Asus M4A87TD EVO + F3-10666CL7D-4GBRH random freezes/bsod/reboots

[buffhr]

Ok so a lil history first off, built the system in my signature in early november with all new parts,have been building system for over 12 yrs...

At first I was having rare lock ups with no specific pattern, system could be idle or at full load gaming or just browsing. I didn't make much of it as I didn't have the time to troubleshoot it properly, So i just added a lil more volts to cpu/nb/mem and it got better but still sparse lock ups. Now that i have been off for last litle while i have been toying with it more and still could not reach stability, it seemed to be getting worse and worse.

Things i tried

Reset/clear cmos(numerous times)
Reset Bios to default
Added more voltage to cpu/nb/mem in an attempt to stabilize(all within normal acceptable limits)
Tried 1 stick of ram at a time
Tried 1 stick in various slots(other then slot 1 obstructed by hsf)
Tried running looser timmings(1333 9 9 9 24)
Tried running 1066 9 9 9 24
Tried another psu/vid card
Tried with a fresh install on a single drive

Still the problem persist

I do not have any other ddr3 ram available or another ddr3 capable mb available to me for testing.

Now at this point I am torn between the mb or the ram due the following.

When running memtest86+ I often get errors on test 8(random patterns) ranging from 40k to 500k errors, however when the test finds errors it will often lock up. At times it can do a few passes before detecting any errors other within seconds. This was tested with both sticks in single/dual as well as swapping them slots(to ensure this is clear sticks have been in slot b1/b2 in single and dual config).

However what confuses me somewhat is that even tho i set the ram to 1333 manually in bios at times when i run 1 single stick in memtest86+ it will show up as ddr400(both sticks do this randomly while in slot b2(4). As well I have had a few quirks on the board not recognizing my boot drive hence adding to the confusion of maybe its a faulty mb.

So with that said any ideas or recommendations on this situation?

thanks

[Tradesman]

With the problems happening w/ both sticks of DRAM it could be the sticks, unusual that both would be bad, but coupled w/ other problems i.e. the HD and that you reloaded Win sounding more like the mobo

[GSKILL TECH]

Send them in for a new kit. They should test error free individually.

Thank you
GSKILL TECH

[buffhr]

Ok first off sorry to bump this thread after soo long...

However i had sent in the sticks but it had taken like 6 weeks to get new ones(transit i guess), so i got a 8 gig stick from local store here and was using that for the longuest time... Just decided now to try the ram that was shipped back to me.

Had never opened it, to my surprised they sent me F3-12800CL7D-4GBRH, was pleaasently happy about that till i founf out could not get it working at 1600 nor 1333 or even 1066 at specified or lower timming.

My kit is specified for 1.65v and i tried upping the voltage but no go
more voltage everywhere still nothing...
so i decided to memtest the ram

memtest from (http://hcidesign.com/memtest/) detect problems always after 5-10 minutes with both sticks running, as its a windows based app.

memtest from (http://www.memtest.org/) self bootable usb detects errors on both sticks at 1333, 1 stick wont run 1600 at all, 1 stick errors at 1600.

So in short can i rma the sticks that were shipped back to me from rma? Also does it matter that the new sticks are faster then what i originally purchased now when i rma them ?

thanks

[Tradesman]

I'd run memtest on the sticks individually, running more than one at a time can be problematic. The rest will have to be dealt with by GSkill, they should be in later today

[buffhr]

to clear things up: second test memtest86 was run with individual sticks in slot 2/3/4 so 6 test total of minimum 5 hrs ea.

[GSKILL TECH]

Did you use our guide and input the settings properly? The memory will not be stable without correct settings in BIOS.

We can replace the modules with a plug and play kit if necessary.

Thank you
GSKILL TECH

[buffhr]

ok so maybe i should elaborate more here.

Yes i have followed this guide:

http://www.gskill.us/forum/showthread.php?t=7688 and tbh theyre isnt any rocket science in that guide it is just basic steps...

I have also tried relaxing the timmings alot to 8/8/8/24 2n 9/9/9/27 2n, tried 1600/1333/1066
also tried lowering the dram read to read timming to 5 instead of basic 4.
went up to 1.4v on cpu
cpu/nb to 1.4v
so forth and so on all voltages got a bump

You mentioning that you can replace with a plug and play kit if necessary seems to lead towards you thinking your the memory doesnt have any issues....

If that where so

Memtest and memtest 86 would not report errors, Also the 8 gig single stick i use reports no errors whatsoever. So that leaves me to beleive the memory is bad, not sure why as i would assume it was tested before shipping out to me....


It is on the approved list for this mb, so im really at a loss here...

What would be this other kit you mention?

[GSKILL TECH]

Send them in for RMA to see if a new kit works better.

Thank you
GSKILL TECH

[anujvir]

Ripjaws compatibility issues

Hi
I have Gskill F3-12800CL9D-8GBXL on ASUS Maximus iv gene z.
From the very first day the RAM has shown signs of incompatibility witht the MoBo.
When using the RAM in dual channel, It works fine untill i game.
While gaming... within 15 - 60 mins the system freezes.
I asked the ASUS technical support about this, but they could not provide a definite answer.
The result being that i am now using ony one of the 4 GB modules with which the system seems stable.
The ASUS Tech person asked me to tweak the voltage and stuff on the RAM, which i have little or no knowledge about.
If there is indeed some tweaking that can be done to solve the problem...please do let me know.

[Tradesman]

anujvir

Might check the driver on your video card if it only happens during gaming, could try adding .04 to the DRAM voltage...also what CPU and speed are you running at?

[GSKILL TECH]

anujvir,

Did you enable XMP?

Thank you
GSKILL TECH

[anujvir]

What's XMP

Hi
What's XMP.. and where do i enable it from?

@Tradesman I am using an i5 2500K. And i am running it at stock speed. No overclocking.
I run the latest drivers available for my card which is ATI Radeon HD 5770.
What i think happens is that when there is stress on my system... The RAM fails.
I mean i play games for hours on single stick which is 4GB... But can't use dual channel while playing.
I checked the temperatures etc... And they looked normal.
I'll try adding .04 to the DRAM voltage.... Might i ask why did you askbme to do so?

[anujvir]

Update

i was, as i mentioned earlier using only one of my 2 4 GB RAMs.
So after reading all about RipJaW's defects, i decided to use the other RAM for a test.
I had thought earlier that i had used both the RAMs independently and that only when used in Dual channel would they produce that defect.
So i used the other one today, and the system crashed, like it did when i used them in dual channel.
I think this particular module is defective. What say you???
are there any more things i can test this on?
How about that XMP?
hOW DO I GET THAT WORKING?

[Tradesman]

With the latest BIOS, XMP is Xtreme Memory Profile, it is a setting in the BIOS (on or off) with the sticks in the proper slots, you go into BIOS and enable XMP (turn on) and there is a a selection of profiles (options) that are available, you select the one that matches your sticks, in this case 1333, and the XMP will adjust the BIOS settings to match your sticks based on the info programmed into the sticks.

However, if all is fine with one stick, but with the same settings and the second (bad) stick in the same slot as you had the good one in, it is, as you are guessing, probably bad, will want to contact your e/re-tailer to see about an exchange or contact GSkill for a RMA - via email is (US/Americas) rma@gskillusa.com or (world) rma@gskill.com info on the process can be found here:

http://www.gskill.com/rma.php