Memory Died

2008-09-28 14:13:11

#1

SpIk3y: Minister of Silly Walks; +67|6406|New Jersey

So I leave my computer on folding overnight and when I check it about 12 hours later, I find it in a BSOD/restart loop. Using the LED system on my motherboard, I figure out that some of the RAM is bad. After some guess and checking, I find that only 1 of my 4 sticks is still working. So now I'm running Vista x64 on 1GB of RAM + an 8GB readyboost USB stick until my new G.Skill RAM gets here.

How the hell do 3 sticks of RAM die at the same time? I bought the first kit (2x512MB) in February of 2006, and the second kit (2x1GB) in April of 2007. Is it possible that something is wrong with the motherboard and not the RAM sticks?

RAM was not overclocked or over-volted, however I did have to manually set it to run at its retail specs. CPU overclocked by 200Mhz.

MSI K9N Platinum nForce 570
AMD 5200+
Wintec AmpX RAM (2x512MB + 2x1GB)
8800GTS 512MB
700W OCZ PSU

2008-09-28 14:15:22

#2

DUnlimited: got any popo lolo intersting?; +1,160|6730|cuntshitlake

What voltage did you run it at?

Last edited by DeathUnlimited (2008-09-28 14:16:05)

main battle tank karthus medikopter 117 megamegapowershot gg

2008-09-28 14:29:08

#3

max: Vela Incident; +1,652|6834|NYC / Hamburg

no lifetime warranty on the ram?

What voltages were you runing. If they were normal that would point towards a bad mobo (unstable voltage or spike)

_{once upon a midnight dreary, while i pron surfed, weak and weary, over many a strange and spurious site of ' hot xxx galore'. While i clicked my fav'rite bookmark, suddenly there came a warning, and my heart was filled with mourning, mourning for my dear amour, " 'Tis not possible!", i muttered, " give me back my free hardcore!"..... quoth the server, 404.}

2008-09-28 14:30:44

#4

AussieReaper: ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°); +5,761|6420|what

SpIk3y wrote:
How the hell do 3 sticks of RAM die at the same time? I bought the first kit (2x512MB) in February of 2006, and the second kit (2x1GB) in April of 2007. Is it possible that something is wrong with the motherboard and not the RAM sticks?

You were running 4 slots of ram at different speeds. Problems were bound to arise.

2008-09-28 14:35:32

#5

max: Vela Incident; +1,652|6834|NYC / Hamburg

TheAussieReaper wrote:
SpIk3y wrote:
How the hell do 3 sticks of RAM die at the same time? I bought the first kit (2x512MB) in February of 2006, and the second kit (2x1GB) in April of 2007. Is it possible that something is wrong with the motherboard and not the RAM sticks?
You were running 4 slots of ram at different speeds. Problems were bound to arise.

umm .... no. You can't run ram at different speeds on the same mobo. All dimms run off the same divider

_{once upon a midnight dreary, while i pron surfed, weak and weary, over many a strange and spurious site of ' hot xxx galore'. While i clicked my fav'rite bookmark, suddenly there came a warning, and my heart was filled with mourning, mourning for my dear amour, " 'Tis not possible!", i muttered, " give me back my free hardcore!"..... quoth the server, 404.}

2008-09-28 14:36:17

#6

SpIk3y: Minister of Silly Walks; +67|6406|New Jersey

No, they were all the same brand and same speed. All Wintec AmpX DDR2 PC2 6400 800Mhz. Only difference was 512MB vs 1GB. Sorry I forgot to mention that.

The RAM has a lifetime warranty and I plan on using it and giving it to my dad. I don't feel like waiting for the RMA process and I've wanted 2x2GB of RAM for a while now anyway.

Voltage was 1.9 or maybe 2.0, but I'm leaning toward 1.9. I reset the BIOS to defaults and the one stick is now running at 1.8V. All timings are set to AUTO.

It might be important to mention that I bought the motherboard in February of 2006 so it is kinda old. Have had no problems with it until now though. God, if it's the motherboard, I'm fucked - don't have the cash to upgrade right now

Last edited by SpIk3y (2008-09-28 14:41:55)

2008-10-02 14:19:24

#7

SpIk3y: Minister of Silly Walks; +67|6406|New Jersey

So now I've got new RAM that allows the computer to boot (occasionally). As I am typing this, CPUZ and Windows recognize both 2GB sticks for a total of 4GB just fine, but there is one problem. CPUZ is reading single channel. Yes, I am 200% sure that I followed the dual channel memory population rules page in my motherboard manual. Is this a sign of a faulty motherboard or faulty RAM?

RAM = G.Skill 2x2GB DDR2 PC6400 dual channel kit
motherboard = MSI K9N Platinum (nForce 570 chipset)

2008-10-02 14:41:15

#8

max: Vela Incident; +1,652|6834|NYC / Hamburg

I'll put my money on faulty mobo. That 3 sticks of ram suddenly die is already pretty weird, but combined that new ram doesn't work properly either sounds like a messed up mobo to me. Try resetting the bios. If that doesn't help you can try reflashing the bios. If nothing works you'll have to RMA. Got another PC to test the ram?

Nforce chipsets have been known to have huge memory problems. Try upping the north bridge voltage a little.

_{once upon a midnight dreary, while i pron surfed, weak and weary, over many a strange and spurious site of ' hot xxx galore'. While i clicked my fav'rite bookmark, suddenly there came a warning, and my heart was filled with mourning, mourning for my dear amour, " 'Tis not possible!", i muttered, " give me back my free hardcore!"..... quoth the server, 404.}

2008-10-02 14:59:10

#9

SpIk3y: Minister of Silly Walks; +67|6406|New Jersey

Poking around in my BIOS settings looking for the north bridge voltage (which I never found), I found three different spread spectrum settings to be enabled. Apparently spread spectrum counters the effects of EMI but is not necessary. Either way, I disabled it and everything is just peachy now. Dual channel, fully recognized, etc. Thanks for the help.

Hopefully the next restart won't bring more problems.

2008-10-03 01:44:23

#10

-101-InvaderZim: Member; +42|7111|Waikato, Aotearoa

It could very well be the RAM.... I had 4 different sticks from 3 different vendors and after a while I started having trouble too (random CTD and BSODs). Took it to a PC store and had the system checked over, Turned out to be the RAM. Bought 2 sticks of 1GB DDR400Mhz and havent had trouble since.

OK trouble has been sorted from the looks.....

Last edited by -101-InvaderZim (2008-10-03 01:45:02)

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