RAM is fine but even so i do get memory problems

bananajoe

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Hi people,
I have tested different HDs and memory sticks and slots, so i can say that HD, memory or OS/software is not the problem.

Symptoms: (happened from one day to the other out of nothing)

1 - Windows XP takes ages to initialize, once it's initialized(when i can see the desktop) i still have to wait ages to start using it because nothing will respond(i can notice heavy HD loading).

2 - After that i can use the system but everything(running an application and some of its functions) takes some seconds to respond and start.

3 - Some stuff lags, i.e: when you receive a MSN message the minimized message window blinks and makes a sound, but here it's blinking first and the sound comes later.

4 - At the first day of the problem it was not happening, but now it is happening: applications are crashing at random, XP background processes also crash at random and usually give a memory read error.

Other than that the system is working!

According to Everest:

CPU temperature is 45-50c
Motherboard temperature is 31c

I don't know if that's ok.

My RAM benchmark seems to be very slow for the system(P4 2.4ghz, 1GB DDR pc3200).

Read: 881 MB/s
Write 900 MB/s
Copy 482 MB/s
Latency 211.3ns

Any help is appreciated, thanks!
 

hnml24

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45-50c depends on what environment you are and on how much you load on the cpu.

I think you are wrong my friend , if you tried different HD and all that it means the problem is the memory or the software.
try loading only safe mode and see how is it..
if its sluggish even in there , then check to see if you are not have a lack in memory (if you got 1 GB and the system gives you only 512MB -> you can check this by start- > run- > dxdiag and you will see how much memory the computer recognize ).

the first think you should do when you have sluggish computer is unload the anti-virus , firewall , and see how the computer is running , then continue with testing things.

hope I help you ,
Noam
 
Sounds like perhaps you've got some CPU usage problems. Your temps are fine. I'd suggest that when your PC is acting this way (being very slow) that you press CTRL+ALT+DELETE and open Task Manager. You can monitor CPU usage there. This is shown anywhere from 0% to 100%.

You could have some background program which is using up all your CPU time, thus causing everything else on the system (including memory bandwidth) to become slow.

If it shows your CPU is at 100% usage (or something higher than you think is reasonable) look under Task Manager to see what applications or processes are running, and if it indicates which item is using the CPU.

It's possible you could have some spyware on your computer, which is tying up your system.

This would be my first place to check anyhow.
 

bananajoe

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II don't think it can be OS/processes/software, because i tested different HDs with different systems, even tried a clean Windows install on one HD, and with everyone of them i tested different memory sticks of the same kind, including the one i always used with no problems.

My CPU usage right now is ranging about 0-13% (only one Firefox and typical background processes running) but i have noticed that when i start any light application like Notepad it gets to about 45% CPU usage, Firefox gets to 85%(page loading takes like 97-100%), then it takes down to what mentioned, i don't know if that's normal.

Note: Safemod also have the same problems & system is recognizing all the memory.
Thanks!
 

Andy2008

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Are you sure you've installed the correct motherboard drivers?

Have you tried the RAM in a different slot (if the m/b allows that)?

(You can get the Task Manager up more easily with ctrl+shift+esc.)

Andrew
 

mi1ez

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If the memory's fine (have you memtested it?) and you're getting memory style problems it could be the memory controller or something else on the actual motherboard.

Could be drivers as pointed out earlier.

It's normal for CPU usage to jump up when loading an app, so as to load it AQAP.


And Andrew, cheers for that, great tip- up until now I'd been using windows-r and typing "taskmgr"
 

bananajoe

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I am not sure about the drivers for the motherboard, but it is been the same since forever, i think they are the correct/specific because some have the name of my chipset.I have not made any changes in the system, everything happened out of nothing, one day i turned the computer on just to listen to music and everything was fine, the other day i turned it on and the problem was there.Yes, i have two slots and tried both with every memory stick(the mobo accepts to use only the second one).I have not memtested it, because i'm out of disks, but i think all the 3 memory sticks i tried could not be exactly with the same problem.(i only use one of them).

The problem is changing everyday, it's the third day, today the system is initializing faster than ever(faster than before the problem(!?)) and everything is working fine but on the other hand it is reseting alone sometimes.
 

Andy2008

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When you tried a clean OS install, did you keep it disconnected from the Internet until after you had tested it? If not, you could have malware on the computer.

If you use two memory sticks, does that make it worse? That would suggest a problem with the motherboard.

Do you have a graphics subsystem which uses the RAM on the m/b rather than its own RAM?

Does the ambient temperature seem to make any difference?

The programs I use for dealing with malware are:-
AVG (free.grisoft.com)
Spybot Search & Destroy (www.download.com)
AdAware (www.download.com)
Rootkit Revealer (www.microsoft.com)
Process Explorer (www.microsoft.com)
Hijack This! (www.download.com)
services.msc (typed into the Windows Run box)
and, of course, booting into safe mode for renaming pesky files.

Andrew
 

IH8U

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I'd say pick up another gig of ram, especially if you installed XP SP3. I don't think its your RAM having issues, it seems more like the amount of RAM. Defrag, and run a Checkdisk too.
 

juvealert

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if u made a clean install make sure that you have installed the required drivers as recommended by other users. If u go to the device manager and u find that a hardware has a ? next to it right click on it and disable it.


For how long did u run memtest ? 1 round of test is not enough. Yesterday i just ran memtest on a pc and in the first round it didn't return an error. when the second round started, memtest did return an error. Therefore i suggest that u run memtest for about 4-6hrs.

I would also check the voltages from BIOS. It could be that the power supply isn't giving out enough juice at being a P4 i assume the power supply has been running for at least 4yrs.

I would also try increase the ram voltage by 0.01, restart and boot to windows and check stability. if the system is unstable increase the voltage again until u reach the max voltage allowed my the ram
 

bananajoe

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I did it all , and got to the worse conclusion motherboard or processor must be defective.I run memtest, it detected memmory errors, but it's hard to think the problem is the memmory(as i said before i tried 3 sticks), so do you people agree that i will have to buy a new cpu/mobo? =(
 

Grimmy

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One thing you might want to try since you having really slow load times, is to try running the HD on a different IDE channel, or if its sata, try a different sata port.

I remember my dad's system started having slow load times 2 weeks after the build. Ever since I switched the HD to 2nd IDE channel, it ran fine. Although I'm not sure if it was a cold solder on the IDE pins, or if there's actually something wrong with the chips that controls the IDE channels.

I suggested this to someone else, and it worked for him, though his HD was on sata.
 

bananajoe

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It was the Asus motherboard.I got mad at it all and bought a whole new better computer, i just have to say that i am dissapointed with Asus, many people says that it is the best or one of the best, the reason why i bought it, but it only lasted 2 years of moderate and care usage.Before this Asus i've had two PcChips mobos which is considered the crap of the crap, but both lasted 5 years of heavy usage and no care at all.I will never buy anything Asus again, my new computer is coming with a Gigabyte mobo, i hope it is good. Thank you all for the help.
 

Grimmy

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All I can say is some people can have the worse luck with certain brands.

I still have my old P4 northy 3ghz w/HT running on my Asus P4PE, which had gone through allot of handling, swaping around, being cleaned with a vacuum cleaner, as well as changing out hardware. That system is approx over 6 years old.

I have MSI MB that people consider crap. They run fine. I managed to break one of my MB in changing the NB cooler, which worked for awhile till the NB chip cracked under pressure. And I had a good stable 3.2ghz Q6600 OC on the 650i chipset. I still have another MB just like it still running my E4400, as well as my dads system running an E4300.

However, I've seen some of my friends go through hardware like its going out of style. Not that it was an upgrade, but they would have certain problems with Asus MB at the time.

One thing that may get people off guard, is power spikes or surges. So when that happens behind their back, then they start using the system and notices something is wrong, then they would more then likely pick on the brand being at fault, if they couldn't find another reason.

I've been pretty lucky with my hardware, but I've noticed some of my friends who would leave their system running 24/7 without power surge protectors or UPS, which some how end up with a broken system. I think my UPS has been kinda expensive but worth the money and trouble to have, since I really haven't had hardware failures. Unless I actually modified it, and didn't take precaution to prevent like what happened to my NB chip.

So I hope your Gigabyte serves ya well. And if it doesn't, I guess that's another brand you'll never buy.
 

bananajoe

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The PcChips(were the cheapest models btw) i mentioned survived 24hs/7days per week ON and many blackouts without unplugging the power supply(no power protection) and no care of any kind, some stuff that the Asus never suffered.Maybe i was just unluck, Asus may be a good board i just will not take the risk, it looks to me more like bad quality control or poor components used on my model, but as i will never know.....no risk take.
 

Grimmy

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Well.. I'm aware the PC Chips are cheap, they are for budget builds. But if you say it ran it 24/7 without power surge protectors or UPS and it never failed, then you were very lucky.

Power surges/spikes can be like a tornado. The tornado can hit and devastate a town, while other tornado will miss a house.

My dad's old system did suffer a power spike but still worked when the PSU was replaced. And it was the old BX chipset for PII by Tyan.

I had an AMD K6-2 system on another Tyan MB, and didn't notice the storm happening outside till I saw out of the corner of my eye lightning struck, got a zapping crack pop noise on my headphones and everything went black. Again I was lucky and my old AMD system booted with a new PSU.

Other people can be less fortunate, to where their systems won't post with a new PSU that has been through a power surge related circumstance.

But hey... the only real bad luck I've had is buying stuff one day, and then a few days or a week later its at a cheaper price. :cry:
 

bananajoe

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There is no more efficient way to lost money than buying a computer, you buy it today, 1 day later it is cheaper, 2 days later it is obsolete( and more expensive !?) and nobody will ever buy it from you for more than one dollar.
 

Grimmy

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Well.. there are some people I know who have an efficient way to lose money. Going to the Casino. :lol:. o O (I'd rather do computer shopping then lose my money at a casino)