M3a78-EM and Recommended Memory = ERRORS

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bri-guy30

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Oct 8, 2008
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If anyone can offer assistance I would appreciate it... I have been testing memory for the last 4 days.

I have a M3A78-EM with bios 7xx update. I have 4 x 2GB G.Skill DDR2 800 RAM model F2-6400CL5D-4GBPQ. This memory is listed on the recommended vendor list in the user manual of the motherboard. CPU is AMD 9950 Black Edition 140 watts.

When I install 2 sticks in slots 1 & 2 I can complete MEMTEST86 with no errors.
When I install the other 2 sticks in slots 1 & 2 I can complete test with no errors.
This should proove that the memory sticks work.
When I install all 4 sticks into slots 1, 2, 3, 4 and run the test I can not get it to pass with out errors...

I have bumped the voltage to 1.9V and even beyond at no avail.

My memory testing was shortened to test #7 and test #8 because these tests are the ones that usually fail.

This memory should work because it is on the recommended list and is not pushing the limits of the motherboards capabilities.

So what should I try? What are the settings or is there something I am forgetting to adjust? Is there the posiblitiy of a bad memory slot on slot 3 or 4?
 
As far as a bad slot is concerned you can test the second channel by itself. You don't need to populate the first set of slots as well to test that.

And if it's not that...

Two sets of RAM that work fine individually but not together can be two other issues. One is incompatible RAM, as in one set needs real high voltage and likes tight timings versus a standard budget set with low voltage and loose timings. Since they're both the same model that is ruled out. The other thing is your memory controller isn't up to par handling all four at the same settings it can run two at. Your Phenom is supposed to handle PC8500/DDR2 1066mhz memory so that *shouldn't* be the issue running DDR2 800mhz RAM but I would try nudging up both the CPU and NB voltage a tad and see if that helps.
 
Thank you for the reply.

I will try memory in only slot 3 and 4. However, this is against what the user manual says is possible.
It says: slot 1 only (single stick), slot 2 only (single stick), slots 1 & 3 (single channel), slots 1 & 2 (dual channel), slots 1 & 2 & 3 & 4 (dual channel).

I have tried voltage up to 1.94V without noticing a solution to the problem.

If the memory controller is not up to the task, does that mean I should RMA for a replacement? I am still under the time frame from THE EGG.
 
I wasn't aware some motherboards had that restriction/recommendation. Try just slots 3+4 anyway in case.
 
OK... So i ran the test with only slot 3 & 4 and Memtest passed with no errors.
What does this mean now? I can get it to pass with only 2 sticks in any slot but never with 4 sticks.

I borrowed a set of different memory to try later tonight. I just realized I was bumping up the "chipset" voltage and not the "North Bridge" voltage... Maybe this is the real solution. I will also test this posibility.
 
Chipset and NB should be equivalent terms on your system as far as I know. Some have separate SB voltage, HT link voltage, etc depending on how geared toward an overclocker it may be. Have you tried the official Asus forum? I know other people have Phenom systems running 4 modules at PC2 8500/DDR21066. Motherboards might say that speed is limited (or only guaranteed) to 2 modules but PC2 6400 should definitely work with all slots occupied. You can try your 4 sticks in someone else's board but that doesn't really delimit whether it was the board or the memory controller. I'd go with the RMA of the CPU if that other set you try doesn't work.
 
I have confirmed that the ASUS M3A78-EM does NOT support 4 modules of DDR1066 installed in all four slots. DDR1066 is only supported on 2 slots at a time.

I am still unable to find a solution to the memory problem...
Recently I tried reducing the load on the power supply. I have a silvestone 600 watt modular supply. I tried removing the PCI-E 8800GT and unplugged the HDD's and all fans. The same condition occured.

Tonight I will be testing some borrowed RAM that is 4 modules of DDR800 512MB... Wish me luck.
 
MEMTEST passed all tests using 2GB of G.Skil in the 4 stick configuration using F2-6400CL4D-GBPK.
Where does this leave me? RMA the 4X2GB set and exchange for something else?
 
I can't remember but I thought I read somewhere that 2GB modules are harder on the CPU. I just can't remember where I read that.

I have the Asus M3A78-EM and I'm running 2x1GB of 800 MHz RAM. (BTW, it's OCZ special ops ram).
 
Bobbarker...
I was sucessful at passing tests with 2x2GB ram in any possible slot combination on the M3A78-EM.
I was sucessful at passing tests with 4X512MB ram in all 4 slots.
However, I have been unable to run 4X4GB modules without errors...

One other thing Bob. How HOT would you say your North and South Bridge heat sinks get? I can barely keep my finger on them for longer than a few seconds...

UPDATE:
I emailed and heard a response from G.Skill customer support. They confirmed that the memory set and configuration are acceptable for the motherboard. G.Skill recommended running the voltage above the specification at 1.950V. I have been testing at higher voltages up to 2.000V.

I'm starting to think about exchanging for different RAM.
 
bri-guy30 said:
Bobbarker...
I was sucessful at passing tests with 2x2GB ram in any possible slot combination on the M3A78-EM.
I was sucessful at passing tests with 4X512MB ram in all 4 slots.
However, I have been unable to run 4X4GB modules without errors...

One other thing Bob. How HOT would you say your North and South Bridge heat sinks get? I can barely keep my finger on them for longer than a few seconds...

UPDATE:
I emailed and heard a response from G.Skill customer support. They confirmed that the memory set and configuration are acceptable for the motherboard. G.Skill recommended running the voltage above the specification at 1.950V. I have been testing at higher voltages up to 2.000V.

I'm starting to think about exchanging for different RAM.
Click to expand...

If I'm correct, running 3 sticks will mean being single channel right? If you really wanted more than 4GB, are you willing to go with 6GB?

In any case, I'm not sure what the northbridge temperature is. I never touched it. I tried various programs like Everest, Sisoft Sandra, HW Monitor, Overdrive and even the BIOS to look at temperatures. One of the programs showed me 128'C for something but I think that's an error. In any case, all the other temperatures I've seen are either in the 20's or 30's. I saw my GPU at 50'C but that was load. The rest of the time it's like 34'C.

I'll tell you why I have good temperatures though. My cheap Gigabyte GZ-X3 has holes on the side panel and I put two little pieces of the front panel of a Coolermaster case in the front panel. (Those were for one 5.25 inch drive bay and one 3.25 inch drive bay with the holes in them.) Then I have a 120mm fan in the front and the rear. And my CPU heatsink, the GeminII S has a 120mm fan that blows air directly on the motherboard as well as the CPU. On top of that, I have a HIS HD4670 which has the IceQ cooler that blows hot air directly out of the case.

So, with that setup I should have lower temperatures anyway. I might touch the northbridge heatsink just to see.
 
OK, I opened the case while running UT3. I put a piece of scotch tape on my finger because I didn't want any skin grease to get on the surface of the northbridge heatsink (I have no idea if that would really create a heat spot but anyway). It was cool but I'm using a video card so I don't think it should get hot in the first place.
 
UPDATE - PROBLEM SOLVED

This is for anyone who was following this thread. I have solved the memory problem. The solution involved the use a different memory. I bought DDR2-800 memory from Corsair and everything is just fine. I was actually able to run Memtest with no errors with the BIOS set to AUTO on all of the memory settings. This is what I expected to have happen with the G.Skill...

G.Skill tech. support did offer assistance with the issues but their suggestions did not result in acceptable conditions. I will be returning the G.Skill memory to the vender.

Maybe there was something wrong with the G.Skill memory I received. Customer reviews were highly positive for the G.Skill. However, I had a different experience. I was not willing to try a different set of G.Skill for this application...

Thank You to everyone who offered assistance on this issue.

Happy Computing!
 
Do you have the model number for that Corsair RAM? I have OCZ and it works but someone told me my 3DMark06 score was a little lower (by about 160 points which isn't much).
 
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