RAM problem - Ballistix

[rocket_sauce]

My rig:
AMD Athlon 64 3000+ 90nm Winchester Socket 939 (w/AS5)
1GB (2x512) PC4000 DDR500 Ballistix Tracers Slots 1 & 3
K8N MSI Neo2 Platinum version 1
Gigabyte 3D Rocket cpu fan/heatsink
Aspire X-Navigator Case (5 case fans)
500w cpu (came with case)
All-in-wonder 9800Pro 128MB
SB Audigy 2 gamer edition
Windows XP Pro SP2


Ok my computer has been running "ok". I say ok because I do have the occasional mysterious crashes. Not doing anything specific to make it crash, it just crashes occasionally with different programs and sometimes not even touching it and me finding it not responding to anything. Sometimes I can play UT04 for hours and hours and I will not get a crash. So I get random crashes.

Here is what started the problems. I am brand new to overclocking and started to tweak around with my system a little bit. I increased the multiplier to 9X and increased the FSB to 205. I ran Prime95 for 3.5 hours and got no errors (I know 3.5 hours for Prime95 isn't long enough, but I dont have all the time in the world to wait for something like that to finish and besides I think my cpu and RAM could handle that little bit of OC'ing). Then I increased FSB to 210 and I stated to get ramdom crashes everytime I rebooted. Sometime Windows wouldn't boot and sometimes it would crash after windows booted up, but it was consistently crashing. Reduced FSB to 207 and everything was fine again. No crashes at all. I was puzzled by this because I built this computer with the intentions of OC'ing for gaming purposes. So, Iwas wondering about my RAM. I downloaded Memtest86 and started that. Computer crashed after 80% testing, no errors. Dropped FSB down to 205 and retested, crashed again at 72% of testing, so I just retested again at same FSB. Crashed again around 80% of testing, this time with errors (42 to be exact). Took my FSB back to factory settings at 200 FSB and left the multiplier at 5x. Retested again and crashed at around 40% of testing. Now here is the interesting part, it wont post now. I get the long beeps and nothing happens. So, I figured that it is bad Ram, but the only problem with that assumption is, both sticks are defective because I have switched the and put in different slots and only one at a time (you know, the works). Any suggestions on what this problem could be would be appreciated.

Thanks in advance,
Rocket

 

[sharps107]

sounds like a progressive overheating problem to me.
do all of the following and try your testing again:

recheck your heatsink/fan and make sure it is making good contact and that your thermal paste/pad is evenly spread.

make sure your CPU voltage is at 1.5v, and your RAM voltage is at 2.8v

manually set your ballistix to timings of 3-3-3-10

set your ht multiplier to 4x, and your CPU multiplier to 8x

now set your fsb to 200 and run your tests.

if you are stable, work your fsb up by 5mhz increments until you reach the ceiling of stability. 250mhz is the sweet spot for all of the settings i described above, so dont go any higher than that.

if you still have problems after trying everything, then you may have a defective RAM chip. it is very unlikely though.

-I'm Laughing At It Now-

 

[rocket_sauce]

Thanks for the post sharps... I will do what you say, but I can't even get the monitor to come on anymore. My computer turns on, but the monitor stays off and no info comes up on the screen. My cpu beeps at me 3 long beeps sometimes more sometimes not at all (think it depends where I put the memory in each slot).

Normally when I turn my cpu on, the LED's on my ballistix tracers come on and start going back and forth. They will not do that now. Sometimes when I put one stick in, the LED's come on, but they are really slow and eventually go off completely.

The only thing I can do to check to see if my HSF is making good contact is to look for a gap between the copper plate and the processor right?

The temp of my processor would jump between 39deg/C to a high of 51deg/C but mostly stayed around 46deg/C. 51deg/C happened when I turned the HSF all the down (just to see what would happen). Case temp was always around 36deg/C

 

[Rugger]

List of <A HREF="http://bioscentral.com/beepcodes/awardbeep.htm" target="_new">Beep Codes</A>. I didn't see 3 long - could it be 3 short?

__________________________________________________
<font color=red>You're a boil on the arse of progress - don't make me squeeze you!</font color=red>

 

[rocket_sauce]

Yeah, according to those beep codes I would think it is the Repeating (endless loop) or Repeating High/Low which is memory error or cpu overheat. I will check it out when I get home. I do now think that the AS5 isnt evenly spread out on the cpu. Thanks for the codes Rugger!

AMD Athlon 64 3000+ 90nm Winchester Socket 939
1GB (2x512) PC4000 DDR500 Ballistix Tracers
K8N MSI Neo2 Platinum
Gigabyte 3D Rocket HSF
9800Pro 128MB

 

[BrentUnitedMem]

You can try pulling the CMOS jumper pin to start with fresh BIOS settings.

____________________________________________________
"Memory with lifetime warranty? So, whose lifetime is that?"
<A HREF="http://www.brentcrowley.com/" target="_new">homepage</A>
AIM BrentUnitedMem

 

[rocket_sauce]

Ok everyone, I officially call myself a dumb@ss. I am willing to accept any flaming on this. When I built this computer I did my research and got everyting I wanted for the price and put it all together myself for the first time. I made a big mistake though. I have recovered from this mistake and everything is fine now (actually it is even better than before). I am almost embarrased to say...I forgot to take the sticker off the bottom of my HSF 3D Rocket Cooler (the sticker protecting the copper plate in its packaging). I put the AS5 on the cpu and then placed the 3D Rocket w/sticker on the cpu... So thanks for all your help everyone, you guys really know your stuff and I appreciate your help a lot. I am so relieved it wasn't my expensive RAM...

My cpu temp went down to 37deg/C! :lol:

AMD Athlon 64 3000+ 90nm Winchester Socket 939
1GB (2x512) PC4000 DDR500 Ballistix Tracers
K8N MSI Neo2 Platinum
Gigabyte 3D Rocket HSF
9800Pro 128MB

 

[Rugger]

LOL
*shake shead*
Lucky you didn't kill the CPU. I'm glad you got it fixed.

__________________________________________________
<font color=red>You're a boil on the arse of progress - don't make me squeeze you!</font color=red>

 

[BrentUnitedMem]

Interesting!

I've seen some worse stuff.
http://pics.bbzzdd.com/users/Gurck/pasta.jpg

____________________________________________________
"Memory with lifetime warranty? So, whose lifetime is that?"
<A HREF="http://www.brentcrowley.com/" target="_new">homepage</A>
AIM BrentUnitedMem

 

[Rugger]

**ROFLMAO**

__________________________________________________
<font color=red>You're a boil on the arse of progress - don't make me squeeze you!</font color=red>

 

[vagabond]

You're lucky you didn't fry your CPU!!! :lol:

rocket_sauce is now officially dumb@ss! LOL...jk

<A HREF="http://www.anandtech.com/myanandtech.aspx?member=120067" target="_new">My System</A>

 

[Ned_Flanders]

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Welcome to my Shed of Pleasure