stability issues need help

[gizzin]

Here's the situation. I recently bought another 2gigs of mushkin ddr2 pc2 ram. Also is that I already own 2gigs of the same ram. After plugging it in, my computer ran fine for awhile. Then eventually I started bsods, freezing, etc. So I figured the ram I bought was bad, so I rma'd it. Everything was working good with just 2gigs. Then I got the ram back plugged it in again, everything started happening again (bsods,freezind,etc). So i took it out but now not even 2 gigs run fine, Its causes the same problems, but maybe not as frequent. I tried lots of things, like upping the voltage .5, upping the northbridge blah blah nothing works. I have a 450watt power supply (4hds,2dvd,x2 4200+,8800gt,1 pci card, and 2 fans). So I thought maybe the computer was underpowered, So I disconnected everything unneeded and rebooted but I get the same problems. So I'm at a loss at whats causing the problem and could use some help. I think maybe its the cpu, and motherboard.. But I have no idea on how to diagnose those types of problems.

[Blue_MiSfit]

OK, let's start with the basics. Also, what type of motherboard do you have?

1) Reset your BIOS to stock settings.
2) Find your RAM's preferred timings (manufacturer website or forum is usually a good place), and set these in the BIOS
3) Run Memtest86+ and report back :)

~MiSfit

[jeffy]

2) + find the recommended operating voltage in the specifications of the memory modules!

[jeffy]

If MemTest runs without any errors, follow these guidelines:
Try Prime95 for testing stability, if okay, then:

Please post as much relevant information as possible, including exact part numbers of (NOT serial numbers!):
- the motherboard
- the CPU and the stepping (use CPU-Z for both the motherboard and CPU info)
- the memory modules and their timings (timings in CPU-Z as well)
- the PSU
- the GPU and its clock speeds
- what OS and type 32bit/64bit
Please include all the BIOS settings you can find relevant (voltages, ratios, etc.)

[gizzin]

I shoulda been a little more specific.

Asus M2n-Sli Deluxe
4gigs mushkin sp2 ddr2-800 5-5-5-18 1.8v
amd 4200+ x2 stepping 2 stock settings
antec smartpower 2.0
8800gt 512 dual slot cooler stock settings
win xp 32bit

Things I've tried already, are switching the ram, trying the different slots, reset the default settings a couple times in the bios, my motherboard never worked properly with the auto settings, you had to manually set the times and voltage. I took the heatsink off, and looked at the cpu to see if had any burn marks, clear out the heatsink of the all the dust. It idles at 38-41c, and on load 63-66c. Maybe the memory controller is shot. I don't want to start rma things if I don't have too and waste time. I ran memtest with the 4gigs it would run for 12hrs without any errors, then get like 24343 errors. The crashing kind of came in a progression, Just got worse and worse over time. It seems to crash more frequently on cpu intensive stuff (x264). If I leave it on over night not doing anything, it might bsod, or a program will crash, something to that affect. Right now I'm just trying 1gig see how that goes.

[RunningSkittle]

DDRII 800?

In any case try giving your ram a little more voltage, bump to 1.9v, then 2.0v.

Just a side note, you wont be able to access all of your 4GB of ram with a 32bit OS.

[gizzin]

Ya, I tried upping to 1.85 it still crashes, then 1.9 it won't even boot. I don't like vista. Maybe I'll move too windows 7 when its final.

[Blue_MiSfit]

Can you get it working with only one or two sticks of RAM installed? some motherboards have issues with 4 sticks..

[gizzin]

It was stable with 2gigs before I put the other 2gigs in. Then it started crashing again so I took the 2gigs out. And then it continued crashing, now I'm trying with 1gig.

[jeffy]

I ran memtest with the 4gigs it would run for 12hrs without any errors, then get like 24343 errors.
Repeatedly? Bad RAM??? I would expect at least 1 bad module.

Official Mushkin forums:
http://forums.mushkin.com/phpbb2/viewforum.php?f=3

Please check the recommended voltage, I cannot find the type you specified.

Otherwise see this:
http://www.houseofhelp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=68753
http://vip.asus.com/forum/view.aspx?SLanguage=en-us&id=20081008163627593&board_id=1&model=M2N-SLI%20Deluxe&page=5&count=44
http://www.hardforum.com/showthread.php?t=1273404

If you have any chance, try a different PSU from a different maker.

[gizzin]

I'm using the recommended voltage. The assumptions that I can make for sure is that it is memory related. So the possibilities are motherboard, cpu memory controller, or power supply. All four of the ram sticks being defected is highly unlikely, especially sinced I rma'd the 2 that I thought were defected. Thats why this is so confusing for me because it was working fine with 2gigs. Then when I get the ones back that I "thought" were defective, I put them in, and it starts crashing again. It actually ran fine for a few days...

[Audionut]

Also you could try relaxing the memory timings. The cpu probably can't handle running 4 sticks at their rated timings.

Triple check the timings if you're having to enter them manually as you said above.

[burfadel]

XP 32 bit can't make use of the 4 gigs either. Since you have an AMD CPU, a thing called Physical Address Extension may be enabled. This can in theory allow you to use more than 4gb of RAM on a 32 bit system (and let you make full use of the 4 gig of RAM), but it does have compatibility issues which is why its not commonplace or available under Vista.

[gizzin]

1gig seems to be stable, 12hrs still encoding...Now what does that mean to me?

[jeffy]

Swap the modules (another 1GB), if any of them proves unstable, repeat MemTest with that particular module, it might be faulty.

EDIT:
Swap the module, but leave it in the same socket!

[burfadel]

Try running 3 sticks and see if that works.

Some memory timings need to be changed in order to work properly with 4 sticks. Also if you are running sticks of different brands the settings may need to be set for the 'slowest' (timing wise) stick. I'm not just talking about the main performance affecting (generally) 4-5-5-15 stuff, I'm talking about the several other settings that are (hopefully) found under the bios.