RAM Unstable at stock speeds

[N.Broekhuijsen]

Hello again guys!

So, recently I got a new mobo, ram, and gfx card.

The RAM I got was some nice Mushkin DDR3-1600 2x2GB Silverline Stuff.
http://www.advantionline.com/Mushkin-4-GB-2-X-2GB-DDR3-1600-Mhz-Silverline-9-9-9-24-Dual-Channel-996946.html

Now the problem I have is that the RAM is rated at 1600 Mhz, but at first I noticed in BIOS Post that it runs at only 1333 Mhz. So I ask the guys at the store how to solve this, and they tell me to set the RAM speed at 1600Mhz manually in the BIOS. So I do this, and it works. However, the programs I use most frequently, (Firefox and Just Cause 2) at that moment, seemed to be crashing roundabout every 5 minutes. I had been running in this mode all day, and it was annoying me quite a bit. Now this morning, (it is evening now), I thought, wait a minute, when I first got the RAM, I left it at 1333 for a couple hours, and never had a problem. So you can guess what I did, I turned it back to the AUTO setting, and surprise surprise, it has been running flawlessly all day.

Now I know that you might think, your overclocking it, you need to up voltage etc, but I have checked all bios settings, voltage, timings and frequency, and they are all at the specified stock settings for the RAM dimms. What confuses me is that I am not overclocking, im restoring stock speeds, and then it crashes. I am not getting BSOD's, the programs just freeze up, and I have to use TaskMan to kill the process every 5 minutes.... Once it has happened that I needed to use the reset button.

I am so confused help please...

Thanks in advance already!

 

[badge]

when I first got the RAM, I left it at 1333 for a couple hours, and never had a problem

AMD Phenom 2 965 @4Ghz
Cooler Master V8
4GB DDR3-1600 ram

Download and install CPUZ. Check the RAM speed when BIOS is overclocked to 4Ghz. and RAM transfer rate set in BIOS at 1600MHz. If the CPU is overclocked to 4GHz the RAM speed is taken along with it. So if the RAM is set at 1600MHz it is being taken up to increased speeds from there. The likelihood of speeds far above 1600Mhz are occuring and the system crashes occur.

http://www.cpuid.com/softwares/cpu-z.html

 

[N.Broekhuijsen]

I will have a look once I get back to my main rig. Actually, right now the CPU is not overclocked to 4Ghz, since I got a new board, and haven't bothered upping the clocks yet, and neither bothered to update that part of my signature... probably should. Either way though, I overclock it solely by upping the multiplier and voltage. For the RAM, I have a setting that lets me choose between a bunch of speeds: 1066, 1333 and 1600 MHz.

I actually never overclock through the base clock, because with my old system I never cared about overclocking my RAM and didn't want to affect it's speeds.

Ill have a CPU-Z when I get back to main rig though

 

[jaquith]

First, boot from Memtest let run for 2 passes - http://www.memtest.org/

BIOS, Load Defaults, CPU OverClocking {Auto} -> {DOCP}, and DRAM O.C. Profile -> {DDR3-1600MHz}.

Installation, I tend to recommend A2/B2 vs A1/B1.

Next, I would recommend the 996744 for your ASUS M4A88TD-M/USB3 http://www.mushkin.com/Memory/Blackline/996744.aspx or 996657 http://www.mushkin.com/Memory/Blackline/996657.aspx

Otherwise, exchange for 996805 http://www.advantionline.com/Mushkin-4-GB-2-X-2GB-DDR3-1600-Mhz-Red-Frostbyte-Edition-6-8-6-24-Dual-Channel-996805.html

 

[N.Broekhuijsen]

http://valid.canardpc.com/show_oc.php?id=1488077

Theres a CPU-Z for stock CPU, with RAM set to 1600 MHz in BIOS.

@jaquith, what do you mean by "Installation, I tend to recommend A2/B1 vs A1/B1. "

For as far as I am concerned, this all looks fine, however, I could be wrong..

 

[N.Broekhuijsen]

Oh and I let the memtest run for 2 passes, no problem at all.

Also, I noticed that Firefox is no longer crashing so much today. I looked up on it, it seems like it might be because the version I have is known to be unstable with flash on certain machines....

Furthermore, the only thing I still have issues with are games.

One session I can run a game for hours without a problem, another moment it'll crash every 5 minutes. Not a BSOD, just a game freeze up, and depending on the game I can either fix it somehow without killing the process, or I have to kill the process. Once I've had to use the reset button for the first time since 4 years...

I ran furmark on my new card for a good 30 minutes, but everything seems fine, no artifacts. Could it be that the Catalyst 10.10 is just bad?

Graphics card is a new Sapphire HD6870: http://www.advantionline.com/SAPPHIRE-Radeon-HD-6870-1GB-256-bit-GDDR5-PCI-Express-2.1-x16-HDCP-Ready-CrossFireX-Support-Video-Card-with-Eyefinity.html

 

[jaquith]

http://valid.canardpc.com/show_oc.php?id=1488077

Theres a CPU-Z for stock CPU, with RAM set to 1600 MHz in BIOS.

@jaquith, what do you mean by "Installation, I tend to recommend A2/B[strike]1[/strike]2 vs A1/B1. "

For as far as I am concerned, this all looks fine, however, I could be wrong..

It was a typo I meant A2/B2 DIMM slots to install the memory.

 

[jaquith]

Reading the 'crashes' - "IF" the game is a 'hacked' version then -- duh, otherwise run MSCONFIG select Diagnostic and try the game again. Also, IF your PC's AMD Chipsets are running hot then you'll get instability.

Also, D/L and install the latest HD 6870 Drivers - http://www.amd.com/us/Pages/AMDHomePage.aspx

D/L HW Monitor - http://www.cpuid.com/softwares/hwmonitor.html

 

[JDFan]

Also what do you have the voltage for the RAM set at in BIOS -- the modules you have are rated at 1.55v and the default spec for DDR3 is 1.50v so it might be the voltage is not getting set correctly when running at 1600 so it is not stable at 1600 when gaming but the modules may still be stable at 1333 @ 1.50v --- try manually setting the voltage to 1.55v if you have not done so already.

 

[jaquith]

^ That would be scary if 0.05V causes a stability issue @ stock speeds; RAM and I know Mushkin is good {stable} ±0.3V~±0.2V or ~1.2V~1.8V.

The RAM passed -> 2 passes. OP = "...memtest run for 2 passes, no problem at all"

 

[N.Broekhuijsen]

Ok, I don't mean to be asking the obvious question here, but I gotta feeling that it might be my PSU... however, I never had any problems with my GTX460 before, which I had OCed to as far as I could get it, as well as an OC on my CPU to 4GHz when running Just Cause 2.

PSU is also sucking in air like a beast now, very noisy, whilst before it never was..

 

[N.Broekhuijsen]

Alright guys, so im just having a bit of fun now.... Just decided to run Prime95 and Furmark simoultaniously, and seemingly as soon as I ran prime95 whilst furmark was already running, I noticed drops in the 3D performance... and CCC indicated that the GPU wasn't funning at full activity.

As soon as I OC'ed the CPU to 4Ghz, which always went just fine, I got hardware errors, and after about 2 seconds, I got a bunch of fun yippy lines and pretty shapes running through the screen, followed by a BSOD, and a lovely crash....

and now, as im writing this, I am running prime95 alone, with all the OCs off, running everything stock, and after lets see: about 8 minutes and I get hardware failures on each core...

So,
RAM - Check
GPU - Check
CPU - Maybe faulty
PSU - Maybe faulty, or affecting CPU.

I think honestly though that it is the CPU being close to death, since adding the GPU load on top of it does not affect the time until the system breaks sweat.....

lovely guys.. and here in Bahrain, this is gonna be one stupidly expensive repair...

 

[jaquith]

RAM - Check
GPU - Check
CPU - Maybe faulty <-- 1/10
PSU - Maybe faulty <-- 6/10
OC - Maybe faulty <-8/10

Suggestion, go to a place with a GOOD return Policy and 'try' a new PSU; I recommend Corsair {Japanese capacitor, Single Rail, over/under & fault protection}. IF you have a faulty PSU that's throwing 'dirty power' at your components you do NOT want to be replacing EVERYTHING... Go now!

Calculate the PSU 'proper' size -> http://www.corsair.com/psufinder/default.aspx

 

[N.Broekhuijsen]

Ok. So I tested the CPU twice at 3.4 Ghz, with everything at factory settings, and everytime after about 10 minutes Prime95 tells me I get hardware errors.

HWmonitor is telling me my voltages are all screwed up, but I have always been getting horrible voltage readings with MWmon, don't really know why...

-12v = 6.08 v
VCore = 3.84 V

amongst the few that are off
???

Anyways CPU-Z gives me a nice 1.386 volts for Vcore, so that seems better.

Anyways faulty OC im sure it isn't, since I ran the tests only once with OC, but now without OC it crashes.

as depressing as it seems, im actually hoping the PSU is dead, since that is the most optimistic situation...

Anyways when I get a chance I'll run by the local store and have a go with another PSU there (I am friends with the guys, so they let me use the hardware at the store without paying ).

so your saying, do not at all use the rig until I go to the store or have another PSU?
(im on my lappy now)

 

[N.Broekhuijsen]

just remembered

one of my 12v rails seems to be putting out 14.08 volts.... Isn't that outside of 10% ATX specification for margins? (whatever it's called)

 

[N.Broekhuijsen]

14.08 according to HWmon, of which I question it's accuracy

 

[jaquith]

Are you using ANY of the crappy ASUS Utilities to OC? If yes, DELETE them and Manually set everything...

 

[N.Broekhuijsen]

I am not OCing. I have my CPU since I got it on the stock speeds for 95% of the time. It is just very occasionally that I OC it, and when I do, I use AMD overdrive, or do it in the BIOS. The only OCing tools I ever use are MSI Afterburner, AMD Overdrive, or just plain BIOS. Never any crap utilities from the vendor

But, should I leave my machine untouched until I get to test another PSU?

 

[jaquith]

Load Defaults until it is sorted out - too many variables otherwise. Upping Voltage is a common mistake and only slight differences w/OC are actually needed -> causes instability. Voltage = Heat

Same goes with RAM OC'ing.

'I' always look for the LEAST Voltage = Stable. Less = More

 

[N.Broekhuijsen]

I have loaded defaults on everything. there is no OC, and NO voltage changes at all.

Everything is at stock, as if it just came out of the factory,

now, normally my voltage is at 1.392, whilst when I stress it it plummets to 1.321 volts. (CPU-Z, so reliable), and it still crashes within 10 minutes. My other voltage readings are also screwed up.

Now I've done plenty of OCing before, and I know that 0.08 volts can make the difference.

On saturday im off to the one and only computer store in this country, and gonna test with another PSU, if that doesnt solve, CPU.

I had a look at the receipt of this PSU, and it is about 2 years, 11 months old... and I've put it through absolute hell over the last 3 years by using it in a lot of different machines, for testing and crap...

 

[jaquith]

I agree [RE: "0.08 volts can make the difference'] only to the extent of outside normal ranges {example DRAM V ±0.3V~±0.2V rarely cause issues with 'good' RAM} depending upon 'which' voltage you're adjusting. Voltage outside of operational parameters is an entirely different matter.

Clearly, 'faulty' or 'dirty' PSU can easily cause either or both voltage spike and/or drops. I am very picky about PSUs and prefer PSUs as I've already stated.

Good Luck on Saturday!

 

[N.Broekhuijsen]

Just one question about saturday then: If with another PSU the problem is resolved, would this be a good PSU to go for?

Cooler Master Silent Pro M700
http://www.advantionline.com/COOLER-MASTER-Silent-Pro-700-Watt-M700-Power-Supply.html

Or just a list of all the PSU's they have
http://www.advantionline.com/Power-Supplies/

I know that the prices will shock you, (see in dollars below the Dinars), but this is unfortunately the only store in this country where I can get this sort of stuff.

Anyways thanks a lot for helping me out with this. Don't know where I'd be without your help, or tomshardware for that matter.

 

[jaquith]

What a LIMITED List!!! Then yes the Cooler Master Silent Pro M700. You need 650W with your CPU/(1)GPU + OC. The CM Pro M700 lack fault protection.

My preference is the Corsair lines, but...I cannot justify the Pro 850.

Specs CM Pro M700: {Japanese capacitor, Single Rail, over/under & [strike]fault[/strike] protection} - http://new.coolermaster.com/product.php?product_id=4202

 

[N.Broekhuijsen]

Alright well I'll let you know how it goes when I finish,

in the meantime, thanks a lot.

Moderators: Please change the thread type from a discussion to a question with a best answer, so that I can choose one later!

Hope this solves the problem

 

[jaquith]

No big deal - I don't look for BA option topics.