Unstable only with 4 sticks DDR1

YoungBlood

YoungBlood

YoungBlood

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So recently the PC has been pretty dodgy with blue screens and programmes crashing and corrupt backup making lovelyness.

Turns out it's the memory, fair enough. So as I have 4 sticks of 512 I needed to find out which stick was the culprit to replace it, easy enough to do right?

4 sticks in and run memtest, and loads of errors. So I pull a stick out and the errors stop, Bingo I got the bad stick on first try or so I thought.
To confirm it I put the supposedly bad stick back in and pulled another out, so it should still error as the bad stick is back. Nope no errors hhhhmmmm.

So long story short, it seems all the sticks are ok just when all 4 are used it goes unstable. I have tried increasing the voltage but it's still unstable :(

Timings are 2.5-3-3-7 and 2T command rate looking at CPU-Z. Board is a Asus A8N32-Sli Deluxe and it's 4 x 512mb of crucial value.

Open to any suggestions to get it stable with 4 sticks. With the current prices of DDR1 not being overly cheap, I would much rather fix these than buy a 2x1gb kit.
 
What CPU is that mate?

E4 stepping ones couldn't handle 4 sticks at 400mhz,

Try 4 sticks at 333mhz and see if you get any errors>?

sid
 
Its a X2 4200 @ stock and according to CPU-Z it's a BH-E4 stepping.

For some reason it always defaults to 333mhz anyway so it's always runs at that speed. CPU-Z reports memory speed @ 157.9 which I assume is 333 with the DDR thing.

CPU-Z does not show the Command Rate from the SPD of the ram, but I assume at 333mhz 2T should not be a problem?
 
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YoungBlood said:
Its a X2 4200 @ stock and according to CPU-Z it's a BH-E4 stepping.

For some reason it always defaults to 333mhz anyway so it's always runs at that speed. CPU-Z reports memory speed @ 157.9 which I assume is 333 with the DDR thing.

CPU-Z does not show the Command Rate from the SPD of the ram, but I assume at 333mhz 2T should not be a problem?
Click to expand...

No motherboard apart from the DFI expert can run 4 sticks at 1T, you'll need 2T,

I would have thought that x2s are E6 stepping which can do 4 sticks at 400mhz,

Try 333 though if thats stable.

sid
 
sid said:
No motherboard apart from the DFI expert can run 4 sticks at 1T, you'll need 2T,

I would have thought that x2s are E6 stepping which can do 4 sticks at 400mhz,

Try 333 though if thats stable.

sid
Click to expand...

Thanks for help Sid

They are at 2T but unstable, the stepping is E4 according to CPU-Z, possibly a very early X2? and the memory has always been run @ 333 as it auto clocks it to 333 in the bios if it see's 4 sticks. Unstable even at 333 :(

From reading the offical forums it would seem that it can't run 4 sticks @ 400 so it auto clocks it down to 333. Ok thats fine and it does clock it down to 333 but it is still unstable.

If the board can't run 4 sticks stable @ 333 im gonna just assume that it can't run 4 sticks stable full stop and the only solution is to keep one pulled out. Possibly loosing a lot of performance as it will mess dual channel up, not to mention leaving only about 800mb for games :eek: Kills performance in Bioshock, but it does'nt crash at least.

It looks like im going to need a 2x1gb kit to fix it. While im at it I might as well get memory that won't hold an overclock back, which running 4 sticks does anyway.

So if no one has a wonder fix for running 4 sticks in this board, can you Sid or anyone recomend some decent DDR1 memory.

It's been awhile since I have OC'd but from what I remember I can get the FSB up to about 240, so perhaps some DDR1 that can go 1:1 with that.
 
Thanks jigger, looking into that now, will report back.

Ok, the options I have are Drive Strength weak/normal - set to normal
data drive strength either disabled or 15%/30%/45% reduction - set to disabled

will check my bios version now

and Im running the latest non beta Bios.
 
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jigger said:
hmm, can up post all your dram settings and what ram your using. this might get tricky m8.
Click to expand...

Sure, I will edit them into this post, I'll post up everything I can see in the Bios.

Memory Clk 166mhz
Cas 2.5
Ras/Cas 3
Min active Ras 7
Row precharge time 3
Ras/Ras delay 2
Row Cycle 10
Row refresh cycle 20
Read write delay 4
Read preamble 6.0ns
Async latency 7 ns

and the memory is the equivalent to 4 of these but in 2 matched pairs http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=MY-024-CR&groupid=701&catid=8&subcat=65
 
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jigger said:
was you running 2 sticks fine with the same setting? and then installed another 2 and had problems?
Click to expand...

Not quite, I changed my motherboard to this Asus A8N32 as I needed the PCI-E slot but have never been able to get the 4 sticks stable. Any combination of the 3 is fine but use up all the slots and it throws a wobbly.

I think this board just does not like 4 sticks being used and I will be much better off getting a 2x1GB kit. I can sell these to work collegues for £15 each so it will cost me virtualy nothing in the long run.

Im willing to accept defeat on this I think.

The Crucial Value 2GB kits don't seem to bad a price if you shop around, some places have them at a shocking high price though....... tut tut
 
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Try this first,

Clear the CMOS *make copy settings first*
Set Timings to 3-3-3-8 or slower
Give the ram and northbridge slightly more voltage
Set Drive Strength to weak

Then run memtest again, it might just lower the amount of errors but worth a try.

It does seem odd, it might be a BIOS bug with the early X2 and that memory and 2x1 gb is much better.
Im just about to buy a kit myself here's the best ive found.

http://forums.overclockers.co.uk/showthread.php?t=17773700
 
Intresting Jigger.

DDR4000? Can normal 3200 motherboards take this ram? is it just DDR3200 memory that clocks higher and remains stable and as such is marked as DDR4000.

There is no mention of DDR4000 support in the manual.

Edit
Just seen the prices of the DDR4000 :eek: Seems pretty rare now also.
 
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Yes they will run at PC4000 = 250mhz out of the box in your board. how much is the ram your looking at?
 
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Try changing the Max Async Latency 9 to and Read Preamble to 7. You could also try setting all the memory settings to Auto except those that need manual setting ie probably the cas latency and other top level timings (3-3-3-8 for DDR400 so leave it at that even if you doing DDR333 at least for now?) and of course always set MAL and RP at 9 and 7.

Those settings would probably get it working at DDR400 too.
 
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