Difficult F2-8500CL5D-4GBPK BSOD Error Issue

[lnewqban]

Hello,

I'm making this thread to ask help with my Gigabyte GA-EP45-UD3R (rev. 1.1), which has been giving me Blue Screens of Death since I first started using my PC in Junuary.

A couple of days ago, I updated the BIOS to version F12 using the Q-Flash utility with a USB Flash Drive.

I'm also using Windows 7 64-bit, and I have not reistalled it since I updated the BIOS.

I have the F2-8500CL5D-4GBPK memory package, and I changed the settings in the BIOS to almost excactly what was mentioned in this thread (not the screenshots, the settings mentioned in the text): http://www.gskill.us/forum/showthread.php?t=1169. I also looked at this thread http://www.gskill.us/forum/showthread.php?t=3979, but I didn't use the settings in the screenshots, only the settings from the other thread.

For quicker reading, here are some of the settings used currently:

CPU Host Clock Control - Disabled
CPU Host Frequency - 333
Performance Enhance - Standard
Extreme Memory Profile - Disabled
System Memory Mulitplier - 3.20B
DRAM Timing Selectable - Manual
CAS Latency - 5
tRCD - 5
tRP - 5
tRAS - 15

Advanced Timing Control (submenu)
tRRD - 4 (AUTO)
tWTR - 4 (AuTO)
tWR - 8 (AUTO)
tRFC - 68(AUTO)
tRTP - 4 (AUTO)
Command Rate - 2

Load Line Calibration - Disabled
MCH Core - 1.20V
DRAM Voltage - 2.10V

After doing that, my PC gave a BSOD error after only 15 minutes of using it, and then when I rebooted it, after 30 minutes or so, the PC changed from the Windows Aero theme, to the Windows Basic theme, and I don't know why. Again, 30 minutes later, it BSOD'ed and rebooted the PC again, this time with a different BSOD type.

In the previous BIOS version (F11), I was testing out the RAM in slots 2 and 4 individually and they only gave a BSOD every few hours or none at all for 6 and a half hours.

My graphics card is a GeForce GTS 250 1GB, and I'm using the Intel Core 2 Duo E8600 CPU at 3.33 GHz with a Vcore of 1.30 and an FSB of 333.

I have not tested my memory modules with Memtest86+.

The memory modules are located in slots 1 and 3, currently, and I'm using 4 gigabytes, as mentioned before.

I have read configuration stickies for this memory and motherboard combination, and since they don't work, I wanted to post my question here as a thead.

I want to know what I can do now to see if I can resolve this issue, please.

Thank you!

Lnewqban

[GSKILL TECH]

So one stick at a time, which stick threw errors? Simply send it in for new replacements, or the entire kit, and we can send you a new tested set.

Thank you
GSKILL TECH

[lnewqban]

So one stick at a time, which stick threw errors? Simply send it in for new replacements, or the entire kit, and we can send you a new tested set.

Thank you
GSKILL TECH

Thanks for the quick reply!

Both sticks when together in slots 1 and 3 (F12 and F11 BIOS) and when together in slots 2 and 4 when using the F11 BIOS.

I don't exactly remember the results of the tests, but when using the F11 BIOS, stick 1 threw errors when in slot 2 or 4, and stick 2 threw errors only in slot 4, but not slot 2.

I will test each stick individually in slots 1 and 3 with the new BIOS, and I know that if one fails and the other doesn't that I'm in good shape with one of the sticks and that I just need to RMA them.

However, what if both sticks throw errors in each slot, would that be a motherboard issue, or do you think that it would still be a RAM issue?

Again, thanks for the help!

Lnewqban

[GSKILL TECH]

It is possible that both modules are defective. At the same time, it is very possible for the motherboard to be defective, so only further testing will help us determine the culprit.

Thank you
GSKILL TECH