GA-P35-DS3L w/ Crucial Ballistix Problem, Need Help

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sickyd

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Mar 7, 2008
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Just recently built a new comp (Intel q6600, GA-P35-DS3L, 2x1GB Crucial Ballistix PC2-8500 (1066) RAM Dual Channel Kit) and everything went together fine and got it running great for two weeks.

Then I started getting Blue Screens of Death in WinXP, they seemed random and all related to some sort of problem with the memory. I ran Memtest86 on both sticks individually and in different slots. I only once got any sort of an error, and when I tried to reproduce the error with the same stick in the same slot, it was fine with over 7 passes. The BSoDs kept coming however, so I decided to reformat and reinstall Windows, thinking maybe a bad driver got in there or my registry was messed. The errors are still coming. The only solution I have found is to run on only 1GB of RAM, which has been stable for over a day. I am not trying to overclock anything, just get everything working together nicely.

With the repeated tests on the memory, I have kind of ruled out defective memory, and am now looking more at the RAM slots and the motherboard itself. Could something be wrong with the dual channel? Also, I haven't touched anything in the BIOS, I am completely dumb when it comes to timings and voltage and all that. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.
 
btw, at what voltage are u running these rams? make sure u running them at the specified voltage by the manufacturer.

if u get even one error in 20 passes of memtest, then u have ram issue. n first thing is. make sure that u supplying right voltage. since i know that the ones u running aint the 1.8v ones.
 
Hi,I had the same problem on my GA P35-DS4, E8400, Ballistix1066 also.I am awaiting my THIRD set of memory from crucial.I was also gettings errors not to mention my registry got corrupted as well as some of my software.I had to do a fresh xp install too.I went out and got a set of pny (667mhz) memory and I have not had a problem running with it.Although its slower.Did you get it from newegg?I did and after cutting the box up to send in for the rebate I had to RMA it to crucial for replacement.I think there is a bad batch.Download and run HWMonitor and tell me if its running at 2.24v instead of 2.2v That is what my board was running mine at and may have something to do with the problems you and I have.
 
Ok I found out how to set timings and voltage in BIOS, set it to 5-5-5-15 and 2.2v (1.8v + .4), but still am getting randomly timed errors.

@fbm211: HWMonitor says my RAM is running at 2.06v even though I set it to 2.2 in the BIOS. is this a RAM or mobo problem? I have yet to try out another set of RAM, so I will try that out next. Why would it be stable with only one stick (1GB)? but once I put in the 2nd stick, boom, all kinds of errors. And yes I got it at newegg and sent in for the rebate too. Guess i'll have to RMA direct to crucial.
 
I would say its the mobo but I cant be sure if you have the same options as I do.For some reason my mobo doesnt seem to have an option to set the memory to a specific voltage.It sets the voltage itself.Im expecting the 3rd set mon/tues and am going to try to talk to a real person at gigabyte tech support and see if they can tell me how to get it to run at 2.2 and not 2.24.That voltage your getting is kinda strange and crucial says that ram has to be at 2.2v to be stable.I would say you have a bad batch and your not the only one.Im seeing reports of this problem on this forum with that memory and gigabyte mobos.Call crucial and get a rma# and tell em other people are having the same problems.They might even offer cross shipping.I didnt take it cause I got this pny667 that runs stable.Ill also let you know what gigabyte tell me even though we have different boards.
 
Check out:
http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/forum2.php?config=tomshardwareus.inc&cat=29&post=246284&page=1&p=1&sondage=0&owntopic=3&trash=0&trash_post=0&print=0&numreponse=0&quote_only=0&new=0&nojs=0
System Voltage Control: Determines whether to manually set the system voltages (i.e. CPU core voltage, RAM voltage, PCIe voltage, etc). "Auto" lets BIOS automatically set the system voltages as required. I recommend that you set this to "Auto" only if your overclock is small like 10-11%. Set this to "Disable" if your overclock is high (i.e. 400+Mhz CPU speed increase). Also set this to "Disable" if you need to change RAM voltages, this is specially true for most high performance RAM like the Crucial Ballastix and Corsair XMS2, etc. If your RAM is higher than 1.8v you must set this to "Disabled" .
I am running Crucial Ballastix on


DDR2 OverVoltage Control: This is the RAM voltage. Increase this by +0.1v increments to reach the voltage specified by the ram manufacture. The standard voltage is 1.8v. So if your voltage is rated as 2.2v increase this to +0.4v since 1.8 + 0.4 = 2.2.
Click to expand...

 
to shadow...My bios is different than that link you posted.I cant set the system voltage control to disable,only manual .Also my overvoltage control is only available in +0.5 increments starting at +0.5.I have tried setting it up like that link suggested and I dont get a option to set my ddr2voltage to a specific voltage.It always sets it to 1.84 on the 667 memory and 2.24 on the 1066 ballistix memory.Any suggestions?
 
2310626261_0891266c60_o.jpg

http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/forum2.php?config=tomshardwareus.inc&cat=29&post=245679&page=1&p=1&sondage=0&owntopic=3&trash=0&trash_post=0&print=0&numreponse=0&quote_only=0&new=0&nojs=0
 
@SpinachEater: I realized they aren't on the "supported" list for this motherboard, but there aren't many verified brands on there in the first place. Seeing as how they advertise the board as being 1066 capable, and then only officially support a few different brands of RAM is ridiculous. Gigabyte also says that that list doesn't mean that any other RAM won't work with the board, its just a list of what they have tried and verified works. I don't see how the 1066s wouldn't work when the 800s and 667s of the same brand and model would. But hey, perhaps that is the problem. I'll pick up some 800 sticks tomorrow and see if they make a difference.

@fbm211: I know we don't have the same board, but I would expect that they are similar enough to troubleshoot together. I started the RMA process with Crucial, hopefully just a new batch will work out. What is your batch number so we can compare? If you figure anything else out on how to get a higher speed RAM running on these boards, lemme know. For know I will probably grab some lower speed RAM like you so I can get a stable environment.

 
I know...I used to think those lists were BS too...still do to some extent. Expecially for the reason you gave...there is no way of telling what they tested and didn't test (would be nice to see a failing list). Plus, who knows how often or if they even update the lists.

I ran into someone who followed those lists religiously but had trouble with a set from Patriot and G.Skill that weren't on his mobo list. Maybe it was coincidental...I don't know...but now I do check them just to avoid headaches.

Crucial makes high quality RAM where almost all versions use the micron ICs...I am shocked that you are having trouble with Crucial at all.

Here is a handy list to help pick out RAM based on the IC quality if you don't know about it yet.
http://ramlist.ath.cx/ddr2/

Good luck.
 
Wow. This exact same problem is happening to me with the same mobo/RAM. I ordered my stuff on 2/26 fwiw. System specs:

Enlight 7250AK9 Black 0.8mm Steel ATX Mid Tower Computer Case
Seagate Barracuda 7200.10 ST3250410AS 250GB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive
GIGABYTE GA-P35-DS3L LGA 775 Intel P35 ATX All Solid Capacitor Intel Motherboard
Intel Core 2 Duo E6750 Conroe 2.66GHz LGA 775 65W Dual-Core Processor Model BX80557E6750
Antec earthwatts EA380 ATX12V v2.0 380W Power Supply
POWERCOLOR X1550 512MBDDR2 Radeon X1550 512MB 128-bit GDDR2 PCI Express x16 Video Card
LITE-ON 16X DVD±R DVD Burner Black SATA Model LH-16A1S-15
Crucial Ballistix 2GB (2 x 1GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 1066 (PC2 8500) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory Model BL2KIT12864AA1065

I put it together last Monday. It worked fine until Saturday when I would get crashes frequently and at various times. If I tested the RAM right after a crash it would pop up with errors, but other times I would test it it would be totally clean. I eventually figured out how to up the voltage and set the timings but it was still crashing. Windows was also loading super slow. Anyway, I'm RMAing the RAM and trying to find something from the official list now. I went to Fry's and they had some 800 Kingston HyperX or something that was pretty close to one on the official list, but not exactly. I may end up returning it too if it doesn't work out.

The only real difference in our stories is that I never got a BSOD except a very swift one right after bootup once, before the first Windows logo/loading screen came up. Every time has been a hard reset.

sickyd I'd like to chat with you so if you have AIM send me a IM at username BadBeatsCrewDerk

Thanks
 
Not sure why but for some reason i have seen many reports of the 1066 ballistix having problems and not the 800. As for the voltage not reading the same in HWMonitor not reading the same as your MB i had this problem with the same board and had to keep moving it up till it hit 2.2v was made but in bios it says its at 2.5 to get a real 2.2 so may be the board but its 24/7 stable and does not move from 2.17-2.21 which works for me.
 
OK I chatted with sickyd. He said he was able to run on 1 stick for a couple of days before it crashed. He also said he borrowed a stick and his system worked ok.

As for me, I went to Fry's and got the closest thing they had to something on the list and my system worked for 19 hours before I had to reboot it (for something unrelated to any hardware problems). It hasn't crashed since I put the RAM in. Both of us are going to buy this RAM from Newegg that is on the Gigabyte qualified list, though: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820145034
 
AH, see...when it happens to more than one person you have to wonder if those RAM lists really do have some weight.

There is something about 1066 though where it seems to give people more problems than 800.
 
I've just built a new system with the ds3l gigabyte mb and 4 gig of crucial ballistix 8500 ram
Q6600 2.4 clocked at 3.2 replacing intel fan with a heatpipe cooler fan, temp 32c and 37c after hard gaming on cod4, bioshock and so on.
I did have a problem with minidump blue screen errors which was down to a bad stick of ram, now replaced and works without fault. Like others have said make sure to change the memory voltage to 2.2 as the board will be set at 1.8
But to answer others who was unsure if this ram would support this board, then yes it does, like it says on the gigabyte website if not listed doesnt mean it's not supported...
 
Both of us did set it at 2.2. We both had the same errors. His system worked fine for a couple of weeks before it started acting up, mine worked for a week and then started acting up. Occasionally after a crash I'd get memtest errors, sometimes I wouldn't. So, I wouldn't say for sure that the Ballistix 8500 works until you've run it for a few weeks.
 
Same mobo, same proc, same RAM... same problem 😛 Tried from 1.8V to 2.2V. It definitely fails a lot less at 2.2.

Gonna RMA the RAM soon... first I'm trying to find a test that will ALWAYS make it fail (usually I get BSoDs related to RAM problems or application crashes after a while doing RAM-intensive things, then immediately after Prime95 or Memtest86+ will fail, or Windows won't boot (BSoD). Sounds like overheating, but my temps are good. Anyways, once I find that test, I will swap in a buddy's G-Skill RAM (same speed, same latencies, etc... good luck I had there) and see if it works or not. If it does, I'm RMAing.

Good luck to everyone else with these sticks. You'll need it.
 
I got the new RAM that was on the official list today. I also threw in the old power supply (the Antec 380W instead of the Antec 430W that I swapped out once thinking it might be the error). It's Corsair and 4-4-4-12 at 2.1V. The stuff Fry's gave me that wasn't on the list is 4-4-4-12 at 2.0V and ran fine while I had it. Uptime was about 6 days before I shut it down to replace it with the new stuff. I had to run somewhere to get some stuff, so I started up a memtest before I left. When I came back there were 6 errors all at like 725MB or so after 3 passes (they were all on pass #2).

So, I'm not sure what to make of that, but it hasn't crashed in Windows thus far. I'll run it until next Monday and if it doesn't crash I'll take the Fry's stuff back, otherwise I'll RMA this stuff and keep the Fry's.
 
No worries folks i had the same issues, ran memtest both passed multiple times, but when i pulled both sticks out, stuck in one, i found i had issues with the one, and not the other, when i called to rma it, they said its a manufacturing defect send it back in, still waitin for it, since ups is retarded, but i digress, memtest is great, but pulling a stick out, and run 3dmark06, see which one causes it to lock up, and you have your culpret.
 
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