- Dec 22, 2002
- 8,702
- 2
- 81
Before I begin, here are the system specs:
Athlon XP 2700+
EPoX 8RDA+ (Rev. 1.1 - Latest BIOS flashed)
512 MB of Corsair TWINX512-2700LLPT (2-2-2-5)
ATi Radeon 9700 Pro
Maxtor DiamondMax Plus 9 (6Y080P0) 80.0 GB @ 7200 RPMS
Sony CRX1611
Enermax EG365P-VE FM 350 Watt ATX PSU
Vdd: 1.58V
Vcore: 1.68V
Vdimm: 2.65V
+5V: 4.91V
+12V: 12.28 to 12.34
-12V: -12.52 to -12.61
-5V: -5.34 to -5.40
VBAT: 3.24V
5VSB: 5.04
CPU and DIMM voltages are set to auto.
CPU temperature is around 50-55 degrees celcius.
Now, the 2700+ is brand-new. The previous processor was an 1800+, and along with the RAM running underclocked, but synchronously at 133MHz with timings of 2-2-2-5, the system was rock-solid, passing memtest86 error-free and hours of 3DMark2001 SE and 3DMark2003.
I carefully popped in the new 2700+, reset CMOS, and re-entered the appropriate BIOS values. The motherboard reported no problems and posted. Windows quickly booted and I thought all was well. Within a few minutes I started getting errors all over the place. IE would fail, Outlook would fail, Explorer would crash, etc. I even got a few BSODs.
I got so fed up with all the errors I was receiving I simply decided to reformat and reinstall.
With the RAM running at 166MHz, no matter what the CPU's FSB was set at; 100, 133, or 166MHz, the Windows XP installation would fail. Yet with the RAM running at 133MHz, and the CPU's FSB at 166MHz the Windows installation was sucessful.
Upping the DIMM voltage from 2.65 to 2.77 allows me to install Windows error free at 166MHz, but once installed I experience errors. For instance, when I attempt to execute the 128MB SP1a file I received the following dialogue:
"File is corrupt."
I redownloaded the file, but receive the same error.
I've just finished running Memtest86 on the two Corsair DIMMs, with timings at 2-2-2-5, which is default. Each DIMM was tested seperately, in all three DIMM slots. At 133MHz, both DIMMs passed all tests in all DIMM slots. At 166MHz both DIMMs experienced thousands of errors in all DIMM slots.
Upping the voltage only seems to decrease the number of errors, but I still get errors every time. Could it be the PSU not getting enough power to either the CPU, or the system in general?
Now, I'm testing some Kingston ValueRAM. So far, the first DIMM passes all tests at 133MHz, but at 166MHz I get errors, fewer errors than the Corsair, but still hundreds of errors.
Keep in mind, when I first bought this memory I tested it along side my 1800+ with the FSB at 133MHz. I ran the RAM synchronously at 133MHz and passed all tests over a six hour period. Not one error. This leads me to believe the Corsair RAM is unstable and the cause of the errors. However, the RAM is allegedly tested at 166MHz with timings of 2-2-2-5. So, why is this RAM unstable at its default speeds? Could the CPU be at fault? Could it be the motherboard? Could it be the PSU? I need help isolating the offending hardware so I can RMA appropriately.
Please advise.
Athlon XP 2700+
EPoX 8RDA+ (Rev. 1.1 - Latest BIOS flashed)
512 MB of Corsair TWINX512-2700LLPT (2-2-2-5)
ATi Radeon 9700 Pro
Maxtor DiamondMax Plus 9 (6Y080P0) 80.0 GB @ 7200 RPMS
Sony CRX1611
Enermax EG365P-VE FM 350 Watt ATX PSU
Vdd: 1.58V
Vcore: 1.68V
Vdimm: 2.65V
+5V: 4.91V
+12V: 12.28 to 12.34
-12V: -12.52 to -12.61
-5V: -5.34 to -5.40
VBAT: 3.24V
5VSB: 5.04
CPU and DIMM voltages are set to auto.
CPU temperature is around 50-55 degrees celcius.
Now, the 2700+ is brand-new. The previous processor was an 1800+, and along with the RAM running underclocked, but synchronously at 133MHz with timings of 2-2-2-5, the system was rock-solid, passing memtest86 error-free and hours of 3DMark2001 SE and 3DMark2003.
I carefully popped in the new 2700+, reset CMOS, and re-entered the appropriate BIOS values. The motherboard reported no problems and posted. Windows quickly booted and I thought all was well. Within a few minutes I started getting errors all over the place. IE would fail, Outlook would fail, Explorer would crash, etc. I even got a few BSODs.
I got so fed up with all the errors I was receiving I simply decided to reformat and reinstall.
With the RAM running at 166MHz, no matter what the CPU's FSB was set at; 100, 133, or 166MHz, the Windows XP installation would fail. Yet with the RAM running at 133MHz, and the CPU's FSB at 166MHz the Windows installation was sucessful.
Upping the DIMM voltage from 2.65 to 2.77 allows me to install Windows error free at 166MHz, but once installed I experience errors. For instance, when I attempt to execute the 128MB SP1a file I received the following dialogue:
"File is corrupt."
I redownloaded the file, but receive the same error.
I've just finished running Memtest86 on the two Corsair DIMMs, with timings at 2-2-2-5, which is default. Each DIMM was tested seperately, in all three DIMM slots. At 133MHz, both DIMMs passed all tests in all DIMM slots. At 166MHz both DIMMs experienced thousands of errors in all DIMM slots.
Upping the voltage only seems to decrease the number of errors, but I still get errors every time. Could it be the PSU not getting enough power to either the CPU, or the system in general?
Now, I'm testing some Kingston ValueRAM. So far, the first DIMM passes all tests at 133MHz, but at 166MHz I get errors, fewer errors than the Corsair, but still hundreds of errors.
Keep in mind, when I first bought this memory I tested it along side my 1800+ with the FSB at 133MHz. I ran the RAM synchronously at 133MHz and passed all tests over a six hour period. Not one error. This leads me to believe the Corsair RAM is unstable and the cause of the errors. However, the RAM is allegedly tested at 166MHz with timings of 2-2-2-5. So, why is this RAM unstable at its default speeds? Could the CPU be at fault? Could it be the motherboard? Could it be the PSU? I need help isolating the offending hardware so I can RMA appropriately.
Please advise.