Biostar AM3 Dual Channel Memtest fail - Single success - Bad MB?

All,

I have been trying to figure out an issue with a new build. The initial issue was when I turned on the machine for the first time, it went into the Win 7 installer and took forever to get to through the first two screens. I then rebooted it and the light on the front went off and it sounded like it rebooted but the light did not come back on. I also had no display (video built into MB). I then decided to reset the BIOS to defaults and run Memtest86 v4.20. It did three passes and had around 1000 errors. I then tested each stick (there are two sticks and two total slots) in each slot individually for a total of four tests. They all did a complete test without failure. I then put the two sticks back in together and it there were a bunch of errors again. I have gone into the BIOS and changed the memory voltage from 1.6v down to 1.5v. I did this because I run the exact same memory in my Core i5 Sandy Bridge. The lower voltage did not help and I got errors. I then forced the processer to only two cores in hopes that it wouldn't try to unlock cores (I don't want the cores to unlock I just want what I bought to work). My last test, which I am running over night now, is with all power saving stuff turned off. I read somewhere that might help but who knows...

My question is: is the motherboard bad, is the CPU bad or is my BIOS just misconfigured? I bought the RAM, CPU and motherboard from Microcenter and I'll just take back whatever. Maybe the whole lot if you all think that is the best option.

Build in question:
BIOSTAR A780L3G - Video on board (VGA/DVI out) - Only two ram slots
AMD Phenom II X2 560
Microcenter DDR3-1333 8GB (2x4GB) 9-9-9-24 - No voltage is mentioned - And the motherboard is set for that speed and timing.

Notes:
New build with all new parts
No overclocking
No core unlocking
Test is a success when testing sticks separately and in any slot.
Test fails only when both ram slots occupied
Running Memtest v4.20 from bootable USB thumb drive
Testing has been done with default BIOS settings and did fail - Currently testing after I make BIOS changes

Try increasing the CPU-NB voltage. The default should be in the neighborhood of 1.1-1.175V, so try bumping it up to ~1.20V.

I got the board exchanged the board for a MSI 880G-E45 and ran Memtest86 for 6 hours and got back around 1000 errors...

In Memtest, it reports the right timings and speed. However, it says 64 bit. Should it say dual channel? Also, assuming the memory is good, could the CPU be bad? Or, can memtest just be wrong?

The 2 x 4GB modules need to be installed in DIMM slots 1 & 2 for a dual-channel config. on that board. And what I posted above in regards to increasing the CPU-NB voltage also applies to the MSI board. But w/ the MSI you also have a CPU-NB VDD voltage option which may also help w/ DRAM stability with 8GB of RAM installed.

The 2 x 4GB modules need to be installed in DIMM slots 1 & 2 for a dual-channel config

Click to expand...

redduc900, very good call on that. I didn't notice that slot 1 & 2 needed to be populated for dual-channel to function. I looked through the manual and verified what you said. I was running the RAM in 1 & 3. I'm rerunning Memtest and it still reports it as 64 bits. The line reads:

Settings: RAM : 666 Mhz (DDR1333) / CAS : 9-9-9-24 / DDR3 (64 bits)

Another note, I took the exact same brand/speed/timing memory from my Core i5 and put it into this troublesum AMD machine and ran 2 passes and had no errors. I ran one pass with the AMD memory in the Core 5i and got no errors....

Since I have changed the slot the memory is in, I will do another 5 passes and see if there are any errors. If there are errors, I will bump up the NB voltage and run the test again.

redduc900, thank you for your suggestions.

It's common a bad DIMM to work perfectly alone but fail with another DIMM in the same channel. And if your power supply is adequate (voltages never drop below about 3% of correct values when measured with a digital meter), then suspect the memory, especially if it fails in a BioStar mobo because they default to higher than normal memory voltage, meaning they're more likely to hide memory defects. Also always strongly suspect the memory if you can't answer this question by just looking at it: Who made the chips?

Don't accept memory that works at the default AND SPD settings with some mobos but not others.

The memory is Microcenter DDR3-1333 8GB (2x4GB) 9-9-9-24 which I'm guessing is A-Data.

I just ran the RAM that came from my Core i5 in my AMD machine through an 11 hour memtest (5 passes) without a single error. Remember that the RAM in my AMD and Intel machine are exactly the same.

I am going to run memtest on my intel machine and see what happens.

If a 10 hour test passes on my Intel machine should I still exchange the RAM?

larrymoencurly said:

Also always strongly suspect the memory if you can't answer this question by just looking at it: Who made the chips?

Click to expand...

pcexhaust said:

The memory is Microcenter DDR3-1333 8GB (2x4GB) 9-9-9-24 which I'm guessing is A-Data.

Click to expand...

But the question was, who made the chips?

Assuming warranties are equally good (in writing and in practice), what I care about most is the name brand of the RAM chips, like Micron ("M" with an elipse orbiting it), Hynix, Samsung ("SEC"), not brands of modules, like Kingston, Corsair, Mushkin, Patriot, G.Skill, A-Data, or MicroCenter. I think my batting average is 30x worse for modules made with no-brand RAM chips.

pcexhaust said:

I just ran the RAM that came from my Core i5 in my AMD machine through an 11 hour memtest (5 passes) without a single error. Remember that the RAM in my AMD and Intel machine are exactly the same.

I am going to run memtest on my intel machine and see what happens.

If a 10 hour test passes on my Intel machine should I still exchange the RAM?

Click to expand...

I would, unless it's too costly to do so or I could sell the memory to a sucka.

Some mobos are much better at tolerating marginal memory, either because they're designed better or their BIOSes use slower settings. But memory only has to be adequate, not great, to work flawlessly in every mobo at its advertised specs, and you should be able to prove in just 48 hours -- 2 diagnostics (Gold Memory and either MemTest86 or MemTest86+ but not MemTest), 2 different types of motherboards, all while the memory is running at its SPD default timings and voltage (which, as you've shown, may not be the BIOS's defaults) in toasty 55-60C surrounding air (rest of computer case can be kept much cooler).