Windows 7 64 bit won't install and having freezes on xp setup of same equipment

[rograthanoth]

I have been working on a system for about 2 weeks now and can not figure out this issue. I have read many articles and even made a thread here about ram to clarify some things.

Anyways these are the components.

Motherboard - Gigabyte GA - MA770t - ud3p rev 1.1
RAM - Muchkin Blackline PC3-10666 - 1333mhz 7-7-7-20 1.7v (4gb kit, 2x2gb)
Video Card - XFX Radeon HD 5770 1gb gddr5
Processor - AMD Phenom II x2 545 am3 3.0ghz 6mb 80w
power supply - OCZ stealth extreme 700w gamers power supply

Also want to note that the store switched the ram I had picked out which was originally Corsair CMX4GX3M2A1600C9 XMS3 DDR3 1600Mhz 4GB Kit (For I5, I7) since they said it would not work with this setup since it wasn't intel but I was under a different impression about that.

K so get system all built and go to put on windows 7 64 bit and it goes thru the starting phase but when it gets to the window with the flower thingy right before where you say agree and all that none of that appears and the system is frozen. I was informed that I may need to play with the ram timings so I go in and manualy set up my 7-7-7-20 timings and manually set the voltage to 1.7. Windows 7 64 bit still wont install. So I go in and play with settings trying different ram timings and such and still no go.

So I grab windows xp 32 bit disk and set the motherboard to what everything says it should be with timings of 7-7-7-20 and 1.7 v and windows xp 32 bit installs. However everyonce in awhile the computer freezes so it isn't stable. I play with ram timings again and no matter what settings be it auto for the voltage which defaults it to 1.6 v and timings of 9-9-9-24 wont work or anything. Only time system will work is with the settings listed by the manufacturer which is 7-7-7-20 and 1.7 v and no matter what I do the computer will freeze eventually.

I have updated the bios to version F5, updated video card drivers, updated chipset drivers along with windows xp updates and all service packs.

So in the end I have a computer that freezes occasionally but eventually along with windows 7 64 bit won't install on it at all.

I have also tested the windows 7 64 bit on my own system and it installs so it isn't the disk.

I am thinking I am missing something when it comes to a ram setting or maybe it is a compatibility issue. I know this ram isnt listed on the compatibilty chart for the board and was why I wanted to get that corsair ram in the first place.

Any ideas and help will be greatly appreciated since I am at a loss on this. I even made a thread about the i5 i7 and ram since I was second guessing myself on this issue and wanted some clarifications on some things that where new.

 

[theJ]

Might just be bad RAM. Have you tried using just one stick? Try one stick. If it doesn't work, try the other stick.

 

[rograthanoth]

I have tried one stick at a time trying both individually, I have also tried 2 sticks both in single channel and dual channel mode

 

[shortstuff_mt]

Download Memtest86+ from www.memtest.org and burn the ISO image to a CD. Boot from the CD and let Memtest86+ run overnight (at least 8 hours).

 

[rograthanoth]

And this will tell me what if I run a memory tester? If I still get the freeze it doesnt tell me what the issue is so I can resolve it.

 

[shortstuff_mt]

It will tell you if your RAM is faulty. That certainly seems to be the case.

 

[rograthanoth]

I would think yes and no on that due to it still could be a motherboard or bios setting issue. If the bios is being picky on a setting with this ram, would that not show up as false errors on that tester?

 

[shortstuff_mt]

Just manually set the RAM speed/timings/voltage to the correct settings in the BIOS and run Memtest86+. If the test fails, send the RAM in for a replacement. Properly functioning RAM will not get ANY errors in an 8+ hour run of Memtest.

It's possible that the board is faulty, but it's far more common for RAM to be bad than a motherboard in my experience. There's not really a good way to check for a faulty motherboard other than randomly replacing it and hoping for the best. At least Memtest86+ will give you more of an idea of what's causing the problem.

 

[rograthanoth]

I should only have to worry about the 7-7-7-20 and the 1.7v setting right? Should I have to worry about any other ram settings?

 

[rograthanoth]

And I agree about ram failing. I just want to make sure I am not missing something before I go back to the store for a return so appreciate you guys giving me some other options to try out.

 

[shortstuff_mt]

I should only have to worry about the 7-7-7-20 and the 1.7v setting right? Should I have to worry about any other ram settings?

You also need to ensure the RAM is running at the correct speed (1333MHz).

 

[rograthanoth]

Yep that is how it shows up. Think that was 6.6 or something like that but it is showing up as 1333mhz which is proper

Got a copy of that memtest version 4.0 on a disk, tested disk on my system and it runs so next step is to go test the other system.

 

[pjmelect]

This is almost certainly a memory problem, Windows 7 is much more critical of the memory than XP is. You should as previously suggested run a memory test program to confirm. I have had similar problems with other computers where no amount of adjusting the settings in the BIOS cured the problem, but by changing the brand of memory solved the problem, even though the original memory worked fine in other computers.

 

[rograthanoth]

Ok so I talked to the store and they said they will be more then happy to swap out the ram. The reason I chose the parts I did was because of a thread I saw on these boards but I was unable to get the ram since out of stock and they gave me the mushkin ram.

Anyways I need to know which you guys would think would be the less hassle ram for install and the safest bet that will work. In that other thread they mentioned gskill

Well I have the option to order in this as replacement:

G.SKILL Ripjaws Series PC3-12800 4GB 2x2GB DDR3 1600 (F3-12800CL9D-4GBRL)

Do you think this is a good choice.

This is what they have ( http://megacomputer.ca/index.php/main/ProductList/187.974 )that I can order in or if you have a better suggestion not listed I can see if he can order it in. I don't want to spend past $139 that way don't have to worry about differences.

Thanks for your guys help it is greatly appreciated.

 

[shortstuff_mt]

I would order the G.Skill kit. It has the same specs as the Corsair RAM, but runs at 1.5v instead of 1.65v. RAM that can run at the same specs at a lower voltage is a good indication of higher quality chips.

Edit: I'm not impressed with the shop you're using if they originally talked you out of that Corsair RAM because they claimed it wouldn't work with an AMD system. That is NOT true. The only reason Corsair mentions Intel compatibility is because the RAM runs under the 1.65v RAM voltage limit of the Intel chips. Both the G.Skill and Corsair kits will work great with either an Intel or AMD system.

 

[rograthanoth]

Yeah I was upset about that but we all make mistakes and he is trying to rectify the issue for me.

 

[rograthanoth]

I ran that memory tester and not one error. Tried again to put on Windows 7 and nothing.

I think Windows 7 64bit compatibilty issue somewhere probably with the ram.



Question: When I was looking at the bios settings for ram voltage when in manual mode I have it set to 1.7v which is the ram setting. But I was curious because when I looked to see what the lowest it could be set to it was 1.600v then it went in increments to 1.620, 1.640 and so on up and over 1.7v. The motherboard manual says it can support 1.5v and up.

Is it safe to assume that the settings allowed for ram voltage is dependent on what sticks of ram are in there?

Anyways I am going to try and get that ripjaw or the corsair ram. I noticed that this boards likes to default to 9-9-9-24. Both those ram I think where those timings.

Thanks again!

 

[pjmelect]

This web page shows the memory that has been tested as being compatible with your motherboard.

http://www.gigabyte.com.tw/FileList/MemorySupport/mb_memory_ga-ma770t-ud3p.pdf

You should try and get one of these sticks, another thought have you got the latest version of your BIOS? F5 is the latest non beta version.

 

[rograthanoth]

I don't like to touch beta bios updates because to many times I have seen boards go corrupt and safer to go with finished bios updates.

I am aware of both the cpu and memory compatiblity lists. Both Corsair and ripjaw are on that list as companies that have ram that work with this board. Also in a thread on these boards about a budget system the ripjaw was suggested as being good with this board. That is why ripjaw was my first choice and the corsair I listed earlier was my second choice. It was the store owner that suggested the mushkin ram even when I asked if it will be compatible and such and he said he hasn't had any issues. I usually always go by those lists but he didn't have any of it in stock and he talked me out of the corsair set which he did have in stock. Also note that mushkin has no tested ram for that board as a company at all.

Guess that is what I get for second guessing myself. I have been out of the loop on some of the newer technologies but don't think I am that far behind. Only thing I have seen change in settings was that the 1600 ram defaults to 1333 and you have to manually configure that ram and some info about 1666oc and assume that voltage ranges that can be set in the bios are dependent on the ram installed.

I really don't think this is user end issue but a hardware compatibilty issue since that happens. And other then that memtest I have tried everything else that was suggested prior to me even making the post. I really need to stop second guessing myself. I am actually A+, Network+, CCNA lvl 4 with voucher exam passed and ready whenever for final for CCNA and have 2 year college diploma in systemstech/network admin. Anyways just covering everything since I don't claim to know everything and seeing if I missed something on my end.

 

[pjmelect]

If it wasn’t for the fact that this is a new build and that I am so used to Windows 7 installations freezing due to memory errors I automatically assume that this is a memory problem. If this was an old computer that had previously worked which had this problem then I would say that the hard disk was faulty. It maybe a good idea to download from your hard disk manufactures site their drive testing software to rule this out.

 

[rograthanoth]

Well I will let you guys know what the solution is. The suggestion of testing the hard drive is a good one and it will be done when it gets to the shop. First on the menu is switching out ram and then if that doesn't work he is going to continue looking at this system since I have already put to much energy into this and it is not even my system and just trying to help my friend put together a cheap budget gaming rig. With windows xp on it it looked nice in fallout 3 when it wasn't freezing but want to see Bad Company 2 on it with dx 11.

This is the first Windows 7 system to not work out of like 30 of them that I have built thus far. As for Window 7 problems only issue was the fact that it doesn't come with an email program such as the previous operating systems with outlook express. Microsoft office 2000 outlook also is very flakey which I find odd since word , excel and all the other office 2000 programs work. Luckily I now have office 2007 and use outlook off of it now. Not all small businesses can afford to go out and buy these packages outright and most small businesses use email so I was a bit ticked off at that move by Microsoft. Think it has to do with the push to Windows live.

 

[pjmelect]

You can get Windows Mail running in Windows 7 by coping it from Vista, a quick search will give you the instructions of how to do it.

 

[rograthanoth]

I don't have a copy of vista. Not one system I have built since Vista came out needed Vista and I didn't support it. Thanks for the info though. I will stick with office 2007 outlook.

 

[pjmelect]

You don’t really need a copy of Vista you can easily download Microsoft Mail from the web.

 

[rograthanoth]

I have the instructions on how to get it and will note most of the sites that had a zip or such have the file pulled for copy infringements or come up as sites that have bad downloads. I also would be concerned about downloading those files with the possibility that they may have been tampered with so with security in mind I would not use those files on any of my clients computers unless I manually copied the files myself. Also I am not worried about it and was just commenting about about windows 7 mail issue and like I said I will just use office 2007 outlook as my fix.