Does this sound like bad memory?

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Hi

I'm getting random BSOD's with my new build. I first suspected my graphics card drivers but now I suspect it might be my memory.

I reinstalled XP 32 SP3 and have only installed chipset drivers and XP updates, So I ran graphics card in VGA mode to see if that stops problem - it didn't.

- I have tested temps and cooling, all seems fine.
- Setting DRAM voltage to 1.9V as recommended
- Run memtest86 twice, each with 3 passes - found no problems.

Then I put my old Corsair PC2-5400 RAM in to see if BSOD's continued, and so far, for about 1 week they haven't!

Is it likely I have bad parts then?

PS if I installed XP using bad memory, but then switched to good memory some time after, would BSOD's continue to occur?

PPS System:

Intel E8400
Asus P5Q
Corsair 4GB PC2-6400
ATi HD 4850
Asus Xonar DX
Antec TP2 550W
XP Pro 32 SP3
 
Last edited:
BSOD's should stop if you remove the bad memory.

Which Corsair PC2-6400 is it?
 
Have you updated the BIOS yet? It's quite possible that the memory may be a little incompatible with an early BIOS, and the problem may well be fixed in a newer BIOS.
 
Hi

- I have tested temps and cooling, all seems fine.
- Setting DRAM voltage to 1.9V as recommended
- Run memtest86 twice, each with 3 passes - found no problems.
And no, initially it does not sound like bad RAM although Memtest is not foolproof. Test each module seperately with Memtest if you still have issues after the bios flash.
 
Could it be a driver issue if getting errors, even though I've not installed any graphic/sound driver yet?
 
What happened with the update? I'm curious to know as I have the exact same ram and a P5Q-E with BIOS 0607. I've been getting random BSOD too, but I thought it was the video driver misbehaving. It's hard to catch the BSOD as it happens when I am not there, I only know it happened because it would reboot and the dialog would tell me that the system recovered from a crash (vista x64)...
And yeah, memtest ran fine, prime/orthos are 24+ hours stable, FurMark 12+ hours stable with no artifact, ATITool 24+ hours no artifact, everything checks out...
 
Sounds like a problem with the Northbridge to me - try putting a fan on it and bumping the voltage to it up +0.1v.
 
Sorry OP, don't mean to bust in your thread =(
But I have exact same settings as the OP (1.9 default RAM) PLUS:
NB, FSB Term and PLL all +0.02V (as I read our board is known for some stupid overvoltages when at lowest setting)
 
Ok will try Rroff

kppanic: Will update it tonight if I can. I thought it was cat 8.7 driver issue too, but I got a 0x1000000a BSoD when no graphics drivers installed, so began to think was memory.
 
I should mention that the BSoD's I've experienced occur randomly, and sometimes infrequently. So it may be several days before I'll be able to confirm that its worked. I'll definately keep the thread updated though, as I know how much trouble it's caused me.
 
It seems I made a mistake, and there isn't a newer BIOS after all. kppanic their may be a newer one than 0607 though, I'm on 1004 now. Maybe that might fix your problem?
 
Not yet still all on 'auto' but I've not had a crash for a while since the swap, so I'm getting more and more convinced that it might be memory. RAM GUY on Corsair forums said that it could be motherboard problem but they are happy to replace the kit.
 
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