Unexpected Shutdowns - Windows 7 64 Ultimate on Rampage III Extreme

Crady · 27 Feb 2012

Please help!

I'm at a loss as to what to try next. My system recently started performing unexpected shutdowns (BSOD reboots) seemingly at random, and always when under load.

First noticed when doing Handbrake rips to .m4v files. Sometimes generating a 3GB 720p file would go normally, then doing a 1.2GB 480p rip would case a reboot.

Tried the Windows memory tests -- always passes OK.

Tried the PassMark BurnIn Test 7.0 Standard with default settings and got a reboot within 15 minutes.

Have been monitoring temps via HWMonitor and nothing unusual -- all temps are OK.

Overclocking is all ASUS defaults. CPU-Z reports CPU at 3.34 GHz with 0.946 to 1.2 core voltage. Memory shows DRAM freq. of 800MHz, 9-9-9-27, and NB freq. of 3.3358GHz

Very few hours on this machine (I use this box infrequently -- intended mostly for video editing and After Effects work):

Windows 7 x64 Ultimate retail - clean install less than 6 months ago
24GB RAM -- Windows memory tests always end OK
i7 Bloomfield
ASUS Rampage III Extreme
Corsair Gold EX850 supply
Booting from 250GB RAID 1
Data on 1.4GB RAID 10

All drivers are up-to-date. Security Essentials runs in GB. Also regularly use WinASO, CCleaner and MalwareBytes

I'm attaching the contents of the Windows_NT6_BSOD_jcgriff2 folder as per instructions.

Thanks!

=)

Crady · 27 Feb 2012

2 Kits RMA'd by Kingston after Memtest86 reported failures in multiple addresses.

Dave76 · 28 Feb 2012

Welcome to Seven Forums.

With 24GB RAM you will need to make some setting adjustments to get that much RAM to run stable.
Most motherboards are set up to run 4GB RAM, newer ones maybe 8GB.
Memtest86+ RAM errors can sometimes be fixed with settings adjustments.
We can help you adjust the RAM settings if your new RAM isn't stable.

Either way, Let us know how your system is running with the new RAM.

Crady · 28 Feb 2012

Thanks Dave,

That's very true, though the system had been rock-stable since I built it in May, which made these recent failures especially frustrating.

It was Kingston support who requested I run Memtest86 from a bootable CD (they remained on the phone while I performed the tests) and walked me through their preferred BIOS settings prior to testing.

The replacement kits are p/n KHX1600C9D3K3/12GX and hopefully they'll arrive before the week is out.

If you have any recommended starting points for the BIOS settings I'd be happy to try them, and if re-running Memtest86 reveals any errors with the new parts I will be sure to post that info. here.

Thanks again for the reply! Cheers!

Dave76 · 03 Mar 2012

If you have any stability issues, I would start with bumping the IMC (Integrated Memory Controller) voltage and possibly the DRAM voltage.

Let me know if there are any issues, there are specific limits for these voltages, we can go through them if needed.

Good luck with the new RAM.

Crady · 03 Mar 2012

I'll do that, thanks, Dave.

The KHX1600C9D3K3/12GX replacements arrived yesterday and I immediately performed a Memtest86+ after install.

The modules all passed 100% -- this was with the default XMP settings which [I believe] set the DRAM voltage at 1.65

In Windows, I did a two-part queued Handbrake test, ripping a 30GB 1080p movie to 720p and 480p files. This is something that had previously resulted in a BSOD and reboot but now it just sails through =)

It's great the machine is back to its robust self, but I would have liked to know why it failed after so many months of reliable service.

Dave76 · 04 Mar 2012

Electronics can be fickle that way, your RAM was probably borderline and finally just tipped over the edge.
With your amount of RAM a few voltage setting adjustments could have made it stable.
If any instability issue return, just post back here.

Glad to hear that your system is stable again, congrats.