First Time Build Core 2 Duo Minor Issues

I think some time with Memtest86 is in order.
Download it @ memtest86.com and let it run overnight. See how many errors you get.

I reseated the second RAM module and CPU-Z is now showing 400mhz 4-4-4-12 for both modules.

I would use Memtest but I skimped on a floppy drive and dont have one atm, do you know any way to use it without having to boot it up off floppy?

If not np, Ill go butcher one of the other comps around the house. Sigh was looking forward to a nice easy Saturday afternoon with my new beast.

Memtest is a good idea but first, do you have the latest BIOS? I don't know about the P5B Deluxe, but the standard P5B shipped with a BIOS that doesn't properly support Core 2 Duos.

Regards

Theres a windows version try that. Does it seem better now it has been reseated? test anyway.

i thought there was a cd iso that you can burn on and run memtest

Note sure about .iso version of memtest, I just use the windows version. Had a dodgy Floppy drive for so long that I never tried to use bootable floppy.

LOL, he's got P5W DH Deluxe WiFi not p5b. :!: Read post carefully before replying :!:

There is, its part of the Ultimate Boot CD.

I have BIOS revision 0701 that came with the motherboard.

Everything works fine, untill I load the computer with like a game and media application, which will work fine for a while, but ill experiance fairly regular and extreme lockups and freezes and distorted sound etc.

Itll be fine for a while, then itll kind of slow down, then itll go crazy for about 5-10 minutes.

Its not just confined to games though, copying large files or having a web browser open while unzipping a file e.g. will cause the computer to just stop working for a few minutes.

CPU-Z shows the RAM back to its normal timings after reseating it, games like Oblivion played with nothing else running, run amazingly.

It seems to me that when I multitask, the comp throws a bit of a fit unless I am really gentle, which is annoying because I like my own music playing in the background of alot of games.

I could try reseating the processor, but my initial thoughts were to upgrade the BIOS, but I dont have a floppy drive on this at the minute.

EDIT: where can I get the windows version of memtest?

use asus update :idea:

I have tried that, but it keeps telling me there is a new version of the updater, to update that first, and everytime I try to update it, it never changes version.

ill try again now see if I get any further, but ASUSUpdate for me is a pain.

Google memtest, should be the third item down. Sorry.

Keep plugging away at the Bios it will probably help.

I updated the BIOS to the latest version and got memtest.

Ran memtest to 100% coverage on my RAM, no errors, and CPU-Z shows my ram as 4-4-4-12 on both dimms

However, PC Wizard shows this :

EPP Profile Type : Full Performance
Profiles : 2
Voltage Level (P1) : 0V
Address Command Rate (P1) : 0T
Cycle Time (P1) : 0ns @1.#INF MHz
CAS Latency (tCL) (P1) : 0 clocks
Voltage Level (P2) : 0V
Address Command Rate (P2) : 0T
Cycle Time (P2) : 0ns @1.#INF MHz
CAS Latency (tCL) (P2) : 0 clocks

ON dimm 2

and this :

EPP Profile Type : Full Performance
Profiles : 2
Voltage Level (P1) : 2.1V
Address Command Rate (P1) : 2T
Cycle Time (P1) : 2.5ns @400 MHz
CAS Latency (tCL) (P1) : 4 clocks
RAS to CAS (tRCD) (P1) : 4 clocks
RAS Precharge (tRP) (P1) : 4 clocks
Cycle Time (tRAS) (P1) : 12 clocks
tRC (P1) : 22 clocks
tWR (P1) : 6 clocks
Voltage Level (P2) : 4.975V
Address Command Rate (P2) : 2T
Cycle Time (P2) : 15ns @66.66666 MHz
CAS Latency (tCL) (P2) : 0 clocks

On Dimm 1

So it looks like the 2nd Dimm is out of action, but being recognized, and not showing any faults so far on memtest.

I have never manually set or changed voltages for RAM before, and am not sure if I should try manually putting power through Dimm2, unless that is the only way to get it to work.

Any ideas please?



EDIT:


I booted up the comp with the 2nd RAM DIMM only, in slot A1, and it works fine. Booted up the comp with the original 1st RAM DIMM in slot B1, and it says 0v 0-0-0-0 etc.

Im running dual channel, and wondering if I have missed out any cables etc? because I dont understand why the slot B1 for dual channel should not be working, is it a fault in the motherboard? Or something im not doing?

I've never seen any jumpers or cables needed for Dual Channel, it normally just does it, try disabling dual channel and seeing if they both work then. I understand that some mobo's are picky about dual channel setups.

I have them in single channel now and this is the full reading from PCWizard

General Information :
DIMM0 (RAS 9, RAS 11) : 1024 (Double Bank)
DIMM1 (RAS 9, RAS 11) : 1024 (Double Bank)
DIMM2 : Empty
DIMM3 : Empty

Information SPD EEPROM (DIMM0) :
Manufacturer : Corsair
Part Number : CM2X1024-6400C4
Serial Number : Unspecified
Type : DDR2-SDRAM PC2-6400 (399 MHz)
Format : Regular UDIMM (133.35 x 3)
Size : 1024 MB (0 rows, 2 banks)
Module Buffered : No
Module Registered : No
Module EPP : Yes
Width : 64-bit
Error Correction Capability : No
Max. Burst Length : 0
Refresh : Reduced (.5x)7.8 µs, Self Refresh
Voltage : SSTL 1.8v
Manufacture : Week 29 of 2006
Supported Frequencies : 270 MHz, 400 MHz
CAS Latency (tCL) : 4 clocks @270 MHz, 5 clocks @400 MHz
RAS to CAS (tRCD) : 4 clocks @270 MHz, 5 clocks @400 MHz
RAS Precharge (tRP) : 4 clocks @270 MHz, 5 clocks @400 MHz
Cycle Time (tRAS) : 13 clocks @270 MHz, 18 clocks @400 MHz
Min TRC : 15 clocks @270 MHz, 22 clocks @400 MHz

EPP Profile Type : Full Performance
Profiles : 2
Voltage Level (P1) : 2.1V
Address Command Rate (P1) : 2T
Cycle Time (P1) : 2.5ns @400 MHz
CAS Latency (tCL) (P1) : 4 clocks
RAS to CAS (tRCD) (P1) : 4 clocks
RAS Precharge (tRP) (P1) : 4 clocks
Cycle Time (tRAS) (P1) : 12 clocks
tRC (P1) : 22 clocks
tWR (P1) : 6 clocks
Voltage Level (P2) : 4.975V
Address Command Rate (P2) : 2T
Cycle Time (P2) : 15ns @66.66666 MHz
CAS Latency (tCL) (P2) : 0 clocks
RAS to CAS (tRCD) (P2) : 5 clocks
RAS Precharge (tRP) (P2) : 5 clocks
Cycle Time (tRAS) (P2) : 17 clocks
tRC (P2) : 17 clocks
tWR (P2) : 5 clocks

Information SPD EEPROM (DIMM1) :
Manufacturer : Corsair
Part Number : CM2X1024-6400C4
Serial Number : Unspecified
Type : DDR2-SDRAM PC2-6400 (399 MHz)
Format : Regular UDIMM (133.35 x 3)
Size : 1024 MB (0 rows, 2 banks)
Module Buffered : No
Module Registered : No
Module EPP : Yes
Width : 64-bit
Error Correction Capability : No
Max. Burst Length : 0
Refresh : Reduced (.5x)7.8 µs, Self Refresh
Voltage : SSTL 1.8v
Manufacture : Week 29 of 2006
Supported Frequencies : 270 MHz, 400 MHz
CAS Latency (tCL) : 4 clocks @270 MHz, 5 clocks @400 MHz
RAS to CAS (tRCD) : 4 clocks @270 MHz, 5 clocks @400 MHz
RAS Precharge (tRP) : 4 clocks @270 MHz, 5 clocks @400 MHz
Cycle Time (tRAS) : 13 clocks @270 MHz, 18 clocks @400 MHz
Min TRC : 15 clocks @270 MHz, 22 clocks @400 MHz

EPP Profile Type : Full Performance
Profiles : 2
Voltage Level (P1) : 0V
Address Command Rate (P1) : 0T
Cycle Time (P1) : 0ns @1.#INF MHz
CAS Latency (tCL) (P1) : 0 clocks
Voltage Level (P2) : 0V
Address Command Rate (P2) : 0T
Cycle Time (P2) : 0ns @1.#INF MHz
CAS Latency (tCL) (P2) : 0 clocks

Memory Controller Information :
Memory Controller : SIMM, DIMM
Number of connectors : 4
Max. Module Size : 1024 MB
Max. Memory Size : 4096 MB
Supported Speed : 70ns, 60ns, 50ns
Supported Voltages : 3.3v
Error Detection Method : 64-bit ECC
Error Correction Capability : Unspecified
Current/Supported Interleave : 1-way/1-way



Am I reading it right when it says that DIMM 2 is operating at 0v 0-0-0-0 timings?

Truthfully I can't read that very well. But it does seem to be saying that the second stick is performing very differently to the first stick and in such a way that it is performing abnormally, i.e. 0-0-0-0 is not right.

Does it read the same with one stick at a time?

No. All the info above is just various profiles of pre-set settings, contained in each DIMM's SPD (a small EEPROM). These are just profiles that the DIMM manufacturer has stored in the SPD so the MB knows what timings to use on "auto" setting. EPPs are special Corsair/Nvidia extra profiles that only work on certain Nvidia chipset boards to "automatically" overclock the RAM.
None of what you have posted is showing what the DIMMs in your system are actually running at.
In PCWizard, under the Mainboard section, double-click on "Chipset", not on "Physical Memory", and you will get the actual settings that the memory is being run at.

PS - In the future, please stick to a single post per problem -- you have replies on your other post about this problem in the Memory forum.

I wondered if that was the case.

Using each DIMM seperatly I get an OK boot, no reported problems, so I guess my problem with the lockups etc. isn't a dodgy RAM module.

What about the processor then? Or the board? Or even some windows issue?

In response to your reply in the other thread I created, Idle temperatures of the motherboard are around 35-40C

My GPU runs hot, and is at the bottom of my case without an extra fan besides the stock one, I am planning getting one for there but im unsure how to fit it, as I dont want it blowing hot air up into the centre of my system.

Anyway thats besides the point, I am a bit dissapointed with this core 2 Duo, P5W and Corsair system if it produces irregular performance of smooth then grinding stutters, when my vastly older computer was just slow, under the same or similar load.

Maybe I just have to wait for errors or inconsistancies to get ironed out in the BIOS? I dont know.

It is my first build though, maybe I have missed a plug or something?

If it runs hot whats your Vcore?

From earlier in this thread "Itll be fine for a while, then itll kind of slow down, then itll go crazy for about 5-10 minutes."
That sounds to me like a heat issue. What brand/model CPU hsf are you using, and what brand/model case and brand/model power supply?

Edit: sorry, went to the other thread and got the info.

As I said in the other thread, if I had to bet, I would bet that your Zalman 9500 is the problem, since it doesn't cool the components around your CPU. Try installing the OEM Intel hsf that came with the CPU and I think there's a good chance that will solve the problem. You don't have to keep the OEM hsf in place if you don't like it, as there are a number of "flower" style aftermarket hsfs, including the Zalman 7000, 7700, Thermaltake Golden Orb, etc.