RAM issues

[Legume]

hi,

I posted a BSOD crash problem about 6 months ago in the BSOD debugging section. Everyone that tried to help were really nice and knowledgeable so I figured I'd give you guys another chance to sort it out haha.

So I have narrowed down the crashes to my RAM sticks. I am running 2x G.Skill 2GB DDR3 1600 sticks in dual channel mode as recommended by ASUS (mobo manufacturer).

The computer starts fine on either stick in any of the 4 DIMM slots so the slots are fine as are the RAM sticks. Its only when I put both sticks in the recommended positions that it crashes on startup.

I have a core i5 750 which is only meant to have DDR3-1333 sticks in it, could this possibly be the cause. The BIOS is running the sticks at 1600 but is also changing the CPU frequency up a little from 266Mhz to 273 I think to match the RAM frequency.

I have no idea about the intricacies of the BIOS nowadays as its changed a fair bit so Ill leave it up to you guys, Ill suply all the information I can.

So my PC specs are:

Intel i5 750 processor
ASUS P7P55D LE Mobo
2x Saphire Radeon 5750 in CrossfireX
2x WD 320GB HDD
1x WD 500GB HDD
OCZ Fatality 550W PSU

Also on a side note what is a safe temperature that the i5 processor should run at. Mine is saying 50-55 degrees at idle. That sounds hot to me and the ASUS tool thinks so too. I'm only running the stock cooler but I haven't overclocked it at all so I have just been taking it as normal.

Thanks for your help in advance.

Legume

 

[A Guy]

Ok, lets start with the Ram, you can look at my specs, we have similar setups. ASUS uses its MemOk! feature to help ensure memory compatibility, it's a physical switch that will automatically tune memory to fail safe settings in the event of memory errors or corruption.



To activate this feature all you need to do is to push a button located near the main motherboard connector for a few seconds after you turn on the computer until you see the red LED next to it start blinking. Then the motherboard will check if your memory modules are compatible with your CPU and will display a message on the screen after some seconds. If this LED is permanently turned on and the system does not show a message even after you wait one minute, then your installed the modules on the wrong sockets, your modules are not installed correctly/have bad contact with the sockets, they are incompatible or they are damaged.



Then the BIOS screen will show this:




Now, for the i5, the temps are high. If they are 50c at idle, under load they can get quite high. You would be well served to get an aftermarket cooler. Again in my specs you will see my cooler is the COOLER MASTER Hyper 212 Plus

Hyper 212 Plus

It's only $30, and my idle temps are 32c to 36c. At full 100% load for 6 hours, the highest temp reached was 67c.

You need to confirm your CPU settings. I have mine running at 166MHz, 133MHz is stock. With turbo and all power savings on. I had to manually set my Ram to 1600MHz in the BIOS.

See if you can fix your Ram issues, then we can look into your BIOS settings. If it won't boot, we'll have to get your settings back to stock and test that way.

Then I would definitely look into a new cooler. I am running my Ram at 1600MHz, and my IC idles at 3.32GHz. Your hardware is fine (assuming the Ram is ok), and you can definitely have it working right. A Guy

 

[Fumz]

We may have the same kit of RAM? Do you have G.Skill Pi? If so, you'll need to update the bios to get them to run right/get recognized. Just boot up with 1 stick and use the AsusUpdate to do it; it's a breeze.

As for your temps, with the stock cooler the i5 runs hot. 70C load temps are normal... hot, but normal. Like A Guy said though, you really should get aftermarket cooling. I idle at 25-29 and load temps are 47-51.

 

[Legume]

Hey,

Thanks guys for your help so far.

I should have been a bit more clear with the problem. When I have the sticks installed in slots A1 and B1 as recommended the computer will crash to a BSOD during the windows startup screen. If I turn it off with the power button and then turn it on again, it starts without a problem. It runs fine and doesnt crash again until the first startup of the next day.

I will try the MemOK switch, in the manual it says to push it when the LED stays on so I didnt try it as the LED turns off a few seconds after startup.

I just had a glance at the CPu frequency and I may have been wrong, I will post back tomorrow after I have pressed the Mem ok switch. I used the ASUS AI overclocking tool in the BIOS and set it to DOCP as it recommends and it has set the speed to 1600Mhz which is the native speed for these sticks.

I have G.Skill F3-12800CL9D-4GBNQ sticks. I will try to update the BIOS tomorrow using the ASUS update tool and tell you guys how that went.

Thanks foryour help so far.

Legume

 

[Fumz]

Don't use the AI overclocker. Yes, it's easy, but it will over-volt your components. Get your rig up and stable at stock, and then, if you want to overclock, do it correctly.

 

[Legume]

hey again,

Ok updated the BIOS. It works, but unfortunately I got an error when windows tried to start "BOOTMGR not found press ctrl+alt+del to restart" that is the first time I have come across that, so I inserted the windows disc and performed a system recovery and all is good.

I pressed the MemOK switch on startup., it flashed a couple times then the screen came up saying that the memory has been set correctly also but windows failed to start because of the above error.

I wont be able to replicate the problem until tomorrow so ill update you guys then.

Thanks for your patience once again.

Legume

 

[Legume]

hi,

It didnt work When windows got to the Welcome scren it sat there for a while doin its thing, then a rendered bluey purple screen with vertical lines came up and it did nothing. Windows didnt crash so I don't have a dump file to show you guys. Upon turning off the power and turning it on again, before windows started loading, the screen that tells you that windows didnt shutdown properly and gives you options came up, I selected start normally and here I am.

Nothing has really changed. Before it used to bluescreen or do what just happened then. Maybe its not a RAM issue, this one has me stumped.

Just giving you a heads up.

Legume

 

[A Guy]

hi,

It didnt work When windows got to the Welcome scren it sat there for a while doin its thing, then a rendered bluey purple screen with vertical lines came up and it did nothing. Windows didnt crash so I don't have a dump file to show you guys. Upon turning off the power and turning it on again, before windows started loading, the screen that tells you that windows didnt shutdown properly and gives you options came up, I selected start normally and here I am.

Nothing has really changed. Before it used to bluescreen or do what just happened then. Maybe its not a RAM issue, this one has me stumped.

Just giving you a heads up.

Legume

Does it have any issues just booting into safe mode? See if it will boot to safe mode with no issues. A Guy

 

[veldthui]

As for your temps, with the stock cooler the i5 runs hot. 70C load temps are normal... hot, but normal. Like A Guy said though, you really should get aftermarket cooling. I idle at 25-29 and load temps are 47-51.

Wow I am glad I got the I7 980X then. Even with the stock cooloer is was only running 20-28 degrees idle and max under load was 50 degrees. My room is warm enough now with that extra heat.

Probably not your issue but my MB had memory stick issues as well. Turned out to be bent pins on the CPU socket. There was recomendations as well that I may have had the cooler either too tight or too lose causing some pins not to make. Unfortunately for me not the case. Something to check if you cant find anything else.

 

[Legume]

hi,

Thanks for that, ill check safe mode tomorrow.

I hope its nothing more sinister that a simple hardware fault veldthui. If its something more costly im gonna have a cry

Thanks again,

Legume

 

[Fumz]

If I were you, now that you've updated the bios, I'd start from scratch. Clear CMOS, then boot up.

Don't use the MemOK button, just boot straight to the bios and set your RAM's voltage and timings accordingly. Don't bother with 1600MHz yet, 1333 is fine for now. See if it boots up.

 

[Legume]

hi,

I did just as you said. When the BIOS was updated i un-checked the "keep current CMOS settings" selection and it reset everything back to default. It has always booted, it has always been a problem with windows starting up. It makes it through the POST screen fine, and windows starts, it just doesnt load fully and crashes and carries on.

Windows started in safe mode fine.


Thanks,

Legume