I built a computer with the following specs
Processor: 3.80 gigahertz AMD FX-6200 Six-Core
Motherboard: ASUS M5A97 R2.0
RAM: G.SKILL Ripjaws Series 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800)
GPU: AMD Radeon HD 6670
Ever since I put it together I have been experiencing lock up and freezing issues intermittently (where I am forced to do a hard restart of the computer every time) throughout use starting out slowly (where I could use the computer for a week with no issues) and has slowly progressed to a much more frequent occurrence. This occurs most often when playing video games but has been known to occur even with just the browser open.
My first thought was a corrupt hard drive since I was using an old lap top hard drive that had been banged around. I got a new hard drive and installed a fresh copy of windows on it and the problem persisted. Then i tried 32 bit just because I was desperate. Still freezing (almost always in games I can use the browser indefinitely it seems although on the rarest occurrence it freezes then as well). I continued to use the computer for a month or so when it started locking up on reboot as well in a couple key areas which it had not done until this point (around 3 months into computer life)
Recently, I was in the BIOS when the computer froze which had been the first time that had occurred so my next thought was immediately either bad RAM or mother board. I ran memtestx86 for 8 hours with 0 errors so I started looking into the motherboard. I found their Qualified Vendor List (http://support.asus.com/QVL.aspx?SLanguage=en&p=1&s=24&m=M5A97%20R2.0&os=&hashedid=n/a) and noticed by specific module of RAM was not included on any list. I then read some comments on Newegg stating this mobo had a reputation with being fairly picky with its RAM and that a few people were having issues with G SKILL RAM in particular and I discovered a few other posts on this forum with similar issues (but not exact and not with a solution that has worked for me). I then replaced the 2 sticks of 2gb G SKILL with 1 stick of 2gb ddr3 corsair ram i had laying around and still it froze. Then i tried my friend's 1 stick of 4gb ddr3 kingston ram. The computer booted and worked for a few hours (the longest it had made it recently) before freezing at which point it froze very soon into or during every startup after. I then went into the BIOS and used the built in OC Tuner and it changed many settings that I previously thought I had right (this is with the Kingston RAM). I booted again and the computer worked for almost a day, at which point I thought it was finally fixed, before it froze again.
I replaced the Kingston RAM with the original G SKILL and then ran the OC Tuner in BIOS again where it changed some settings once more. It changed the timing to 11-11-11-28-1T when I know the timing is 9-9-9-24-2T. It also changed the frequency to 1151 Mhz when it is a 1600 module. I changed all those settings to what I knew (or thought) they should be although oddly enough they didnt have a 1600 option for Mhz but rather odd numbers like 1523 or 1751 (or something like that) so I left that as is. The other timing settings were as follows but I didn't know the correct inputs for them
READ to PRE: 4
RAS to RAS: 4
WRITE to READ: 4
CAS Write Latency: 6
WRITE recovery time: 8
REF Cycle Time: 160 ns
Row Cycle Time: 25
READ to WRITE: 10
WRITE to WRITE: 3
READ to READ: 3
Refresh rate: 7.8ms
Is there anything I should adjust there that will help the stability of my machine? The locking up has continued although it is much better than it was the last few days although still present. What is my next course of action? RMA the motherboard? Buy RAM that is EXACTLY compatible with the mobo from the Vendor List? The fact it locks in BIOS makes me know a solution lies with one of these pieces of hardware. Are there other settings I could try to change first? I tried exhausting all my own resources and brainpower before coming to you, the experts, for assistance. Please help!
EDIT: Looking at my BIOS further after resetting to optimized defaults and then resetting my timings and frequency to 1600 (it showed up this time as an option) I see that the NB Voltage is 1.1v and SB Voltage is 1.1v. Does that matter if my RAM is 1.5v? I upped it to 1.2V as was suggested on G SKILL forums. We will see if that helps. Also, the BIOS is completely up to date. I just am at a loss. I know one little setting can make all the difference and just need to know what it is!
Processor: 3.80 gigahertz AMD FX-6200 Six-Core
Motherboard: ASUS M5A97 R2.0
RAM: G.SKILL Ripjaws Series 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800)
GPU: AMD Radeon HD 6670
Ever since I put it together I have been experiencing lock up and freezing issues intermittently (where I am forced to do a hard restart of the computer every time) throughout use starting out slowly (where I could use the computer for a week with no issues) and has slowly progressed to a much more frequent occurrence. This occurs most often when playing video games but has been known to occur even with just the browser open.
My first thought was a corrupt hard drive since I was using an old lap top hard drive that had been banged around. I got a new hard drive and installed a fresh copy of windows on it and the problem persisted. Then i tried 32 bit just because I was desperate. Still freezing (almost always in games I can use the browser indefinitely it seems although on the rarest occurrence it freezes then as well). I continued to use the computer for a month or so when it started locking up on reboot as well in a couple key areas which it had not done until this point (around 3 months into computer life)
Recently, I was in the BIOS when the computer froze which had been the first time that had occurred so my next thought was immediately either bad RAM or mother board. I ran memtestx86 for 8 hours with 0 errors so I started looking into the motherboard. I found their Qualified Vendor List (http://support.asus.com/QVL.aspx?SLanguage=en&p=1&s=24&m=M5A97%20R2.0&os=&hashedid=n/a) and noticed by specific module of RAM was not included on any list. I then read some comments on Newegg stating this mobo had a reputation with being fairly picky with its RAM and that a few people were having issues with G SKILL RAM in particular and I discovered a few other posts on this forum with similar issues (but not exact and not with a solution that has worked for me). I then replaced the 2 sticks of 2gb G SKILL with 1 stick of 2gb ddr3 corsair ram i had laying around and still it froze. Then i tried my friend's 1 stick of 4gb ddr3 kingston ram. The computer booted and worked for a few hours (the longest it had made it recently) before freezing at which point it froze very soon into or during every startup after. I then went into the BIOS and used the built in OC Tuner and it changed many settings that I previously thought I had right (this is with the Kingston RAM). I booted again and the computer worked for almost a day, at which point I thought it was finally fixed, before it froze again.
I replaced the Kingston RAM with the original G SKILL and then ran the OC Tuner in BIOS again where it changed some settings once more. It changed the timing to 11-11-11-28-1T when I know the timing is 9-9-9-24-2T. It also changed the frequency to 1151 Mhz when it is a 1600 module. I changed all those settings to what I knew (or thought) they should be although oddly enough they didnt have a 1600 option for Mhz but rather odd numbers like 1523 or 1751 (or something like that) so I left that as is. The other timing settings were as follows but I didn't know the correct inputs for them
READ to PRE: 4
RAS to RAS: 4
WRITE to READ: 4
CAS Write Latency: 6
WRITE recovery time: 8
REF Cycle Time: 160 ns
Row Cycle Time: 25
READ to WRITE: 10
WRITE to WRITE: 3
READ to READ: 3
Refresh rate: 7.8ms
Is there anything I should adjust there that will help the stability of my machine? The locking up has continued although it is much better than it was the last few days although still present. What is my next course of action? RMA the motherboard? Buy RAM that is EXACTLY compatible with the mobo from the Vendor List? The fact it locks in BIOS makes me know a solution lies with one of these pieces of hardware. Are there other settings I could try to change first? I tried exhausting all my own resources and brainpower before coming to you, the experts, for assistance. Please help!
EDIT: Looking at my BIOS further after resetting to optimized defaults and then resetting my timings and frequency to 1600 (it showed up this time as an option) I see that the NB Voltage is 1.1v and SB Voltage is 1.1v. Does that matter if my RAM is 1.5v? I upped it to 1.2V as was suggested on G SKILL forums. We will see if that helps. Also, the BIOS is completely up to date. I just am at a loss. I know one little setting can make all the difference and just need to know what it is!