Place yer bets

[MaxBurn]

Place your bets, Memory or Power supply!

My desktop died last night, had a mystery reboot last week and locked up all of the sudden yesterday during use. With both sticks of memory in any of the two paired slots I get one long beep = memory error. With only one stick of memory in the slot next to the CPU many short beeps = power error. If the single stick of memory is in any other slot I get the memory error. Clearing CMOS didn't change anything.

Gigabyte 965P-DQ6
C2D E6600 2.4g @ 3.0g 333/1333FSB
Corsair Memory CM2x1024-8500C5 at 3 multiplier 1000mhz @2.2v
Seasonic SS-550HT
ATI X1950XTX
All hard and optical drives unplugged at the moment.

Hoping on memory myself, going to attempt to get some at BBY or CC over lunch.

 

[P5-133XL]

MB

and then I looked at the voltage your memory is running at: Kill your OC!

 

[MaxBurn]

The memory is rated at 1066 at 2.2v by Corsair, there is no OC or OV on it, actually it's underclocked a hair. Besides, clearing the CMOS would have reset all that. Even found this in a quick google:

http://www.houseofhelp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=55292

 

[P5-133XL]

If the ram is speced for 2.2V, then np, the MB should be able to handle it.

Is this a new build, or has the machine been up and running a while? RAM compatibility problems this severe don't show up on a machine that has been running a while.

Does the one stick behavior occur with the other stick? If so, it is not a RAM issue, unless it is a compatability issue. It is unlikely that the two sticks would fail simultanously.

While it is possible that it is a PS problem, my bet is that it is a MB voltage regulation problem instead. However, PS's are easier and cheaper to test by swapping out.

 

[Mercutio]

Any DDR2 memory that needs to run at more than 1.8V in order to operate is defective. I don't care if your hardware gives you the option to do it or not. If it's DDR2, spec says it works at 1.8V.

I'll give you a third option, which is that your Gigabyte motherboard just can't handle what you're asking it to do. Intel-based Gigabyte motherboards are incredibly picky about RAM in my experience. I had a hell of a time finding RAM that I could use on a Gigabyte board for overclocking.

 

[P5-133XL]

I'm running 4x2GB Geil PC2-8500 that uses 2.1V on a Ga-X48-DQ3 and it has absolutely no problems with it. I have actually OC'ed and over-voltaged to use 2.7v with no problems, but I've found no need to do that so it is back down to the default 2.1v.

I do recognize that lots of MB's really want their ram to be much closer to 1.8v and RAM, in general, does not like to be over-voltaged much at all.

 

[MaxBurn]

Aw crap, I see the logic in that train of thought and I think you are right but a motherboard isn't something I can get locally.

Been running for nearly a year, but it wasn't always running with the CPU OC. Only ran that for the past 8 months or so.

Checked and both pieces of memory in slot 1 result in that PS error. Generally agree that is not indicative of memory.

 

[P5-133XL]

Just as a side issue, Merc could be correct that the MB didn't like running the RAM at 2.1V and that is what has caused the MB voltage regulators to fail over time.

 

[Bozo]

If the specs I looked at are correct, your motherboard is not rated for that memory.

http://www.newegg.com/product/product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128323

For some reason I cannot get to the Gigabyte web site at the moment.

Bozo :joker:

 

[P5-133XL]

However, his RAM modules are in Gigabyte's compatible RAM list for that MB

 

[MaxBurn]

However, his RAM modules are in Gigabyte's compatible RAM list for that MB

They are also listed the other way around on Corsairs site for that board.

If this board with "Quad triple phase power supply" and "heatpipe" cooling can't handle some memory voltage when it is marketed as a overclocker board then I don't know why I paid extra for it over some base models.

Bozo: there are three versions of that DQ6 out there and I have the later v3.3 that is rated for 1333FSB.

 

[MaxBurn]

Older Antec 500 PS pulled out of another computer didn't' change anything. Don't have memory around to test with.

Thinking about just going back to supermicro and just sticking with the lower memory rating. Or I could really spend some money and switch to DDR3, but I think ill just wait for the new i7 to hit though.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813182124

http://www.supermicro.com/products/motherboard/Core2Duo/G33/C2SBA+.cfm

 

[Howell]

Depressing as it may be, I've seen some buldged caps recently.

 

[MaxBurn]

Just got the motherboard in today (I was out of town on business), but it wasn't the motherboard. It was the memory. Both pieces as in never could happen. Neither one worked individually in either motherboard. Go figure. Got some cheap PNY on sale locally that works fine.

As far as this gigabyte DQ6 board goes it actually has a feature called solid caps or something. So it has no electrolytic caps on it to fail which is pretty cool.

 

[MaxBurn]

Well the new memory works fine in the old motherboard too. So off to RMA on the memory and ebay for one of the motherboards.

Which motherboard would you all keep?

Gigabyte 965P-DQ6 with Intel P965+ICH8R
-or-
Supermicro C2SBA+II-O with Intel G33+ICH9R


Before all this happened I was already planning on going i7 in a couple months for early next year and I don't think those plans are changing.

 

[P5-133XL]

I feel you need to be asking -- What caused both sticks to fail simultanously, in the same way, and at the same time, after almost a year of successfull operation? That is extemely unlikely without an external cause. To me, that still stinks of a MB problem. I would contend that the new cheap PNY RAM is likely to be using less voltage and thereby working in both MB's and the old ram doesn't work in the new MB because of the 2.2V it needs while in the old MB, the voltage regulation just couldn't sustain the needed 2.2V any longer. Merc may be right: Anything over 1.8V is defective RAM ...

Regardless, problem solved. I would keep the new Supermicro because I think the Gigabyte is on its way south for the winter.

 

[MaxBurn]

Will look into an RMA on the Gigabyte too wonder what they will say...

 

[MaxBurn]

Minor update, the memory was replaced and the motherboard was returned with no comment. I don't see a repair and it all works fine now and passes memtest and everything.

Quite happy with my new kit though, this kicked off quite the spending spree so off to ebay with all the other stuff.

 

[time]

The Gigabyte is a much higher-end board, so personally I'd be inclined to keep it and flog the SuperMicro. I like high-end boards with lots of features - they seem to cut fewer corners.

 

[MaxBurn]

Well I am a real fan of supermicro after the P4SCT which is still running flawlessly in a friends computer now. Zero trouble with this board either. Also the P965 doesn't really officially support the 1333FSB I now need. The only thing I want that it doesn't have is some sort of digital out for the sound card but I think I am getting something soon. I was in a bit of a hard place in owning DDR2 in this day and age so I settled on that chipset so I could still use it as I really didn't want to repurchase memory, again. I guess now that I am through this I don't have a thing against Gigabyte either, RMA process was smooth and it seems that wasn't the component that failed as they returned the same board with no repair I can see.

Whatever this incident was it seems to have claimed my video card too, here,and here
Really not happy I can't RMA that.

What actually failed and what the computer is now:
Gigabyte 965P-DQ6 changed to Supermicro C2SBA+II
C2D E6600 2.4g changed to Q9550 quad at 2.83 with lots more cache
Failed 2 gig Corsair XMS changed to 4 gig PNY DDR2
Seasonic SS-550HT - same
Failed ATI X1950XTX changed to BFG 260 OC2


What a completely shitty way to spend December, least it was a distraction from my actual life.

 

[ddrueding]

Excellent choice on the 9550. I was able to get mine stable @ 3.6Ghz with regular 800Mhz memory and no voltage mods.

 

[MaxBurn]

Whatever this incident was it seems to have claimed my video card too, here,and here
Really not happy I can't RMA that.

Failed Connect 3D* ATI X1950XTX changed to BFG 260 OC2

*= Connect3D US having gone t**s up a couple years ago

What a completely shitty way to spend December, least it was a distraction from my actual life.

American Express officially kicks ass, I knew all those member benefits would kick in some day. Basically they refunded the cost of my new video card less shipping.

Claim Number : 24xxxx
Status : Claim Paid
The following payment(s) have been made on your Extended Warranty claim:
DATE 12/30/2008
DESCRIPTION A credit was issued to the Cardmember's account in the amount of $279.00.


I spammed and called every connect3D contact I could find and got exactly nothing back from anyone, including the overseas place that is suposedly still in business.