Memtest errors advice

[alex_ncfc]

Hi all,

I have just purchased some PC3200 DDR RAM from ebay - probably the first stupid mistake - but anyway, moving on - I have an Asus A8N SLI Deluxe board, which I had 4x512MB DDR3200 sticks installed. Because I had 4 sticks installed, it always dropped my RAM speed to 333Mhz, rather than 400, but I just set it to 400 manually in the BIOS.

I've purchased 4x1GB modules, and whilst they are recognised by the BIOS perfectly well (Installed memory: 4096MB Usable memory 4096MB), Memtest (4.20) fails big time on the Test 7 (random number sequence) - but no other tests. I have 4864 errors for this particular test.

Luckily I have contacted the guy I bought them from and he says I can return them, but after reading online, I've seen people saying to use an older MEMTEST version, but why would this make any difference? Also is it worth trying to run PRIME95? If anybody could give me any tips before I send the RAM back (it's failing when set to 400Mhz too, as I am just this minute testing this - although for some reason doesn't seem to be as many errors?) then that would be helpful, but I am guessing it's dud memory, right?

 

[alex_ncfc]

EDIT: I have included a 'screenshot' below:

http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i185/alex_ncfc/DSC05005.jpg

 

[InvalidError]

Since it is always the same bit stuck low at every failing address in your screen shot, I'm guessing it might be a failed column amplifier in one of the DRAM chips.

You can try each DIMM individually to isolate the one(s) with the defective chip(s), set the bad one(s) aside, continue testing the others and you should get at least one good pair out of it. Return the other two for a refund if you seller is willing to do it this way.

 

[alex_ncfc]

Thanks for the response, InvalidError.

Well, Prime95 failed with a hardware error, and even Windows Memory Diagnostic - which I have never ever seen flash up any errors even when I have had bad memory on a machine - is reporting "Hardware problems", so it must be serious.

Apparently when the Windows Diagnostic is finished, it tells you which module is defective, although I will wait and see (it's still going) Hopefully then I can follow your advice of testing other modules quicker.

 

[alex_ncfc]

Update: The Windows Memory Diagnostic results are in.

In Event Viewer I can see the results with an "error" symbol saying my system failed the memory diagnostic.

It then has a list of values ranging from T1NumBadPages all the way through to T16NumBadPages.

None of these have bad pages *apart* from T3NumBadPages. How do I know which module this is on?

Thanks

Alex

 

[alex_ncfc]

This site is doing my nut in today, it takes me about 8 attempts for a post to go through, usually saying there's a problem, and I am unable to edit posts - I get told that "I am not allowed to edit that message!" - despite the fact I wrote it.

Anyway the edit I wanted to make on the above was the value of T3NumBadPages = 1

 

[pie5566]

I believe I am having the same problem as you. I fail Memtest in the same manner, test 7. I have tried many things to fix it and am stumped. Did you find the solution?
Thanks

 

[tumah]

https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/memtest86+/+bug/1071209

 

[dplasa]

Same here with me, 4.20 from a recent distro will fail in test #7 on every hardware I have. My advice would be:
- use an older version of memtest
- use 4.20 from ubuntu version precise penguin, that one is compiled with an older gcc
version and thus is working

 

[smeezekitty]

Check the modules one at a time to find out which one is bad.