Mushkin Ram Problems

[ChanceCoats123]

Well, just like the title says, I am having problems with my set of Mushkin 996657 (2x2Gb DDR3 1600 @ 7-7-7-20).

I basically had problems from the beginning, but they went away with a voltage increase or at least happened less often. Recently though, that has not been the case. I normally leave my computer on 24/7 but have been coming downstairs to find it at the windows screen after a reboot. Upon logging in, I receive the "Windows has restarted due to a fatal error" crap. I decided to get memtest86 v3.5 and run and low and behold, they error out in the second test (Test #1).

I tested them individually over night at all stock settings in the bios (1333 with 8-8-8-22-30 timings; 1.6volts) They both passed failed. So I cranked them up to 1600mhz with 7-7-7-20-28 timings and they both once again failed. I proceeded to dual channel testing.

It went a little something like this: At above manufacturer suggested settings (1600mhz with 8-8-8-22-30 1.95volts) they failed in dual channel mode, either pair of ram slots. But I noticed that they failed every time between 45-48% on Test #1. I got around this by using configuration to run the tests one by one and this is how that went:

Test 0, pass.
Test 1, fail.
Test 2, pass.
Test 3, pass.
Test 4, pass.
Test 5, fail.
Test 6, pass.
Test 7, fail.
Test 8, pass.
Test 9, pass.

I then went into windows and ran all three tests in Prime95's array. Small FFT's is the only to keep running. Large and Blend both resulted in instant freezes.

Finally, I want to mention that the Bsod's and freezes in windows don't appear to have anything in common. Sometimes it is doing nothing but idling at the logon screen, other times while my mom is browsing in IE and occasionally while changing a song in itunes. It was something I could blow off before, but as it becomes more and more common, I am beginning to get upset with a set of ram that should run 1600mhz/Cas7 but can't even pass memtest86 at 1066 speeds with Cas9 timings. Edit: The Bsod is error code 0x0000001a.

Any suggestions would be much appreciated! Thanks in advance.

-Chance Coats

 

[redduc900]

Could you post a pic. w/ the AMD Overdrive utility open to the Memory tab? And you could also try bumping the CPU NB VID to 1.3V at DDR3-1600.

 

[ChanceCoats123]

I could do the Amd over drive as well as some cpu-z shots too.

I tried up to 1.35v on the cpu-nb today because I suspected a cpu related problem, but the voltage seemed to do nothing. As of now, I have it pretty stable. I looked on the Mushkin forums and found a thread literally the same as mine with similar problems and the same set and someone suggested he run 1333 with 6-6-6-18 timings. That is where I am now and I am 3 hours BSOD free. But those shots are coming up.

Edit: Forgot to mention that I can now successfully boot at 1.85v instead of the 2.15v it took when I was running 1600 with 7-7-7-20 timings.


Aqui usted tiene.

 

[redduc900]

Make sure the DRAM voltage reading in Overdrive matches what you set in the BIOS. And in addition to setting CPU NB VID to 1.3V (or leave at the current 1.1V until after changing the following), add +.2V to both NB Voltage Control and SB/HT Voltage.

 

[ChanceCoats123]

Will do. Right now. I'll do the NB and SB, but I want to keep the cpu vid and cpu-nb vid as close to stock as I can so I can prolong the life. The cpu has already seen 1.6v+ and the cpu-nb 1.4v+.

Edit: Still no go for the memtest86, but it seems a lot more stable in OS. I will run it as is (1333 w 6-6-6-18-26 T1 @ 1.8v) for a while and see how it goes. I will report back if it doesn't go well. I dropped the cpu-nb and cpu volts back to stock and raised the NB/HTT/SB each up .1-.2v.

 

[redduc900]

I'm having a hard time reading the DRAM timings in the first pic. (not your fault, I just can't see that well), so just make sure to set tRFC to 90 - 110ns for each of the DIMMs. You could also try loosening...

Write Recovery Time: 12T
Precharge Time: 6T
Row Cycle Time: 40 - 42T
RAS to RAS Delay: 9T

 

[ChanceCoats123]

I'll upload it in a larger size.

 

[redduc900]

What were the results after changing the timings to those I suggested in Post #6?

 

[ChanceCoats123]

Write Recovery Time-12T
Row Cycle Time-28T
Ras - Ras Delay-7T
Precharge Time- 6T

I set them to what you suggested (excluding rar-ras delay because it only went up to 7) and it still failed so I left them the same except row cycle time which I tightened to 28T.