AB9 Quad GT problems with 4*1GB RAM

[EtheAv8r]

As per ‘My System’ I have an Abit AB9 QuadGT with 2*1 GB sticks of Corsair PC 8500 Dominator RAM and all is well with the world.

As RAM is now rather cheap, and others who run XP with 4 GB RAM seem to find their system at least ‘feels’ smoother and does no harm and possibly some good, I purchased another 2*1GB PC 8500 Dominator – just in case I eventually get Vista and have a dual boot system.

I ensure RAM settings are as per spec at 2.1v and 5/5/5/15 (had been 5/5/5/12) and install additional RAM. System begins to POST, 4GB RAM is recognised, and the POST screen stays at the press DEL page, (does not do anything if I do) and the boot process has halts at POST Code 52 “Test all memory (clear all extended memory to 0)".

I remove one stick (from slot 4) and try with 3GB and the system POSTs OK and boots to windows, but eventually get BSOD after logging on but before everything loads fully and becomes useable.

The system runs just fine with either pair of RAM sticks installed.

Any suggestions how can I try to get it to work with 4*1GB sticks? Should I just stay with 2GB or would it have been better to have replaced the 2*1GB stick with 2*2GB sticks (I can still do that)?

[BUFF]

try increasing MCH voltage slightly

[EtheAv8r]

Thanks Buff - I will try that... just one notch up? Problem is I have to pull the RAM to get to the BIOS so a good practice first try setting would help.

[EtheAv8r]

Increased MCH in steps from 1.25 - 1.30 - 1.35 - 1.40 - 1.45 getting losts of lockups and BSOD - and one of my RAID 1 arrays went into Verify (but rebuild OK and the C: Boot drive (RAID 0) had an enforced checkdisk and recovered. I then went to 1.5v and also reset the RAM strap to 1:1 FSB 356 (712 MHz effective) - and up she came and all the disks recovered and the system is stable.

This RAM is rated at 1066MHz @ 5.5.5.15 with 2.1v and the strap had been set at 2:3 giving 1068 MHZ. I think it was going back to 1:1 that got the system going, so I am now back at MCH 1.45v and testing and hopefilly I can get the MCH back a few more notches and keep the Northbitdge a bit cooler.

I am disappointed that the RAM won't run at 1068MHz and the reduction has taken quite a few points off the CustomPC 2007 Benchmark score, and I am actually running it at PC6400 - 800MHz at the moment, way below it's rated spec..

I notice that the two Dominator TwinX pairs have a different Trc in CPUZ SPD settings, 30 for the original pair and 22 for the new pair.

I think I would have been better to get a replacement 2*2GB Dominator pair rather that an additional 1*2GB as running 4 RAM sticks seeems to have significant impact over running just 2.

[BUFF]

you shouldn't need 1.45V for MCH just for 4 DIMMs but then you are overclocking as well.
Are both sets of RAM identical Revisions?
Maybe Corsair changed the modules.

[ABIT Sean]

Ive tried running 4GB of that memory before in an AB9 Quad GT without success. In the end I had to swap for 4x1GB of OCZ.

[0iD]

I run 4 x 1gb Corsair dominator PC8500 in my AB9 QuadGT noo probs. Overclocks fine too
However I did have to RMA the first pair to Scan as I had a similar prob & they agreed it was faulty.

[EtheAv8r]

you shouldn't need 1.45V for MCH just for 4 DIMMs but then you are overclocking as well.
Are both sets of RAM identical Revisions?
Maybe Corsair changed the modules.

As I said previously, I thought running the RAM at it's rated speed (well 1068 and it is rated at 1066) was part of the problem with 4 sticks. After much testing I am now fully stable with the 4 sticks, I have brought the MCH down in stages and then stress tested with OCCT and ORTHOS - which take quite some time - from 1.45 - 1.40 - 1.35 - 1.30 (OCCT report MCH as 1.34) Default is 1.24 so I am just one notch up. I am also now running the RAM at 2.2v and 5:4 giving 890MHz, and the Custom PC Benchmarks are improved, not quite what they were with just 2 sticks at 2:3 (1068MHz). I have also dropped my vCore down a notch from 1.525 to 1.515 and this has dropped the highest CPU temps a couple of degrees and my E6700 has stayed stable at 3.56GHz.

Yes, the new RAM has been purchased 14 months later so nominally the same but clearly a little different.

However now it all works just fine!