fine which is odd. Rebooting Ubuntu I lockup and get lots of system beeps.

So I shipped my CPU back to see if I could get an exchange. It was tested and said to be OK. I get the CPU back, plug it in and I failed memtest with 26 errors in one pass. I pulled my second stick of RAM and it passed memtest. Swapped the RAM again and it passed. Ran memtest overnight with both sticks back in and it passed. Now I get lockups in UT3 within minutes of playing.

I'm getting pretty frustrated because if I keep sending parts back and they test out "OK" then before you know it I will have spent $100 bucks shipping and still have a problem. I've got the latest BIOS for my mobo. I would have to think the problem lies in either my RAM or mobo. Any ideas?
 
Ok, so I am getting errors again in memtest within the first 5 minutes here. Does this mean for sure that the problem would be with RAM or is it still possibly a problem with the mobo?

EDIT: I looks like I get errors at about the same memory locations as I did the first time which would lead me to believe it probably is a problem with my RAM and not something with the memory controller on the motherboard.
 
When you memtested the RAM overnight, did you put them in different slots from when you first ran Memtest? There are some cases where a single or multiple memory slots are bad while the other memory slots test just fine.

Also, can you test the RAM in another system?
 
I tested in slots 1 and 3 first run with errors. Tested slot 1, no errors. Tested in slot 3, no errors. Tested in slots 1 and 3 overnight, no errors. Tested again, now, slots 1 and 3 and I've had 26 errors in about 40 minutes. I got the RAM as a kit from Newegg and I have return for replacement within 90 days, I think I will just do that. Shipping is only 8 bucks so hopefully I can get a new kit or at least narrow down where the problem is if they test it OK. Sigh...

Edit: I have no other system to test in.
 
Now test in Slots 2 and 4, separately and at the same time.
 
Tested in slots 2 and 4. Fifteen minutes in I have 45 errors, all in 'test 5' which is the same spot I was getting the errors all along, some in test 6 and 7.
 
What voltage are you providing to the RAM?

Are you overclocking anything?

Do you have sufficient airflow through the case and some form of active cooling on the RAM?
 
Sounds like the RAM and motherboard aren't getting along. Seen it before.

Make sure your MoBo is running the latest BIOS. If that doesn't straighten things out, I'd exchange the RAM.
 
Thanks for the replies. I ran one stick for roughly 2 days with no errors. I just got home and have been running the other stick for 35 minutes, no errors. This makes me worry the problem is in the motherboard.

I also stumbled upon this thread: http://www.xtremesystems.org/forums/showthread.php?t=189507

There are a lot of people having lockups/reboots while idle even though their machines will pass prime95 etc just fine. Apparently the load line calibration implementation for this mobo might be problematic. This would explain me crashing while idle so I will try to turn it off.

However, this still does not explain my memtest errors. I had already RMA'd to newegg and printed a shipping label. Is it worth it to send the sticks back?

NEVER paying $300 for a ASUS mobo again... :mad:

btw, all these memtest errors are stock speeds/voltages. I have plenty of airflow, 5 case fans, noctua hsf, northbridge is cool as well as CPU, no active cooling on RAM.
 
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