System Stability - Not Overclocked

solaad64

solaad64

solaad64

Associate
Joined
17 Jan 2007
Posts
17
I've been having problems with my system

ASUS P5B Deluxe WiFi
Intel C2D 2.4Ghz - Artic Cooling Freezer HSF
4GBytes Geil PC2-6400 RAM
BFG 8800GTX
2 x 150 Gbyte Raptor Boot Drives in Raid 0 - XP/games installed here
3 x 250 Gbyte Data Drive in Raid 5 - Data/Pagefile on this drive
SB XFi Gaming Edition
Tagab 800W PSU
Antec 900 Gaming Case
Scythe Fan Controller/Monitor
Memory set in BIOS as Geil Spec 4-4-4-12 2.1V and speed set to DDR2-800
Everything else as auto or default

When I built the machine I used an anti static wriststrap to avoid static problems.

Originally had problems with 4gbytes of RAM flashed BIOS to latest version, wouldn't boot so dropped RAM out and found a dodgy RAM chip.

System didn't seem stable (BSOD under Vista Ultimate 32) which prompted the BIOS update. Vista install became so corrupt that I had to reinstall anyway and needed a 64bit OS to fully use the RAM.

Fully patched windows, all the latest approved drivers, no devices missing or in conflict.

Patched all the games COD2, MoH, DOOM3 to the latest available, still they crash.

Thought I'd try running Orthos to see if I had a stable system as this is what the overclockers use to test their systems for stability so I thought that it would finally tell me if there was a problem or not, i.e. if it ran for 6 hours it was probably stable and I should look at the games I am running that crash.

Orthos blend test crashes after 16 seconds.

Any ideas or is this just down to dodgy hardware?

Thanks in advance for any help.
 
The Giel ram has a large 'safe' voltage range. Putting the timings to the 4-4-4-12 standard as you said requires a small VDIMM increase for stability I beleive. Something between 0.1 and 0.2v+ should be ok.
 
Try the orthos blend test with the voltages upped, try 0.1vdimm up at a time until it becomes stable. Let me know how you get on :)
 
solaad64 said:
Thanks I'll try that tonight when I get home. I take it that the upper limit is 2.3V for this RAM?
Click to expand...

Yes but it shouldn't need that much. I have that same RAM at 4-4-4-12 at VDIMM +0.1 ( 2.1V i think ) and its very stable.
 
Last edited:
Upping the RAM voltage didn't help much, until I got to 2.3V where it did stabalise a bit in normal use but games still froze (or crashed out completely)

In the meantime I ordered a Mozart case as the Antec 900 was too small, also a Tuniq Tower CPU cooler to keep the CPU temperature in check (wasn't running hot but it isn't summer yet). The room where I work is quite warm even with 11 fans installed and running at maximum, the case is in the open not boxed into a corner.

Replaced all the thermal paste on the NB, SLI, CPU with the Arctic Silver stuff, removed the cap from the NB cooler to aid airflow (I'm told that the board is out of warranty as I flashed the BIOS so I guess I may as well do this now)

Temps as follows
Room ambient about 25C
Internal case ambient about 30C
CPU idle - 36-38 which seems high for a system fitted with a massive HSF, and no lower than when I had the Arctic Cooler HSF fitted?
SB - 32C
NB - 40C
GPU - 50C

Was stable then started getting unstable, then got;

CMOS Checksum Bad
CMOS Date/Time Not Set
Overclocking failed! Please enter setup.... <----- I assume this means the voltage increase as all other settings are defaults.
Chassis intruded!
Fatal Error....System Halted

Reflashed the BIOS with a fresh copy of the .ROM file using the bios flash tools accessed via ALT+F2.

Got rid of half the error but now regularly comes up with
Chassis intruded!
Fatal Error....System Halted

Even if the case door hasn't been opened. If I turn everything off at the wall, then wait 30seconds then power everything back on still won't boot maybe 4 out of 5 times.

I haven't added anything to the MB, all fans are run by PSU or by one of the two Scythe fan controllers.

I'm getting very frustrated with this system and starting to wish I'd bought a Dell.

Please help...

Forgot to mention the RAM is in the yellow slots now, prior to the rebuild into the new case the were in the black slots.

Also sometimes get 1 beep followed by 3 beeps in succession (this pattern is not listed in the troublshooting list)
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom