Testing RAM, what utility do you use?

[Stereodude]

Does anyone else test the RAM of new systems they build before installing an OS on them?

I've always done this since I was stung by bad memory back in college. My tool of choice has been GoldMemory. I haven't had any problems with it on the various machines I've tried it on until today.

My brand new put together last night Q6600 with 4GB of RAM locks up the program every time I've tried it so far. Unfortunately it takes almost 80 minutes to get to that point so I've been limited on how many iterations I can run with different settings on the RAM. I'm not sure that the lock up means anything. It only shows my system as having 3582MB of memory while the BIOS shows the full 4GB, so I have no idea if the program just doesn't support 4GB correctly and that's causing the lockup or if I have a RAM problem.

So far I have tested the following conditions:
- Memory at DDR2-800 4-4-4-12 timings at 2.0V using v6.68 - Locks at 98% on test 363 (did this 2x)
- Memory at DDR2-800 5-5-5-15 timings at 2.0V using v6.68 - Locks at 98% on test 363
- Memory at DDR2-800 5-5-5-15 timings at 2.0V using v6.92 - Locks at 86% on test 321

I am trying Memtest86+ V2.01 now with my fingers crossed, however in the past I had bad memory that pasted Memtest86 and failed GoldMemory. I replaced that memory and the quirkiness the machine had went away, so GoldMemory was correct.

 

[Stereodude]

Memtest86+ made 2 successful passes at 800MHz with 5-5-5-15 timings at 2.0V. I'm trying the 4-4-4-12 timings at 2.0V now.

 

[Gilbo]

I use MemTest86+ as well. I usually let it run overnight after I build a system, before installing the OS.

I don't use anything else, but a lot of people use Prime95 as a stress test I believe.

 

[Bozo]

I use MemTest86+ too. Plus Prime95 on occasion.

F@H makes a good test for stability of your system.

Bozo :joker:

 

[Stereodude]

Well it completed two passes at 4-4-4-12 without error.

 

[MaxBurn]

On new systems I build for myself I tweak a bit and do memtest86 and prime after I get an OS on it. From there I will loop 3dmark to see if the graphics is stable for gaming. I also have this thing called Burnin tester which claims it will find problems, but I don't think I have seen it catch anything. It does a good job of heating up the entire system for extended periods, so you can see how your cooling solution does. Unlike others you can throttle burnin tester so it doesn't have to run flat out like a benchmark utility so you can simulate different things like video processing or again gaming with older games.

 

[Stereodude]

Well it completed two passes at 4-4-4-12 without error.

I ran it overnight last night and it did 11+ passes, so I guess the memory is OK. Now it's time to heat up the processor.

 

[ddrueding]

My system passes all of the above, but leave it doing XviD compression in AutoGK and it dies within hours.

 

[mubs]

Why don't you try Goldmemory with 2GB at a time?

 

[Stereodude]

Why don't you try Goldmemory with 2GB at a time?

I guess I could try that...

 

[Stereodude]

My system passes all of the above, but leave it doing XviD compression in AutoGK and it dies within hours.

How fast are you running your Q6600?

 

[ddrueding]

Now I'm @ 3.2Ghz and a minor vCore adjustment. I may hold off until I get a better heatsink; the core just ticked past 70C.

 

[Stereodude]

Now I'm @ 3.2Ghz and a minor vCore adjustment. I may hold off until I get a better heatsink; the core just ticked past 70C.

What are you using to monitor the temperature?

 

[ddrueding]

Both Motherboard Monitor and the nVidia "System Monitor" give the same information.

 

[Stereodude]

Both Motherboard Monitor and the nVidia "System Monitor" give the same information.

I've tried several different programs and they all give me different numbers, so I'm not sure who to trust. I haven't tried MBM but I'm told it doesn't work on all boards, especially newer ones. I'll have to give it a shot later today Speedfan was spitting out absurdly low numbers (idle under room temp), CoreTemp was spitting out rather high numbers compared to the BIOS / Gigabyte tool.

HardOCP noted a rather large disparity between all the software programs / BIOS, etc and has resorted to using a CPU with a thermocouple buried in a channel milled in the heat spreader for temp testing HSF setups. link

 

[LiamC]

Intel's Thermal Analysis Tool (TAT) is what you need. Failing that, CoreTemp 0.95b3 or so uses the same methodology as TAT. Speedfan 4.34b40 (beta 40)—available if you register—also uses the same as TAT. 4.33 (the latest generally available doesn't—reports too low.

All three report temps 15~20 Celsius higher than other tools/thermistors etc.

I would say that Speedfan 4.34b40, CoreTemp (latest) or TAT are accurate.