Memtest Errors in My System

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Basically I tried to open My computer and it hung. The error report said something about 'hungapp'

In the middle of shutting it down a popup box came up telling me that Sonic DLA (or Drive Letter Access) was in the middle of updating. It soon went away and I restarted.

So it is interesting to see that the popup here as well in times of error is a Sonic made program. Just to be sure, I scanned the entire Sonic folder with Windows Malicious thangy as well as my AVG. No bad guys were detected.

I am now planning to use Panda's online scanner and then use Ad-Aware, and then finally scan with AVG. I hope I catch some really bad mo-fo of a virus.

I hope your PCs are running better than mine.
 
I am now seriously considering a reformat/reinstall

All of my sensitive documents and media are and have been since before the upgrade, backed up.

I would lose my installed programs, not that I cannot reinstall them. I have most if not all of the download files for my programs backed up.

I did find a virus. something or other on my external HD once where a lot of data is backed up.

All of my movies are backed up on DVDR, and my music for the most part is now on 2 external HDs.

I would like to know if pandasecurity's active scan is the definitive way to find malware, or is AVG's free edition better?
 
Time Out!

First of all if you have Windows problems its probably from the memory errors you encountered way back in this thread, which may or may not point to bad ram, it could also be the timings are too tight for the amount of modules you're running, Dell is not in the habit of initially supplying high performance modules, and for ram modules from two completely different sources your timings have to be relaxed to successfully run all the modules stably.

Now there is possibility of the RAM you purchased being bad but its only a possibility, if the new RAM tested in pair by itself in the original slots the old RAM was in produces no errors its not bad.

If Windows does have to be reinstalled do a repair installation, not a reformat/reinstall loosing all your data on the HDD, a repair reinstall fixes the Windows problem but leaves all your installed programs intact and it works 99% of the time.

People have suggested things here to you and you have discarded their suggestions, troubleshooting computer problems is a process of elimination, you step by step eliminate all the possibilities and whats left is usually the problem.

You PMd me for help and I don't mind helping you but if you disregard my suggestions I'm outa here, Understand?
 
List your specifications

Dell model # ? Info on sticker usually on rear of tower
M/B ID and rev# ? Usually in PCI slot area
RAM ID old pair and new pair ? sticker on RAM
Video OLD/NEW including power connections to video card 4pin etc.?
Power Supply specs ? Total rating Watts and whatever else is supplied on the label ?
OP/SYS including present SP ?

If its already been posted put it here again so it can be referenced back to without going over the entire thread.
 
Try installing RegScrubXP and run it in the automatic mode to find registry problems, if it finds a bunch allow it to clean up your registry, in the auto mode it will not clean anything you don't need taken care of.

Its perfectly safe in the auto mode on Windows XP, I've been using it now for about a year with not the first complication.
 
I apologize profusely for any unhappiness I may have caused to you.

I did not mean to insult you and I am carefully reading all of your posts

I am in the middle of getting all of my Serial Numbers and such off of the RAM and mobo and the such

Im listening, please stay and assist me

Also what do you mean about repair reinstall?
 
I will do that as well as I can:

A) Model Number: Dell Dimension XPS Gen 3
model # as said on side of case: WHL
I dont want to give you my serial number unless its absolutely necessary, for it is really private info.

Its one of the Big Blue XPS cases with the neon bling on the front

B) New RAM: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16820145526
That is what I got:
Corsair Value Select:
VS512mb533D2
07010693 - 0 - 069092

and for the other one: (same as other aside from last digit of s/n)
VS512mb533D2
07010693 - 0 - 069092


The Old RAM: both DIMMS are Identical
Samsung Logo KR
PC2-4200U - 444- 10 - B1
M378T6453FG0 - CD5

C) Mobo:
By my CPU is says: Dell logo, R:A-01 r is for revision if I am correct
and bottom PCI slots are 2 stickers

The upper one:
AA C56912-304

The Lower One:
DS/N CN-0K3464 - 48111 - 47L - 00ZF : C/O CN


next...

D) PSU: Dell knows nothing about their won PSUs but this is what I have found in 2 places: 460watts though is what all agree on
+5v= 35 0A
+12v_A= 17 0A
+5vfp= 2 0A
+12v_B= 17 0A
-12v= 0.8 A
+3.3v= 40 0A

I had a thread running for a while on whether or not my PC could run the 7900gs:
http://forumz.tomshardware.com/hardware/Upgrading-PCftopic-220811-days0-orderasc-25.html

E) Video Card old:
Dell called it the X800SE 128mb
Catalyst and 3dmark 05/06 pretty much everywhere else calls it the X800GT 128mb
I do not remember the precise clock settings

F) Video card New: eVGA 7900gs KO w/out HDCP
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16814130056

G) OS: Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition Service Pack 2 (Build 2600)
that is what comes up in EAsy Info from BF2.

Ok then I think that covers it all.

Please assist
 
How to do a Windows XP or Windows 2K Repair Installation;

Start your installation just like a normal from scratch installation, set CMOS boot sequence to first boot CDROM, second boot your HDD setup.

Insert Win Installation CD, press any key at CDROM boot invitation, If RAID Controller or SATA Controller Drivers are necessary for your situation, Press F6 at the prompt to do so, and load them when requested to do so.

Continue as an install from scratch installation, [immediately after the F8 agreement] Windows will search for Previously Installed Operating Systems, and will highlight your corrupted installation, at this point simply press R, to start the repair, it will seem like its installing from scratch except you will not format the HDD, and when it completes Windows will be repaired and all your data is still there.
 
You haven't insulted me, if I'm going to take the time to help you, I need your attention, serial numbers are not necessary to give anyone trying to help you so thats good on your part.

Model #s is all thats necessary!

Repair installation instructions I've already posted.
 
I really don't want to have to read this entire thread its kinda large, so is this right that you've gone back to the original RAM in their original slots? If yes, you remember what slots the old ram originally was in right?

Was it side by side in one of the paired sockets?

Or 1 module in the first paired set of sockets, and 1 in the other paired set of sockets?
 
Before I do anything rash, I want to get this regscrub out of the way.

I did the RegScrubXP finds problems

it found 129, not unusual

then what do I do? What is my next step to use the program?
 
I have indeed gone back to the original RAM in its original slots

I do not know which specific DIMM was in which specific slot though (e.g. Serial Number blahblahblah in slot 1 and serial number blahblahblah in slot 2)

For most if not all of my thread's info, read the Big Post from me on page4.

It may be long, but it will give you an excellent review of what happened.

The Key is in the Big One.
 
The RAM is supposed to be paired as such

PAIR 1 DIMM1 //// PAIR 2 DIMM1 //// PAIR1 DIMM2 ///// PAIR 2 DIMM2

its in that position now, except that the 2nd and 4th slots (for the second pair) are empty.

My original factory config in terms of RAM
 
The RAM is supposed to be paired as such

PAIR 1 DIMM1 //// PAIR 2 DIMM1 //// PAIR1 DIMM2 ///// PAIR 2 DIMM2

its in that position now, except that the 2nd and 4th slots (for the second pair) are empty.

My original factory config in terms of RAM


Have you been into the CMOS setup?

Do you know how to?

Asking these questions is not a prompt for you to jump into the CMOS not knowing what you're doing in there, its for my finding out your capabilities, just answer the questions for now. OK

Do you know if your M/B CMOS setup will allow you to set RAM timings manually?

Your M/B is a know NON overclocker but does the CMOS allow for manual memory timings or only AUTO settings?
 
Well as of this point, I used RegScrubXP, it found 129 issues, i selected all, and it fixed all 129. Thanks 4Ryan6, I see your last post now.

While I am awaiting the next step I will use my AVG to scan my PC.

About my external, it is a 500gb one, and I have no place to dump the data.
All the data on it is also backed up elsewhere, but that does not help me enough. I spent days organizing my movies on that drive and I simply cannot afford to reformat it as such.

I will scan the external using Panda now though.
 
Your M/B is a know NON overclocker but does the CMOS allow for manual memory timings or only AUTO settings?


The reason I'm asking this is you've posted two sets of timings 4/4/4/11
and 4/4/4/12, we've got to get the timings to all work together at something like 5/5/5/12 or 5/5/5/14 because you're using a 2gb total of 4 512mb modules, obviously not the same timings, but if the CMOS can be manually set the modules can all be used ERROR free.

Now did you get the timings you posted from the CMOS, or from the sticker on the RAM modules?
 
Panda said it found a virus and a spyware in my external. The information was limited and I cannot expand the Pandas search window. It seemed though that at the very end it found 2 problems both in the file Xvid 1.1 which I have had for ages and used to play Xvid encoded video.

I manually went and deleted the file itself. Then, I quickly did another scan with the file in the recycling bin, and right in the beginning of the scan it detected stuff in my bin. I emptied the Bin and began another scan.

The last scan finished with no known issues on my external, however I will do one more scan.

Next will be to rescan my HD with the same program.
 
There may be nothing wrong with the RAM at all but 2 timed @ 4/4/4/11 and the other 2 @ 4/4/4/12 and thats not going to work together error free.

If the only CMOS options you have are AUTO and its trying to run the RAM at 2 different settings and you cannot manually sett both channels of RAM to the same timings, its not going to work.

If the CMOS will allow a manual setting that all four modules can run at you're in business.
 
The reason I'm asking this is you've posted two sets of timings 4/4/4/11
and 4/4/4/12, we've got to get the timings to all work together at something like 5/5/5/12 or 5/5/5/14 because you're using a 2gb total of 4 512mb modules, obviously not the same timings, but if the CMOS can be manually set the modules can all be used ERROR free.

Now did you get the timings you posted from the CMOS, or from the sticker on the RAM modules?

Now I gave you in writing what I found on the DIMMS themselves.

Memtest recognized the Old modules as being 4-4-4-11 and the new ones as being 4-4-4-12. Now this is not really the issue at hand though.

I have an inability to start 3dmark05 or 06 as well as 2 errors in a version of EA's EAsy Info. I am not using the old ram, so I cannot blame anything on it. I want to focus now on how to get 3dmark05/6 to run, for that will clear up my biggest issue: software/driver incompatibility/conflict.

That is my problem, I havent used all 4 DIMMS since thursday.

When I mean I just dont know I was referring to my lack of knowledge on whether or not I could change my CMOS settings, as well as complete lack of knowledge on what CMOS settings are.

I hope that is enough for now. My external now has no malware :)
 
There may be nothing wrong with the RAM at all but 2 timed @ 4/4/4/11 and the other 2 @ 4/4/4/12 and thats not going to work together error free.

If the only CMOS options you have are AUTO and its trying to run the RAM at 2 different settings and you cannot manually sett both channels of RAM to the same timings, its not going to work.

If the CMOS will allow a manual setting that all four modules can run at you're in business.

One person did suggest mixing the new and old ram so that in each pair the mobo would automatically bring them both down to 4-4-4-11. Just a suggestion.