Bad RAM or memory controller, I don't know, need help...

Eisenh0wer · Feb 21, 2010

My computer suffered a whole slew of problems last month and I just got it back on its feet. It all started when I got a BSoD that I could not recover from; I bought a new hard drive, just figuring it was a dead hard drive, and the problem persisted. Got some help from a repair guy and he said it was bad RAM.

So I bought the new RAM, 4GB and two sticks. Installed both and adjusted the timings on my BIOS to the recommended settings (8-8-8-21). Blue screen of death. I took one stick out and it started up fine; I assumed it was a faulty stick of RAM. But just to check, I took the "good" stick out and put the "bad" stick back in. Worked fine. So apparently my RAM was working fine separately but not together.

My friend suggested I raise the voltage to 1.65 (up from 1.5) and it still did not work. So on a hunch I switched the RAM into different slots; this is a four slot motherboard, and the RAM was originally in the first slot and the third slot. I put them into the second and fourth slots and, bam, worked fine.

So I'm thinking it's not a RAM issue but something wrong with my motherboard... and if this is the case, did I just go and waste $100 on new RAM? Is the old RAM still fine, just a bad motherboard? And if it is a problem with the motherboard, what can I do? Obviously it's working fine right now, but if I ever want to upgrade to more RAM it'll be problematic.

These are my specs:

Motherboard: nForce 790i Ultra SLI (EVGA)
Processor: Intel Q9450
New RAM: G.SKILL 4GB DDR3 1333 (PC3 10666)
Old RAM: Patriot Viper 4GB DDR3 1333 (PC3 10666)

redduc900 · Feb 21, 2010

Fill out this BIOS template for the 790i Ultra w/ all of your current settings, and also post the VID of your chip (found using Real Temp--> "Settings" page), including the current Vcore as read by CPU-Z...

Code:

**System **
CPU Freq, MHz: * GHZ
FSB Reference Clock, MHz: ****
CPU Multiplier: [*X]
PCle x16-1 & 16-2, MHz: [100]
PCle x16-3, MHz: [100]
SPPc->MCP Ref Clock, MHz: [200]
nForce SPP --> nForce MCP: [5X]
nForce SPP c-- nForce MCP: [5X]
**Spread Spectrum**
CPU Spread Spectrum: [Disabled]
HT Spread Spectrum: [Disabled]
PCle Spread Spectrurn(SPP): [Disabled]
PCle Spread Spectrurn(MCP): [Disabled]
SATA Spread Spectrum: [Disabled]
**FSB & Memorv Config**
FSB - Memory Clock Mode: [unlinked]
FSB - Memory Ratio:
FSB (QDR), MHz: [****]
Actual FSB (QDR), MHz: ****
x MEM (DDR), MHz: ****
Actual MEM (DDR), MHz: ****
P1: [AUTO]
P2: [AUTO]
**Memory Timing Setting**
Memory Timing Setting: [manual]
tCL (CAS Latency): *
tRCD: *
tRP: *
tRAS: *
Command Per Clock: [*T]
** Advanced Memory Settings **
tRRD: [Auto]
tRC: [Auto]
tWR: [Auto]
tWTR: [Auto]
tFAW: [Auto]
tREF: [Auto]
tRFC:
**System Voltages**
CPU Core:[*]
CPU FSB:[*]
Memory:[*]
nForce SPP:[*]
nForce MCP:[*]
GTLVREF Lane 0: [Auto] 
GTLVREF Lane 1: [Auto]
GTLVREF Lane 2: [Auto] 
GTLVREF Lane 3: [Auto] 
**CPU Configuration**
Limit CPUlD Maxval: Disabled
Intel Speedstep: Disabled
xPPM Mode: [Native]
CPU Thermal Control: [Disabled]
C1E Enhanced Halt State: [Disabled]
Execute Disable Bit: [Enabled]
Virtualization Technology: [Disabled]
CPU Core 0: [Enabled]
CPU Core 1: [Enabled]
CPU Core 2: [Enabled]
CPU Core 3: [Enabled]

Eisenh0wer · Feb 21, 2010

I will fill this out and return in a bit. However, before I do, I got another blue screen of death with the RAM in the new slots. I was updating my drivers for my video card (nvidia 9800 GTX) and my sound card (Creative X-Fi Xtreme Fatality). I installed them and then restarted my computer... blue screen of death after Windows loaded (before the log-in screen).

So I took out my sound card and it's working fine again. I had some problems with my sound card in the past, so could it have been the culprit behind all these problems? If I get another BSoD with my sound card, then I guess not, so I'm going to leave it out for the time being.

Eisenh0wer · Feb 21, 2010

Problem persists with the sound card removed. I updated my motherboard's drivers and restarted, blue screen of death upon loading of Windows. However, I shut down, waited a few minutes, and then rebooted using the last known good boot configuration and it let me through. Still, I believe it will return. Posting the BIOS settings next.

Eisenh0wer · Feb 21, 2010

Code:

**System **
CPU Freq, MHz: 2666.7* GHZ
FSB Reference Clock, MHz: 1333.3
CPU Multiplier: [8X]
PCle x16-1 & 16-2, MHz: Auto - [100]
PCle x16-3, MHz: Auto - [100]
SPPc->MCP Ref Clock, MHz: Auto - [200]
nForce SPP --> nForce MCP: [5X]
nForce SPP c-- nForce MCP: [5X]
**Spread Spectrum**
CPU Spread Spectrum: Center Spread    
HT Spread Spectrum: Auto
PCle Spread Spectrurn(SPP): [Disabled]
PCle Spread Spectrurn(MCP): Auto
SATA Spread Spectrum: [Disabled]
**FSB & Memorv Config**
FSB - Memory Clock Mode: Auto
FSB - Memory Ratio: Auto
FSB (QDR), MHz: Auto - 1333.3 mhz
Actual FSB (QDR), MHz: 1333.3
x MEM (DDR), MHz: Auto - 1333.3
Actual MEM (DDR), MHz: 1333.3    
P1:
 [AUTO]
P2: [AUTO]
**Memory Timing Setting**
Memory Timing Setting: [expert    ]
tCL (CAS Latency): 8
tRCD: 8
tRP: 8
tRAS: 21
Command Per Clock: [Auto(1T)]
** Advanced Memory Settings **
tRRD: [Auto] -4
tRC: [Auto] - 33
tWR: [Auto] - 12
tWTR: [Auto] - 16
tFAW: [Auto] - 21
tREF: [Auto] - 7.7us
tRFC: Not listed
**System Voltages**
CPU Core: 1.20v
CPU FSB: 1.1V
Memory: 1.650
nForce SPP: 1..30V
nForce MCP: 1.500 V
GTLVREF Lane 0: [Auto] -30mv
GTLVREF Lane 1: [Auto] +10mv
GTLVREF Lane 2: [Auto] +00mv
GTLVREF Lane 3: [Auto] +00mv
**CPU Configuration**
Limit CPUlD Maxval: Disabled
Intel Speedstep: Disabled
xPPM Mode: [Native]
CPU Thermal Control: [Disabled]
C1E Enhanced Halt State: Enabled
Execute Disable Bit: [Enabled]
Virtualization Technology: Enabled
CPU Core 0: [Enabled]
CPU Core 1: [Enabled]
CPU Core 2: [Enabled]
CPU Core 3: [Enabled]

Eisenh0wer · Feb 21, 2010

I downloaded Real Temp. VID is unchecked and says 1.2375 next to it. Hope this is what you're looking for, this is new territory for me.

According to CPU-Z, the core voltage is fluctuating.. it says 1.120 V, went up to 1.128, then 1.136 V.

redduc900 · Feb 22, 2010

With a VID if 1.2375V the Vcore as set in the BIOS is too low at 1.2V. Increase the Vcore until the Core Voltage as read by CPU-Z while running Prime is at least equal to or slightly higher than the VID. Start by changing it to 1.3V in the BIOS, then monitor the voltage in CPU-Z while running Prime.

Eisenh0wer · Feb 22, 2010

Okay, I adjusted the voltage to 1.3V. Still having problems. Just regular computer use is fine. But I was installing a video game (WoW) and I keep on getting a BSoD when it asks me to switch to the second installation disc. I'll pop in the new disc, click "okay" and then it'll blue screen.

redduc900 · Feb 22, 2010

What's the exact error in the BSOD, and which OS are you running?

Eisenh0wer · Feb 23, 2010

This is the BSoD I get when sometimes booting up:

IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL... usual BSoD stuff... then
0x0000000A (0xfffffa8016800c7a, 0x0000000000000002, 0x0000000000000000, 0xffff8000245db11)

Not sure if it's the same one as when installing a game like WoW, I'll have to check again later.

This is the error I get when trying to boot up the PC with the new hard drive and the old hard drive both hooked up (I haven't been using the old hard drive, can't even get it to appear as a drive in Windows when just using the new drive and I hook the old drive up after booting):

stop: 0x0000007e (0xffffffffc0000005, 0xfffff8000245db11, 0xfffff980012e7e58, 0xfffff980012e7830)

Eisenh0wer · Feb 23, 2010

I'm guessing it's also safe to reconnect my sound card, as I'm still having problems even with it out?

andrew85 · Feb 24, 2010

I think that you have to replace your motherboard.

Eisenh0wer · Feb 25, 2010

Any recommendations? I've heard nothing but bad things about the 790i but I've had it for a good two years now and this has been the only problem. If I'm going to replace my motherboard, I don't really want to have to replace all my other components but that also means I can't get a i7 or i5 board unless there's a good i5/i7 motherboard/processor combo out there.

Bad RAM or memory controller, I don't know, need help...

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