Problems with new machine. Any insight good..

A

Antonius

Limp Gawd
Joined
Feb 9, 2004
Messages
301
I recently built a new system and have had repeated random crashing and BSODs. I have tried everything I can think of and still nothing. If anyone has any ideas, please feel free to share as I am at the end of my rope. It crashes randomly anywhere from a few minutes after being on to a day later. While it is just sitting there. Temperatures are all normal by the way (monitoring at several points). MB stays around 37-39 and CPU from 34-51 when I play a game.

First of all..specs.

AMD 4400+
Asus A8N-SLI Deluxe Bios 1011
2gb (4x512mb) Corsair 3200XL 2-2-2-5 ram
Seagate 200gb 7200.8
Enermax 600w SLI ps
7800 GTX BFG OC x2

Second, what I have done so far...
I have updated EVERY Driver to the newest and latest, including all the motherboard drivers.
I have installed windows twice with 2 different install CDs, to insure that they are good CDs. Once I tried SP1 and the other time, SP2..both gave same results.
I have run every hard drive utility from Seagate including all the deep scanning tests...nothing showing bad on HD.
I have loosened the timings on the RAM (even though it is supposed to be guaranteed at 2225) and still random crashes.
I have used the default voltage on the RAM and the higher voltage of 2.85 as recommended by Corsair.

Third, what I have found in errors.

After using Windbg and reading the last few minidumps..it says that it seems to be a memory issue.
So I tested the memory with Memtest86 and Microsofts Memory tester and found errors in the memory after running both tests with all 4 sticks installed. So, I tested the sticks then in matched pairs only (took out one pair at a time), and ran both sets of tests on each pair individually, then took each pair and moved them to the other channel on the board and tested again with both tests, and then tested each stick individually...and NOTHING. No errors at all this time. I let each test run for hours so to have several passes.
I then put all four sticks back in and tested again (the same way I had them in before and found errors with both tests) and ran both tests. Nothing this time. No errors even after multiple passes. I then checked with Corsair and that is when I adjusted the voltage and STILL got the random BSODs.
The BSODs I have gotten include PFN list corrupt, Memory Management,
IRQ not equal to (or whatever that error says...something like that), Bad pool header and some other error (basically if it is a blue screen message, I have seen it). I am out of ideas since I was pretty sure it was a bad piece of ram at one point and now I can find no errors..so I do not know what to think. I was also thinking it might be one or more of the ram slots on the MB, but testing the sticks in various configurations across various slots has revealed nothing. Help? Nothing worse than a very high end machine I can't use.
 
Looks like the AMD 4x ram problem. Try running the sticks at 333MHz and/or at 2T timing and see if the problems persist. If either of those (or both) fix the problem, consider getting 2 1GB sticks of ram if you need 2GB, as 4 sticks will probably keep giving you problems.
 
From what you have said it does sound like possible faulty ram slots on the mb, interesting that your ram was failing tests at one point and not now. Wondering if your Enermax might be related to your issue, maybe there are some voltage issues that are causing these issues. If you don't have a PSU tester or a voltometer, you might want to try using a different PSU and see what happens. If it isn't the PSU, I would try different ram to throw in the board and see what happens, if nothing comes of that, I would maybe try flashing the BIOS with the new betas they have out for the mb 1012.001, .002 .003 are avaialable, last resort I guess in the end that it's actually the mb so I would try to get RMA'd.

Hopefully this helps you..

Edit..... I almost forgot about the 4 stick + AMD issue :eek:
 
Well the new AMD cores have the new memory controller so that 333 issue is no longer supposed to be present. I know of plenty of people running 4 sticks at 400 . The new San Diego and Toledo cores have supposedly remedied this.
I would hope that the PS would not be the problem. Enermax ps should not be failing voltages even though anything is possible I guess. Going to test some more and try putting in other ram to see what happens.
 
Wow... I can't even begin to imagine. The first thing I was going to suggest was to run Memtest, but you've already done that. I tend to agree with the faulty motherboard RAM socket hypothesis at this point.
 
I was thinking bad ram slot on the MB..but I am not sure since testing the sticks in each slot does not come up with anything now. Ready to rip my hair out...after I blow this piece of &*(&( up.
 
Check that PSU, and make sure it's giving the correct voltages. Other than that...I have no idea...maybe send that mobo back. If it's not the RAM and you're getting mem errors, I'd say the board has bad components.
 
Well,all the voltage readings from the PS according to the BIOS and the Asus utility are correct.
Currently,
12v = 11.904
5v = 5.08
3.3 = 3.312
Vcore = 1.296
 
Try reading this and rolling back your BIOS. Apparently, some of the BIOS version have been experiencing problems similar to yours, and many have fixed it by changing to an earlier version.

http://www.ocforums.com/showthread.php?t=364790&page=1

::EDIT:: I should be more clear with that link. It talks about various BIOS versions. The other stuff doesn't apply.
 
Thing is..pretty sure 1011 is the only version that recognizes my dual core CPU and it is the latest official version. 1012+ are all beta and from what I hear are pretty bad.
 
I changed all the ram to 2.5 3 3 5 and set it to 333mhz and so far..it seems to run. (haven't crashed in about 12 hours). I am far from saying it is stable..but IF that does solve the crashing..what is the problem? I know for a fact that the new dual core amd 4400 can support 4 sticks of ddr400 at 400 mhz and i know the asus board and this ram can run easily at 2225 at 400...so why would that be the problem (IF it is in fact what has been causing trouble). Also, how can i fix it?
 
I have the same sort of problem: BSODs including PFN, Mem Management, IRQL not less or equal...
I'm running the A8N-Sli deluxe, 3200 Winnie, 2x512MB Patriot XBLK RAM (DDR400 @2225).
Any suggestions as to how to fix this? It's driving me absolutely insane!!

Using latest BIOS 1013, got a RAID 0 array of 2 Seagate 7200.7s, and 1 Maxtor 250gb D'Max 10 - All SATA. All powered by a Tagan TG480-U01 PSU.
 
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