Problem with either RAM or Motherboard

WeatherMan

WeatherMan

Active Member
Hi guys

Having a major issue with my computer at the moment, not got a clue what is going on but have a suspicion that it's the motherboard

Motherboard: ASRock G31M-S

Here's the story...

I originally had 2x1GB sticks installed in my system

1 x 667MHz 1GB
1 x 800MHz 1GB

RAM speed set to 800MHz (slackened off the timings and increased voltage to 2.2v)
CPU @ 3.2GHz

3.2GHz was my limit due to having no VCORE settings to play with, after 401FSB my SATA controller wouldn't work, thought it was a FSB wall

I also shorted out the onboard LAN controller on the back of the motherboard...

System was totally stable was running out of ram so I thought I'd pick up a 2GB stick...

I only have 2 dimm sockets on my board

Installed the new stick so my motherboard was now running with

1 x 800MHz 1GB
1 x 800MHz 2GB

RAM @ 800MHz
CPU @ 3.2GHz

Booted the system up had a few errors here and there, my windows installation was pretty old so I decided to reformat.

Tried to install windows but kept encoutering errors, such as the system not finding specific files, BSOD's during windows setup etc.

If I was lucky enough to get windows installed it'd load up and BSOD all the time, as well as bring up constant program errors.

Stuck the CPU back down to stock, which bought both sticks down to 667MHz.

Windows installed fine, Windows ran fine.

Ran some memtest totally stable...

Tried memtest again with the ram at 800MHz (what both sticks are designed to run at) errors on my new 2GB stick straight away.

After a few weeks with these errors I decided to pick up another 2GB stick to replace it with...(Kingston HyperX Blu)

It came today, installed it, system wouldn't boot, reset the CMOS, still wouldn't boot.

Stuck my old 2GB stick in with it, still doesnt boot (swapped modules over in their sockets) Same problem.

Next stuck my 1GB stick in in slot two, system boots but hangs on the logo screen. Swapped them around, system boots and see's the extra ram, but windows encounters an error and will not load.

Thought at first it was due to not having correct voltage in the BIOS, so I stuck it at 1.85 (reccomended by kingston) also stuck it to 2.2. Nothing works...

Stuck the old sticks back in and the system boots perfectly...

What is going on here?

Surely I couldn't have bought 2 dodgy sticks in a row..

I'm thinking of replacing the motherboard... It's over a year old now

I don't get it :confused:

Ever since I bought that first 2GB stick I've had nothing but problems.
 
The reason I think it's the board is because, I've got 2 brand new sticks of ram, one that's "faulty" at specified speed, and another that can be seen by the board, fine, but only in certain slots, with another stick of ram present.
 
I would say replace the board with either an Asus or Gigabyte, they tend to not be picky about different brands/speed of memory in my opinion.
 
That's pretty much where I've been headed at :)

Could you recommend a good P45 board for me?

Many of the online retailers stock very few 775 boards nowadays seeing as it's classed as an old socket.
 
Where do you usually get your parts from? Even newegg only has 1 p45 board available.
 
That's my problem...

I usually frequent

www.ebuyer.co.uk
www.scan.co.uk
www.overclockers.co.uk

Pretty much all of these sites have boards which I wouldn't like to touch, I'm looking for an enthusiast based board that'll let me do a bit of overclocking, and then eventually upgrade to a cheap second hand quad on ebay.

My budget is around £75, so I was thinking my best bet was to pick something used up from ebay that offers a bit more than what the above sites do.
 
I had actually seen that one and considered it, and at the time brushed it aside as its a DDR3 board, but I've just been thinking, DDR3 is so cheap now I might as well save up a bit more, pick up the board, extra ram, sell my old board and ram.

And whatever the hell is going on with my current system, be it a ram or motherboard issue, both components would be taken out of the equation :]

Plus it also helps me when I eventually want to change socket.

I'll have a search around for other DDR3 P45 boards and see what I can find.

Thanks :good:
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top