changed RAM, cpu 100%

[Niflheim]

Hello nice looking people, I do have a problem.

I used to have 1,5 gb of DDR1 PC3200 RAM but, today, I bought 2 gb of DDR2 PC5300. I removed the old RAM, put on the new one, plugged the computer and started it. It detects 2gb or RAM and when I do "dxdiag" it says 2048mb and all and all.

It was all ok until I started a game. It was horribly laggy, even the sound was laggy and broke. I checked and my CPU usage was at 100%. Strange because it never happened before that. I quit the game but it stayed at 100%.

I rebooted and it was ok, but whenever I start a program the cpu goes 100% and stays there. I can't do much.

So, what the hell?

I have Windows XP and a GeForce 8800GTS and mobo ECS P4M890T-M2 and I recently changed my CPU for an Intel Dual Core. Before I changed my RAM this morning, it worked perfectly (well as perfectly as Windows allows it), so I guess it has to do with the RAM.

Anyone knows what the hell?

Thanks

 

[Quiksilver]

Take out one stick and see if problem is still there?

 

[nyker96]

test it one at a time, and run some memtest86+ on it. See if things ok from there.

 

[smaky]

try reseting the bios

 

[Niflheim]

Hmm, indeed.
I removed one of the sticks and restarted. The problem was no more. I could play games and start programs.
I put the stick back and the problem was back.

You seem to know about that ahah, what is this? What can I do?

 

[sutahz]

Yes, test the ram first, do a bios flash, read the manual (see if anything needs to be changed in the BIOS when switching from DDR1 to DDR2), grab a spare hdd and reinstall windows (may help.. somehow).

Oh and stay away from crappy mobo's in the future.

I see you found the bad stick of ram while I was looking up your mobo and responding. You contact the place you bought the ram from and do an RMA. If its been 30 days since you purchased the ram, contact the mfg'r for an RMA.

Once again QuiksilverX1 has the correct answer for you. When switching from DDR1 to DDR2 you definatly need to change the voltage and in all likelyhood the timings as well.
You didnt, at anytime, have DDR1 and DDR2 installed at the same time on that system did you?

 

[Niflheim]

For the bios, I flashed it about 3 weeks ago when I changed my CPU.
For the mobo (yeah crappy it is) it doesn't say anything special about changing RAM.

The RAM sticks both work perefectly when taken separately, but if I put them both inside, it doesn't work.
Is that a common problem?
When (this morning) I was on DDR1, I had one stick of 512mb and one stick of 1gb and never had that problem.
For Windows, I reinstall it all the time. That's a fresh install.

Damn.

 

[Niflheim]

Now that I have a clear idea of the problem, I'll start another thread in the Memory forum.
Thanks a lot guys

 

[Quiksilver]

Go in the BIOS and set the DRAM voltage and timings to what the manufacture suggests also check to make sure the command rate is set to 2T. Also what brand and model is this RAM and is it on the compatibility list (QVL) for your motherboard?

After doing that, run memtest86 with both sticks in, if you get one error or more (eg. fails), remove one stick and try again, if it passes(eg. zero errors), swap sticks and run again with other stick, and if it passes that too I would have to say this is a motherboard or BIOS issue.

 

[Niflheim]

Ok I'll try that!

 

[Niflheim]

Well I did it. I memtested both the sticks, individually and together. No errors. They are ok.
I guess I'll have to change my board eh?

Thanks a lot

 

[The-Noid]

Probably easiest if your change your board.

As tests will prove over and over combo boards whether they be DDR1 + DDR2 or DDR2 + DDR3 are "flakier" than there single component alternatives.

 

[CTho9305]

What process is using all the CPU time? Check in task manager (ctrl+alt+del, look on the "Processes" tab). I wouldn't start assuming it's a hardware problem yet.

 

[SanDiegoPC]

Originally posted by: CTho9305
What process is using all the CPU time? Check in task manager (ctrl+alt+del, look on the "Processes" tab). I wouldn't start assuming it's a hardware problem yet.

I agree. That should have been the first question.

 

[Niflheim]

It's not a process in particular, it's pretty much anything I open. If it's steam, then it makes the cpu go 100%. If it's WoW, then it's 100%, if it's Word...
Now I tried adding voltage in my BIOS settings, +.05, 0.1 and 0.15, but that didn't fix it.
I'm back with my old RAM until it is fixed or I buy another motherboard.