BSOD RAM/Overclocking Issues

Chalex4

Chalex4

Chalex4

Associate
Joined
13 Dec 2007
Posts
283
Location
Oxford
Hey guys,

I have recently been experiencing a very weird problem with my new build. As some of you may know, I have been overclocking my Q6600 perfectly happily over the last few weeks (see here), but am now experiencing regular BSODs.

Here is the problem, if I am using my PC normally I rarely get a BSOD, and can play games and browse the web with no difficulties. However, if I am to leave my PC idle for about 20-25 minutes, I come back to find my PC restarted, after a BSOD. Microsoft tells me that my PC has experienced a serious error, and directs me to this page. Since it is stated as a driver error, I started by re-installing my Nvidia drivers, to no avail. I then thought that it was probably a piece of adware, spyware or a virus. I ran all the various scans and it found some things, but my PC continued to blue screen. I then tried to restore my PC to a few weeks back, but it didn't work, even in safe mode.

I have been researching online, and found out that it could be a RAM issue, so I ran MemTest with all my overclocking off. There were 314 errors after 3 hours and 15 minutes. I assume that this is the RAM with the errors, as I have never used MemTest before. See the following pictures (click to enlarge):




I then thought of checking what the blue screen error was, it is this:



*** STOP: 0x0000007E (0xC0000005,0x804E4323,0xBACF7BBC,0xBACF78B8)

So, I now know that there is a fault with the RAM, but cannot be sure that it is causing the blue screens. I didn't run a MemTest when I first installed the RAM, so it may well have always been fautly, and since I never altered any RAM timings whatsoever when overclocking, I am confused as to how I could have done this to my RAM. Right now, I have switched off all my overclocking, but I was previously running these settings:

Q6600 (G0) @ 3.6GHz
FSB: 400
CPU Ratio Setting: 9
Vcore: 1.375v
NB Voltage: 1.31V

I once went up to 450 x 8 for about an hour, it ran stable but I decided against keeping those settings, and put the multiplier back to 9.

So, this is the RAM that I am using, but I really don't understand how it could be a RAM problem if I can use my computer normally when I don't leave it idle, I am even posting now on the same PC.

Whatever happens, I am going to need to buy some new RAM, which is annoying. However, I really would like to know if overclocking could have been the cause of the MemTest errors, and know definitely whether the RAM is causing the blue screens...or not. If you want me to carry out any other tests I am perfectly willing to do so.

Any help is always appreciated!

Chalex4
 
Last edited:
Where would I be able to find that out? CPU-Z says this (slot #3 is the same):

cpuz.jpg


I just got another BSOD, this time with a different error:



*** STOP: 0x0000007F
 
Last edited:
Vdimm is the memory voltage that you have sset in the BIOS. It should be 2.0 or 2.1v for the OCZ Platinum.
 
Before I do this, could you let me know why? I am just very wary of breaking stuff now, sorry if it is an noobie question.
 
That memory is spec'ed at 2.0-2.1v. If it doesn't work properly at 2.0v then it has to be tried at 2.1v.
 
Ok, I tried it at 2.1v, and there were a similar amount of errors, taking into account I only did 1 pass:





I am going to leave my computer idle for about 30 mins and see what the result is *prays that he doesn't see another BSOD*.
 
Last edited:
Sadly I did get a BSOD, however this was the message:



I seem to be getting 2 different errors, the 0x0000007E error which I just got and the 0x0000007F I got earlier. The 7F can be caused by faulty RAM or mobo, and the 7E one seems to be a driver error: 0x0000007E 0x0000007F

Since it is pretty obvious that I have a RAM issue, that can be fixed by ordering new RAM. Does anyone have any better suggestions than the OCZ stuff I have, or shall I get the same again? As for the driver error which seems to be causing the crashing after about 25 minutes of inactivity, I am pretty stumped. Any ideas would be greatly appreciated.
 
if you have more than one strip of ram, run memtest with one stick at a time and test that way to eliminate the faulty stick/s.

Regards.
 
Ok, will do. Is there any way that I could have done this to my RAM, or do you reckon that it was already like this? Also, are there any other tests I can run to narrow down what the driver issue is?
 
I have managed to sort out the crashing after 20-25 minutes of inactivity on my PC. It was a problem with a plugin for my G15 keyboard that didn't seem to be installed properly.

So, now I only have one BSOD of death to remove. It's funny how my RAM can have so many errors, but still work perfectly fine most of the time. I am starting to think that the RAM issue always existed even before I started overclocking, but it really would be great to know how possible it is to damage RAM through overclocking, as I have never seen any incidents of it before. Looking at my RAM timings table here:

Chalex4 said:
Snip
Click to expand...

Does the fact that it only goes up to 400MHz mean that a FSB of anything above 400 will damage it?

I will test out the individual sticks next week, but since I am after dual channel, I am probably going to have to buy the OCZ 2GB (2x1GB) PC2-6400C4 again.
 
Last edited:
Yeah, sadly it appears to be broken. Out of interest, how possible is it to break RAM (6400 OCZ) without overclocking it or changing the RAM settings in any way, by simply overclocking your Q6600 to about 400MHz? Would changing the FSB to 450MHz cause errors like this permanently?

I did once put the FSB to 450MHz, but my computer was 100% stable on prime so it seemed like there were no problems. I am pretty sure it was always broken, thinking back to when I built my PC, but I want to be sure before I try to RMA it.
 
It's unlikely that you did anything to cause it to die. Most likely it's just from a bad batch.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom