I have two 4coredualsata motherboards, and am getting some memory errors with my Crucial Ballistix Tracer ddr2 memory (2-1G sticks). Typically the errors occur after some period of use of the machine, so I surmised that it was perhaps a heat related issue, however, case temps are not a problem as the box is in a cool basement and I keep the case open so cool air is always present over the mobo. Relaxing memory timings had no effect on the errors. Testing one memory stick at a time I get no errors though, only when I use both sticks in dual-channel mode do the errors occur.
I pulled the Crucial sticks from my game rig system, but them in the "spare" 4coredual-sata motherboard (since the 2nd mobo is still uninstalled and is a convenient test setup on my workbench) and duplicated some of the errors. Now comes the odd question, it appears these Crucial memory sticks run a bit warm. Oddly though, the memory stick further from the CPU is always warmer, so much warmer that the temperature difference is quite noticeable to the touch. If I switch the location of the memory sticks, the stick in the slot furthest from the CPU is STILL the hotter stick (temps noted during running of memtest86). BIOS is setup for HIGH Vmem, but the sticks are rated for 2.2v, so 2.1v should be no problem.
Given that the memory speed (266) I'm running them at is far below the spec'd rating of this memory, I'm certainly going to RMA the sticks.
Is anyone else using this particular brand/model memory in their board and if so can you do a touch test on the sticks and check the temps? Thanks. I don't have any other DDR2 mobos to test this in, other than my spare 4coredual-sata mobo.
I also just picked up some very decent Corsair DDR2 memory sticks from Newegg ($45 with a $30 rebate) and they are almost cool to the touch by comparison to the Crucial memory sticks, even under load in my system. I can't detect any temp differences between the Corsair sticks, and their specs are the same or slightly better than the Crucial sticks. I get no memory errors with the Corsair sticks in either system fwiw.
Thanks, in advance, for your comments or observations.