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MEMORY HELP - Crashing Issues !!

Forum Motherboards & Memory : Memory - MEMORY HELP - Crashing Issues !!

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topdawgg   02-12-2009 at 07:58:09 AM

I have had my PC for about 1 year and never gotten past these random hard crashes I get. It will crash on the post screen, after the post screen, while in windows, while playing games... all hard boots (power down the PC).

Anyways, I took the PC to a computer place and they stated all my hardware looks fine, so I changed from Windows Vista to Windows XP and the same problems.

Last night I said screw it, and ran Memtest86 all night. When I awoke this morning I had a fail on pass 8 (machine halted). My question is... should I just purchase new memory for the damn thing???? Any ideas :)

Thanks in advance!!



- 3.00 gigahertz Intel Core2 Duo
- LITE-ON DVDRW LH-20A1S SCSI CdRom Device [CD-ROM drive]
- WDC WD25 00AAKS-00B3A SCSI Disk Device (250.06 GB) -- drive 0
- 4 gigs of Memory set at timing 5-5-5-18 (800mghz) and according to the stick is:
Buffalo Select D2u800C-2gb/BJ
PC2-6400U-555
- NForce EVGA 680i SLI motherboard
- Realtek High Definition Audio
- NETGEAR WG311v3 802.11g Wireless PCI Adapter
- EVGA 8800gtx 512mb
- Nspire X-xtreme Siries Noiseless (600W with 4 12v rails 18amps)

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Mondoman   02-12-2009 at 09:04:08 AM
- 0 +

memtest86+ errors won't result in the machine halting -- it'll just keep testing. Most likely, the problem is your MB. The 680i chipset is notorious for being a big disaster, with all kinds of bugs/errors in MBs that use it. It's too bad, because otherwise you've got pretty good components (with the possible exception of the PS).

------------------------------ e2160@3GHz: OCing my way to Ubuntuland!
 Reply to Mondoman
topdawgg   02-12-2009 at 09:19:15 AM
- 0 +

Memtest actually did just halt on pass 8 about 28% in... so is there anyway I can verify what in the hell is wrong? I just want it to work at this point and will replace whatever I need to... but I dont want to replace the memory if it isnt the problem.

Reply to topdawgg
Mondoman   02-12-2009 at 09:21:14 AM
- 0 +

As I said, the MB is the problem; replacing it won't help because the chipset is the true problem. You'll need to buy a new MB with a non-buggy chipset. I'd suggest one of the recent Intel chipsets such as the P45, as they are all rock solid.

------------------------------ e2160@3GHz: OCing my way to Ubuntuland!
 Reply to Mondoman
topdawgg   02-12-2009 at 09:53:41 AM
- 0 +

wow... are you sure lmao... DAMN!!!! the memory is so much easier. I have to get a motherboard with a memory standard that supports 800mgh correct? Since my Memory is only 800mghz.
Also, I have been looking I dont see any P45 with SLI.

I guess this would work with my current rig?
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6813135093


Message edited by topdawgg on 02-12-2009 at 09:54:35 AM
Reply to topdawgg
Mondoman   02-12-2009 at 12:50:48 PM
- 0 +

Sorry, I didn't realize you were running 2 cards in SLI -- it's almost never worthwhile, as the next graphics card version to come along in 4 months runs faster than 2 of the previous in SLI mode, for less money.

Definitely stay FAR away from ECS, PCChips, and similar low end MBs. Gigabyte, Asus, and Intel make good ones, and MSI isn't bad. Almost all current MBs support DDR2 RAM, which is what you've got.

------------------------------ e2160@3GHz: OCing my way to Ubuntuland!
 Reply to Mondoman
zipzoomflyhigh   02-12-2009 at 01:39:39 PM
- 0 +

Well if your memory is failing memtest, then its likely bad -OR- your settings are incorrect. It has a lifetime warranty, you can either wait for rma or you can buy a new kit of memory and sell your old when it comes back from rma.
Heres what I would do first. Look at the sticker on your memory and see what it says for voltage. Then make sure in your bios that your memory is set to that voltage. If not, this can cause crashes and memtest errors if its not running at the correct voltage.

Reply to zipzoomflyhigh
Mondoman   02-12-2009 at 07:42:26 PM
- 0 +

His memory is NOT failing memtest86+; rather his computer is locking up, and memtest86+ is thus locking up along with everything else on the computer. If his memory was failing, he'd get errors reported in memtest86+.

------------------------------ e2160@3GHz: OCing my way to Ubuntuland!
 Reply to Mondoman
topdawgg   02-13-2009 at 05:47:19 AM
- 0 +

Okay I just ran memtest.
WallTime = 44:14
Test#8 Modulo 20, random pattern

Says errors 1024. It completely stopped testing... there is a red/orange/red/black etc line in the middle of the screen. Under Test!17% there is an exclamation point...

I popped the memory and it states:
Buffalo Select D2U800-2gb/bj
PC2-6400-555
2GB 800Mhz Cl5
2Rx8 DDR2 SDRAM
NonEcc Unbuffered
S/N 80503

Memory is set to 1.85V and 5/5/5/18 2T timings....

now what?

Reply to topdawgg
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