memtest 86+ ERRORS!!! Help needed!

[Game Time]

Hi guys,

 

I built a new computer system 3 months ago, and ever since have been experiencing random crashes. I also get blue screens that last for less then a second then the system restarts. Also during some games or while burning a DVD, I get errors and it says the application has to close. Also some large files that I download from the net, particularly zip files are corrupt and don’t unpack properly.

 

These problems have been driving me crazy and at first I thought it could have been a corrupt OS instillation so I installed a fresh copy. That didn’t work. Then I tied installing the OS onto a new HD and that didn’t work. Finally someone suggested I run memtest 86+ and to my surprise at the end of all the testing I had over 7000 errors.

 

Does this mean I have faulty RAM? Or could it mean that the motherboard ram controller is faulty? Or maybe my Bios settings are wrong?

 

My motherboard is- LanParty UT eXpert NF4

My ram is- G.Skill F1-4000USU2-2GBHZ 2GB (2x1024MB) PC4000

 

 

I’ve also done a few tests-

 

I took out all the ram sticks and inserted just 1 stick into the first Orange slot (DIMM2) and ran memtest- Not a single error after an hour of testing.

 

I then took that ramstick and inserted it into the second Orange slot (DIMM4) and when I turned the PC back on, it started to make a loud Beeping sound every 2 seconds and it wouldn’t boot up.

 

While testing a single ramstick in the yellow slots, the first Yellow slot (DIMM1) ran memtest for 5 mins then froze.

 

The second Yellow slot (DIMM3) had the same problem as the second Orange slot (DIMM4) and when I turned the PC back on, it started to make a loud Beeping sound every 2 seconds and it wouldn’t boot up.

 

So basically while using only 1 ramstick, the first Orange slot (DIMM2) is the only slot that works in memtest without a single error.

 

I’m really desperate for help, I would love to solve my ram instability problems. I’m not sure if there are any settings I can change in the bios that would help.

 

All help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks.

[21Motorcraft]

Need more information.....Bios settings would help? Could be a bad stick, could be just the expert as it is a very fussy board....Tweaking is necessary....I am assuming you did not input the ram settings?

[Game Time]

Need more information.....Bios settings would help? Could be a bad stick, could be just the expert as it is a very fussy board....Tweaking is necessary....I am assuming you did not input the ram settings?

 

Yeah i havnt changed any of the Ram settings in the Bios.

these are the settings-

 

-FSB Bus Frequency- 200Mhz

-LDT/FSB Frequency Ratio- Auto

-CPU/FSB Frequency Ratio- Auto

-DRAM Voltage- 2.66v

-All settings under DRAM configiration are set to Auto.

 

Im not sure if it a faulty ramstick because I tested 1 of the sticks by itself in the first Orange slot (DIMM2) and ran memtest- Not a single error after an hour of testing. The ram just dosnt work in the second Orange slot (DIMM4)

 

So maybe the motherboard is faulty???

[RGone]

This is posted probably 30 or 40 times in the forums. Testing ANY single stick by itself in any color socket closest to the cpu is a fruitless test since those memory slots close to the cpu are NOT the primary memory slots and are fruitless to test without a stick in the corresponding color slot furtherest from the cpu.

 

Arrangement of memory in an NF4 dual channel 939 motherboard by DFI. This does not include the

Infinity series but the NF4 series including the newer Expert and Venus series. Also includes the RDX200 CF-DR and the newer CFX3200-DR.

 

May use one stick in the Orange slot futherest from the cpu. It will be single channel. Sometimes may use one stick in the Orange and the Yellow slot furtherest from the cpu. It will be two stick single channel.

 

Never can use single stick in Orange slot closest to cpu. Will never work.

Never can use single stick in Yellow slot closest to cpu. Will never work.

 

In order to use memory in dual channel which is what the memory controller in the processor expects; you should FIRST put sticks in the Orange slots. This will be true for greater than 90% of ALL memories.

 

You may put memory in the Orange slots and run dual channel BUT you cannot put three (3) sticks of memory in the board and have it work.

 

Basically 1 stick Orange slot furtherest from cpu.

2 sticks using both Orange slots.

4 sticks using Orange and Yellow slots with attention to details of memory configuration settings in bios.

Those actually are the only valid memory stick combinations. Except sometimes two sticks in the Orange and Yellow slots furtherest from cpu will work as single channel only.

[Game Time]

Never can use single stick in Orange slot closest to cpu. Will never work.

Never can use single stick in Yellow slot closest to cpu. Will never work.

Thankyou RGone for that information. Much appriciated and very helpful.

 

Why is it that when i have a single ramstick in the first Orange Slot and run memtest, i get no errors, but when i add a the second ramstick to the second Orange Slot for dual channle mode, i get thousands of errors?

 

EDIT- while posting this i checked the second ramstick byitself and to my suprise it only 1 min i had already 127 errors. So i now know that one of my ramsticks is faulty (not both of them) Looks like i will have to return it.