Girlfriend's build having problems (memory?)

[nes]

Ladies and Gentlemen:help:,


Hi, if you have read any of my threads about my girlfriend's build then you should be in a good position to offer some opinions about these weird errors I'm having.

Here we go..... Okay, so I've built my girlfriend's computer:

Asus P5N-D
Intel e8400 (45nm :grin:)
PNY DDR2 800mhz (2x1gb)
Nvidia 7300 LE
Antec 550 W PSU
Apollo NXZT Case
Western Digital 500gb HDD

That's the config for the build and everything came together very nicely. The P5N-D supported the Wolfdale right out of the box! I was pleased about that, I installed Windows XP Enterprise for her to use and while I was installing her drivers off of the Asus P5N-D install disc, that's when the horrible freezes began:jawdrop:. Then, next thing you know, the comp would not post! I began to panic but then remember A+ and started the trouble shooting at Layer 1 with that PNY RAM. I pulled slot 1 out of bank B and blamo! It posted. That was crazy. I have never had RAM issues before.

Prepare to slap me down, because after that I popped the dual channel PNY stick into slot 2 on bank A. So, they were right next to each other. I know, I know. I was panicking and not thinking so I continued to install with the modules in that config. Then I went into the BIOS to update her BIOS Ver. and I actually got the thing to freeze in the BIOS. Thank God it didn't happen during the BIOS Update. That would have been soo screwed up. Now, her comp will freeze at random times, regardless of what stage of operation be it: BIOS, POST, Login, Desktop, Install Wizards, and etc. XP Enterprise is installed though.

Guys, I really care for this girl and I thought I was doing a good thing by upgrading her from her little Dell. Now, I'm all going crazy about getting her up and running.

Seriously, I need professional opinions here. Do you think it's bad RAM? She doesn't know anything about comps and it's just sitting patiently in her comp room waiting for my dumb a*& to troubleshoot this issue. She is in college and, as you know, needs this thing online.

I realize step one would be to get that other stick of PNY out of the same bank as the other dual channel module. Consider that done, but what next. I didn't try and run with one stick. That was going to be my next move.

Any insight would be most appreciatted.

[tyle6]

First things first get that stick of ram out and and run memtest at stock CPU setting on each stick one at a time.

[Methious]

Yea boot to a copy of UBCD and run memtest86 on each stick to see if one is bad.

Given that it's happening on post also it's probably a hardware glitch, but nuke that copy of windows and go for a clean install. If one of the sticks was bad/functioning incorrectly because of improper timings or voltage you probably have some bad data on the drive too.

Check your timings in Bios Asus are holla bad at reading timings right, they also tend to over volt by .06v so check the memory voltages and memory timings to make sure their read correctly or set them manually.

I always set manually, me I can trust, Asus Bios not so much.

[nes]

Roger, can I get memtest+ on bootable CD? We don't do the floppy thing around these parts.

[tyle6]

Try this here, http://www.memtest.org/download/2.01/memtest86+-2.01.iso.zip

Thats the newest release. just unzip the file and burn with nero or the likes.

[nes]

Just had a brainstorm with a power user up here at Brigade S6 shop. He told me that Nividia Chipsets are picky about RAM. He suggested that I change the timings to 5-5-5-15 and up the voltage to 2.1V. That is pretty much standard for all RAM at 800mhz.

He said that he had the very same symptoms with his EVGA 680i. Is there a way to see what the RAM is set for in the BIOS? Remember I can't get into the OS.

[MtDew]

First, I would make sure you manually set you bios for the factory specs of your ram. You should be able to do this in the bios. Then I would run memtest on your system starting with just one stick of ram. Then I would run it again with the other stick, then both sticks. If you don't have any failures, then I would reload the OS. I have seen where bad memory/bad timming has caused an OS install to be corrupt and not work properly.

I would also consider downloading a live linux CD like Ubuntu to boot up your system for a burn in. I have been building systems off and on for 18 years or so, and I believe that you should do a good burn in of at least 48 hours before you start tweaking anything beyond factory specs.

[nes]

Thank you MtDew! I will do just that. The only problem is a can't find the factory settings for CAS Latency or Voltage for PNY (2x1GB Kit) PC2 6400 / 800mhz anywheres. They don't post it on their webpage either! I was just going to go for 5-5-5-15 @ 2.1V.

[MtDew]

Since you are building your girl friend computer, I would try her memory in yours since it is up and going. Without a part number, I could not look up an specs on your memory, but I believe the CAS Latency should be CAS 5.

Also since it is locking up randomly, I would double check and make sure your CPU heat sink and fan are properly seated with thermal compound. With the random lock-ups it sound almost like you having an heat issue. The problem my not even be the ram, it could be the motherboard, CPU, Video Card, etc...

[nes]

Yep, it was the PNY RAM Modules. We are going to return them to bestbuy tomorrow!

I've some other issues though. I upgraded her bios to 304.bin and next thing you know there were all kinds of freezes. I went ahead and rolled it back to 117.bin, which came with the install disk and problem solved. Any clues as to what's going on with that business guys?

[tyle6]

You flashed the BIOS during the time the bad modules were installed, correct? The BIOS most likely had some curroption in it from the bad ram. Try it again when you get the new sticks installed.

[nes]

I'm sorry I neglected to say that I acutally did change out the RAM prior to flashing the BIOS.

[Methious]

Given that you flashed back to the original bios on CD and every thing went back to normal I'd chalk it up to a cruddy bios revision.

[nes]

I run that BIOS in my comp tho but I am using a e6700; she's running the e8400. I thought this latest was supposed to increase compatibility with 45nm procs, funny.