For the past 2 or so years, I have owned an Asus A8N5X with 4 x 512mb Crucial Ballistix PC 3200 DDR.

After around 12 months, I started experiencing weird errors when opening Firefox, then random game crashes, and finally random BSOD. I removed the memory stick by stick, and discovered that the system was unstable with only one stick, so I had it replaced via Crucial's lifetime warranty, no questions asked.

The RAM arrived, and all was good, fast forward another year later and I'm experiencing the exact same issue, and the discovery that raising my VDIMM to 3.0V alleviates (but not eliminate) the problem drastically, but thats not good enough for me.

The memory is being run at timings that are overly relaxed for their SPD (cas2.5/333mhz instead of their rated and detected speed of cas 2/400mhz), are running at 2T, and at +.3v higher than they are rated for. I still get memory errors after about 1000% pass (about an hour at 900mb check) in memtest. Im giving my RAM more breathing room than it should ever need, and I'm still experiencing problems.

All of my memory does this, regardless of where its oriented in the slots, or how many sticks are accompanying it leading me to believe that the RAM is not the problem, also, one of the capacitors near my memory slots looks ever so slightly bulged at the top.

My power supply is a Topower 550watt atx 2.0 (a damned good psu), and the problem existed despite trying another psu in it anyway.

Long story short(ened), I'm at my wits end, and I'm prepared to do one of the following...

- Take the advice of someone here on how to fix this problem, or...

- Give me recommendations on a new mobo, CPU, RAM, assuming I have about a $350 budget.

Thanks a ton in advance gang, I know I can count on you guys to help me out here.

Quote: Originally Posted by Fu3lman Long story short(ened), I'm at my wits end, and I'm prepared to do one of the following... - Take the advice of someone here on how to fix this problem, or... - Give me recommendations on a new mobo, CPU, RAM, assuming I have about a $350 budget. Thanks a ton in advance gang, I know I can count on you guys to help me out here.

I have your back on finding the deals

You want new/refurb?
AMD/Intel?
Mobo Brand?

ASUS P5K, E4300, 2GB DDR2 800MHz is almost in your budget. It would rock aswell.
Newegg.com - Intel Core 2 Duo E4300 Allendale 1.8GHz 2M shared L2 Cache LGA 775 Processor - Retail $115
Newegg.com - Patriot eXtreme Performance 2GB (2 x 1GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory - Retail $90 AR
ASUS P35 P5K Motherboard Retail at ZipZoomfly $152

*EDIT* T2 will probably be able to get you better deals.

Quote: Originally Posted by THRASHER2 I have your back on finding the deals You want new/refurb? AMD/Intel? Mobo Brand?

Right now, I have a deal pending with a pimp for a 4300 C2D and a nice Gigabyte board for $165, so at the moment, it looks like RAM will be the issue.

Thanks again to everyone who posted (or will post).

I believe the best RAM deal atm is this: 2GB Crucial BallistX DDR2 800. $74 with Google Checkout.

STT DDR2-800 1GB (2x512MB) CL4 Dual Channel Memory Kit
https://www.ewiz.com/detail.php?name=T800UX1GC4

T800UX1GC4 $57.68

• Specification
  • Mfr Part Number: T800UX1GC4
  • Type: DDR2
  • Capacity: 1 GB (2x 512MB)
  • Speed: PC6400 800MHz (Over-Clocked)
  • Size & Bit: 64M x 64
  • Pins: 240pin
  • ECC: No
  • Registered: No
  • Dual Channel
  • SPD Latency (CL) is: 5-5-5-15
  • Test Latency (CL) is: 4-4-3-8
  • With Heat Spreader

DDR2 2GB PC2-6400 800MHz Dual Channel Patriot PDC22G6400ELK
$40.00 Rebate
PATRIOT:
FRYS.com #: 4954981
Price: $109.99
After Rebate: $69.99

That Ballistix @ Buy.com is an amazing deal!.

Sounds to me like the motherboard is the issue, not the RAM.

Quote: Originally Posted by GlitterKill Sounds to me like the motherboard is the issue, not the RAM.

Yes, exactly, but I figure if I'm going to have to replace the motherboard anyway, I might as well just upgrade. It also eliminates the RAM as a potential culprit by just replacing everything in the loop.

Without authoring a full-blown "FS" thread, I'd just like to let everyone know that the RAM (4 x 512 MB Crucial Ballistix PC-3200 CAS2 will be tested in one of my other systems, and I'll be selling it along with the CPU (Opteron 144 - Socket 939) when I get the new stuff.

Anyone called dibs on the Ballistix yet if tested ok?
If not, any idea how much you will ask for them?

I know you just posted that this is not an official FS thread, but I may buy your opteron. PM me with a price whenever you get a chance.

Quote: Originally Posted by godfoot Anyone called dibs on the Ballistix yet if tested ok? If not, any idea how much you will ask for them?

Tested all of it, and only one stick tested ok at its rated voltage and timings, and I'm currently running the "good" stick flawlessly without a single error in memtest.

At this point, I'm probably gonna just settle for replacing the RAM to avoid the headaches and expense of upgrading my whole platform, so it looks like I'll be purchasing a set of THESE instead. If anyone has any suggestions, I'm all ears.

Thanks a ton for the input guys, and to anyone insterested, I'll gladly sell the remaining good stick of ram, though I doubt that it would be a "long-term" upgrade. Let me get the new RAM and just make me an offer.