New HTPC. DOA Parts?

[Banyon]

As the title says, just built a new computer for Media Center purposes (specs at bottom), and I have a really weird issue. When I boot the computer a blue or red matrix like screen appears (picture below). Now all the connections on the board are right, the parts are compatible. I've never run into this issue before, never even heard of it.

Blue Screen
Red Screen

By moving 1 stick of RAM from bank 2, to bank 3, it went away till about half way through the Windows install when I get the red screen. Tried even taking them out of Dual Channel setup and putting them in banks 2 and 3, also tried the rest of the combinations, 1-4, 2-4....ect.

Now my best guess is probably DOA RAM or a mobo with defective memory banks... But knowing me its probably something stupid like and incorrect voltage.

AMD Athlon 64 X2 3800+ Windsor 2.0GHz
ASUS M2A-VM Socket AM2 AMD 690G Micro ATX AMD Motherboard
Patriot eXtreme Performance 1GB (2 x 512MB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400)
Western Digital Caviar SE WD1600JS 160GB 7200 RPM 8MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive

 

[alcattle]

need more info and video and tv tuner card

 

[WhiskyTangoFoxtrot]

need more info and video and tv tuner card

690G is onboard graphics

 

[alcattle]

Thanks noob, missed that, problem is probably not enough ram, onboard graphics use system ram and it looks like it is choking for more. Test it with a different card or more RAM

 

[WhiskyTangoFoxtrot]

As the title says, just built a new computer for Media Center purposes (specs at bottom), and I have a really weird issue. When I boot the computer a blue or red matrix like screen appears (picture below). Now all the connections on the board are right, the parts are compatible. I've never run into this issue before, never even heard of it.

Blue Screen
Red Screen

By moving 1 stick of RAM from bank 2, to bank 3, it went away till about half way through the Windows install when I get the red screen. Tried even taking them out of Dual Channel setup and putting them in banks 2 and 3, also tried the rest of the combinations, 1-4, 2-4....ect.

Now my best guess is probably DOA RAM or a mobo with defective memory banks... But knowing me its probably something stupid like and incorrect voltage.

AMD Athlon 64 X2 3800+ Windsor 2.0GHz
ASUS M2A-VM Socket AM2 AMD 690G Micro ATX AMD Motherboard
Patriot eXtreme Performance 1GB (2 x 512MB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400)
Western Digital Caviar SE WD1600JS 160GB 7200 RPM 8MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive

What voltage are you running the RAM at? My gig sticks(same as yours) really wants 2.2v when I run it above DDR2-800 settings on an Intel. It should fire up with 1.8v @ 5-5-5-15 timings @ DDR2-800.

Why didn't you get the 65w version of your CPU? Smaller cases like an HTPC do better to have less heat generated.

 

[Banyon]

What voltage are you running the RAM at? My gig sticks(same as yours) really wants 2.2v when I run it above DDR2-800 settings on an Intel. It should fire up with 1.8v @ 5-5-5-15 timings @ DDR2-800.

Why didn't you get the 65w version of your CPU? Smaller cases like an HTPC do better to have less heat generated.

I will check the voltage when I get up (real late). I was gonna get the ADO model (65w), but I decided to get this one instead because of the deal they was running and I'm kinda on a budget.

Thanks noob, missed that, problem is probably not enough ram, onboard graphics use system ram and it looks like it is choking for more. Test it with a different card or more RAM

Alcattle, I don't think you understand, this isn't and error I'm getting when I try to use a TV tuner card or something, this is an error I get before the POST screen even appears. I don't even have an operating system on it yet. There is 1GB of ram in it... even when 256Mb reserved for onboard, that still leaves 3/4 of a gig just to boot up... Considering there is no minimum amount of RAM you need to get to the POST.... Its definately not that.

 

[Banyon]

Well, I had the voltages set for the memory at 2.1 and the manufacturer page says 2.2, but they also say that memory is compatible with the board... so I'm not sure any more.

I went ahead and did a RMA on the board and its going back tonight. Told them it was defective (which it seems like it is). If I get the same problem with the next board, I will just RMA the board and case back and use the parts I bought to make a full size PC.

 

[evongugg]

You can try disabling the onboard video and using a video card to see if the problem is with the motherboard. You could even use a PCI graphics card to do the test.

 

[HotFoot]

It sounds like you have bad RAM to me. I had a problem one time when I hadn't quite seated my RAM properly... thought it was in, but one had popped out a bit. I got a freaky screen and the thing failed to POST.

I've run the M2A-VM with 2x512 DDR2 before and I can attest that that is plenty of RAM until you load up a bunch of programs. I found it unbearable with the software I use, so I got 2x1GB working on that now.

What I can't figure out is why you would get the red screen after post... unfortunately, you have very few BIOS settings to work with on that board, so you can't try something like relaxing your memory timings. If the replacement board doesn't work, I'd say try running the RAM slower or manually setting the voltage. I think a lot of 6400 memory likes 2.1V rather than 1.8.

I am really liking the 690G for the media centre. It's got more than enough graphics considering I don't play intensive games on the TV. The nice thing is that the chipset is one of the most energy efficient ones out there, so my case requires very little in the way of cooling. It makes less noise than most laptops.

 

[Banyon]

Yes, its very quiet, even with the 2 120mm exhaust fans in my cas cranked up (3 mode fans).

I think I'm really going to like this PC if I can get it to work.

To answer the 2 questions I seen. I don't have an extra video card to try. I don't have a PCI or PCI-E card laying around.

The red screen popped up in the middle of installing windows. I only had 1 stick of the ram in to get that far. The blue is pre post screen with both sticks in.

With all the trouble shooting I've done, I've never seen anything like this in relation to video cards.

Also when the error screen appeared, the computer its self just stopped working, if it was a vid card issue, the computer would still be working, just nothing on screen....which is what lead me to believe its the memory. If it was a bad CPU, i wouldn't even get to the post screen.