RAM not passing memtest

[16ReasonsWhy]

HI,

I've just purchased a 2x4Gb kit (matched sticks) of RipJawsX CL 7-8-7-24 1.6V RAM (F3-12800CL7D-8GBXH) along with a new Gigabyte Z68X UD7 and i2500k and am currently running win 7 64, updated BIOS and drivers.

I am trying to determine if either my RAM or my motherboard is faulty or at least understand what is going on. I can boot fine with the RAM, no trouble posting or installing windows, but when I ran memtest to start testing the RAM the day i got my board, it failed in seconds (dual channel at rated timings/voltage).

I started testing more and more to see what was wrong. At the default timings (11-11-11-28, 1.5V) memetest runs fine in dual channel, I have also run memtest on each stick separately; each stick is 9 hours plus error free when tested alone at the same timings.

The odd thing, is that whenever either all of the second channel or a single dimm of the second channel is populated, memtest reports timings of 6-6-6-20 and NOT what they are currently set at in the BIOS (either default or rated timings since I've tried both). But in dual channel, memtest does accurately report the timings that I have set.

The other thing is that memtest seems to always report the speed at 712 MHz (DDR3 1424) when I've always been running at 1600 as set in the BIOS and confirmed by CPU-Z.

I am by no means an expert but want to figure out what, if anything, is wrong so I am not stuck with less than 100% working components.

[Tradesman]

Do you have the latest BIOS for your mobo? F8 or the F9C Beta, both also contain memory updates, can be found here:

http://www.gigabyte.us/products/prod...?pid=3847#bios

Have you tried the sticks under XMP? Go into BIOS ENABLE XMP and select the profile for 1600.

[16ReasonsWhy]

I'm using F8 currently. I can try F9 beta but haven't yet. Just did a fresh install of windows again and am still updating.

[Tradesman]

Once you get through your updating, try using XMP as described above

[16ReasonsWhy]

I've tried the xmp settings; I've tried manually setting the timings, voltage etc.

It seems memtest fails on two sticks in any configuration with timings 7-8-7-24 but not with the default settings (11-11-11-28, 1.5V).

[Tradesman]

I'd try running each stick individually under Memtest, if they both test out OK then it could be the mobo or the CPU or the CPU install (i.e. might have some thermal compound on the bottom of the CPU or in the socket, a bent pin in the socket, etc) Might try a CMOS reset and try the sticks again, then if you have or could borrow a different set of sticks could try that ......could also try increasing the DRAM voltage ,05- .06 or so and/or the VCCIO voltage .05 in the event the BIOS or PSU isn't getting enough voltage where it needs to go

[16ReasonsWhy]

I've tested both sticks individually.

One tested error free over night, the other failed within an hour. Both were tested individually at 7-8-7-24, 1.6V.

A day ago, I tested each one individually at default settings and both ran for 9 hours or more error free.

I am assuming something is wrong with the RAM and am going to try another set.

I installed everything myself and am positive that nothing is visibly damaged and am hoping that a new kit solves the problem. Thank you for your help.

[Tradesman]

Let us know how it goes, if all well on one test then bad the next, may be mobo, PSU or CPU