AMD 4400+ unstable at stock settings

[magouster]

Hi all, I'm a new DFI customer with a small problem.

 

I just built my new rig, and everything went smoothly until I tried running Prime95. At stock voltages, the CPU will fail the test in less than 10 minutes. I've increased voltage from 1.35 to 1.4, and it still crashes. What could be wrong? Am I missing something. I know it's not the memory, cause I ran memtest through the night (7 hours) and not a single error was found. As long as I don't run any CPU intensive apps, everything else works fine.

 

I even installed NFS Most Wanted, and it seems to have a slight stuttering that I wasn't expecting from the new build, especially since I'm running it at 1024x768. That would seem to me like a definite CPU problem, but I was wondering if there was a chance that I have to change anything in the BIOS that could change this? I just really don't want to have to RMA the CPU! lol

 

Any thought on what the problem could be? Has this happened to anyone else here?

[faheyd]

NOTE/EDIT: See this link from another post: http://www.dfi-street.com/forum/showpost.p...04&postcount=49

 

 

Did you use the sticky guide for your build:

http://www.dfi-street.com/forum/showthread.php?t=20832

Did you first run memtest to verify memory? There is a whole bunch of answers here below.

http://www.dfi-street.com/forum/showthread.php?t=20823

 

Have you loaded up MBM or something similar to check temps/fans?

 

 

You did NOT enable cool&quiet in the bios?

http://www.dfi-street.com/forum/showthread...ht=cool%26quiet

 

Do you have the latest recommended BIOS for the motherboard?

http://www.dfi-street.com/forum/showthread.php?t=22031

(beware burning of ISO, making floppy's on an unstable machine.)

 

 

On any machine, I would first run memtest to clear any memory problems that might exist. Follow the guides for using memtest, mainly bring your motherboard down to stock settings, Then move on to other things.

[Vanne]

could be a psu related problem, is the psu brand spanker?

[tasr]

Magouster

 

Welcome to DFI-Street

 

 

I am not real familiar with your RAM. I think your biggest hurdle is going to be memory timings. Search the Stock Speed Database (SSDB) and Overclocking Database (OCDB) for timings and overclocking settings. You can get some ideas there.

 

 

Check this out; What are your X2 4400 made of?

 

 

If you think your PSU is an issue check this out

DFI Recommended Power Supplies (UPDATED June 14th, 2006!). Then again you could testing your PSU voltage rails.

[davidk21770]

Start with identifying whether prime's failing because of memory or because of CPU by running memtest overnight. Enable it in the bios at the bottom of the genie page. Run 20 passes of just test 5, then run the whole thing overnight (test 5's most likely to fail so you get a quick idea).

 

If it fails, check out the overclocking database and your memory manufacturer's web site for memory voltages and settings that you can try.

[magouster]

Umm, I know I'm new here, but I find it odd that all these rules are placed on people with regards to their sigs and what not, but that people don't bother to read the first post (the one explaining the problem). I DID run memtest through the BIOS, for 7 hours without any problems. Not a single error. So I'm sure it's not RAM that's causing it.

 

I think I've got it sussed out now, cause I put the stock heatsink back on, and upped the voltage to 1.4V instead of 1.35V, and ran Prime95 for 14 hours before I quit the test, so stability doesn't seem to be a prob anymore. One worrying thing is the fact that I tried 1.4V with the Big Typhoon on as well, and it just wouldn't stabilise at all, even at 1.45. I had the Big Typhoon on pretty tight, and was wondering whether it was possible that I put it on TOO tight, and that it was putting too much pressure or strain on the CPU/socket/motherboard? Does anyone here use the TT Big Typhoon? How tight should I fasten it? Not really in a hurry with than anyway, the stock HSF from AMD seems to be doing a pretty decent job of keeping the CPU cool anyway, but then again, I haven't started overclocking yet! Thanks for everyone's replies so far!

[davidk21770]

I ran a big typhoon for quite a while. Nice heatsink. Big improvement over stock for the CPU that got it 1st. When I built this system, I moved it over to my 4800+ until I get my water setup and I didn't gain that much going to water.

 

But, to answer your question -- I didn't put it on super tight. I could still twist it fairly easily. My water block's on much tighter (you screw it down until you hit stops -- so you know when it's tight enough). My only complaint about the big typhoon was that it's mounting could use some real improvement: tough to get to the nuts, and no clue when it's "tight enough".

 

BTW, I emailed TT with several questions before I made the plunge and switched-over initially and they responded fairly quickly.

[tasr]

Umm, I know I'm new here, but I find it odd that all these rules are placed on people with regards to their sigs and what not, but that people don't bother to read the first post (the one explaining the problem). I DID run memtest through the BIOS, for 7 hours without any problems. Not a single error. So I'm sure it's not RAM that's causing it.

 

Having your complete rig in your signature and by the examples in the rules make it so much easer for everybody helping you. So instead of going back a forth; What do you have for PSU? What do you have for this? What do you have for that? …yada, yada and yada. We just look a the signature and Blam...your PSU is under powered. Just an example. This is a support forum and the best out here.

 

Bottom line with the signature, it is the Rule. I hope you seen now.

 

I think people where just trying to figure out what TEST you ran in memtest. There is a lot a different test you can do in memtest. If you ran ALL test overnight or 7hr you're good.

 

I memtest test #5 and #8 for 10 or so passes. Then all test for 10 passes, 4hr or overnight.

[magouster]

I know and understand the rules about the sigs, and I agree with it completely. What I was trying to say, is that you get banned for a week if you don't have a sig, but nothing gets done to people who reply, but don't read the whole post. I mean, why is everybody telling me it might be the RAM, and I should run memtest, when I made a point of saying in my first post that I had the whole memtest running for 7 hours straight without a single error!

 

Okay okay, my rant is finished. I don't mean to offend anyone here, as I will be back for a lot of advice yet. Lets just say, of all the mobos I've had to date, the DFI boards are the hardest to get working! But once they're up and running, nothing beats them! Great manufacturer, I say!

 

Thanks Davidk21770, I'll keep that in mind next time I put the Big Typhoon on again. For now, I'll just stick with the stock cooler and give the CPU a good burn-in!

[lowboy]

Ok just so you know running memtest from bios is a good indicator but it does not show how memory works within windows I have seen memory fail in window but have no eerors from bios. To try and isolate the problem use 1.4-1.45vcore and run memtest #5 for 10 passes each and then run OCCT 30min test if passes run dual prime3-8hr. Problems should show in first two tests.

[magouster]

I honestly don't know what the problem was earlier, cause after I got it prime-stable for 14 hours, I lowered the voltage back to 1.35V from 1.4V, ran prime for 10 hours without any problems. I've just now started running it at 1.325V, and after an hour it's still going strong. I'll keep it running through the day to see what it does, and then I'll lower it again to see how low I can get it.

 

Oh yeah, I ran memtest tests 5 and 8, for about 20 passes each, no errors. I would have run the OCCT test Lowboy was talking about, but I don't know what it is or where to find it in the BIOS! D'oh! Stupid me. Please point me in the correct direction if you don't mind!

 

Thanks for all the help so far guys, much appreciated!

[baaj]

I would have run the OCCT test Lowboy was talking about, but I don't know what it is or where to find it in the BIOS! D'oh! Stupid me.

 

You wont find it in BIOS...it runs in windows

 

ftp://ftp2.ocbase.com/ocbase3/OpenBeta/OCCTv0.91.exe

 

-or-

 

http://www.short-media.com/download.php?d=456