Bad Memory Slot?

[Multimoodia]

Hello all, glad I found the official Gigabyte forum.


I have bad an issue creep up on a rebuild of one of my PCs. It is a GA-X48-DQ6 board which seems to have a bad DDRII-2 slot, but I want to see if anyone else has any ideas.

The computer is a modified rebuild for a Windows 7 64 test machine. The board is new, as is second set of memory.
Parts list:

Board: GA-X48-DQ6
CPU: Intel Q6600 (4 x 2.4Ghz)
RAM: Corsair DDR2 Domintator 4 x 2GB (Twin2x4096-8500C5D (x2))
Video: EVGA 8800GT OC (512-P3-N802-A1)
PSU: Antec 850W (SG-850)
SATA HD, PATA DVD+/-RW, etc.

This looks to me as though it should have no issues.

Issue is that the system will not boot with a full load of memory and instead locks itself in to an eternal just after POST reboot mode while flashing BIOS code C1, which if I recall correctly, is some sort of memory error. If one removes the stick in Slot 2 of the board the machine will boot. It does not matter which stick is in that slot, the machine will hang on code C1. Similarly each stick was tested as a single unit in Slot 1 and the machine booted fine each time.

As such I suspect that the slot itself is bad, although I have never seen that throw a machine in to an eternal reboot. Typically it just beeps at you.


If anyone has any other thoughts as to what this could be I would appreciate it.

[Chike]

Re: Bad Memory Slot?

3 sticks will boot only if slot 2 is empty?
Would only one stick fail if installed in slot 2? If not, would 2 sticks in slots 2 & 4 fail?

It is recommended to begin with BIOS optimized defaults.
8GB is a lot of memory, you may need to increase MCH Overvoltage, try +0.1 to +0.2.
Check PC Health for applied DRAM voltage.

Have you made any changes in BIOS? If you have please post full settings using the template in this post.

Please post a screen capture of MemSet main(click >>) and SPD(click spd) windows. You can download MemSet from http://forums.tweaktown.com/f69/late...30/#post284762

[wazza300]

Re: Bad Memory Slot?

soundslike a faulty ram slot to me,i had same thing happen and it wouldnt boot with any of my three sticks inserted in the faulty slot,other slots it would boot from,i would rma if i were you

[Multimoodia]

Re: Bad Memory Slot?

BTW, I got my processors mixed.
The one in this build is a Q6600 (2.4Ghz). It was briefly OC'd to 3.0Ghz and as such I forgot the Q9650 was used in a different build.

3 sticks will boot only if slot 2 is empty?
Would only one stick fail if installed in slot 2? If not, would 2 sticks in slots 2 & 4 fail?

Stick 2 will typically not boot.

It is recommended to begin with BIOS optimized defaults.
8GB is a lot of memory, you may need to increase MCH Overvoltage, try +0.1 to +0.2.
Check PC Health for applied DRAM voltage.

I have pushed it to +0.1 although not any further. DRAM Voltage is 2.128

Have you made any changes in BIOS? If you have please post full settings using the template in this post.

I have tried, although I put the BIOS back to stock before asking here. My previous attempt is as follows.

Robust Graphics Booster___________ [Auto]
CPU Clock Ratio ____________ [9]
Fine Clock Ratio ____________[?]
CPU Host Clock Control_ [Enabled]
CPU Host Frequency (MHz)__________ [333]
PCI Express Frequency (Mhz)_______ [100]
C.I.A. 2__________________________ [Disabled]
System Memory Multiplier (SPD)____ [3.2]
Memory Frequency 1066 1066
DRAM Timing Selectable_______ SPD __ [Manual]

Performance Enhance = [Standard]

CAS Latency Time_______________ 5
Dram RAS# to CAS# Delay________ 5
Dram RAS# Precharge Delay_______ 5
Precharge Delay (tRAS)__________ 15

ACT to ACT Delay (tRRD)________ 4
Rank Write to READ Delay________ 9
Write to Precharge Delay________ 12
Refresh to ACT Delay___________ 62
Read to Precharge Delay_________ 6
Static tRead Value______________ 8
Static tRead Phase Adjust________ 0
Command Rate (CMD)____________ 2

CPU/PCIEX Clock Driving Control [800mV]
CPU Clock Skew Control [150ps]
GMCH Clock Skew Control [250ps]

System Voltage Control____ [Manual]
DDR2 OverVoltage Control__ [+0.3]
PCI-E OverVoltage Control_ [Auto]
FSB OverVoltage Control___ [+0.1v]
(G)MCH OverVoltage Control [+0.1v]
Loadline Calibration______ [Auto]
CPU Voltage Control_______ [Normal]

Limit CPUID Max. to 3.....................: [Enabled]
No-Execute Memory Protect............: [Enabled]
CPU Enhanced Halt (C1E)................: [Disabled]
C2/C2E State Support....................: [Disabled]
x C4/C4E State Support..................: [Disabled]
CPU Thermal Monitor 2(TM2) ...........: [Enabled]
CPU EIST Function.........................: [Disabled]
Virtualization Technology................: [Enabled]

Integrated Peripherals
Legacy USB Storage Detect_________[Enabled]



This is with the BIOS reset to stock.

[Chike]

Re: Bad Memory Slot?

MemSet timings look just as a default with Performance Enhance turbo, not the manual you have listed. Do you get the red overclock warning when you enter BIOS M.I.T?
BTW why have you changed CPU/MCH clock skews?

If one stick alone in slot 2 does not boot while all others are OK it could be the slot.

[Multimoodia]

Re: Bad Memory Slot?

MemSet timings look just as a default with Performance Enhance turbo, not the manual you have listed. Do you get the red overclock warning when you enter BIOS M.I.T?

No, the timings are stock, I reset the BIOS before asking questions here as I figured any proposed changes would be better performed from a stock setup.
The red overclock did show up in the setup I had before.

BTW why have you changed CPU/MCH clock skews?

When the board kept coming up with a C1 error code, I attempted to tune the memory to get it back in sync as it were. I really did not want to push the system above 250.

If one stick alone in slot 2 does not boot while all others are OK it could be the slot.

A possibility I am beginning to suspect.

[Chike]

Re: Bad Memory Slot?

There shouldn't be a need to the skews at stock FSB.
If you get the red warning it means at least some of the settings are not set as in BIOS.
Multi boots may indicate bad settings, but best always go back to MIT after making changes and confirm there's no warning.