daniewicz Posted August 30, 2008 Report Share Posted August 30, 2008 If the system will run without errors with one stick of ram then you are good to go B) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kieth Posted August 30, 2008 Author Report Share Posted August 30, 2008 Thanks bunches. That's what I'll do then. Before writing "solved" next to the topic title, I'll wait a few days to see if my system crashes. Thanks again everyone. Kieth Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daniewicz Posted August 30, 2008 Report Share Posted August 30, 2008 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ianw1974 Posted August 31, 2008 Report Share Posted August 31, 2008 Misconfigured CAS latency was the problem I had with my memory generating errors, and it had been configured that way for years. It was only when I put Linux on the machine I started noticing problems. When I changed it, I could use both my 512MB's with no problems. Using just one will be fine, but I'd check each memory stick and see what the CAS latency is written on each one. Usually shown like CL2.5 or so on. I had CL 2.5 set in the BIOS, and I had problems. I think when I chose the optimised settings, it was changed to something else, perhaps CL2 and then it was OK. Alternatively, yes just run with one, but I expect there is a memory stick mismatch, perhaps wrong DDR speed or CAS latency. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kieth Posted September 1, 2008 Author Report Share Posted September 1, 2008 Thanks Ian. I'll check it out later. Kieth Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kieth Posted September 2, 2008 Author Report Share Posted September 2, 2008 With a little bit of trial and error I learned something! My 2 memory sticks are the same: S3+, DDR400. The BIOS was set up for CAS 2.5, DDR200. I changed the values, put in both memory boards and ran the memory test again. I still received thousands of errors. With only 1 in, there are no errors, so I guess that's what I have to do. Just a curiosity question, though. Will the system run better with the new BIOS settings? Of course, up to now, my system hasn't closed down, but it is also true that I have been very busy doing other things besides studying (I study/write using the computer). So the computer has been off more than it's been on. Thanks again, Kieth Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ianw1974 Posted September 2, 2008 Report Share Posted September 2, 2008 Try lowering the CAS level. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daniewicz Posted September 2, 2008 Report Share Posted September 2, 2008 Ian: I think increasing the CAS latency results in less demand on suspect ram. If Keith lowers his CAS level he will experience more problems. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ianw1974 Posted September 2, 2008 Report Share Posted September 2, 2008 I can't remember what I did with mine now, whether it was automatically lower or higher after choosing the load optimised defaults option in my bios. Sadly I can't check either, as the machine is in bits and not being used now. Only motherboard, processor and memory are still built in one piece. The rest of the system is gone :) All I know is my memory errors were even though my CL was 2.5 on the chips it wouldn't work with 2.5. I know the value changed to something else, but just can't remember what it was. Sorry :( Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scarecrow Posted September 2, 2008 Report Share Posted September 2, 2008 (edited) Ian: I think increasing the CAS latency results in less demand on suspect ram. If Keith lowers his CAS level he will experience more problems. Spot on. The only solution(s) is using RAM settings that are able to sync to the freqs the mobo supports, or replacing the RAM modules with ones that are more compatible. Edited September 2, 2008 by scarecrow Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kieth Posted September 2, 2008 Author Report Share Posted September 2, 2008 I don't understand what the CAS latency does, but anyway, I tried experimenting. In BIOS, I have CAS latency choices of 2, 2.5 and 3. With DDR, I have the following choices: 200, 266, 285, 333 and 400. I tried all the possible options, running the memory test dan told me about with each option. I only tried test #5, as that was the only one that was originally showing errors. If I ran all the memory tests on all the options, I would never get done as it takes several minutes. The following combinations SHOWED errors: DDR200 - 2.5 DDR400 - 2, 2.5 & 3 As I mentioned earlier, my memory boards are DDR400 - S3+ What would be the best thing to do? How would I go about changing RAM settings that scarecrow mentioned? Kieth Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greg2 Posted September 2, 2008 Report Share Posted September 2, 2008 The following combinations SHOWED errors: DDR200 - 2.5 DDR400 - 2, 2.5 & 3 If you don't receive any errors using DDR333 – 2.5, I would try using that. You shouldn't take too much of a hit in performance, and you would still have 1 GB of RAM. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daniewicz Posted September 3, 2008 Report Share Posted September 3, 2008 If you do get errors with DDR333 – 2.5, try DDR333 – 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kieth Posted September 12, 2008 Author Report Share Posted September 12, 2008 OK, I'm running my system at DDR333 - 3. No crashes. Thanks much to all. Kieth Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daniewicz Posted September 12, 2008 Report Share Posted September 12, 2008 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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