Crucial Ballistix Tracer PC2-8500 problems - help!

Durzel

Durzel

Durzel

Soldato
Joined
10 Oct 2003
Posts
5,518
Location
Wiltshire
Been running 4GB (4x1GB, 2 packs) Crucial Ballistix Tracer PC2-8500 without issue for some time when recently I've noticed some strange goings-on with my PC - occasional and completely random total shutdowns (no BSOD, PC just powers off and then restarts seconds later) and lockups. Usually this has happened at totally bizarre intervals - sometimes when the CPU isn't really doing much work (e.g. watching Youtube videos).

Suspecting the memory was at fault I tried running Memtest only to find that it sortof locked up on Test #5 (but the + on the Memtest was still blinking?). I tried re-running it several times and it always locked up during Test #5 after 13 minutes of running. This morning I tried running it again and the PC just powered off and restarted during Test #5, the same behaviour as it does occasionally in Windows.

I was originally running the RAM at DDR800 (400Mhz) 1:1 4-4-4-12 timings (SPD is 5-5-5-15 I think, but for DDR1066) at 2.0v. I've tried 2.1v and 2.2v with no difference. I also tried 5-5-5-15 timings and whilst it got past Test #5 this time (a fluke?) after an hour or so of running Memtest reported 12 errors, so not a-ok.

Other pertinent voltages:
CPU vCore: 1.4750v
vMCH: 1.6v
vICH, vFSB: AUTO

Does Memtest stress the CPU at all? I don't think my CPU is unstable but I'm not 100% sure, but surely even if this was the case why would it always lockup on the same test? CPU is running at 4Ghz currently (400 x 10).

I know Crucial Ballistix is prone to failure - this is my 2nd set as it is - am planning to try each set (1+3, 2+4) seperately tonight but assuming these both check out on their own what else can I try?

Thanks in advance!
 
memtest will only test the ram. best to check each stick at a time if you can and running all the tests right through for an hour or so will check the ram.

if it throws up any problems - i would rma them.
 
Well I bumped vMCH to 1.7v as a test (no other changes) and it went past the 13 minute mark (22 mins and counting with no errors) so that's a good sign. Strange and a bit worrying how the PC hasn't needed those voltages before to be stable though?
 
Durzel said:
How many passes do people normally run it for?
Click to expand...

Oh, so that's what pass means! :o Iteration would make more sense.

Anyway.......I am getting a similar problem to Durzel. Also my second set. No problems at first but I've been having a few random crashes and PC failing to POST lately. POST gets stuck at DDR RAM (info courtesy of Asus LCD poster - what a god send).

So, I break out Memtest and by pass 34% I have racked up over 100 failed tests. I went back and looked at the documentation which says there should be no errors but sometimes an error is thrown up due to unknown reasons but 100+ failures almost certainly means bad RAM.

I had some spare sticks of RAM that haven't previously given me any problems so I put them in and ran the test. This set threw up almost as any errors!

WTF is going on? Settings are default. Is my mobo shagged? Are both sets of my RAM shagged? Is Memtest not that accurate?

Mobo: Asus Maximus Formula
RAM: Crucial Ballistix 1066 and Geil 800
 
Unfortunately it would seem that memtest errors aren't always indicative of bad RAM, but it usually is. For example, based on my findings just bumping my vMCH by 0.1v was the difference between getting 12 errors/locking up completely and consistently and passing.

Which test are you getting the errors on? The tests do different things - some stress timings & vDIMM voltage more than others (5 and 6 from memory).

100+ errors will definitely cause problems in Windows. :(
 
Ive not long had the same probs as OP, 4 x 1 gb sticks, blue screens, not posting etc. Tested ram and errors all over the shop no matter what voltage.

So contacted crucial and rma'd them, quick n painless i may add, then sold the rma set and got some nice OCZ reaperx
 
I've located the problems with my system. The Crucial RAM is indeed shagged but the GeIL RAM is OK - it just doesn't like running at twice it's rated speed and voltage i.e. I forgot to reset the BIOS parameters when I installed it - doh.

Turns out that Firefox is a veritable canary in the mineshaft when it comes to memory errors, crashes all over the place, despite the rest of the OS being OK.
 
OneSexyNerd said:
I've located the problems with my system. The Crucial RAM is indeed shagged but the GeIL RAM is OK - it just doesn't like running at twice it's rated speed and voltage i.e. I forgot to reset the BIOS parameters when I installed it - doh.

Turns out that Firefox is a veritable canary in the mineshaft when it comes to memory errors, crashes all over the place, despite the rest of the OS being OK.
Click to expand...

Just trying to resolve my problems and it seems that i get random reboots when i run firefox.

Please explain your errors and conclusions?

Thanks in advance
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom