Testing RAM

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jaypeecee

Hi Folks,

My PC has 2 x 512MB DIMMs. To be precise, they are Crucial CT6464Z335. The
motherboard is an Asus P4S333 running Award BIOS revision 1007C, which is the
most recent. SDRAM configuration is set to [By SPD]. Under normal day-to-day
use, my PC is operating without any problems.

I have tested the memory using Windows Memory Diagnostic and it fails when
tested with the WStride-6 algorithm. Although the memory always fails this
test, the outcome is inconsistent - the last time I ran the test, it reported
"Internal error: can't locate 004AFE38 in Deregister Fixup". I don't know if
it's relevant but the memory also fails MemTest86+ Modulo 20 algorithm. The
memory, however, passes Micro2000's MemScope v1.10 test. All tests are
carried out with both memory sticks installed.

What are the implications of failing these tests?
 
What problem was occurring which lead you to test your Ram? Since your
System is running normally the implications
of failing those tests for the present seem a non issue.
 
jaypeecee said:
Hi Folks,

My PC has 2 x 512MB DIMMs. To be precise, they are Crucial CT6464Z335. The
motherboard is an Asus P4S333 running Award BIOS revision 1007C, which is the
most recent. SDRAM configuration is set to [By SPD]. Under normal day-to-day
use, my PC is operating without any problems.

I have tested the memory using Windows Memory Diagnostic and it fails when
tested with the WStride-6 algorithm. Although the memory always fails this
test, the outcome is inconsistent - the last time I ran the test, it reported
"Internal error: can't locate 004AFE38 in Deregister Fixup". I don't know if
it's relevant but the memory also fails MemTest86+ Modulo 20 algorithm. The
memory, however, passes Micro2000's MemScope v1.10 test. All tests are
carried out with both memory sticks installed.

What are the implications of failing these tests?
Click to expand...



Try testing the RAM one stick at a time.
If there is as much as even *one* failure when running the Windows Memory
Diagnostic...
the RAM needs to be replaced.

Good RAM should be able to run literally for hours...with not a single error
 
philo,

It first transpired that my RAM was not properly seated in the DIMMs. Having
corrected that, I tested the sticks of RAM individually and as a pair using
both WMD and MemTest86+. The outcome was that errors only occurred on the
MemTest86+ Modulo 20 algorithm when the sticks were tested as a pair. No
errors occurred on WMD when the RAM was tested individually or as a pair and
no errors occurred on MemTest86+ when the sticks were tested individually.

So, whether MemTest86+ is more stringent than WMD or MemTest86+ is simply
unreliable, I don't know. Which utility do I trust - WMD or MemTest86+?
--
JPC


philo said:
jaypeecee said:
Hi Folks,

My PC has 2 x 512MB DIMMs. To be precise, they are Crucial CT6464Z335. The
motherboard is an Asus P4S333 running Award BIOS revision 1007C, which is the
most recent. SDRAM configuration is set to [By SPD]. Under normal day-to-day
use, my PC is operating without any problems.

I have tested the memory using Windows Memory Diagnostic and it fails when
tested with the WStride-6 algorithm. Although the memory always fails this
test, the outcome is inconsistent - the last time I ran the test, it reported
"Internal error: can't locate 004AFE38 in Deregister Fixup". I don't know if
it's relevant but the memory also fails MemTest86+ Modulo 20 algorithm. The
memory, however, passes Micro2000's MemScope v1.10 test. All tests are
carried out with both memory sticks installed.

What are the implications of failing these tests?
Click to expand...



Try testing the RAM one stick at a time.
If there is as much as even *one* failure when running the Windows Memory
Diagnostic...
the RAM needs to be replaced.

Good RAM should be able to run literally for hours...with not a single error
Click to expand...
 
The real question is, "Does the PC work properly with both sticks?" You
may try swapping the sticks in the slots. But IF they don't work
together, (provided the motherboard properly supports the configuration)
well, they are not completely compatible.
 
Bob,

It's a question of what you mean by "Does the PC work properly with both
sticks?" Under normal day-to-day use, the answer is "yes". However, if you
subject the PC to specific memory tests, the answer has to be "no". If I use
two sticks in any combination of the three available slots, then errors will
arise during the MemTest86+ Modulo 20 algorithm. Both 512MB sticks I am using
are identical - Crucial CT6464Z335 and this arrangement is a guaranteed
compatible combination according to Crucial for my Asus P4S333 mobo.
 
Sorry, I cant speak to the "MemTest86+ Modulo 20 algorithm". Is there
something that the test does on that particular motherboard AND memory
stick combo? If the "problem" only shows up when those "3" items align,
and nowhere else, then it's not a issue.

BTW, please don't use "sig seperators" unless you bottom post.
 
jaypeecee said:
Bob,

It's a question of what you mean by "Does the PC work properly with both
sticks?" Under normal day-to-day use, the answer is "yes". However, if you
subject the PC to specific memory tests, the answer has to be "no". If I use
two sticks in any combination of the three available slots, then errors will
arise during the MemTest86+ Modulo 20 algorithm. Both 512MB sticks I am using
are identical - Crucial CT6464Z335 and this arrangement is a guaranteed
compatible combination according to Crucial for my Asus P4S333 mobo.
Click to expand...

Things you can try:

1) The board uses a single channel memory bus. For slightly better performance
with two sticks, place the sticks in slot 1 and slot 3. This spreads the
load better along the bus.

2) Consult the user manual, for the DDRVOL1 jumper setting. It controls
DDR operating voltage. The settings are 2.5V (default), 2.7V, and 2.9V.
I run my memory at 2.7V, and that helps sometimes when there are infrequent
errors. (Change the jumper setting, with the computer unplugged, and put
the jumper in the new position. Plug in, boot into memtest86+, and see if
it is any better. Go to step (3) in any case, and try a Windows level test.)

3) While in Windows, try Prime95. It combines a memory and CPU test, in one
operation. This program should be able to run for hours, without
reporting any errors. It will help verify whether what is seen in
memtest86+, is for real or not. (If you want one of the older versions
of the program, go to the main www.mersenne.org page and look there.)

http://www.mersenne.org/gimps/p95v255a.zip

That particular version of Prime95, runs in Windows. It is multi-core
compatible. For example, on a quad core, it launches four test tasks,
to make maximum usage of the processing power available.

Unzip the package.

Start the program. When it prompts you to "Join GIMPS ?", say no.
Next, a custom dialog will appear. You can adjust the amount of memory
to be tested, downwards a bit, if you still want to be able to use the
computer for other things. For example, prime95 reports, on my 1GB
computer, that something like 796MB is available for testing. You
can leave the setting that way, if all you'll be doing for the
next few hours, is testing. Or, if I have other work to do, I might
reduce the setting to 200MB. Leaving a larger setting, means more
of the memory gets tested.

Once the custom dialog has been adjusted and closed, the program starts
running. The number of threads opened, is a function of the processor
type. An AthlonXP would have one thread. A P4 with Hyperthreading enabled
will run two threads. A Q6600 quad processor would run four threads.

If an arithmetic error is detected, the program will stop. That tells
you your RAM is likely not perfect. If you can run without errors, for
say four hours, then chances are your memory is good.

If you look in the left-most menu, there are options to "stop" and
"exit" the program. You can use those, when you're satisfied with the
results.

Another test, is to run a 3D game (DirectX or OpenGL), as sometimes
errors only show up during game play.

Using simple tests like that, you can more confidently use the
computer for less demanding tasks.

Paul
 
Paul,

Many apologies for the delay in getting back to you.

You have given me much food for thought. As it happens, I have now sorted
out the memory problem. What I did (at Crucial's suggestion) was to reduce
the DDR frequency in the BIOS from PC2700 to PC2100 (166MHz to 133MHz) and
this has done the trick. The PC now passes the MemTest86+ v1.65 tests and the
computer does not run noticeably slower. The memory sticks are in DIMM1 and
DIMM2. Interestingly, when I added a further 512MB stick in DIMM3, I started
to get failures again on MemTest86+.

I'll have a look at Prime95 - sounds interesting.

JPC
 
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