Bad RAM and what to do with it?

Kymera · Jul 23, 2004, 06:27 AM

Well I'll inform you guys on my situation.

I have a very nice computer, 3.0ghz P4-C, 9800XT, the full 9 yards. However, I ran into some problems with the Intel mobo and had to replace it. My computer was nice and peachy for the next month and a half. Then I started noticing "bad parsing" errors in Half-Life 1 mods such as Counter-Strike and some weird system behavior, such as a dead boot (black screen after pressing the start button, doesnt go to POST) and "Overclocking Failed" on the POST screen startup after I restarted the computer. I reset all the BIOS settings to optimal and once again my system was fine.

For two weeks.

Then the exact same problems started happening again. This time I reseated the CPU, RAM, video, and soundcards. My computer was fine for another week, which leads up to recently.

Now I have not seen the "Overclocking Failed" recently, but the same Steam console errors are showing up. Just earlier today, my system crashed to a black screen and I forced my computer to restart (which has happened twice before.)

My computer was running absolutely flawlessly until it dragged me into all of this mess at the end of May, so I thought I would run a memory check. The memory checker I used said that one of my two DIMM modules incurred 23 errors during the test, and the other one successfully passed the test with no errors.

My question to all of you is this: could this one (supposedly) bad RAM module be the cause of all my problems? I have 512x2 Corsair XMS PC3200 DDR RAM.

No_Style · Jul 23, 2004, 06:35 AM

Try running your system with just 1 stick for a day or two and see if things start happening again. If not, you should take Corsair up on their Warranty

>GSXR<mrbusa · Jul 23, 2004, 06:54 AM

hello,what memory app are you useing,if it is memtest86 and you are running in dual channel mode,you need to switch to the updated version memtest86+ 1.?.i had the same prob with getting errors but my memory wasnt bad.make sure all your timeings are correct in your bios,and that your voltage is correct also.my asus board really didnt even come close to detecting the right settings by itself.sometimes you have to do it manually.you might have to relax some of your timeings,especially with 2x512.my ram is supposed to run at 2-2-2-5-,but with 2x512 i had to change to 2.5-3-3-6.i dont know about the steam probs,sry.hope the rest helps about the memory errors though,later

MythicaL · Jul 23, 2004, 07:26 AM

Yeah, Corsair has a lifetime warranty... my RAM went bad, kinda like yours, I contacted them... yada yada... it's free too!

Jul 23, 2004, 06:27 AM	#1
Kymera DriverHeaven Newbie Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Minneapolis, MN Posts: 18 Rep Power: 0	Bad RAM and what to do with it? Well I'll inform you guys on my situation. I have a very nice computer, 3.0ghz P4-C, 9800XT, the full 9 yards. However, I ran into some problems with the Intel mobo and had to replace it. My computer was nice and peachy for the next month and a half. Then I started noticing "bad parsing" errors in Half-Life 1 mods such as Counter-Strike and some weird system behavior, such as a dead boot (black screen after pressing the start button, doesnt go to POST) and "Overclocking Failed" on the POST screen startup after I restarted the computer. I reset all the BIOS settings to optimal and once again my system was fine. For two weeks. Then the exact same problems started happening again. This time I reseated the CPU, RAM, video, and soundcards. My computer was fine for another week, which leads up to recently. Now I have not seen the "Overclocking Failed" recently, but the same Steam console errors are showing up. Just earlier today, my system crashed to a black screen and I forced my computer to restart (which has happened twice before.) My computer was running absolutely flawlessly until it dragged me into all of this mess at the end of May, so I thought I would run a memory check. The memory checker I used said that one of my two DIMM modules incurred 23 errors during the test, and the other one successfully passed the test with no errors. My question to all of you is this: could this one (supposedly) bad RAM module be the cause of all my problems? I have 512x2 Corsair XMS PC3200 DDR RAM.

Jul 23, 2004, 06:35 AM	#2
No_Style Styleless Wonder Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Ottawa, Ontario Posts: 6,034 Rep Power: 0	Could be. Try running your system with just 1 stick for a day or two and see if things start happening again. If not, you should take Corsair up on their Warranty __________________ "The Best Style Is No Style" Specifications Here

Jul 23, 2004, 07:26 AM	#4
MythicaL I like computers. Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: In front of a monitor Posts: 3,399 Rep Power: 89 System Specs	Yeah, Corsair has a lifetime warranty... my RAM went bad, kinda like yours, I contacted them... yada yada... it's free too! __________________ Always knew I didn't belong in this world. I wasn't made for this. But I'll never forget those who betrayed me, and those who never failed my trust.

Jul 23, 2004, 06:54 AM	#3
>GSXR<mrbusa im a FREAK Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Portland, OR Posts: 2,107 Rep Power: 0 System Specs	hello,what memory app are you useing,if it is memtest86 and you are running in dual channel mode,you need to switch to the updated version memtest86+ 1.?.i had the same prob with getting errors but my memory wasnt bad.make sure all your timeings are correct in your bios,and that your voltage is correct also.my asus board really didnt even come close to detecting the right settings by itself.sometimes you have to do it manually.you might have to relax some of your timeings,especially with 2x512.my ram is supposed to run at 2-2-2-5-,but with 2x512 i had to change to 2.5-3-3-6.i dont know about the steam probs,sry.hope the rest helps about the memory errors though,later