memtest failure, now what?

[tuffluck]

i have been getting some bizarre crashes of late on my 2 month old computer i built. i was not getting bsod's and i immediately suspected hardware. ran memtest on my g.skill ripjaws ddr3 1600 8gb and got 35,000 errors in under 3 minutes of running the test. i tested just 1 stick in both DIMMs with no errors. stuck the other stick in one slot and got the same 35,000 errors in under 3 minutes. is it safe to say that absolutely, 100% without a doubt, the memory is the problem here?

i did OC my CPU 2500k to 4.0ghz @ 1.22, but i first set the memory to spec at 1.5v 9-9-9-24, although the faulty RAM stick said 6-6-6-20 in memtest. i don't know how that could have happened, but i made sure to go back in the bios and reset it to 1.5v and 9-9-9-24 before i RMA it, just in case they want to give me grief over the 6-6-6-24 setting (that i didn't do). is there any way my OC on the CPU could have FUBAR'd the RAM, or does this sound specifically like a RAM problem? RAM was never OC'd.

btw, i run blend on P95 with ease for hours. also, is there any damage if i run the 1 4gb stick that is still good for a few days? i absolutely need my PC through next week, and i do not think g.skill will send an RMA quick enough for me to risk sending off both of my sticks just yet.

 

[razel]

Re-memtest with CPU/RAM settings at default and see if the errors still occur. If it doesn't then I'd slowly ramp up the RAM speed until you start to get errors. Once you find the speed where it's stable, back off one more speed grade then call it a day. Have fun.

 

[tuffluck]

RAM was never OC'd, i was always running it at stock speeds.

 

[razel]

You can still get memory errors with an OC'd CPU. In fact you'll get more than just memory errors.

 

[mikeymikec]

memtest86 or memtest86+ ?

I understand the latter is considered better/more reliable.

 

[Diogenes2]

If you have one stick of RAM that is failing, it is probably bad. There is no danger of running with the one good stick ..
Even if your OC is not stable, it will not damage RAM.

 

[Revolution 11]

Consider using HCI Memtest as well. Idontcare mentioned that several otherwise undetectable RAM errors have been caught with this test. Good luck.

 

[teddyv]

I had a few random crashes on my new rig, ran Memtest+ and found a few errors. When I went to the Corsair RMA page it had a selection for Memtest errors, selecting that I had my RMA immediately improved. Sent it off, 9 days later I had brand new package RAM that passed all tests with flying colors.

 

[bryanl]

memtest86 or memtest86+ ?

I understand the latter is considered better/more reliable.

It's only more compatible with newer hardware, having been updated more recently, but even when the hardware is compatible with both, those programs often give different results, despite their common ancestory. Moral: use both, if possible.

 

[JEAN-MARC]

Hi, i have exactly the same problem but my hardware is different:
Asrock Z77 extreme4/i5 3570k/gskill ares 2133 9-11-10-28
exactly the same issue as you describe, i tested my memory modules on A1 B1 A2 B2, and i have the same timings issue on B1 and B2, the timings indicated with memtest are 6-6-6-20 instead of 9-11-10-28, on A1 and A2, everything i just fine. I can't figure out what the problem is...

Before you rma, i suggest you to try your "good" memory module on the same slot as the "bad" one, to check if it's not a mobo issue as i suspect it is

thanks