Shurman292 Posted January 2, 2012 Hey OCC, I need your help and expertise! A couple weeks ago I built two identical computers for someone else and a few days after building them (nothing changed since install date, upon which there were no issues), one of the computers started randomly restarting after <10 minutes of usage with the occasional BSOD. It is now getting very frequent and happens within <5 minutes of boot. Specs: i5 2500k purchased at Microcenter ASRock Gen3 Pro3 Motherboard G.Skill Sniper 8GB 1333mhz in slots A2 and B2 Seasonic 620W PSU - Newegg Agility 3 120GB SSD - Newegg What I've done for diagnosis: Went through and reinstalled a few programs I thought might be the culprit (MSE antivirus, Chrome) Realized it happened regardless of anything Windows did Ran bootable Memtest86+ and it failed after a few seconds with too many errors to mention. I tried each stick alone in the original slots (A2 and B2) and no errors, no BSOD, no crashes I tried each stick alone in the other slot (reversed, still A2 and B2) with no errors, assuming same crashes I tried both sticks in original slots again with same errors I tried both sticks in slots A1 and B1 with same errors I then proceeded to flash/update the BIOS to current version and still the same issues I then tweaked DRAM voltages from 1.5v up to 1.65v, as well as loosened the timings by one tick and same errors Phew, so my conclusion is either: 1) Bad memory controller --> RMA the processor 2) Bad motherboard --> RMA the MB 3) Bad RAM?? Not likely since they work alone So what is the issue? What else do I do to figure out which one is the problem? Thanks! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ccokeman Posted January 2, 2012 First thing to do would be to test the XMP profile to see if fails memtest. Then verify all timings and voltages are correct for the speed you are running them at. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Shurman292 Posted January 2, 2012 First thing to do would be to test the XMP profile to see if fails memtest. Then verify all timings and voltages are correct for the speed you are running them at. I will do that asap, the one thing to note is that since this is a mainstream PC, it is not overclocked at all. I do not mind doing and XMP overclock, but it wasn't OC'd from the beginning. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Shurman292 Posted January 3, 2012 Timings and voltages are correct. Unfortunately the motherboard does not have an XMP profile. I misspoke, it's an ASRock Extreme 3 Gen 3, I apologize for the misunderstanding. Just tried backing it down to 1066mhz and still errors. I don't know what to RMA Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
d6bmg Posted January 3, 2012 (edited) ^^ Actually, you can't RMA anything. Its your mistake while buying. So, no other way other than bear with it. I was being stupid. Edited January 5, 2012 by d6bmg Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tjj226_Angel Posted January 3, 2012 ^^ Actually, you can't RMA anything. Its your mistake while buying. So, no other way other than bear with it. Uhhhhhhhhh what are you talking about? As long as it is under warranty he can RMA anything he wants. The processor will be tricky but doable. @ OP: you said you got two of these rigs. Have you tried using the ram from the other rig on the mobo and putting the Ram in question into the working PC (call it Rig B)? If the problem migrates to Rig B and the PC in question (Rig A) is fine, then it is the ram. If the same problem occurs in the Rig A, then it is the motherboard. If you want to be absolutley sure which part it is. Switch out all the parts from Rig B with Rig A one by one. As soon as the problem appears on the other rig, then what ever part you put in last is the problem. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dr_bowtie Posted January 3, 2012 Try upping the chipset voltage and memory controller voltage... When one stick plays nice and then adding another nice playing stick and then it errors out is usually the chipset or memory controller not playing nice... what version of memtest and what test are you running? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Shurman292 Posted January 3, 2012 ^^ Actually, you can't RMA anything. Its your mistake while buying. So, no other way other than bear with it. Come again? I'm pretty sure I can RMA anything within warranty. If it was my mistake, why does the other computer work flawlessly? @ OP: you said you got two of these rigs. Have you tried using the ram from the other rig on the mobo and putting the Ram in question into the working PC (call it Rig B)? If the problem migrates to Rig B and the PC in question (Rig A) is fine, then it is the ram. If the same problem occurs in the Rig A, then it is the motherboard. I did not try this just because I did not want to screw something up in Rig B which is working fine right now. But if you're sure it won't mess anything up, I'll go ahead and try that soon. Try upping the chipset voltage and memory controller voltage... When one stick plays nice and then adding another nice playing stick and then it errors out is usually the chipset or memory controller not playing nice... what version of memtest and what test are you running? I am using the newest version of Memtest86, I believe it is the self-extracting-to-USB-stick version 4.2. I am not sure what the chipset/memory controller voltages are called in this BIOS. On page 57 of this manual it shows what options I have available to change as far as voltages. Could you please be more specific so I don't mess anything up? I tried changing the DRAM voltage with no luck. Thanks for all the help guys! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tjj226_Angel Posted January 3, 2012 I did not try this just because I did not want to screw something up in Rig B which is working fine right now. But if you're sure it won't mess anything up, I'll go ahead and try that soon. I seriously doubt it will. If both sticks work fine, what I would test first is the CPU. There is less of a chance you would damage the motherboard on Rig B that the processor, so try that first, then the RAM. If it is still working, then the only thing left is the CPU. You can RMA the CPU without testing it just to be ultra super safe in not passing on a problem. Even still, I think you could swap parts all say and be totally fine, but I respect your caution. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Kingfisher Posted January 3, 2012 (edited) If both computers are identical as you say, then I would take the ram out of the working pc and try it in the troubled pc. If you don't get errors then you solved your problem. Good luck with it. Edited January 3, 2012 by Kingfisher Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Shurman292 Posted January 5, 2012 If both computers are identical as you say, then I would take the ram out of the working pc and try it in the troubled pc. If you don't get errors then you solved your problem. Good luck with it. Tried this today, and that is exactly what happened! Will RMA the RAM asap. Thanks for all your help everyone! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
d6bmg Posted January 5, 2012 Come again? I'm pretty sure I can RMA anything within warranty. If it was my mistake, why does the other computer work flawlessly? Sorry for my previous post. I didn't read your previous post completely. And its nice to see your problem is being sorted out. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
