• Some users have recently had their accounts hijacked. It seems that the now defunct EVGA forums might have compromised your password there and seems many are using the same PW here. We would suggest you UPDATE YOUR PASSWORD and TURN ON 2FA for your account here to further secure it. None of the compromised accounts had 2FA turned on.
    Once you have enabled 2FA, your account will be updated soon to show a badge, letting other members know that you use 2FA to protect your account. This should be beneficial for everyone that uses FSFT.

Very strange Windows XP problem

J

john6305

n00b
Joined
Jan 30, 2005
Messages
17
Hi.

I just recently built a new gaming system. The system includes:

AMD 64 3200+ Winchester
MSI K8N NEO4
1GB of MUSHKIN PC3200 DDR400 RAM 512x2
1 WD 200GB 7200 RPM 8MB Cache HD
1 WD 40GB 7200 RPM 2MB Cache HD
1 74GB WD Raptor 10,000 RPM 8MB Cache HD (soon to arrive, not yet installed)
MSI 6600GT 128MB PCI-E graphics card
Windows XP Pro

Now, I have had a lot of trouble with this system. At first, I tried to OC it and it corrupted my OS and I had to reinstall. I was told by people on this forum that it was probably my RAM timings. So I decided not to bother with OCing right now so that I can just use the system as I've been too busy reinstalling Windows due to the corruption issues that I have yet to even see what this system can do.

Ok, so I reinstall Windows and this time I do not OC. I touch NOTHING in the bios. And suddenly, last night, it locks up again and I cannot boot Windows. I am trying to figure out what the issue is with my OS being corrupt. I am thinking that maybe it is the HD but I have never had issues with this HD before and it is fairly new. Like 2 months..

Anyways, any ideas? Maybe its my PSU? I have a 420WATT Thermaltake Purepower...

Anyways, hope you guys can help.
 
....will the system pass an overnight run of Memtest86+ with all tests enabled...? ("Pass" = no errors)

....will the hard drive pass several runs of the manufacturer's diagnostic tests with no errors...?? ("Several" = more than one)

Start there - good luck....:cool:

Regards - B.B.S.
 
I see your using mushkin, its very sensitive to voltage fluctuations so your pws could be the culprit. What level Mushkin? The good stufff likes 2.75 volts.Take her off auto and try taking the voltage up a bit if your at default 2.65 that could be it.
 
Model# 991145
Item # N82E16820146299
Specifications:
Manufacturer: Mushkin
Speed: DDR400(PC3200)
Type: 184-Pin DDR SDRAM
Error Checking: Non-ECC
Registered/Unbuffered: Unbuffered
Cas Latency: 2.5-3-3
Support Voltage: 2.5V-2.6V
Bandwidth: 3.2GB/s
Organization: two 64M x 64 -Bit
Warranty: Lifetime

Thats what someone else told me. Never had to deal with this kind of issue before so I don't know what to do really. Just go in to the bios and up the voltage? What should I be aware of before I do such a thing? Whats the best way to do that? Just use the bios? What if this isn't the problem, what else can be the problem?

Thanks again for all the help :)
 
....if your system isn't stable @ "stock" Vcc's / bus speeds, you have little hope of any kind of long term stability. IMHO - turning up the Vcc so that the system will run at stock speeds / rated timings is.....wrong.

Get the thing running stably at stock speeds.....if it doesn't, RMA the offending hardware.

FWIW - B.B.S.
 
Ok. Well, I used Sandra software to run a test (think that is the program I used.) Anyways, it said that the voltage was under what it should be. I haven't touched the voltage. Now what I'm wondering is if maybe I need a new PSU? Or am I going in the wrong direction with this? I mean I have the MSI NEO4 which is 24 PIN. I have a 20 PIN PSU and I have the 4pin on my PSU hooked up to the 4 pin connector near the CPU. As I was told to do.

However...my main problem is that I don't know whats wrong, nor do I know how to find out what is wrong. So I don't know what to RMA or change. =P

See what I mean? I can't identify the problem. Is there anything I can do that will help you guys get a better lock on what the problem is?

BTW just in case it was missed, my PSU is a Thermaltake 420W PurePower.
Thanks again.
 
Voltages reported by software are notoriously inaccurate. Until you verify the Vcc's are really low by using a decent VOM (volt-ohm-meter), I wouldn't worry about it..

Ensure all the timings / Vcc's / bus speeds are set to "stock" and run the tests I suggested above.

B.B.S.
 
jacuzz1 said:
I see your using mushkin, its very sensitive to voltage fluctuations so your pws could be the culprit. What level Mushkin? The good stufff likes 2.75 volts.Take her off auto and try taking the voltage up a bit if your at default 2.65 that could be it.
Click to expand...
well..i agree with you...mushkin is sensitive to voltages...i was having similar issues like this person....my pc would randomly shut off in various games..or id get BSOD..and i was perplexed as to wtf was going on...so i checked my ram voltages...and changed it from 2.75 to auto...and ive been flawless since...so you might want to give that area a look
 
[Retaliation] said:
well..i agree with you...mushkin is sensitive to voltages...i was having similar issues like this person....my pc would randomly shut off in various games..or id get BSOD..and i was perplexed as to wtf was going on...so i checked my ram voltages...and changed it from 2.75 to auto...and ive been flawless since...so you might want to give that area a look
Click to expand...

Ok so you changed it from 2.75 to auto and not the other way around? From auto to 2.75? Well its seeming more and more like its the RAM that is the culprit, seeing as how Sandra said my RAM was under powered. The program thought I was trying to underclock my RAM. I'm just curious as to whether its because of a defect or if its because my PSU is unable to supply enough power. Should 420 Watts be enough for this system? I was under the impression that it was.

Also, if it is a voltage issue and everything on my system is fine, such as the PSU, etc. then should I change the voltage or just RMA the RAM? I mean if its going to crap out on me in a year because of this, I should just RMA it, right?
 
from what i read, he said 2.75 --> auto; which is where it should be at if you're not overclocking.

whether or not you want to RMA it is up to you. if this is a system that you want to keep for over a year or two, i would personally RMA it.
 
i have the same problem, almost the same system, im using mushkin RAM also.. i always had these crashed and lockups on my old system so i bought all new stuff except for the RAM, but i dont understand, because ive switched out the RAM for my other kingston 3500 and i still get the lockups..
 
Sgt.Igneri said:
i have the same problem, almost the same system, im using mushkin RAM also.. i always had these crashed and lockups on my old system so i bought all new stuff except for the RAM, but i dont understand, because ive switched out the RAM for my other kingston 3500 and i still get the lockups..
Click to expand...


Boys i am telling you, if you call mushkn the first thing they will tell you to do is up the voltage. Once you do that they have to rma it if it does not work.
 
Sgt.Igneri said:
i have the same problem, almost the same system, im using mushkin RAM also.. i always had these crashed and lockups on my old system so i bought all new stuff except for the RAM, but i dont understand, because ive switched out the RAM for my other kingston 3500 and i still get the lockups..
Click to expand...

Its simple , motherboards voltages are tolerenced like everything else, some are off by as much as .025 volt, thus the tweak settings in the bios. They are there for more than just overclocking
 
john6305 said:
Ok so you changed it from 2.75 to auto and not the other way around? From auto to 2.75? Well its seeming more and more like its the RAM that is the culprit, seeing as how Sandra said my RAM was under powered. The program thought I was trying to underclock my RAM. I'm just curious as to whether its because of a defect or if its because my PSU is unable to supply enough power. Should 420 Watts be enough for this system? I was under the impression that it was.

Also, if it is a voltage issue and everything on my system is fine, such as the PSU, etc. then should I change the voltage or just RMA the RAM? I mean if its going to crap out on me in a year because of this, I should just RMA it, right?
Click to expand...


That worked for him , but i ,meant the ohter way around, you need to play around with it. In
 
jacuzz1 said:
Boys i am telling you, if you call mushkn the first thing they will tell you to do is up the voltage.....
Click to expand...
...and the first thing I'd tell them is their memory should run at advertised speeds / Vcc's / timings or it's defective. Sure, If I'm OC'ing the system a little boost of the Vcc is usually a good thing, but there's a reason for the ratings on modern components.

Mushkin is a great company with great customer support. Giving them a call is good advice.

B.B.S.
 
Ok here is an update.

I tried to load up Windows again and instead it said I had no OS. This is like the fifth time I've gone through this. So, annoyed, I took out some RAM that I had in an older system and plopped it in this system.

I know, I know, I should have done this a long time ago but I am damned stubborn. Anyways, this is some older PC2100 RAM. Samsung DDR. Guess what? The system installs Windows flawlessly and is running smooth as a baby's bum so far. Not a single hiccup. Its slower, yes, its noticeable, but its working like it should.

Now I am faced with a few issues. First, its obvious that I must RMA the Mushkin RAM. Because I did raise the voltages and it didn't work. It still screwed up Windows boot. What I want to know is if this is the RAM's fault or is it that my computer is somehow having conflicts with that type of RAM? Voltages maybe? Not enough juice? I don't know... Most likely the RAM is just defective. I debated putting in the sticks one at a time to find out if just one of them was screwed up but I don't feel like installing Windows for the 9th time.

Anyways, anyone have any ideas?
 
john6305 said:
Anyways, anyone have any ideas?
Click to expand...
.....other than running some tests that would be very informative (as recommended twice above), no, I can't think of anything...:rolleyes:

Good Luck - B.B.S.

PS: If your memory is flakey, there's a good chance your Windows install is corrupt / will be corrupted shortly. Seen it and fixed it before......
 
wierd shit eh? rams a fickle thing...some have to set the voltage..other like myself had it set..and my comp ran like crap...auto works for me...i find it hard to believe that mushkin ram is having issues with an MSI mb...you cant get much better then msi and mushkin(yeh..thats my 2 cents) :)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top