FAULT?

ElectraCall · 4 Nov 2010 at 07:03

My sons machine Core 2 2.66Ghz, GTX260, 2Gb Ballistix has a problem.

The system has run rock solid for 2 years or so, but on start-up the other day he was met with a scream from his onboard speaker and a post failure.

I removed 2 sticks of RAM and the machine starts up no problem. I replace RAM, failure. I remove all RAM and try all sticks in each slot. Now the machine starts with any of the sticks of RAM in the yellow slots, But will not start as soon as the red slots are populated.

Any Ideas?

ElectraCall · 4 Nov 2010 at 07:03

BTW, not all bad as the fault forced me to find this forum!

Every cloud has a silver lining eh!

SeraphX · 4 Nov 2010 at 07:05

run memtest on the ram, running it each time for each stick in slot 1 to check for failures, then run again with all the ram in all the slots

red slots? what motherboard is being used? could be a high density ram problem?
and how is the ram set up, 1 2Gb stick? 4x512Mb? 2x1Gb?

Essexraptor · 4 Nov 2010 at 08:14

Welcome to the forums

As suggested a little more info would be helpful

Motherboard should have the model number on it somewhere and a rev number printed in one of the corners. Just so people can look up the Motherboard manual and try to figure it out. The same with the RAM modules (sticks), they should have a label on with makers ID number.

Memtest86 is a RAM error checking program which has to be downloaded and burnt to a disc. Then you place this disc in the optical drive and boot to it to run a check program. The guys here will help with details if your not sure "how to"

Hagar · 4 Nov 2010 at 08:58

Before you start memtest, go into the bios and check the memory settings, speed etc., auto settings are OK if you do not know what they should be. Also make sure that first bootable device is cdrom and then hard drive second.

The memtest program as has been indicated is downloaded as an iso file and using a program such as MagicIso or nero can be burnt to a cdrom which is bootable. Just place in cd drive and restart the computer. Press key to boot from CDrom.

Each pass will take up to 30 minutes. If the memory passes without errors, change the sticks around and retest until you have checked to your satisfaction.

It may help to reset the bios before testing using the jumper on the board see your manual, but make sure the cdrom is the 1st bootable device in the bios after resetting.

andy.

HazardO · 4 Nov 2010 at 10:29

If you can get each stick to pass a memtest in a slot which does allow the machine to boot, then it sounds like a problem with the memory controller. You could try upping the northbridge voltage a touch to see if it will then accept sticks in the red slots as well.