Dual Channel vs MEMTEST: What's wrong?

[Guest]

Hi There!
I have a HP D530 PC with 2x256Mb DDR memory. I have run MEMTEST86+ and it has found lots of errors. I've taken of one of the moduls and restart the test with only one of the memories. It was running all night without any problem. Neraly 90 pass and 0 error. I've done this with the other memory too, same result: Nearly 100 pass and 0 error.
I have already tried the memories in every slot, to be sure it's not a motherboard problem. Everything was O.K.
So the motherboard has to be good, and the moduls are working fine in single channel, BUT:
If I put them into the 1st and the 3rd slot they make errors again. (In dual channel)
However if I put them into to 2nd and 4th slot they seems to be good. (15 pass without an error)
So what should be the problem? The slots are good, I thought the two memory don't "like each other" but why are they working in slot 2nd and 4th?
I'm worried, please help.

Thanks a lot

 

[o1die]

You don't need to run memtest or prime 95 if your system is stable. I can never get my ram to pass, so I avoid using it. Only ram that should pass is ecc memory used on server boards. If your regular ram passes, good for you, but a few errors doesn't mean the ram is bad. Most ram has a lifetime warranty. You can rma it if you have any real problems.

 

[JackNaylorPE]

You don't need to run memtest or prime 95 if your system is stable. I can never get my ram to pass, so I avoid using it. Only ram that should pass is ecc memory used on server boards. If your regular ram passes, good for you, but a few errors doesn't mean the ram is bad. Most ram has a lifetime warranty. You can rma it if you have any real problems.

Again, I have never had a stick of RAM fail Prime95 or memtest, even at 65% overclocks. ECC has nothing to do with stability.

To the OP, if you have two sticks you wanna make sure you have them in the correct slots. You then wanna make sure that you have the RAM timings as per the manufacturers stated timings. In my experience, the BIOS rarely gets it right for performance memory. Finally, make sure you are running memtest+ not the older memtest

http://www.memtest.org/

If I put them into the 1st and the 3rd slot they make errors again. (In dual channel)
However if I put them into to 2nd and 4th slot they seems to be good. (15 pass without an error)
So what should be the problem? The slots are good, I thought the two memory don't "like each other" but why are they working in slot 2nd and 4th?

You can't arbitrarily throw modules in any slots you want. The MoBo manual will stipulate which slots are the primary (1st ones you use) and which ones are secondary (2nd ones you use). I am gonna assume that your MoBo is designed to use the 2nd and 4th slots, why do you wanna make it do different ? Have you RTFM'd ?

If you don't know what MoBo you have , try Belarc Advisor

 

[dave93]

Thanks a lot for the answers. I have another, same PC and that one also doing this. 1st and 3th slot: error
2nd and 4th slot: pass
In the User's Guide it's says the 1st and the 3th sould be the 1st one to use, but my motherboards don't want it
2 PCs are working in this configuration, now I don't mind it. They are working, so everything is O.K.

Thank you very much.

 

[ekoostik]

Thanks a lot for the answers. I have another, same PC and that one also doing this. 1st and 3th slot: error
2nd and 4th slot: pass
In the User's Guide it's says the 1st and the 3th sould be the 1st one to use, but my motherboards don't want it
2 PCs are working in this configuration, now I don't mind it. They are working, so everything is O.K.

It would be really helpful if you provide more information, like what motherboard you are using. Which slot are you calling the "first"? You can't do it by just looking at the board. Most people incorrectly number the slots the same way they read, left to right. Ok, so flip your board around 180 degrees. Ah ha, what was the first is now the fourth! This is why providing more information is helpful. One other thing to note, some motherboards say to put your RAM in DIMM_1 and DIMM_3, and then DIMM_1 and DIMM_3 are the 2nd and 4th slot from your CPU.

Jack's answer to OP probably applies here as well:

You can't arbitrarily throw modules in any slots you want. The MoBo manual will stipulate which slots are the primary (1st ones you use) and which ones are secondary (2nd ones you use). I am gonna assume that your MoBo is designed to use the 2nd and 4th slots, why do you wanna make it do different ? Have you RTFM'd ?

 

[Pointertovoid]

Good working Ram does pass Memtest. And Memtest is necessary to check the Ram. You won't see defects quickly by running your OS, but only after months, which is much worse.

 

[LoneWolf_53]

You don't need to run memtest or prime 95 if your system is stable. I can never get my ram to pass, so I avoid using it. Only ram that should pass is ecc memory used on server boards. If your regular ram passes, good for you, but a few errors doesn't mean the ram is bad. Most ram has a lifetime warranty. You can rma it if you have any real problems.

That is simply incorrect.

I've never used ECC RAM and my memory always passes memtest unless there is something wrong with it in which case I get it replaced.

Just because you choose to ignore signs of trouble doesn't mean everything is fine.