Abit IP35 pro/Crucial PC8500 memory problem

[Oscat]

Abit IP35 pro Bios 14, board version v1.1. with 4gb (4x1) Crucial DDR2 8500 memory. Corsair HX 620 psu. MSI passive GT8600---- All SATA (no floppy or Ide)

Right where to Start. Put PC together and it worked, though the bios ran memory at 816 mhz by default and putting it to 2.2v does not change the memory settings after clearing Cmos.
CPUz also reports that I have DDR2 6400 rather than the Crucial DDR2 8500 though it does give EPP settings for 533 which are as crucial describe. Is this normal ? It says it's Crucial Ballistix DDR2 8500 on the memory box and label.

So eventually having run it as DDr2 6400 4-4-4-12, no problems noticed, I set it at 1080mhz with the processor at default. Passed Memtest/Passed P95 though PWM temp high 60's, Undaunted I slowly started overclocking the processor, unfortunately I did not run Memtest again until today as 1080 mhz was the highest I took the memory.
Got to 3.2Ghz (356x9) memory at 1068 mhz and failed P95 (test with lots of ram) Memory at default 5-5-5-15. Temps CPU 58 , System 33, PWM 81 --which seems to high.
Increased processor voltage to 3.125. Tried Max heat test just to see how hot it would get and processor reached 62 system 33 PWM 91 ---- take the case side off droped to 80 (thought this would be OK for testing) left test running for 8 hours and it passed !
Got up today and thought I need more air flow (side off till then) and reduce memory voltage to try and reduce heat.

Ran Memtest, at 1.9 upto 2.2 v (default) and with all 4 dimms and it failed, raised it to 2.3 still fails. So reset Bios to default (processor 2.4 GHz and memory at 816 Mhz) and Ran them in pairs in both sets of slots and they passed, but put all four back in and they still fail. Same place every time. Test 6 in Memtest 1.7+ Same address every time. Even if you swop Dimms around (Keeping in original pairs).

I use a Thermalright SI-128 + Noctua 1200 at full, when fan EQ was on, as temp went up fans slowed down, so turned that off. Exhaust Noctua 1200, Intake Alaska 92 at 1380 rpm for cooling.
It will be a Music PC if I can get it running properly

Do I definately have a memory problem --- it came from Oberblockers have an RMA number for one pair but cant tell which pair has the problem.
The memory gets hot, the furthest Dimm from Processor particularly, even with the side off it is very hot with all four dimms in place whatever order, if I put a pair in the black sockets the end one seems half as hot, you can touch it without going ouch ! a little Subjective I know but seems strange to me. Two dimms =Warm, but 4 get %&*&$ Hot.
Could it be a motherboard problem ?

Any help would really ease my rather frazzled tired brain ---- Happy Seasons Greetings

[BUFF]

try tweaking the mch voltage slightly & perhaps ICHIO too.
4 DIMMs is harder work for the memory controllers.
Also 4 DIMMs is less airflow/space around the DIMMs hence hotter.

81C for PWM is perhaps a little warm but nothing catastrophic.

[Oscat]

Thanks Buff, I shall give it a go and the processor voltage at 3.2 Ghz was not (doh) 3.125v but 1.3175v and its a Q6600 go. thanks again.

[Oscat]

Took MCH voltage to 1.41 and ICHIO to 1.65 (in stages) and it still fails test 6 first time through.
Put voltages back to default 1.25 and 1.5 tested again and it got through once but failed second pass.

This memory passed running at 1080 when first put in, now running at 816 and it fails. ???
I seem to be stuck between a rock and a hard place,

[Oscat]

Done some more testing with each pair of memory, Passed running at default 2.4 ghz and 816 mhz all the way up to 3.2 and 1068 mhz. Once there I ran P95 maximum heat test (1.5hrs) and I did one at default.
Default Cpu 28 system 31 PWM 52
Overclock opencase 41, 31, 72.
closedcase 52, 33, 82. (35 mins)

Memory still passes memtest, though I did notice that while running P95 my mouse worked properly whereas with 4 dimms in place its range became restricted, have to have it like 2 feet away from reciever to work properly.
10 degree temperature increase for CPU and PWM with 4 dimms as well and it fails memtest at default speeds.
Has to be something with the motherboard, dosent it ? Fan eq still makes the fan slow down as the processor gets hotter according to uGuru ---- Is this a normal Bios problem ? Or could my board arrived with corrupt bios 14 (which CPU-Z says is version 10) ?

[Oscat]

Used the Pc this afternoon running Cubase with 2GB of ram, no problems at default (2.4 Ghz and 816mhz).
This evening I decided to put the other two sticks of memory back in and run memtest but PC wont boot --- took two sticks out and still wont boot.

It comes on and turns off and on and off and LCD flips between 9.9. and 8.3., the only way to turn it off is at the power supply. Reset Cmos but no go, occasionally it stays on with code 8.3. still have to turn off at power supply.
I did notice the next power on code was DDR memory start (8.4.).

Putting it away now but if someone understands whats up and whether I should send any other bits back for testing such as psu, other than what i have assumed is a dead motherboard,
please help !

[BUFF]

try a full CMOS clear involving discharging the caps, removing the battery etc. & see if that helps.
Also try another PSU as you may have invoked the very rare but not unknown Seasonic oemed PSU incompatibility problem.

[Oscat]

Thanks again Buff,
full reset did it with 2 sticks in place. Now I have read something about that psu problem, though this is the first time I have had a boot problem and all seems good now, could it cause my 4 Gb memory problem alone, Most of the issues I have read about seem to be Boot up problems.

If you had my problems what would you RMA ? I can not see there is a problem with my memory if it passes in pairs at 1066 and fails with 4 sticks at 816.

Have a Great Christmas and thanks once again, if it wasn't for you this website would seem quite a lonely place at this time of year !!!!!!!!

[BUFF]

try memtest86+ & see if you get different results.

It's probably just a matter of tweaking voltages though as the IP35 series seem to do quite well with 4 DIMMs as a rule.

[Oscat]

All Good now which is a huge relief ! Did another reset, left battery out for 20 Min's or thereabout, as the first one reduced errors, one every 6 or 7 passes and now all is well no errors at default .
Really Cheered me up. It staying at default until after Christmas !

[KingRoLo]

Hi, sorry to bump an old thread but i am reading around researching motherboards as i get a similar problem with my ASUS P5K. Again i have 4 Crucial Balistixx 8500 ram and simlar system setup to the thread starter. At first it was very instable, locking up even when simply surfing the net and memtest would give pretty random failings. After alot of research i am seeing that some users are getting these very similar problems with different mobo manufacturers and all have 4 slots filled with 4 gigs of ram. Ive seen the Abit P5K, the Gigabyte P35-DS series and now the Abit P35 pro experiencing the same problems.

What i can't understand is how the P35 is generally considered to be 'ok' with all 4 dimms populated and yet some people are have issues across the board. I myself gained stability by raising the dimm, MCH and NB voltages. I myself was unstable with a Q6600 @ default 2.4 and FSB at 667. So after raisng all the above voltages then overclocking CPU to 3.0 with FSB @ 333 i am about 90% stable.

So i was thinking about purchasing another motherboard because there is definetely something wrong and the RAM is fine (tested with 2 slot (2gb)) and swapped around dimms - all fine. But what mobo to choose, it seems like such gamble when others are running 4 dimms without problems. Pot luck i guess.

Also this site sells the ABIT IP35 pro with 4 gigs of ram pre overclocked.

edit....can't post link.......

It's at overclockers co uk under systems

But does mention:

"If you select the 4GB Memory Upgrade option then the CPU overclock is reduced to 3.1GHz - 3.2GHz region to maintain stability with all four memory banks filled."

Any ideas on what mobo to buy?

[BUFF]

What i can't understand is how the P35 is generally considered to be 'ok' with all 4 dimms populated and yet some people are have issues across the board. I myself gained stability by raising the dimm, MCH and NB voltages. I myself was unstable with a Q6600 @ default 2.4 and FSB at 667. So after raisng all the above voltages then overclocking CPU to 3.0 with FSB @ 333 i am about 90% stable.

you haven't said what you finally ended up with in terms of timings, Vdimm, strap etc.
running 4 DIMMs is more stress for the memory controllers so it's not unusual to have to increase mch.
Similarly, running an overclock is more stress so combining both compounds it.

Also Crucial apparently have changed modules on some Ballistix recently (i'm not sure whether 8500 is involved or indeed how old yours are).

[ionian]

Hi everyone. I also got my self a Abit IP35 pro (Bios 14) in combination with a E8400 and have loads of issues - but I'll get to those a bit later in dedicated threads. For the time being just wanted to know how can one locate the MB revision number - didn't want to start a separate thread just for this. I need to know if I have revision 1.0 or 1.1 cos my system is very unstable and it expresses that in various ways and so I've read that revision 1.0 is pretty buggy. So if that's what I have I think I'll take it back and have it changed with a 1.1 revision and start from there.

Cheers

[BUFF]

it will say on it whether it's a rev. 1.1 or not.
I would guess from it coming with 14 that it's probably a 1.1.

There is very little difference between the 2 & abit says that the changes (a few caps & the PLL) were made purely for production & that there should be no difference in performance.
I've been running a 1.0 since they came out & it's not pretty buggy (certainly nothing major but there is no perfect mobo, they all have glitches of some kind).

[gilgamesh]

it will say on it whether it's a rev. 1.1 or not.
I would guess from it coming with 14 that it's probably a 1.1.

There is very little difference between the 2 & abit says that the changes (a few caps & the PLL) were made purely for production & that there should be no difference in performance.
I've been running a 1.0 since they came out & it's not pretty buggy (certainly nothing major but there is no perfect mobo, they all have glitches of some kind).

there is only one major differnce

THe maximum FSB limit on the 1.0 is 600FSB however the limit on the 1.1 is 700fsb, there clock timers have changed , tale a close look

gilgamesh

[BUFF]

I did say that the PLL had changed

You aren't going to get there (even 600fsb) anyway except with a) a cherry CPU b) some extreme cooling c) excellent RAM.