F3-12800CLD9-4GBRL problems

[chdude3]

Motherboard - Gigabyte GA-880GMA-UD2H v2.0, BIOS F4
CPU - AMD Phenom II X3 740 BE
RAM - F3-12800CLD9-4GBRL

I've been nearly tearing my hair out for weeks. I originally had tried some OCZ RAM, but after having Memtest errors and random Memory Management BSODs with the first pair, RMAing them, then having a completely dead stick with the second pair, I sent them back for a full refund.

I've now picked up a pair of F3-12800CLD9-4GBRL. I originally just popped them in the mobo, manually set the speed to DDR3-1600 (8x multi in the BIOS) and went. I started with a few hours of Memtest86+ v4.1, and there were NO errors to report after 3 full passes.

Everything seemed fine for a short time, but I started to get some strange errors within Windows 7 Pro x64. Programs, from Outlook 2007 to Internet Explorer 8 to even Windows Calculator would just crap out with a "[Program] has encountered an error and will now close". I also occasionally get some error were at a particular address the "memory could not be 'read'".

I've tried a lot of things. I've even tried setting it down to DDR3-1066 speeds in the hopes that would work, but I still get the above behaviours.

Right now I'm trying at DDR3-1333 8-8-8-24. I've bumped the CPU-NB Voltage in the BIOS up by +0.05V, which the BIOS says should now be at 1.250V. I manually set the speed and timings of the RAM, and DRAM voltage is at 1.5V. And I JUST got the "Internet Explorer has encountered an error and will now close" problem.

It seems marginally better with CPU-NB at 1.25V but I haven't really had a lot of time to compare.

I can run Prime95 for 5 hours with NO errors to report, and then 5 minutes after I close Prime95, I'll get an error from IE or Outlook or something.

I've tried with the onboard graphics (880G) set from 128 to 512meg of memory, it doesn't seem to make a difference either.

Now - if I run with a SINGLE stick of RAM, I have absolutely NO problems at all. Either stick in any slot seems just fine. As soon as I populate both sticks, I start to get the above listed errors (Program close, or memory cannot be 'read'). So between that and getting no errors in Memtest/Prime95 I don't think there's a problem with the RAM at all, it does seem specific to running both sticks instead of one.

I tried using AMD OverDrive to try and read my voltages, but despite DRAM being set to 1.5V in the BIOS, AOD lists it at 1.6V. And despite the CPU-NB being set to 1.25V, AOD only shows 1.2V. However it does show the CPU voltage fluctuating from 0.9V to 1.325V as the Cool'n'Quiet adjusts it. So I don't know whether to trust what the BIOS says, or what AOD shows.

Any help or suggestions are MUCH appreciated. This is basically just an email/web/CASUAL gaming system, I really would just like it stable, even if only at 1333! Thanks in advance for any support that can be provided.

Edit - title update

[chdude3]

Sorry - one more symptom is that often Internet Explorer (being the program most often open) will seem to freeze - to the point of being listed as "not responding" in the Title Bar of the Window, then suddenly come back to life.

Also, often a program will freeze when I hit the "X" to close it, and even trying to manually kill the process won't end it.

Again, none of these problems with only one stick of RAM installed.

[chdude3]

Now I've just had a BSOD "SYSTEM_SERVICE_EXCEPTION" (0x3B) which Googling appears to point to either video card drivers, or a problem with RAM.

Again, any assistance is appreciated. I just want to get this system running stably! I still can't explain why I can run Prime95 for hours without a problem, or run a simple game (Team Fortress 2) for an hour with no issue, but then I'm just surfing the web and IE craps out. Or getting that BSOD just downloading a file!

[mrcmtl]

Could be a faulty motherboard or a bad CPU IMC. You got any other ones to test?

[chdude3]

Could be a faulty motherboard or a bad CPU IMC. You got any other ones to test?

Unfortunately I don't; the other machine in the house is an Intel X58 based system. However since they both take DDR3, I borrowed 2 of the 3x2gig sticks from the Intel machine and put them in this AM3 computer.

The AM3 machine is now running just fine so far, all with "Auto" settings within the BIOS. I've had none of the strange behaviours that were happening previously with the G.Skill RAM.

So you may be on the right track - my current theory is that the memory controller on my Phenom II X3 740 is marginal or in some way REALLY picky about RAM. I'm just glad that after hours and hours over weeks on weeks of testing, the AM3 system seems to be stable. I think I'll just keep these two sticks here since it's stable.

So I'll put the two G.Skill sticks down in the Intel machine. If there's no problems then I'll go for broke and also install the orphaned stick from the 3x2gig so the Intel system is back to 3x2gig (even if two of them are G.Skill and one is OCZ - I'd be fine even to run it all at 1333 instead of rated 1600).

I don't think any of the RAM itself is faulty, as I said previously that both G.Skill sticks behaved just fine as long as only ONE was installed in the AM3 machine. So I have hopes they will behave in the Intel system.

[chdude3]

Damnit and after that, Prime95 failed after about an hour. I've dropped down to DDR3-1066 and started again, but I think you're right that it's obvious something is wrong. Unfortunately it seems to point to the CPU, which being OEM is my only part without a warranty!

I don't relish buying a new CPU but I'm thinking that's now the next step.

[xSephirothGx]

Hi!

I think we have the same problem, but mine after deleting some registry & after a day it don't power up after 30mins of trying to on & off the PSU it run & say something about overclocking problem and ask me if i want to set it by default, but i have never overclock anything except for memory frequency setting it to 1600mhz, after that i notice some freeze on internet, delay in loading even when opening applications.. I wonder if it has something to do with the registry file i deleted. Ill try to reformat and check if it will go back to normal.

[mrcmtl]

You can try a clear cmos first. Maybe it will solve your problem.

If you can go to a local store, you could just tell them you want to buy a CPU just for testing and return before the period runs out. I know it seems a bit unethical but if that's your last resort....

[chdude3]

Thanks mrcmtl, I'll see what I can do. I did clear CMOS a few days ago to see if that would help, but it didn't seem to make a difference.

I've got the OCZ sticks from our Intel PC in the AM3 machine now. I had an initial hiccup when the command rate was set to 1T but I've manually set it to 2T now, and the OCZ are so far into about 3.5 hours of Prime95 with no problems.

I think it's some combination of the motherboard and CPU that's just REALLY sensitive about RAM. I'm not particularly happy that the G.Skill RAM I bought did not work with the AM3 machine, but I've put so much time and effort into trying to make the AM3 system work that I'm going to have to just "settle".

I've learned my lesson - I used to be an AMD guy but all these troubles have been crazy. From all my Googling for help, I see an unbelievable amount of posts regarding DDR3 problems with AM3 platforms. Next time I will stick with Intel since it "just works".

I am hoping though that a G.Skill tech can chime in here and try to explain why the Ripjaws simply would not run stably as a pair in the motherboard. Even reducing down to DDR3-1066 speeds, I still received BSOD and various errors running Windows.

[mrcmtl]

AMD do have alot of problems with DDR3, specially since their first revision C2 couldn't go higher than 1600. But lately, with the X6 out, AMD really improved their IMC. I don't see many people having compatibility issues with an X6. My 1090T worked out of the box with my 8GB Flare DDR3-2000.

[chdude3]

AMD do have alot of problems with DDR3, specially since their first revision C2 couldn't go higher than 1600. But lately, with the X6 out, AMD really improved their IMC. I don't see many people having compatibility issues with an X6. My 1090T worked out of the box with my 8GB Flare DDR3-2000.

I think the memory controller problem was specific to the Phenom architecture, that say all but the very first Athlon IIs aren't affected as they are a unique design.

However yes, I've got a Phenom II X3 which are ALL C2 parts. So I'm guessing that with the memory controller on that, along with the older Rev 2.0 of my motherboard, things are marginal.

Prime95 is still going strong now though in the AM3 machine with the OCZ at 1333 8-8-8-24-2T. I'll have to put the G.Skill in the Intel machine to make sure that it actually is OK, but again I'm rather annoyed that the G.Skill stuff didn't work in the AM3 machine.

Is there a decent program that will actually measure all the voltages in my system? Using AMD Overdrive always shows the SAME voltages. For example at one point I'd manually set the DRAM voltage to 1.5V and the CPU-NB VID to 1.3V, but Overdrive still showed 1.6V and 1.2V respectively.

[chdude3]

Please help!

Alright, I could really use some help with this please!

With the AM3 system, if I use the OCZ RAM from my Intel machine at 1333-8-8-8-24-2T, the system is solid. I just ran 11 hours of error-free Prime95 yesterday, and everything behaved properly just using the system normally last night.

So then I reinstalled the G.Skill RAM at the same settings, 1333-8-8-8-24-2T, before going to bed. I ran Prime95 overnight, and after 12 hours there were no failures. HOWEVER, with the G.Skill I'm still getting bizarre Windows behaviour. MS Paint froze up when trying to save a screenshot of the Prime95 results. Then when I clicked the "X" to close AMD Overdrive, it said that "AMD Overdrive has encountered an error and will now close". And AMD Overdrive wouldn't re-open! Clicking to run it the system would churn for a second and then just stop. And then I got my classic "Internet Explorer has encountered an error and will now close".

Why is it that both the OCZ and G.Skill RAM can run Prime95 error-free for like 12 hours each, but system is NOT stable with the G.Skill RAM - especially since I'm running the G.Skill at LESS than its full rated speed and timings! Can somebody please help?

[mrcmtl]

Your problem does seem odd. Which test option do you use when running Prime95? For RAM testing, I usually choose custom and give each prime95 thread a size of (RAM/core count).

[chdude3]

Your problem does seem odd. Which test option do you use when running Prime95? For RAM testing, I usually choose custom and give each prime95 thread a size of (RAM/core count).

I use the third option (the one which says "Lots of RAM Tested". Bear in mind that I am utilizing the onboard graphics which is reserving 512meg of the total 4gig for this purpose.

I'm really hoping that some overnight Memtesting will show an error. I'm just so frustrating trying to track down the problem. GSKILL TECH replied to me in another thread so hopefully we can solve this soon.

[GSKILL TECH]

Do you have a fresh install of Windows? Did you install Windows when the system was stable?

I would suggest sending them in for replacements to try a new kit.

Thank you
GSKILL TECH