I started testing before I read your post. I pulled two, moved my SSD, and added another HD to my system for VMs. Ran the test, and almost INSTANTLY, I got an error. Shutdown, swapped out the first stick and running again. 49% thru the test without errors. I'm guessing it's safe to say it's the stick no the slot...
Keep testing in all the slots, the tests will take time, but least you will sure what RAM stick or DIMM slot is causing the problem.
Right now, with the memory issues I'm having now, I have the overclocking turned off, but I am slowly proceeding with a new project, and I have taken into consideration the fact that 1/2 of my cores are quite unused.
Once I positiviely identify the defective stick [I think I have] I will work on getting a replacement,but will move that stick to the very back to limit the number of crashes since my replacement will travel by mail.
I am going to install a VM of XP [because I have one I can use] and give it it's own keyboard and mouse to see if I can use it while someone else uses the rest of the Windows 7 machine. I am undecided on 1 or 2 cores for the VM, but I'm going to lock it into Core 8, and maybe core 7.
Run each memtest for 7 passes minimum, unless there is any errors, you can stop if so. I suspect the one RAM module is bad as you do. You might check it alone in each slot of the board to confirm.
Test that RAM module in every slot, it does seem that one RAM module may be issue, if less RAM is being displayed by Windows.
Ok. Updates! I found something!
I tested each stick by itself. Three of the sticks said 400 MHz DDR-800, while the forth stick said 667 MHz, DDR-1334.
I think that is the issue...
If you have 16 GB in 4x4GB banks you can safely live without 4GB for even a month. Unless you do stuff that specifically demands it, you won't be able to fill 8 GB of ram.
The position of the memory stick is irrelevant unless you were testing the slots themselves, as all ram is going to be used regardless of the slot.The first stick is now in the back. [All in reference to the front of the case.] I am re-running Memtest86+ and the error came up almost instantly. When I swapped out the one stick, it went thru the entire test without errors.
Ram tests are usually done on a single ram bank, just to make sure that if there are errors they 100% come from that bank.
400 mhz ram? Isn't it a bit outdated for a Bulldozer processor?400 MHz DDR-800, while the forth stick said 667 MHz, DDR-1334
And yes, mixing rams working at different speeds could result in issues. if the stick giving errors was the 667Mz one, try removing all the others and placing it in the first slot, then repeat the test.
If it comes out clean it was one of such "mixing ram issues", not a defective stick.
I'd give it more, 3 or 4 cores if it can use them. Remember that each core is around half the power of a good quad-core's core.I am undecided on 1 or 2 cores for the VM, but I'm going to lock it into Core 8, and maybe core 7.
Well, the OS is x64, and I think the MB is too. Would that cause troubles because of the missing stick?
The sticks I'm using are labeled as: 1866MHz, Corsair said the DRAM speed should be set at 1600 for my CPU. I bought them as a set of four from Amazon. I do not understand why it's showing at 400, or even 667.The position of the memory stick is irrelevant unless you were testing the slots themselves, as all ram is going to be used regardless of the slot.The first stick is now in the back. [All in reference to the front of the case.] I am re-running Memtest86+ and the error came up almost instantly. When I swapped out the one stick, it went thru the entire test without errors.
Ram tests are usually done on a single ram bank, just to make sure that if there are errors they 100% come from that bank.
400 mhz ram? Isn't it a bit outdated for a Bulldozer processor?400 MHz DDR-800, while the forth stick said 667 MHz, DDR-1334
And yes, mixing rams working at different speeds could result in issues. if the stick giving errors was the 667Mz one, try removing all the others and placing it in the first slot, then repeat the test.
If it comes out clean it was one of such "mixing ram issues", not a defective stick.
It appears that XP Pro is only seeing a single processor. I'm want to wait until I get all the updates, but the Windows [XP] update part of Microsoft is having errors, so I think I'm stuck on SP1 for now...I'd give it more, 3 or 4 cores if it can use them. Remember that each core is around half the power of a good quad-core's core.I am undecided on 1 or 2 cores for the VM, but I'm going to lock it into Core 8, and maybe core 7.
Last edited by JoesMorgue; 13 Nov 2012 at 09:17. Reason: Typos...
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