All RAM (inc. brand new from Scan) faulty = fried mobo?

[Rainmaker]

Hi guys,

Long story short, I have:

Biostar TPower I45 mobo, Core2Duo E8600 3.3GHz CPU, 2x 2GB OCZ Reaper HPC PC8500C5 RAM, XFX GeForce 8600GT.

Recently I keep getting errors from QuickPar that the checksum failed during repair, "probable bad memory". WinRAR also throws up corrupt archive messages about half the time I use it, and when I have an MD5/SHA256 verified ISO on my hdd and try to burn it to CD-R or USB stick the resulting image ALWAYS fails MD5 and SHA checks (corrupt).

Memtest86 v4 and Windows Memory Diagnostic both say my RAM is bad and there are a lot of errors during those tests. Naturally I suspect the RAM (which has a lifetime guarantee), but before RMA the matched pair I decided to buy a cheap 1GB 'value' stick from Scan so I don't lose the use of my rig while the expensive set are away to OCZ.

The thing is, despite setting up the new RAM stick on auto settings AND trying manual (5,5,5,15 and 2.1v) it errors out badly in memtest just like the old Reapers do.

Does this sound like a dying/fried mobo to you guys? Surely the RAM can't ALL be bad, including a matched pair that would have to have failed at exactly the same time as each other if it was a RAM not mobo fault, and then a brand spanking new stick that would have to have been DOA? Not even I am that unlucky.

With that in mind, do you reckon it's new mobo time? Does a dodgy mobo produce symptoms like this?

The original Reapers were set up right at 1066MHz and 2.2v with 5,5,5,18 timing btw. I also tried EVERY slot in the mobo for the brand new stick and it fails memtest86 badly in all of them.

[lego batman]

I had this randomly for a bit, and after a bit of random tinkering it stopped. You could try cleaning out the RAM slots, maybe swapping the sticks around. Hope yours goes away like mine did.

[arthurleung]

What will happen if you setup your Reaper at 800 CL5? Will the error go away?

And you'll probably find that value sticks are likely to run at CL6 only.

Although I don't own a P45 motherboard, my experience with P965/P35/X38 boards were terrible. None of my "performance" ram ran anywhere close to the rated spec. CL4 ram doesn't run at CL4 and DDR2-1000 ram doesn't run at 1000. Probably because I'm running quad cores. A dual core cpu could be completely different though.

[Rainmaker]

What will happen if you setup your Reaper at 800 CL5? Will the error go away?

And you'll probably find that value sticks are likely to run at CL6 only.

Although I don't own a P45 motherboard, my experience with P965/P35/X38 boards were terrible. None of my "performance" ram ran anywhere close to the rated spec. CL4 ram doesn't run at CL4 and DDR2-1000 ram doesn't run at 1000. Probably because I'm running quad cores. A dual core cpu could be completely different though.

The Reapers won't run at 800 CL5 either, and I've tried every slot as well as thoroughly cleaning them. A dead/dying mobo is about all I can think it will be. I just could use confirmation before I pay £80-£100 for a new one.

[TAKTAK]

Heya Rainmaker, long time no see

Do you have another board that you can try the reaper in?

[arthurleung]

The Reapers won't run at 800 CL5 either, and I've tried every slot as well as thoroughly cleaning them. A dead/dying mobo is about all I can think it will be. I just could use confirmation before I pay £80-£100 for a new one.

There isn't much you can do unless you can test it on another motherboard.

[Rainmaker]

Na, no other mobo and everyone I know is either on DDR1 or SDRAM lol Looks like I'll have to bite the bullet and grab a new mobo to find out.

[Pob255]

What was the "value" memory you got from Scan? and what settings did you try it on?

Have you tried running the reaper at JEDEC specs?
If you run CPU-Z you can get the details on the different setting on the memory you have.
JEDEC for pc6400 at 800mhz is 5-5-5-15 1.8v (which should apply to all memory not just pc2-6400)
Try that and see how it goes.

Not sure what the bios on your motherboard is like but how are you setting the memory speed?
Are you overclocking the cpu?
I'm just wondering if you're setting the memory then overclocking the cpu which is pushing the memory faster and thus cuaseing instability.

[Rainmaker]

What was the "value" memory you got from Scan? and what settings did you try it on?

Have you tried running the reaper at JEDEC specs?
If you run CPU-Z you can get the details on the different setting on the memory you have.
JEDEC for pc6400 at 800mhz is 5-5-5-15 1.8v (which should apply to all memory not just pc2-6400)
Try that and see how it goes.

Not sure what the bios on your motherboard is like but how are you setting the memory speed?
Are you overclocking the cpu?
I'm just wondering if you're setting the memory then overclocking the cpu which is pushing the memory faster and thus cuaseing instability.

Thanks for the helpful reply. I've tried at 5,5,5,18 and 2.2v for the Reaper (that's what it's supposed to run at), at both 800MHz and 1066MHz (it's rated at the latter) and it fails on both. The CPU is at stock so I'm using a memory divider to select 800MHz or 1066MHz in the BIOS. I have also tried loosening the memory timings to as much as 6,6,6,20 and it still errors out.

The RAM I bought from Scan to try was this one. There are no timings or voltages listed on the sticker except 'CAS5', and the mobo auto-detects it as 5,5,5,15 and 1.8v at 800MHz. This fails, so I did some Googling and a competitor sells the exact same RAM and has the specs listed as 5,5,5,15 at 2.1v so I tried that to no avail.

I then loosened the timings on this new RAM to 800MHz at 5,5,5,18 and then 6,6,6,20 and still it wouldn't run without major errors and failing memtest. I tried the above in all slots of the mobo and it still happens.

I built the PC myself and it's been fine until now (almost 2 years), but I'm stuck at this point. I doubt it could be CPU or PSU as the voltages listed in the BIOS's "voltages" display are bang on what they should be and the CPU alone passes Prime and Orthos without issue (so long as I select CPU only, not blend or RAM).

With no other mobo to try the RAM in, I think I'm stuck with having to buy a new one as unless every stick of RAM I've bought is faulty it HAS to be the mobo, right?

[Pob255]

Sounds like it is the motherboard I'm afraid

You'll be surprised on how good that unknown memory from Scan can be, yes it's looks like it's set to run at the standard JEDEC specs.
Just out of curiosity, can you like have a quick look at it, see who the chips are made by?
It'll say on the chips or have an MT logo (which means they are made by Micron)
Last set of this stuff I got from Scan was A-DATA chips and they ran very well. 444mhz cas5 if I remember correctly.

[Rainmaker]

This stick says 'hyperam' code hyu26412881GBOE so I'm guessing Hyundai. I'm looking at the Gigabyte GA-EP45-UD3LR as a replacement. It's P45 ICH10R and has excellent reviews, plus dual BIOS in case one of the chips corrupts (the other chip detects this and takes over so you can re-flash the original chip to restore it). I hear Gigabyte's RMA is very much superior to Asus also (I was also looking at the Asus P5Q Pro).

If the new mobo doesn't fix it, I'm afraid I shall have to cry.

[noveltylamp]

Check your ICH for overheating, remove the heatsink and clean it all up and re-seat using fresh thermal compound. Check the voltage to your ICH, if it's high now put it to stock, if it's at stock try giving it an extra .1 or .2v

Have you tried re-setting the CMOS? (Properly, unplugged from mains and battery out for a few minutes).

Blast DIMM slots with compressed air, and check for anything that could be shorting on or under the motherboard.

Please report back with results

[Ben Rogers]

Unlucky, it does sound like faulty DIMM slots on the board though from the amount of things you have tried with no joy.

I will test the RAM for you if you send it to me. This PC is a LGA775 Core2Duo E6850 and is 100% stable @ stock with 6GB RAM (2x1GB Geil ULL PC6400 + 2x2GB OCZ PC8500) I have just checked CPU SPD for the PC8500 OCZ RAM and it says it is PC6400 yet the code is OCZ2G10662G. It can do 5-6-6-18 with 1.8v apparently, according to CPU-Z.

But the above post saying to blast the DIMM slots with compressed air sounds like a very good idea because if dirt is in the slot(s) and some pins arean't making proper contact you will get errors no doubt about it. Worth a try.