memtest screenshots - help? problem?

b4z

b4z

b4z

Associate
Joined
11 Mar 2005
Posts
569
Location
London
RIG :
AMD 64 3200 Venice (@stock atm)
DFI Ultra-D (on default settings)
Corsair 2gb XMS kit (2.5-3-3-6)
ATI X1800XT pcie (@stock atm)

i did memtest just now because i am having boot problems with my pc
(a variation of the same problem with booting into windows or even at all, but usually 3 lights out of 4 are lit, which i believe to be memory?)

it went through from test 1-7 quite happily up to about 80% pass level, and then this happened;

can someone explain what this means..

00memtest1.jpg

00memtest2.jpg
 
Last edited:
Test 8 is very good for picking up errors, and your memory is definately erroring.

Try testing the sticks individually and see if one is bad and one is good.
 
okay, thanks, i will go and try and test them both individually (if i can get my pc to boot properly)

by the way, does this error translate to a physical problem with the memory? (eg. one is borked?)
 
b4z said:
by the way, does this error translate to a physical problem with the memory? (eg. one is borked?)
Click to expand...

Probably yes.

It might be a case of the memory needing a little more Vdimm, but memtest errors at stock speed + timings is normally down to bad RAM.
 
okay i ran each stick on memtest for a while, and neither individual stick showed any errors after 5+ full tests on both.

now i really am confused? if both memory sticks are individually "fine" according to memtest, then what is the next port of call?

try memtest with both in? like before?
(only problem is i cant get it to boot properly when theyre both in to run memtest :()

nb. when i leave just one stick in and try boot the mobo diag leds go to "1 light on, 3 lights off". but when i put both sticks in and try boot the mobo diag leds go to "2 lights on, 2 lights off"
 
Last edited:
This may sound daft, but have you got the sticks in the correct slots - I'm not sure which ones your supposed to use but still.
 
yes, i have them in slots DIMM2 + DIMM4 which are the recommended ones from DFI.

i also, as a precaution, just flashed the bios to the very latest one (april release)

i was on version 623 and have been for a long time stably and without problems, but just now flashed to this newer one, i can post with dual channel now, but when i run memtest around the test7or8 with both sticks in, it crashes.... hmmmm
 
Last edited:
ive set everything to optimised defaults in the bios, and i can boot into windows fine if i just have one stick in DIMM2 (doesnt matter which stick)

but when i put them both in (DIMM2+DIMM4 )(in dual channel) it gives me loads of errors on Test8 of memtest (also tested in DIMM1+3 same problem)

even though when i run them both individually in memtest in DIMM2 (for a few runs) theres absolutely no errors reported

confused?
 
I did hear of problems with Corsair and the DFI boards, and was going to suggest flashing to the latest BIOS, but I've just read you've done that. :confused:

I would defo have a search on the DFI forums for some help, like suggest by Nelly.


I was also going to suggest trying them in the Orange slots, but you've done that as well. hah :D ermmm, I would try setting the timings manually if I was you, try these for size.....

(Which 2Gb kit do you have is it the XMS3200C2PT or is it just the normal PT)

Vddr: 2.7v
Tcl: 2.5
Trcd: 3
Tras: 6
Trp: 3
Trc: 9
Trfc: 12
Trrd: 2 OR 3
Twr: 2
Twrt: 2
Trwt: 2
Tref: 3072 (200Mhz 3.9us) OR 3120 (200Mhz ?.?)
Twcl: 1

Bank int. : Enable
Skew Control: 255+ OR 128 which may stabilise TEST8 for you.
Drive Strength: 7
Data Strength: 4
Max. Async: 8ns
Read Preamble: 5ns
Idle Cycle: AUTO OR 128 OR 256
Dyn. Counter: Enable
R/W Bypasss: 16x
Bypass Max: 7x
32Bit Gran. : Disable

I took that from a very handy guide to do mine, so it *may* work for you, timings are the same, but it may be the extra options causing the problems for you.

I HIGHLY recommend you read this BIOS Optimisation Guide for the motherboard over at DFI Street, http://www.dfi-street.com/forum/showpost.php?p=203179&postcount=4

Print it off and have a read through. ;)
 
Corsair 2GB DDR XMS3200C2PT TwinX (2x1GB) CAS2

okay basically;

ive had this computer with most of these components (dfi mobo and corsair ram) in and running for a long while (over a year) without a problem - its been perfectly fine in that duration.
then yesterday i was doing a prime stress test at 2.7ghz overclock and also fiddling about with my fan controller (whilst the pc was on), the pc just rebooted suddenly, maybe it was the cpu not stable or maybe it was some live contact was made somewhere with the motherboard and a fan controller pin.. i genuinely have no idea if a pin touched it or not..

and since then its been giving me all this trouble..

the reason i flashed the bios was because it was giving me aload of different post messages sometimes 4 lights on, sometimes 3 lights on, sometimes 2 lights on, sometimes 1 light on - which means i couldnt logically narrow it down to anyone of the cpu/mem/vga/bios

so i thought the bios might have been corrupted, so i flashed it to the newer one, and then it posted, which was a mini-success.

ive tested both memory sticks on their own, with two versions of memtest, one from their website, and one included within the dfi bios. both report no errors after about 5 passes each on each stick. so theoretically they are "fine".

but the minute i try them in dual channel and get to test8 it reports loads of errors. the result is similar in both DIMM2+4 and DIMM1+3. it will not boot properly into windows with both sticks in. which makes me think perhaps the motherboard memory controller is gone or something?

i can boot into windows using just one single stick in DIMM1 or 2 (all lights go out and pc runs) and i have run stress prime, for a long period without the cpu failing, but when i try to load up a game (which i presume is utilising the memory aswell?) then it just reboots.

so i would presume from that, it is NOT my cpu? i dont know..

and if the memtests are completing fine individually, then why in dual channel is it failing? because individually the memory stick are "fine"?

im running out of ideas, other than buy a new motherboard and see if thats the problem, and/or try and test my cpu/ram at a friends house to see if one of those is borked (hes not currently available though)

to confirm;
one stick in DIMM1 or 2 = posts, boots into windows, reboots when running a game but not a stress test
two sticks in DIMM1+3 or 2+4 = posts, attempts to boot into windows, fails just before loading.

bioses are all on optimised defaults.

when i try to fiddle with some of the bios settings to change ram timings, some times it works, and will post, and other times it wont.

im really running out of ideas here...
 
Last edited:
If its going into games and rebooting it sounds like the overclock on the CPU which is also where the memory controller is. Either bump up the VCore a bit more or try lowering the overclock, see if that stables things up. You could try my settings I suggested if you reeeeaalllly wanted too. :p
 
i am running everything on stock, and have been for the duration of this problem period.

sometimes when i change the voltages in the bios it will post, sometimes it wont, which results in me having to clear cmos, and start all over...

also; i am unable to post in any form of overclocked state.
 
b4z said:
i am running everything on stock, and have been for the duration of this problem period.

sometimes when i change the voltages in the bios it will post, sometimes it wont, which results in me having to clear cmos, and start all over...

also; i am unable to post in any form of overclocked state.
Click to expand...

What are your PSU rails like in the bios?
 
b4z said:
i am running everything on stock, and have been for the duration of this problem period.
Click to expand...


I know mate, but all the settings either effect performance or stability. One or the other. I hate running PC's with "defaults" or "by SPD" values as most of the time they are not right. What you can do is simply save your current settings with that nifty feature in the BIOS. Then alter them and if it doesn't work, just load your settings back up. 5-10min job just to see if it works.

I see what you mean about the CPU overclock though, I take it you were fiddling then when this all happened reset it back to stock speeds. I may have mis-read that and thought you were still at 2.7Ghz. ;)

Have you tried upping the Chipset voltage and the likes by a small incriment incase the board is undervolting?
 
yes ive tried upping the voltage on the chipset from 1.5v to 1.6v
and the same for the cpu from "Startup" to 1.55v
and the same for the mem from 2.6v to 2.7v

all as suggested by the corsair ram guy who posted those on a ultra-d + 2gb3200xmsc2 thread in corsair support forums

but again with 2 sticks in, it wont boot into windows regardless of the voltages
but with 1 stick sometimes it will (more often than not), but then other times it wont and i have to clear cmos to get it to post again (dependant on the bios changes i make)

minstadave heres the screenshot of the pc health status in bios and ite readings when its booted;
PSU : Enermax Liberty 500W (been running this fine for a while too)

IMG_3909.jpg

ITEreading1.jpg
 
Last edited:
i will have a go with one of the newer beta bioses too

what i dont get is it worked for over a year perfectly well, then after that system hang, the memory doesnt work in dual channel on this mothebroard not even on the older bios.

are you 100% sure that its just the memory thats causing theses problems?
 
Last edited:
b4z said:
the thing is are you 100% sure that its just the memory thats causing the problem though?
Click to expand...

hmmm well it's either got to be the memory, CPU mem controller, or the mobo.

I'd probably say 85% chance its memory, 10% chance its the CPU and then 5% its the mobo.

Just the errors in memtest really prove it, however when you think about it, it only shows that together the RAM doesn't work, but individually they do work?! Something somewhere isn't happy!

When you finally exhaust all testing, the thing to do is just sell the RAM and try a different make, then if the new make doesn't work you know it's something else. This is what I've had to do in the past. In the end, I got new RAM and mobo just to be sure.

Strange how its been working previously though. Lets look at what can be done,

1. Use different DIMM slots. -> Tried.
2. Change Voltages (mem, chipset, cpu, ldt). -> Tried
3. Reset Default settings. -> Tried
4. Flash BIOS / Beta BIOS. -> to do.
5. Check PSU Rails. -> Checked. Ok.
6. ermmm anything else? :confused:

EDIT:
Actually, what happens when you underclock the RAM. Say 180-90Mhz? Does it work then in MemTest?

EDIT THE EDIT:
Also what about looser timings 8-3-3-3.0?

Cheers.
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom