Memory Errors with All Sticks; Individually Zero Errors

[Route44]

Last night our second family PC Blue Screened with an 0x4E PFN_LIST_CORRUPT error which is a very strong indicator of corrupted memory.

Memory is Crucial Ballistix PC3200 (DDR 400) in a 4x512 (2 gigs) configuration in a socket 939 system Epox 9NPA+Ultra motherboard.

The specs on this memory are as follows: 2.8 voltage which the motherboard has it set at correctly as well as in 2T. The CAS is a designed 2-2-2-6 but mobo has it set at 3-4-4-8 which is probably due to the 4x512 configuration and 2T

Ran memtest and into the fifth PASS received 212 errors all in Test 5. I saw enough so I tested each stick individually for the minimum Passes of 7 and no errors on any of them even in test 5.

So I reinstalled all four sticks, checked the BIOS settings an ran Memtest again and in the very first PASS I received 20 errors in Test 5.

Any ideas?

Edit: Should add that they are not oce'd.

[MattNo5ss]

Did you do the individual tests all in the same DIMM slot? You may want to try one stick at a time in each DIMM slot to see if one or more of the slots is bad.

[Route44]

Did you do the individual tests all in the same DIMM slot? You may want to try one stick at a time in each DIMM slot to see if one or more of the slots is bad.

I have thought of this but it is to painful (time wise) to contemplate. :D But it probably is what I'm going to need to do. Thanks for your quick response.

[MattNo5ss]

Really, if all sticks passed in one DIMM slot, then the sticks should be fine. At least test one of the sticks in each DIMM slot.

[boucher91]

prolly need to up the voltage for 4 sticks versus 2

[JimOkc]

Your bios is setting 2T because you are running 4 dimms.
The memory controller is built into the CPU.
If your bios has a DDR ref voltage setting in the bios, you might try bumping that voltage setting before bumping the DRAMs voltage setting.

Of course this is after testing all DIMM slots separately.

Good Luck

[Route44]

Well it's my memory.

I went back and ran them in pairs: DIMM 1 and 2 and the second pair were both fail. One stick failed Test 3 and another stick failed Test 5.

Contacted Crucial and they'll exchange all four of my 512 sticks for four 1GB sticks because there is no way to replace my Ballistix. I have always found Crucial's customer service A+ and this time was no exception. I love their RAM; used it for many upgrades, but their Ballistix line needs to be avoided like the plague.