Machine_Check_Exception

[blackwatermerk]

To start off i'll just give some background to the problem, I bought a custom built pc off of craigslist from someone who was upgrading his pc. It worked fine for about 2 months and then I started getting a bsod that read
Machine Check Exception, I guess he's had the problem before and he told me to turn down the speed of the ram and it should be ok.... so i did that and still nothing, I mean it would run for a couple hours at a time but then crash eventually. So then he told me it was probably because the ram at the time "2x2GB of different kinds of ram were different brands, so I bought 2 4xGB modules and installed them yesterday, hit reset cmos and restarted my computer and now its doing the same thing as before, runs for a bit "hours on hours if I dont touch anything once it gets to the desktop but crashes fast the more I do" I looked up my mobo " 141-BL-E757 - EVGA X58 SLI LE " and it said that the machine_check_exception was a bios related error but Im stuck as what to do. here are my specs: And I have the ram in the correct slots according to the manual for my mobo.

Iv'e tried the ram at different speeds to no avail, someone please help! sorry if I left any necessary info out.

 

[larkspur]

Hello - The X58 chipset your board uses works best with triple channel memory (3 sticks at a time - that's why there are six slots for ram). However, it should still work fine with either dual channel (2 sticks) or just a single stick as long as you follow your manual's instructions on where they go.

First you should update your BIOS to the latest version. Your manual should have instructions. After updating the BIOS, make sure you go into the BIOS and reset all settings to default (there should be an option for that). After you've done that, go back into BIOS, set the clock and any boot settings you need and then try the system like that.

If you still get the BSoD, then put only one stick of ram in (following the manual's instructions on which slot) and try that. If you still get the BSoD try another single stick of ram (from a different kit) all by itself. If you are still getting BSoDs then it is unlikely to be a RAM issue. You shouldn't have to set your ram speed or timings during this testing since JEDEC standards require that all DDR3 ram run stably at 1.5v @SPD settings contained on the ram module itself. Your motherboard will use the SPD settings to configure your ram at stable settings. This means you shouldn't need to configure your ram for stability (only for performance) especially when using pure defaults.

 

[blackwatermerk]

Thank you! I found the latest bios and a tutorial on how to load it with a usb so im going to try that and then reset to defaults and see if the issue remains, will keep you posted as any progress develops.

 

[larkspur]

Ok, great, make absolutely sure you unplug the machine from the wall when doing any work inside the case and be mindful of static (periodically touch the metal of the case when working inside).

 

[blackwatermerk]

I will, and I have a anti static wristband I always use when doing comp work.

 

[blackwatermerk]

I tried the usb method for updating bios but I couldn't get it to work "kept saying source file not found even tho it was in the usb and on the first level " not inside a zip or compressed file" " so I have to wait til I get a blank cd to try the cd method. I took out one of the ram modules and now it's running fine, kind of depressing I have 2 other 4gb modules but can't run them with any sort of stability for now lol :/




ps: should I try putting all three ram modules in since the mobo runs best on triple channel memory even tho one of the modules is a corsair vengeance and the other two I have are patriots?

 

[larkspur]

Hmmm. Sounds like you may have found the problem. Mixing different ram densities and models is probably the cause.

What different ram sticks do you have exactly? The sticks should have a sticker or something on them that lists their maker and specifically their model number. If you post exactly what ram you have, and the number of sticks of each, I'll give you a recommendation on what to do.

 

[blackwatermerk]

the ram module I took out was identical to the one that's in it. came as a 2x 4gb kit.
Patriot- Sector 5 G series (8GB | 2x 4GB) PC3-12800 1600mhz

 

[blackwatermerk]

UPDATE 6/22/12
The problem with Memory_Check_Exception continued to happen even with only one stick of ram in.
I finally got a copy of the newest bios for my board onto a cd
Flashed my Mobo, it said succesfull then went to restart and nothing. Sometimes when I press the power button it will flash for a second, the back will flash green, then shutoff. Sometimes it goes in a F3>F6 loop and restart a couple times on it's own, other times it will start up all the way "all the fans and lights on" but say FF and still no graphics. every one in a while 1/30 and after resetting cmos it will get to the setup/bios part but wil say checksum error, go to restart and then go back into either the F3>F6 loop or FF. Im starting to think its my psu because ever since I tried putting in 3 ram sticks the power button is less responsive "the back of the psu blinks green for a second and turns off most of the time"

 

[blackwatermerk]

Update #2
Pushed the switch on the psu and restarted it and got it to go to the load windows screen every time now but still getting the Machine_Check_Exception BSOD