Gigabyte X58A UD3R REV2 and Memoryissue

[stonefisher]

Hello,

After saving up for over three years I build a nice little machine for work and play with the following spaecs:

PSU: Huntkey X7 900W

Heatsink: Scythe Mugen 2 Rev B

Cpu: i7 920

Gfx: 2x XFX 4850 gfx card

Mobo: Gigabyte GA-X58A UD3R MOBO rev2

Memory: Corsair 12GB XMS3 DDR3 Memory Kit

OS: Windows 7 Pro

Only problem is one of the gfx cards had to be RMA'd as it lit up my games like a Christmas tree.

Fixed it and now my only problem is the memory.

My computer does not always see all 12GB and fluxes between 6 and 12GB. Of great interest is that it has noticed half a memory module before eg. 8.5GB.

I updated the bios from FA to FB as it stated better memory compatibility. And it worked to a certain extent. It now see's all the memory all the time.

Now I just get BSOD's several times a day. Mostly it says its the "memory manager" and once in a while something like "page fault in non paging area"

I have run the default inbuilt mem test software in windows 7 and found no errors. I do not want to run it on extreme as it would take over 24 hours to complete and the computer is next to my bed and has 9 deafening fans in it.

I asked for help by gigabyte for help for which there first response was send the card back but ripping out motherboards is not as easy as swapping memory modules around and I need it for work. There second response was to send me a BIOS that was not on there website FB19 which had no noticeable affect.

I have switched back to the first BIOS as at least it doesn't crash the computer. Any help in resolving this situation would be greatly appreciated.

[tinytomlogan]

just sounds like one of the ram sticks is faulty to me.

[F-alienware]

Heya.

I don't know if you have tried this but have you timed and volted the ram correctly?

The reason I ask is because I have older Corsair dominator (DR2 800mhz) and unless I time and volt it correctly I get the same issues as you.

When I let my motherboard auto detect it it works somewhat OK. But, I get the odd BSOD here and there.

If I time it 4-4-4-12 @ 1.8v (what the board gives it by default) it is terribly unstable (sounds like yours). I have to force volt it to 2.1v which is what my memory was designed to do, at which point the voltage reading turns red in my bios because it thinks I am about to blow something up

But yeah, unless everything is set 100% to spec my computer is ridiculously unstable. I crash at post, I crash in bios. Madness.

Sorry if you have tried that. Tom seems to be right (sadly, not because he's right but because -) page faults usually turn out to be bad ram.

But make sure your timings are correct and present and that the voltage is also the right setting.

Edit.

To find out if your ram is set up correctly simply load up CPUZ/CPUID whatever it's called now and click on the memory tab. Then make sure that the timings are what is stated either on the packet for the memory or down the sides of the memory. Make sure the voltage is what it should be also.

Also, there is another setting for DDR3, one I am not familiar with. But, recently a friend of mine who owns one of those wretched new Dell Alienwares (Dellienware !) put 6gb in his PC in place of his 3gb that came from the factory and he had your issues to a tee. Turned out there is a setting for bigger ram.. I forget what it was called now but when I see him I will ask.

[tinytomlogan]

It might be worth him manually settings the timings and the voltage to 1.66v

[stonefisher]

I am using Part No : HX3X12G1600C9 Corsair memory.

It has an XMP profile which I have tried to no affect.

I do not wish to raise the voltage over 1.6v as it risks burning the CPU out.

I suppose I'll try memtest86 on one module at a time over the weekend.

[tinytomlogan]

Originally Posted by stonefisher

I am using Part No : HX3X12G1600C9 Corsair memory.

It has an XMP profile which I have tried to no affect.

I do not wish to raise the voltage over 1.6v as it risks burning the CPU out.

I suppose I'll try memtest86 on one module at a time over the weekend.

1.65v is the rated speed of the memory and will NOT burn the CPU out.

[F-alienware]

XMP. That's the bugger !

BTW. If you run the right timings for the voltage and don't give it the dose of voltage it needs it WILL be totally unstable dude.

I also hope you're not getting your CPU and ram voltages mixed up, unless on DDR3 it's on the same line or whatnot as the CPU?

[stonefisher]

http://www.corsair.com/_datasheets/HX3X12G1600C9.pdf

Says here its tested to run at 1.6v.

When I use the XMP profile it sets the voltage to as well as timing.

Yes tinytomlogan you are right. The max supported voltage is 1.65v. But I have not put it that high as the listed recommended settings says 1.6v.

AlienALX I havnt got it mixed around. They keep the mem overclocking and CPU overclocking voltage and timings on seperate pages so you cant mix them up coincidently.

And as far as I understand it, the memory controller is on the CPU with I7's so if you raise the voltage over 1.65v for the memory the CPU gets overheating issues.

[F-alienware]

Seems it could well be buggered then.

How is it laid out? 3x4gb?

Can you run two in dual channel mode on that board? At least then you may be able to find the offending stick so you're not without ram whilst you RMA it.

If you do ID the offending stick speak with Ramguy on the Corsair forum and ask if you can just send back the one.

[stonefisher]

Its 6 sticks of 2GB.

I just hope it is the memory and not the mobo. Fitting a scythe mugen heatsink into an antec 300 case is traumatic.

I won;t be able to do that I think as the memory is sold as one set guaranteed to work together. They could not guarantee the replacement as it wouldn't have been tested together.