P5K memory fun and problems with POST again!

[stormy]

Hi,

People might have remembered (or not) the nightmare I have had with my P5K (well 2 of them actually now) and having problems with post issues.

I have been getting an odd AppCrash in Windows Vista (usually with exception code 0xc0000005 - which I have found may or may not be ram) I decided to do some more testing.

I used Microsoft Windows Memory Diagnostic Tool for a change.

I noticed I was getting 'Stride6' errors, only a handfull but any memory error is a bad thing in my opinion. Its odd because memtest86+ gives me no errors but as I say I have noticed the odd application error in Vista usually installation programs (InstallShield, MSI etc) of all things with exception code 0xc00000005 which makes me suspiscious about RAM. I am coming to the conclusion that the P5K support for 1066Mhz memory is not very robust.

What is 'Stride6' and how come its not tested in memtest86+ ? Is it purely a timing thing or a physical fault with memory. Can anyone explain what this 'Stride6' test is and why memtest86+ doesnt seem to use it?

Anyway, I made a fatal error in the BIOS last night and reset my RAM timings and Voltage and now I too and stuck in perpetual no-post again!

I am stuck between a rock and a hardplace as well because I am almost 100% certain its the fact my memory needs 2.2vs to run properly (Bios defaults to 1.8 in auto) yet I can't get into the BIOS to set it because I can't post! Argh.

What can I do? I have tried reseting the CMOS loads of times and seating just one module in every slot possible and I just cannot for the life of me get it to post again.

This board is really starting to hack me off, its the second board I have had. I RMA'd the first due to exactly this problem.

I don't want to have to buy some other memory 'just to test' so I am going to have to see if I can borrow some.

Anyone got any bright ideas? I think the 03xx BIOS was more robust with my memory compared to 0404 but unfortunately I can't even flash back because I can't get the BIOS up!

Thanks,

Mike

[filbert]

I'm not to up on things, but I've just built my first c2d pc with a p5k, everything worked fine first time, my bios is 0603(the board came with it on) and my memory is patriot that is 2.2v and with the settings on auto in the bios my memory gets 2.2v
Maybe you should get a cheap stick of memory see if it posts then update the bios.
Good luck.

[stormy]

The BIOS is 0603? I am not sure if you have a different board to me in this case, mine is the P5K Deluxe/WIFI-AP. I think 0404 is the latest released bios, with 0503 being the latest beta.

I will check it out though and see if there is a newer released BIOS I was not aware of.

**edit - just tried Patriot PC5300 1.8v DIMMS and they worked fine, reset the BIOS to 2.2v and the Crucial PC8500+ is working fine again. Annoying behaviour indeed, no idea how I will do my next BIOS upgrade, I will have to get some cheapo DDR2 to swap in and out! How stupid is this!

Thanks,

Mike