Bad RAM? Help Interpret Memtest86 (28,416 errors then 0 errors)

Update your chipset driver as suggested, check all the other drivers listed, they are all fairly recent, install all drivers that are newer than what you have now.

GA-EP43-UD3L (rev. 1.3)

Your goal for now should be to get the system running stable.

You can overclock for performance after everything is running smoothly.

If your at 5-5-5-18, DRAM1.9v, NB 1.2v, and you run 7 passes of Memtest86+ without errors. If Memtest86+ gives any errors, let us know.

You should D/L Prime95.
Have your CPU temp monitor open and running, this will cause the CPU to get hot.

Your Max temp is 72°C, if it reaches 65°C Stop the test.

Open Prime95, stop the test if it starts running, in the 'Advanced' tab select 'Round off Checking', in the 'Options' tab select 'Torture Test', when the window comes up select 'Blend' and in the 'Number of torture test threads to run' enter 2.

Run this for 1 hour, if it stops or you get a blue screen, the test failed.

AS it has been mentioned earlier in this thread, with 8GB of RAM sometimes the 800-1000Mhz is about all some chipsetswill want to do.

But this isn't really a bad thing actually.


Do you OC by chance a little? If you do, my experience might help you a little.


Keep in mind, that the flat out speed of the RAM isn't always better.


What I mean is, I run 8Gb as well.

I also OC slightly, running my Q9650 at a 400FSB.


Heres what I found worked for me if its any help.

For me, I had 2 main choices for what I wanted.
Which was a 400FSB (3.6Ghz CPU speed)

1) 400FSB with the RAM @ 1066. (Base 400/1066 DRAM Strap)
2) 400FSB with the RAM @ 960Mhz (Base 333/800 DRAM Strap)


The 1066 Setting was slightly unstable at the deafult 5-5-5-15 Timings (At least with all 4 DIMM slots full)
To stabilize it I had to drop to CAS 6 and 2.1V.

At the 960Mhz setting, I was not only able to maintain the tighter 5-5-5-15 Timings, but use much more aggresive sub timings as well.

The end result was much more Memory Bandwidth/performance :)

So in the end for me running 4x2 (GB), the lower 960Mhz speed actually turned out to be faster.

I have a feeling something similar would work for you. Although it may take a little extra tuning/testing and experimenting.

Wishmaster said:

AS it has been mentioned earlier in this thread, with 8GB of RAM sometimes the 800-1000Mhz is about all some chipsetswill want to do.

But this isn't really a bad thing actually.


Do you OC by chance a little? If you do, my experience might help you a little.


Keep in mind, that the flat out speed of the RAM isn't always better.


What I mean is, I run 8Gb as well.

I also OC slightly, running my Q9650 at a 400FSB.


Heres what I found worked for me if its any help.

For me, I had 2 main choices for what I wanted.
Which was a 400FSB (3.6Ghz CPU speed)

1) 400FSB with the RAM @ 1066. (Base 400/1066 DRAM Strap)
2) 400FSB with the RAM @ 960Mhz (Base 333/800 DRAM Strap)


The 1066 Setting was slightly unstable at the deafult 5-5-5-15 Timings (At least with all 4 DIMM slots full)
To stabilize it I had to drop to CAS 6 and 2.1V.

At the 960Mhz setting, I was not only able to maintain the tighter 5-5-5-15 Timings, but use much more aggresive sub timings as well.

The end result was much more Memory Bandwidth/performance :)

So in the end for me running 4x2 (GB), the lower 960Mhz speed actually turned out to be faster.

I have a feeling something similar would work for you. Although it may take a little extra tuning/testing and experimenting.

+1

This is great information, and spot on. I did the same with my last AMD rig and ran the 8 GB of RAM at 960 with much better performance than the semi unstable 1066 stock timings. I did manage a couple of benchmarks at 1066, but with looser timings, as Wish is suggesting. The results were better at 960, and I was rock solid on top of it.

Sometimes less is more.

Wishmaster said:

AS it has been mentioned earlier in this thread, with 8GB of RAM sometimes the 800-1000Mhz is about all some chipsetswill want to do.

But this isn't really a bad thing actually.


Do you OC by chance a little? If you do, my experience might help you a little.


Keep in mind, that the flat out speed of the RAM isn't always better.


What I mean is, I run 8Gb as well.

I also OC slightly, running my Q9650 at a 400FSB.


Heres what I found worked for me if its any help.

For me, I had 2 main choices for what I wanted.
Which was a 400FSB (3.6Ghz CPU speed)

1) 400FSB with the RAM @ 1066. (Base 400/1066 DRAM Strap)
2) 400FSB with the RAM @ 960Mhz (Base 333/800 DRAM Strap)


The 1066 Setting was slightly unstable at the deafult 5-5-5-15 Timings (At least with all 4 DIMM slots full)
To stabilize it I had to drop to CAS 6 and 2.1V.

At the 960Mhz setting, I was not only able to maintain the tighter 5-5-5-15 Timings, but use much more aggresive sub timings as well.

The end result was much more Memory Bandwidth/performance :)

So in the end for me running 4x2 (GB), the lower 960Mhz speed actually turned out to be faster.

I have a feeling something similar would work for you. Although it may take a little extra tuning/testing and experimenting.

Agree +1,

Excellent advice, have seen this help several people, the Prime95 test should prove this point.

Stability first, lowering the RAM frequency can also give you better performance.