Memtest86+ Errors

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Roman79

[H]ard|Gawd
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I've been having progressively worsening issues with my PC over the past few weeks. I decided to run a memory test and I get between 60 and 80 errors as soon as the test starts. I'm talking within 1 to 2 sec I have these errors. Then no more.

Could this indicate a cpu issue? (hardware in sig)

I've tested both sticks in another PC with the same model of motherboard and had 0 errors. I've also tried the common sense stuff like testing one stick at a time, trying one stick in each slot, BIOS back to defaults, memory at SPD.....even tried underclocking the memory to 400MHz. No overclocking or unlocking of cores for these tests.

I've just never had memtest86+ fail immediately before, so I thought I'd see if anyone else has had this issue. Thanks
 
You have tested the memory in another PC. Have you tried testing different memory in this PC? Maybe the RAM isn't compatible with the motherboard? Is it on ASUS' compatibility list?
 
I had that board for a week and it was crap when it came to memory compatibility. I bought ram that others had used and said was fine but my board didn't like it. I had gskill memory also. Funny thing was I would only get memtest errors on cold boot and it would be thousands within 10 seconds if my pc had been on for more than 5 min before the memtest I wouldn't get errors. I ended up sending both the ram and mobo back to newegg. I don't know if it was the ram or the mobo causing the problem but I suspect it is the mobo in your case since you said you tested the ram in another mobo.
 
Well to answer your question, yes it is on the list but I'm not sure if they're trying to say it's compatible or not compatible. Are red dots bad? F3-12800CL9D-2GBNQ are the type I have.

The thing is I've had this setup for over a year and it's worked fine. At the time I bought 2 Asus M4A785TD-V Evo boards, one for me and one for a second computer. Same hardware version, same bios. I tried the Gskill in the second identical Asus board and it works fine. What worries me is that I get errors as soon as I start the test.

I have not tried different memory in this board yet, no.
 
Did you run the tests inside windows or offline? Put it on manual then drop the ram speed lower
 
I ran the memtest86+ tests booting from a USB stick. It's part of the Ubuntu boot image.

I tried lowering the memory speed from 666MHz to 400MHz but it made no difference.

I'm really starting to wonder if maybe the memory controller on the CPU has gone bad and is causing these errors. I get the same number of errors whether I have one (either) or both sticks of RAM installed.
 
Try the cpu and in the other pc with the same board to see if you get errors.
 
Hmm now that's a solid idea. It's my father's PC so I may have to pay him a visit tomorrow :)

Thanks!
 
I don't think it's the memory controller, but memory controller's heatsink may not be pressing squarely against the chip.

Who manufactured the chips on the modules? If you can't identify the gas passer company, then the chips are UTT (UnTesTed) that didn't pass tests nearly as stringent. Some mobos are more tolerant of marginal memory than others are.

It seems your mobo was made only with solid polymer capacitors, which rarely go bad unless the CPU is overclocked, and the caps for the memory voltage regulator aren't involved in that. Bad voltage to the memory, either due to the regulator or the power supply, could cause memory problems. This voltage could measure fine with a meter but show lots of ripple with an oscilloscope.

Another possibility is a bad connection in the DIMM socket, either from lint, corrosion, a bent pin in a socket, or cracked solder. You can eliminate this possibility if you try other memory and it works fine.
 
OK update:

I've tried my CPU and memory in my father's computer (same mobo model) and it tests fine, 0 errors.

I installed his RAM (Kingston Value RAM) and my CPU back in my board and it instantly gives errors in memtest86.

Also just for good measure I took the compressed air to all the mobo components (especially the cpu and dimm sockets) to make sure there were no foreign objects, however my case is pretty clean anyway.

The only thing I haven't done is try his cpu in my computer, but since I've proven my cpu and ram as error free in his, I don't see the point.

The only thing left is a bad mobo, unless I'm missing something.....am I?
 
Memtest86 can show you ram is faulty but it can't show you that its not faulty
 
Hmm well then. This might be my excuse to get a 2600K. Thanks for the input!
 
don't forget about the PSU ... voltage could dip under initial load of memtest starting ...
 
Spooony said:
Memtest86 can show you ram is faulty but it can't show you that its not faulty
Click to expand...

sure it can, after is passes for 48 hours, I would say it not faulty. :)


OP
-Did you put other ram in your system and run it?

-Is this ram new, or has it ever worked solid in the machine? sometimes there is just, compatibly problems between board and ram.

BIOS settings? mainly the command rate and memory voltage.

Like others have said, PSU drops mainly on the 5v or 3.3v can cause problems. Unplug everything but the bare bone and run it. (run it off a USB so you don't need a CDROM), use a multi-meter is you got one to read off 3.3v and 5v. It will help if you know how your board powers the ram.


EDIT: reading your follow up post. Yea, assuming you didn't overlook a BIOS setting, it looks like you got a bad board.
 
Last edited:
I(illa Bee said:
sure it can, after is passes for 48 hours, I would say it not faulty. :)
Click to expand...

No. It fails to stress beyond a single core. Prime95 is far superior in this regard. There are plenty of us around that have found out the hard way.
 
Hmm. Smacks of a bad motherboard or weakened power supply - Yes, correct thoughts. If you have a second power supply hanging around, try it.

Most likely the board, I think.
 
xorbe said:
No. It fails to stress beyond a single core. Prime95 is far superior in this regard. There are plenty of us around that have found out the hard way.
Click to expand...

umm its called memtest, not cpu test. hello....

Prim is great for testing the CPU, and cooling, but for ram, it does not extend to the reaches memtest does. I see machines at work all the time pass prime for 24 hours then fail memtest after 4 hours. Replace ram, and its all good on both.
 
If you moved the RAM and CPU and it tested fine, I'd say it's your motherboard.
 
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