Liqourice

Hi.

I have some problems I really don't understand. Currently I have these Apacer DDR2-800 in my system. I bought a set of Corsair Dominator TWIN2X2048-8500C5D and put them in instead and I got nothing but problems.

Since my CPU is only capable of 800 MHz the memory is downclocked to that speed.

I have a lot of BSOD's and I can can't OC as much with those as with the Apacer ones. The system was so unstable I had to switch back to the old Apacers.

The Corsair mems are, at least as it's stated, tested before shipping and I've ran memtest86 for almost 24 hours myself and no errors. I've also tested them at the standard 1.8V setting and the 2.2V setting as stated on the mems (in the documentation it says that it should be 1.8V for 800MHz but I tried both just in case).

I even tried to completely reinstall windows after plugging in the Corsairs but still the same problem.

Anyone got any idea why? Aren't they compatible with my Athlon 64 X2 for some reason? Don't they like being downclocked to 800MHz. Will they work properly when I put a Phenom 9950 in instead?

I can't return them since they aren't showing any errors. I do find it strange though that I get BSOD's and programs crashing when memtest doesn't find any errors.

Mousey

Have you tried running individual sticks and using memtest on them individually? I remember once ages ago i had a stick of DDR400 go bad in my system, i had similair symptons to you like crashes and BSODs ect. It wasn't until i ram Memtest on just 1 stick it came up with christ knows how many errors so i got it taken back

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Liqourice

No, I haven't done that. I figured the errors would show up if I had both in but I could always try it that way and see...

OldBuzzard

Have you tried setting all of the MEMORY related options in your BIOS to AUTO, and running your CPU and GPU at stock speeds?

You might also try changing which banks and/or slots you install the RAM into. Odd as it sounds, sometimes some RAM just doesn't "like" which slot it's in.

I ran into the same problem you are having a long time ago, with a 1.2 Athlon and Tyan MB. I put the stick I had in Slot 1 into Slot 3, and Slot 3 into Slot 1, and the system was rock solid after that

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When looking for a reason as to why things go wrong, never rule out sheer STUPIDITY

Liqourice

I've tried switching them between slots, I haven't tried changing banks though. I might give that a go and see if it works.

Forgot to say that I tried running at stock speed with everything on auto and I still had BSOD's.

Liqourice

Well, I'm giving up on these.

I've tried everything. DIfferent banks, one by one, different voltages.

I thought I got things working with those now but obviously not since suddenly I'm getting strange crashes again and the only change are these memory sticks. AMD's OC utility won't start even now, it crashes at once.

I just don't understand why I'm getting these strange effects, even at stock speed and everything set to auto, and I still don't get any errors with memtest.

I guess I'll just throw them out the window.

CDsDontBurn

perhaps what's going on here is related to the memory controller. but, with AMD CPUs, the memory controller is on the CPU itself. this would require that you change out the CPU to test this theory though.

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Liqourice

Well, something else is going on here. I changed back to the old mems again. Everything seems stable except that AMD Overdrive crashes when I try to start it up. AODassist does as well.

Everything worked perfectly, then suddenly I can't get that running. Same happens with both mem types.

This happens on both windows installations (both XP SP3, one regular and one clean with nothing but windows, drivers, two games and 3DMark06) so I'm at a loss. Since it just suddenly started happening I have absolutely no idea what's wrong and it doesn't seem to be memory related since it happens with both types.

CDsDontBurn

ok, so then this rules out any kind of software issues because it's happening with two different OS installations.

to rule out any issues with the memory, i suggest that you run these sticks in another machine if at all possible.

also, you mentioned you were getting BSODs. do you know what they were saying?

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cozumel

You can analyze the BSODs with the MS debugging tool and its quite simple to do. It can often (but not always) pinpoint the exact source of the problem. Just choose your version of Windows for the correct download. You can come back here if you need help running the program

Edit: This site gives good instructions as it goes.

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Liqourice

No, I'm not getting any BSOD's now. I have the old apacer mems in now and everything seems to work perfectly, just that AOD crashes at once.

I'm going to switch banks and see if the problem persists. If it does then I have no idea what's happened. If it goes away I guess something's happened with the mobo but we'll see.

PangingJr

clear CMOS and install only the old Apacer RAMs, and see if you have any problem again at all with your system?

then remove the Apacer's RAM, clear CMOS and install only the Corsair's and using its vdimm voltage and timing,
if you have problem with the computer then this is a little sign that tells you this Corsair's RAM is somehow not compatible with this computer system,
i would check with Corsair's and the motherboard's to find confirmation info on this. or just won't use this RAM on this computer.

Liqourice

Well, I've decided to not try them any more until I get a Phenom and then see if things are better. I am gonna ask on corsairs support forum just in case.

cozumel

You should drop a line to Gigabyte's site as well.

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Liqourice

I have asked their support already and they have no answer.

Liqourice

Hah.

The world is strange sometimes. Found out on the AMD board that AMD Overdrive fails because of date. If I change the date to anything before aug 31 it works...

Sad to say but that's a noob programmers error. A big company shouldn't release software with a timelimit like this. It applies to both versions I have, 2.1.0 and 2.1.2.

And here I thought it was a CPU error...

cozumel

So are you using 2.0.17 now? And has that allowed the Corsair to work properly with your board?

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Liqourice

Actually, it seems like I've managed to tweak the system so the mems work now. I thought it was the mems that caused AOD to crash but it wasn't. Though, I think I'll still use the Apacer ones until I get a new CPU.

The only versions of AMD Overdrive I have are 2.1.0 and 2.1.2 and none of those are working. Can't find any other version I'm afraid.