Asus P5Q3 blue-screens with RAM in Channel B

[RSKadish]

Hi all,

I have an Asus P5Q3 motherboard with Crucial DDR3 1333 RAM (2 sticks of 2G each). I built the computer in November and installed the RAM as recommended by the manual: "It recommended that to install the memory module from orange slots for better overclocking capability." (That's a quote.) This meant one module in channel A, and one in channel B.

I immediately started having problems with blue screens under various conditions. After much experimenting and testing, I found that I have problems if any module is in either slot in channel B. I now have both modules in channel A, and it's rock-solid.

Does this mean that memory channel B on my mobo is damaged? Or was I misunderstanding the manual?

Any advice is appreciated.

Thanks,
- Steve

 

[Proximon]

It could simply be a DRAM setting. Did you verify that the timings and voltage were correct in the BIOS?

You might also review the available BIOS updates on the ASUS site.

 

[RSKadish]

It could simply be a DRAM setting. Did you verify that the timings and voltage were correct in the BIOS?

You might also review the available BIOS updates on the ASUS site.

Hi Proximon,

Thanks very much for the response! I have been keeping up with the BIOS updates, hoping that one of them would be an easy fix, so I am using the latest version.

I haven't spent any time in the "AI Tweaker" portion of the BIOS - don't really know what I'm doing yet and I don't want to blow up my computer - but I do know that everything is set to auto. Are you saying that I should manually set the timing and voltage for the RAM to the manufacturer's specification?

Thanks,
- Steve

 

[Proximon]

Your motherboard has to read the information on your RAM then configure itself correctly. You would think this was a simple operation but it very often fails to happen. The result is that the RAM is fed default settings.

Making this even more complicated is the fact that sometimes a certain board and RAM just don't play together the way they should.

Download and run CPU-Z:
CPU-Z
Real Temp
HWMonitor

While you are at it grab those others. They are all tiny little tools that are not hard to get or install. They are very meek little programs that won't be a burden and will leave quietly when asked

When you run CPU-Z look in the SPD tab. That is where you will find the POSSIBLE settings for your RAM. Write down the 1333 settings and go into the BIOS and make those settings appear there. Save and reboot. See if that fixes it.

 

[RSKadish]

Hi Proximon,

Thanks for linking me to these tools. Asus has some similar utilities, but frankly they don't work very well and these are better.

Strangely, though, CPU-Z is seeing me 1333 MHz RAM as 667 MHz, and that's the maximum frequency settings it is showing me. It's also showing the manufacturer as Micron, rather than Crucial. If I do a WMI query, it reports 1333 MHz.

What do you think? Memory configuration is definitely NOT my strong suit.

Thanks,
- Steve

 

[Proximon]

That's the correct setting. DDR = Double Data Rate 667 x 2 = 1333

Crucial used to be great RAM, but the past few years I have seen nothing but trouble from them.

Micron is the actual DRAM chip maker. Crucial is the company that assembles those chips and sells them.

Also, you should completely remove any and all ASUS utilities from your computer. I'm serious. I'm an ASUS fan but that does not extend to any of their software. Often this will resolve your blue screens.

You should not need to even touch the CD that came with the board if you are using Vista.

Again, manually set your RAM to the settings in the SPD... especially the voltage.

 

[RSKadish]

Hi Proximon,

Thanks again for your continued help. I copied the settings to the BIOS - so far so good! I haven't actually moved the RAM around in the slots yet - I wanted to make sure that my computer booted with the new settings.

One question: is tRC the same as tRFC? That's the closest setting I could find in the BIOS. If so, CPU-Z is recommending 34, but the BIOS doesn't allow that - I could do 30, or 35.

Thanks,
- Steve

 

[Proximon]

No, they are different. Just set it to auto if you can.

 

[RSKadish]

Thanks, Proximon! I moved one of the DIMMS into channel B last night. So far, so good! You've been a real help.

 

[Proximon]

Glad to hear it

 

[RSKadish]

Glad to hear it

Hi Proximon,

Hope you are doing well! I've been meaning to update this for a while but I kept forgetting. I'm afraid the news was not good. The first time I went to play a game on my computer (probably the activity that taxes the memory the most) it blue-screened. So, I moved the RAM all back to channel A.

What do you think? Time to open up a support case with Asus?

Best,
- Steve

 

[Proximon]

You might have better luck starting with Crucial. Asus tech support can be slow, but if Crucial says it's your board, and you communicate that to Asus, it could speed up the process.