HELLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLP!!! PRIME 95 ERRORS

[Choppedliver]

Ok hardware gurus... I need help here.

Should brand new RAM fail the prime95 torture test after 2 hours? Is that normal?

I have a nforce2 FIC AU13 Motherboard.
I have 2 sticks of 512MB Geil Value Series PC3200 running in Dual Channel Mode.
I have a Barton core Athlon XP 2600+ running at default voltage (1.65)

If I set the motherboard to "optimal" settings, it sets the memory speed to 166(333), even though the spd is set for 200(400).
I would think that the RAM can handle 166 like a champ, since it is capable of 200, but at the default voltage, (2.5v), it produces a failure in prime95 after a few minutes.

I bumped the RAM to 2.6v and it went a little longer before it bombed. I bumped it to 2.7v and it went even longer before it bombed.

I am running it at 2.8v right now, (but i am at work so i cant check it). When i left, the RAM was VERY warm.

What should i do? Is 2.8v too high? If its still not stable, but runs quite a while before bombing, is that acceptable, ie, normal?

I want this to be a very stable computer for my sister.

Is it possible that i have damaged the processor and THAT is the reason for the instability instead of the RAM? ( I tried overclocking the processor, and go it to 2300MHZ at 1.9v but it wasnt stable, right now im just running at default speed)

Please let me know what i should try to make this thing STABLE

Your help and comments are appreciated.

 

[Elcs]

I think 2.8V should be ok for the RAM in the long term. However, Im always skeptical of how long processors last under voltages in excess of 1.7-1.75V. Some last ages, some die very quickly... Below 1.75V seems to be the generally accepted long-term overclock limit on processors. Most 2500+ bartons are hitting around 2.2-2.3 Ghz so the processor should top off around there although your milage may vary.

If possible, try the sticks of RAM separately and if you can try them in a different motherboard. This should show you whether one or both of the sticks are faulty. Might also show up that your motherboard is to blame.

 

[Choppedliver]

i had an old abit kt7 board that the sticks would work great on one at a time, but when fully populated, i woudl get errors. GOD what do i do to have to get a STABLE MACHINE!!! THis stuff is all brand new, brand name and its really starting to piss me off. do i have to go buy a piece of crap Dell to get a stable machine or what???

Anyone else with suggestions?

 

[pspada]

I have a AU13 in my main box now, with a 3000+ running @ 11.5x200fsb. My OCZ PC3200 memory worked fine at 6-2-2-2 in the KT400 board I was using a while back. But once I put it in a nForce2 mobo and ran it in dual channel, I had to relax the settings. So while it still runs at CAS2, it's now at 8-3-3 instead of the prior 6-2-2 settings - at least if I want it to run without crashing.

2nd, when your motherboard is set to "optimal" settings, the default setting for the RAM is "Auto", not SPD. If you change that to SPD, the ram should then run at it's normal speed of 400Mhz. To do this, I'm pretty sure you need to change from "Optimal" setting to "Expert". Of course this also means that you'd be running at 4:5, and I don't know how that will affect your performance over a 1:1 cpu/memory ratio.

 

[Duvie]

Originally posted by: Choppedliver
Ok hardware gurus... I need help here.

Should brand new RAM fail the prime95 torture test after 2 hours? Is that normal?

I have a nforce2 FIC AU13 Motherboard.
I have 2 sticks of 512MB Geil Value Series PC3200 running in Dual Channel Mode.
I have a Barton core Athlon XP 2600+ running at default voltage (1.65)

If I set the motherboard to "optimal" settings, it sets the memory speed to 166(333), even though the spd is set for 200(400).
I would think that the RAM can handle 166 like a champ, since it is capable of 200, but at the default voltage, (2.5v), it produces a failure in prime95 after a few minutes.

I bumped the RAM to 2.6v and it went a little longer before it bombed. I bumped it to 2.7v and it went even longer before it bombed.

I am running it at 2.8v right now, (but i am at work so i cant check it). When i left, the RAM was VERY warm.

What should i do? Is 2.8v too high? If its still not stable, but runs quite a while before bombing, is that acceptable, ie, normal?

I want this to be a very stable computer for my sister.

Is it possible that i have damaged the processor and THAT is the reason for the instability instead of the RAM? ( I tried overclocking the processor, and go it to 2300MHZ at 1.9v but it wasnt stable, right now im just running at default speed)

Please let me know what i should try to make this thing STABLE

Your help and comments are appreciated.

I don't you damaged it if it was short period of time...I have seen guys run 2v for a few eeks before damage...


My question is how do you know it is the ram??

To truly isolate the ram and ram timings I would run memtest.

I agree with psada that memory timings when ran in dual mode and with multiple sticks often need to be more conservative...Just the nature of it....



Dell wont give you a stable AMD system either!!! You know they don't sell AMD's....


Side note my Intel system with dual channel 1gb of ram is very stable even at 1.1ghz faster!!! Though once you get 250+ fsb with these i865/i875 mobos I don't you can run the ram often at each rated specs and timings without a bit more vdimm or volt mods on the mobos....

At stock there should be no issues.....I bought my geil sticks in a dual channel pack to assure perfect match...though some will dispute this matters...

 

[Choppedliver]

u know what, i took one stick out, and it has been running for 6 hrs at 200 mhz.

with both sticks in at 200mhz it would last about 1 minute.

It lasted 7hrs at 166mhz with both sticks in.

Could it be my bother board cant handle dual channel? or is it more likely than the ram cant handle dual channel. SHould i just go buy some "dual channel certified" stuff?

 

[Choppedliver]

also, i was wondering, does dual channel make that big of difference with a 2600+?

 

[myocardia]

Originally posted by: Choppedliver
also, i was wondering, does dual channel make that big of difference with a 2600+?

I would have sworn that Geil Value Series ram is CAS 2.5. Okay, I just checked, and it's 2.5,4,4,7. Assuming you want stability, you're going to have to run it at those settings, or close. By the way, you gain speed when you run dual channel, so my guess would be that 2x512 in dual-channel @2.5-4-4-7 would be at least as fast as 2x512 in single-channel @2-3-3-7. BTW, do you really think your sister is going to notice the difference?

 

[NesuD]

I bought a GeIL pc3200 dual channel ram kit last spring. You know the good stuff with the fancy copper heat spreaders 2-3-3-6 timings. Well I exchanged them twice and never could i get them to run properly in dual channel at 200mhz on three different Nforce2 boards. Fact is GeIL is hit and miss especially the budget stuff. I can say with a reasonable degree of confidence that the GeIL ram is the problem not the board. If you need budget ram I would take a look at the Corsair value select pc3200. I have had excellent results with it in nforce 2 boards. Personally i prefer for my own personal use Corsair XMS or Mushkin blue or black

 

[Choppedliver]

Hmm. the website says 2.5 6-3-3. I looked in my bios (which i had set to "use spd") and it was set at 2.0 7-4-4

WTF? could the 2.0 be whats screwing me up?

Oh and check this... 2 sticks, any speed, dual channel mode = errors
Stick A only.. no errors
Stick B only... no errors

Stick A in 1 slot of the dual channel bank, stick B in the single channel slot = errors.

So now I just changed that 2.0 to 2.5 and seeing what happens.

Also, wtf is Corsairs memory? it says 2-3-3-T1, (looking at their product PDF) that doesnt seem to be the same terminology used to describe the GEIL ram. But then on their website it says 2-3-3-6. I dont know which numbers match up with which lol.

 

[Choppedliver]

http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=20-145-450&depa=1

maybe i should buy some of this?

 

[Choppedliver]

Hey PSPADA, how does the relaxed timings affect your speed? is it noticeable?

 

[Choppedliver]

"If you change that to SPD, the ram should then run at it's normal speed of 400Mhz. To do this, I'm pretty sure you need to change from "Optimal" setting to "Expert". Of course this also means that you'd be running at 4:5, and I don't know how that will affect your performance over a 1:1 cpu/memory ratio. "


Ok this nforce mother board is not like anything i have ever used before... whats the best way to run it. I have a processor with a bus of 333 and memory that runs at 400. is 333/400 the 4:5 u are referring too? 333/400 = .8325 4/5=.8

 

[HOWITIS]

nothing is for sure in the overclocking game. my 2500+ barton can only do 2.1ghz stable, and i'm watercooled.

 

[Choppedliver]

Yeah but im just trying to run default... no overclocking... if i can get it stable at default, then i will overclock it.

Can anyone point me to a good article explaining ddr memory timings? I have googled to no avail.

 

[Choppedliver]

ooook... runing two sticks, single channel mode, seemed to be doing ok...

put both sticks in the dualchannel config. relaxedthe timings to 8-4-4 cas 3. crashed in15 seconds.

it does not like dual channel mode at ddr400 at all... i dont know what to do guys... this was supposed to be a christmas present, but its turning into a nightmare

 

[HOWITIS]

ya, non duel channel i can get my comp to boot at 200mhz bus. in duel channel it does not. i think it has to run at a lower bus in duel channel. try uping the multiplier. also, go here extreme overclocking


you'll get alot more replies.



is it possible you have a bad chip? just guessing here.

 

[DarkTXKnight]

Well how about this, I ran prime 95 on my neighbors new box..... Albatron kx600 pro, 512 MB mushkin pc2700, xp2200+ 300 w amd smartpower psu - and prime95 failed in less than 10 minutes.. After that I put in a stick of pc2100 crucial and it ran all night without errors - does that mean that my mushkin is bad???? the type of mushkin says mushkin enhanced , I thought this stuff was good??? this is REALLY ticking me off

 

[Choppedliver]

you know what, i just realized that the first and third slots make up the "dual" channel, not slots 1 and 2.... but either way, it hasnt been stable no matter what i do

 

[maluckey]

The first thing that I do if I fail Prime95, is to run Memtest86. If that passes, then it is narrowed down somewhat, as it eliminates RAM hardware, hardware (BIOS and chipset) memory configuration, and OS errors.

 

[Choppedliver]

thanks, im downloading it now

 

[myocardia]

Why not see if you can borrow some other memory? If it doesn't fail Prime95 with the other memory, then you'll know that it's the ram. If it still fails, then you'll know to start checking other things, like the processor or motherboard.

 

[myocardia]

Originally posted by: DarkTXKnight
Well how about this, I ran prime 95 on my neighbors new box..... Albatron kx600 pro, 512 MB mushkin pc2700, xp2200+ 300 w amd smartpower psu - and prime95 failed in less than 10 minutes.. After that I put in a stick of pc2100 crucial and it ran all night without errors - does that mean that my mushkin is bad???? the type of mushkin says mushkin enhanced , I thought this stuff was good??? this is REALLY ticking me off

Well, Mushkin is supposed to be the best, but hey, even Rolls Royce has service departments! Assuming you weren't overclocking the system when you had the Muskin installed, I'd say that you got some bad ram.

 

[NesuD]

Originally posted by: Choppedliver
"If you change that to SPD, the ram should then run at it's normal speed of 400Mhz. To do this, I'm pretty sure you need to change from "Optimal" setting to "Expert". Of course this also means that you'd be running at 4:5, and I don't know how that will affect your performance over a 1:1 cpu/memory ratio. "


Ok this nforce mother board is not like anything i have ever used before... whats the best way to run it. I have a processor with a bus of 333 and memory that runs at 400. is 333/400 the 4:5 u are referring too? 333/400 = .8325 4/5=.8

Optimally the ram should be running in sync with the cpu bus. if you are running a 2500+ at stock settings(166/333 FSB bus) then the ram would run most efficiently at 166/333. There is a performance penalty when you run the ram async from the cpu bus. Sounds like that GeIL just isn't up to snuff in a dual channel configuration. Dual channel doesn't give a very big performance boost unless you are using the nforce2 onboard video which that board doesn't have. Unless you want to return the ram and get something else to try I would just run it in a single channel configuration.

 

[Amused]

What version of Prime95 are you using? Version 23.7 has a bug that causes Windows errors at a certain test. On my machine, it was the same test roughly three hours into the blended torture test.

See this thread:

http://forums.anandtech.com/messageview.cfm?catid=29&threadid=1199760

And this thread at the Prime95 forums:

http://www.mersenneforum.org/showthread.php?s=&postid=15801#post15801