Mobo + memory problems

[Latem]

Hello, first my system:

- 1 x 350W Power Supply
- 1 x AMD Athlon XP 3200+ 512K 400FSB BARTON SOCKET A CPU
- 1 x DFI INFINITY NFORCE2 ULTRA400 SOCKET A DUAL DDR AGP 6PCI SATA SOUND LAN 1394
- 3 x SAMSUNG 512MB PC3200 DDR400 RAM
- 1 x SEAGATE BARRACUDA 7200 80GB HD ATA/100 HD
- 1 x VIEWSONIC G90FB 19IN MONITOR
- 1 x ATI RADEON 9800 PRO 256MB
- 1 x LITEON DVD+-RW DUAL 8X4X/8X4X CDRW 40X24X30X
- 1 x Creative Sound Blaster Live! 5.1

I just got this computer a few weeks ago, except it had INFENION ram. it crashed a few times in windows (just restarted on its own), and kept crashing to desktop in Far Cry and Warcrag III TFT, the only games I installed. Anyway I did memtest86+ and it gave like ~33000 errors, so I concluded that I had bad ram. I sent that ram back, and got replacements the above listed Samsung ram. The ram I have (http://www.ncix.com/products/index.php?sku=9545&vpn=SAMSUNG3200-512M&manufacture=Samsung), and my motherboard (http://www.ncix.com/products/index.php?sku=11304&vpn=INFINITY-NFORCE2&manufacture=DFI). So finally yesturday I got the new ram, I put it in and after playing farcry for 10-15 minutes it crashed to the desktop. So I ran memtest86+, and it gave ~4500 errors in one pass. I couldnt believe I got bad ram again, so I thought it was my mobo. Over the next 3 hours I did this:

1. Took out all the sticks, then took one and placed it in one slot. Ran memtest86+, and it passed 1 pass ok.
2. So I took this stick and put it in a second slot, ran Memtest again, and it passed 1 pass w/o errors.
3. Then I took this stick, and put it in the 3rd ram slot, ran Memtest, and it passed the test w/o errors. So I concluded that my mobo is ok.
4. I took this stick out, and then I took the 2nd memory stick, and placed it in one of the slots. Ran memtest, and after 1 pass, there were no errors.
5. I took this stick out, and I took the 3rd stick, and placed it in a different slot (than above), and ran memtest. After 1 pass there were no errors.
6. Then leaving the 3rd stick in, I took stick #1, and placed it in the 1st slot. That means now I have 2 sticks in. Ran memtest, and after 1 pass there were no errors.
7. Leaving all sticks in, I placed stick #2, and put it in the remaining (middle) slot. Ran memtest, and after 1 pass it gave almost 700 errors at test#6.
8. Ok wtf?? So I took the other 2 stick out, leaving just the stick #2, in the same (middle) slot, and ran memtest. One pass returned no errors.
9. Now I put stick #3, into the first slot, and am running memtest now. ~500 errors so far (2 @ test #4 and the rest @ test #6).
10. I put the 2 sticks that worked before (in 6), but this time one of the sticks was in a different slot, and it gave two errors at test#2. At which point I just gave up and shut off my computer. it was already pretty late.

Ok so what is going on with my computer?

This is what Memtest has to say about my settings:

Chipset: nVidia nForce2 SSP / FSB: 200Mhz
Settings: RAM : 200Mhz (DDR400) / CAS: 2.5-3-3-8 / Dual Channel (128 bits)

The only difference was when I had one stick at a time, it said 64 bits at end.

Are these settings right? I thought my mobo was FSB: 400Mhz. and shouldn't the RAM be running at the same freq. I dont know much about these ram settings and FSB and timings and such. Please keep in mind this, when posting suggestions. From searching I've read many people say "make sure timings are tight", or "change or lower your ram voltage" and "change ram clock". I am not sure exactly what all these things mean (especially the timings thing). But I guess you change them from BIOS?
Also in the BIOS there are some settings for RAM that have options like "Normal" or "Default" and "Turbo" and "Expert" and such. I've read that changing some setting from Turbo to Default fixes some problems. So if you have anything to say about this please do share

Also from searching around, people have said that to others that my mobo is good "just make sure you have revision 2" or something like that. Whats revesion 2? Is that a different version of the mobo, or just newer BIOS? How do you find out which "revision" you have? Also I've read to make sure I have newer BIOS. I probably have the ones that came with the board. Could this be the problem. Also hw do I check which bios I have, and which ones shouold I have?

What could be the problem?
Please help me fix this. Any ideas/advise/tips are greatly appreciated.

Thansk, a lot,
Latem


<P ID="edit"><FONT SIZE=-1><EM>Edited by Latem on 08/20/04 01:05 PM.</EM></FONT></P>

 

[Prof133]

-Test if there's any difference with Command Per Clock (CPC) off (or disabled) - it's in the BIOS.

- Memory speed should be running at DDR400. So, that's right. May have to decrease memory speed (DDR DRAM Clock, in BIOS, 1:1 is best if possible) or increase memory timings (CAS Latency - tRCD - tRP, in BIOS) a bit to get it stable. Could also try setting DRAM voltage (in BIOS) to say 2.7V and set tRAS (in BIOS) to CAS Latency + tRCD + 6. FSB is OK.

- <A HREF="http://www.dfi-street.com" target="_new">www.dfi-street.com</A>

 

[Prof133]

I think i may have updated my previous post after you read it - has a bit more info. But, i see you've posted at dfi-street. So, also waiting to see what <b>Angry Games</b> (or others) may suggest. Good luck with it!

 

[Latem]

Yea I posted there as well.
It looks like it may be working fine with 2 sticks, my brother just played far cry for like 2-2:30 hrs w/o a problem.
I'll try some of those things later.

Thanks,
Latem

 

[Cybercraig]

Check the rail outputs on your 3.3/5/12v rails. Is that a name brand power supply, or a PowMax?


Abit IS7 - 2.8C @ 3.4ghz - Mushkin PC4000 (2 X 512) - Sapphire 9800Pro - TT 420 watt Pure Power
Samsung 120gb ATA-100 - Maxtor 40gb ATA - 100
Sony DRU-510A - Yellowtail Merlot

 

[Prof133]

OK, that makes sense. Probably running 3 two-rank (assumed) unbuffered dimms at DDR400 is too much on the memory controllers.

 

[Latem]

Thanks for the feedback guys.

quote: Check the rail outputs on your 3.3/5/12v rails.

What does that mean and how do I do it?
The PSU brand is something on Sun, maybe Sunpower. I am not sure.

quote: Probably running 3 two-rank (assumed) unbuffered dimms at DDR400 is too much on the memory controllers.

Sorry, but I dont know what you mean neither. How do I find out if I have the unbuffered dimms? Why would they not work, if my board is suppose to support DDR400? Can I do anything about this?

Thanks,

Latem

 

[Prof133]

You have unbuffered dimms as it is required by the nForce2 chipset; no support for registered dimms with nForce2 chipset. Usually find support for registered dimms with systems which need to support large amounts of memory - opteron systems, for example. Have to leave soon for meeting ... will be back to say more.

Prof133

 

[Cybercraig]

There is a sticker on the side of your "Dungpower" power supply. What does it say?

Abit IS7 - 2.8C @ 3.4ghz - Mushkin PC4000 (2 X 512) - Sapphire 9800Pro - TT 420 watt Pure Power
Samsung 120gb ATA-100 - Maxtor 40gb ATA - 100
Sony DRU-510A - Yellowtail Merlot

 

[pat]

bump your memory voltage to 2.7v with 3 stick andtest it again. Had to do that on mine.

-Always put the blame on you first, then on the hardware !!!

 

[Latem]

My case and power supply is by some Sunny Technologies.
http://www.sunnytec.com/case_kapok.htm

Pat, what are your system specs like? Is it a similat comp to mine?
Could increase voltage damage something? Does it make sense that that could fix my problem? What does that do, just supplies more voltage to RAM?

Thanks,
Latem

 

[pat]

In order to have my corsair twinx memory to run stable at low latency, I have to bump the voltage to 2.7. I have a Soltek nforce2 motherboard and that was what was recommended in the memory compatibility list.

it shouldnt hurt anything and I would give it a try

-Always put the blame on you first, then on the hardware !!!

 

[Prof133]

In haste, neglected to mention it was an out-of-town (long) meeting. OK, the nForce2 chipset is designed to support 6 ranks max. A configuration of 3 two-rank (traditionally known as double-sided) dimms is pushing the chipset to the max and may require changes in the BIOS - memory frequency decrease, for example. But, decreasing the memory frequency while keeping the AthlonXP 3200+ FSB at spec would not be recommended with the nForce2 chipset because it would suffer from overhead resynchronization penalty. In other words, it would be best to keep the FSB and memory frequency in sync. Have any of the methods that don't require decrease in memory frequency allowed it to work with all three dimms? If not, i'd try to obtain the highest possible FSB while maintaining a 1:1 (sync) FSB/Memory-Frequency ratio.