Worrying MemTest Results

Kemik · 8 Feb 2008 at 16:14

Hello,

I'm running MemTest86+ v1.70 and within a few minutes it started pumping out errors.

I don't understand the results but seen as the count is constantly increasing and its in red I'm guessing it's not good. The test is still going. I just wanted to get some inital ideas because errors so early couldn't be a good sign. I should add, the system has been runnign Windows XP SP2 perfectly fine the past few months however recently I've been seeing Firefox 3 crash more and more. I put it down to being a beta.

Tst: 2
Pass: 0
Failing Address: 003d082cb0 - 976.1MB
Good: 00000000
Bad: 10000000
Err-Bits: 10000000
Count: 115 at 24% of pass
Chan:

The RAM in question is Crucial Ballistix 2GB (2x1GB) DDR2 PC2-5300C3 667MHz Dual Channel Kit (BL2KIT12864AA663), bought on the 13th May 07. The reason I'm testing it now is that Vista had some errors during install and several people have recommended testing the RAM.

What do the results mean? What actions should I take? Is this a permant problem or would something like resetting the BIOS and rechecking the BIOS settings work?

Edit: After posting this I went back to see a screen full of red. On test 5 it had added 9 more lines but these contain different letters for the Good/Bad with the failing address 992.1MB.

It's been going 15 mins - error count 343.

Thanks.

Energize · 8 Feb 2008 at 16:28

It's a permanent problem, assuming the ram isn't overheating or running at non-standard settings.

Kemik · 8 Feb 2008 at 16:35

Energize said:
It's a permanent problem, assuming the ram isn't overheating or running at non-standard settings.

I reset my bios to optimal settings, tried testing again and got the same errors.

The only thing I had originally changed was the timings to match the RAM.

Does anyone have experience with Crucial returns?

Cob · 8 Feb 2008 at 17:49

The PC5300 Ballistix is well known for dying.

But Crucial have a pretty awesome returns service. Just call their freephone number, speak to the nice Scottish bloke/bird, and they'll sort you out. Their turnaround time is usually very quick.

drunkenmaster · 8 Feb 2008 at 23:02

its possibly worth bumping up the voltage, i think the pc5300 is only rated 1.8v though for stock settings, though the pc6400/8500 which is the exact same stuff, is rated at 2.2v for higher speeds. no ones gonna give a poop if you bump voltage 0.1-0.3v to check if that brings in some stability.

i've just had 1 stick die on me, of the pc6400 stuff, what i noticed was on both sticks(had to return both) and on the other pack(running 4x1gb which is 2x 2gb packs) one side of the memory the heatspreader is actually coming away from the chips, only 1mm, if that, but looking from underneath the stick it seems that theres a slight gap between a majority of the chip and the heatpad and heatspreader. i'm wondering if thats not the reason for pretty damn high crucial ballistics RMA rates as almost everyone seems to return a set or two.

now crucial are fantastic with their rma's and lifetime warranty so thats not an issue, but prolonged heat and some chips not making contact with the heatpad means its just sitting under that heatspreader with zero airflow.

netby · 9 Feb 2008 at 04:22

drunkenmaster said:
its possibly worth bumping up the voltage, i think the pc5300 is only rated 1.8v though for stock settings, though the pc6400/8500 which is the exact same stuff, is rated at 2.2v for higher speeds. no ones gonna give a poop if you bump voltage 0.1-0.3v to check if that brings in some stability.

Ballistix PC2 5300 dies,exactly because it has been running for some time (usually a few months) at 2.2V ( and some motherboards overvolt this value even more)

when i was using it at 2.25V I have two dead kits in two / three months, each one

after I lowered the vdimm to 1.9 V ,the same stuff is running for about 8/9 months without any problems ( touch wood)

Rroff · 9 Feb 2008 at 06:15

Might also need to increase the Northbridge by +0.1v

D9GMH based RAM should run fine for 2+ years at upto 2.1v - but above there it starts to have am impact on lifespan... 2.2 hould be fine for atleast 18months but once you go above ~2.1 it becomes fairly random but the mean failure time decreases substantially...

The problem with running at 2.25 - thats fine if thats the actual voltage and doesn't go above that - but a lot of boards run 2.28 or so at 2.25 in the BIOS which isn't fine, seems to be a point between 2.25 and 2.28 where life expectancy takes a hit. Running active cooling makes little if any difference unless your running 2.6+ heh.

Kemik · 9 Feb 2008 at 10:59

From reading your replies it sounds like it's just died from use and not something I've done wrong.

It shouldn't be this hard to use RAM and the RAM should last longer than 10 months. All I should have to do is set the timings and voltage at the level the manufacturer says and then be good for at least 2 years (not that I keep RAM that long).

When I get my RAM what should the definate settings be regarding voltage? 2.1V with Northbridge +0.1v? I'm going to look around the Crucial website.

Cob · 9 Feb 2008 at 13:16

Test it at various voltages. Each kit is different and some will run at lower voltages than others.

Rroff · 9 Feb 2008 at 15:27

Ideally you want to get the lowest voltage its stable at...

If you've not memtested when you got the RAM tho its hard to say if the RAM is dying or you have it setup wrong.

marscay · 9 Feb 2008 at 20:01

Cob said:
The PC5300 Ballistix is well known for dying.

myth

it's widely used and wildly abused with too much voltage, d9gmh don't die for no good reason.

if everybody and their dog put 1.55-1.6v through their c2d's 24/7 they would get a reputation for dying too

Rroff · 9 Feb 2008 at 20:10

Its no myth unfortunatly... I know plenty of people who have run ballistixs on less than 2.1 volts and had to RMA 2-3 sets... so far... not to mention those that over volt them...

And just to be contrary I know many people who put 1.55-1.6v through their C2Ds 24/7 without any significant number failing - myself included - both my E6600 have been running just shy of 1.6v for ~2 years so far without any problems.

Kemik · 9 Feb 2008 at 20:54

Just for clarification then.

You suggest:

1. Setting timings to 3-3-3-12
2. After overclocking the CPU (see sig) to 3.0GHz I set the voltage level to 2.2v, test stability via memtest and then keep lowering and testing until I have problems?

I thought higher voltage does more damage to RAM than using a lower voltage?

Cob · 9 Feb 2008 at 21:40

marscay said:
myth

it's widely used and wildly abused with too much voltage, d9gmh don't die for no good reason.

if everybody and their dog put 1.55-1.6v through their c2d's 24/7 they would get a reputation for dying too

Well having had four pairs die at the advertised default voltage of 2.2v, I would have to disagree.

Quite strongly.

netby · 9 Feb 2008 at 22:45

for ballistyx PC2 5300 2.2Vdimm is the maximum recomended voltage, and only in case that you have a weak power supply / weak board with poor quality power regulators

people who have a good PS and good board ( the majority of later Asus,Gigabyte,Abit all have strong power regulators,eight phase power design,etc) do not need to feed the ram at the full recomended voltage

with these conditions,the ballistyx 5300 will run stable with 1.8/1.9 at default speed of 333mhz at 12-3-3-3
overclocked at 400mhz ( PC2 6400) at 12-4-4-4 it will run stable with 1.9/1.95V

I have done this for months now, not one single problem ,and I have not see one single reboot on my machine, in this period

of course if you want to break records and push it to 1200mhz( or more)

you will need the full 2.2V,maybe a little more 2.3V
in that case the ballistyx life spam will be short

marscay · 10 Feb 2008 at 03:54

i've had 3 sets of 5300 ballistix for 12mths running 2-2.1v max 24/7 never a hiccup.

the only ppl i personally know who have killed these sticks admit they molested them and didn't have active cooling either.

how many ppl *think* they are putting 2.1/2.2v through and are actually putting a lot more through because their board overvolts such as 680i, and/or don't actively cool their ram either?

cob - you've had 4 pairs die ....i think that says it all really - if they were really that flakey everyone would have dead sets ...or you're just terribly unlucky

Cob · 10 Feb 2008 at 03:57

You seem to be the only Ballistix owner in this thread that hasn't encountered a dead set yet

marscay · 10 Feb 2008 at 04:03

i also don't run high speeds, 430 4-4-4-12 4x1gb 2.0v and they get good cooling.

maybe i'm getting older and wiser but i don't punish my stuff anymore hehe

marscay · 10 Feb 2008 at 04:14

Rroff said:
And just to be contrary I know many people who put 1.55-1.6v through their C2Ds 24/7 without any significant number failing - myself included - both my E6600 have been running just shy of 1.6v for ~2 years so far without any problems.

just to be pedantic wasn't the e6600's launched around august 06?

Kemik · 10 Feb 2008 at 11:44

I've got the NZXT Lexa so there's enough fans to keep the RAM cool enough.

I'll RAM this set, sell the ones that come back and buy the G.Skill ones everyone's been recommending (2x2GB). I should be able to get about £30 for the RAM Crucial send me back.

Thanks for the help guys. No doubt I'll be making a thread on recommended starting voltage for this RAM when they arrive. I won't be setting the RAM at the advertised Voltage again