Memtest86 reports no error at the store, but reports errors here!!

I don't know what is going on with my DDR Ram memory here.
Earlier this week, I have run a memtest86 in the office and found out that
the memory was bad (lots of red error messages on the screen).
I took it to the computer store, they tested it, and they found the same
errors. The guy said he cleaned it, set it back into place, ran the
memtest86 again, and it went through without any error.
Back into the Office, I have the memory problems again, I run memtest86
and... The red warnings showing the errors again.
The memory and the mobo are all brand new, they're not dusty at all.
I did the test with another memory, and there are also these errors.
Should I change both of them? Is there a way to "clean" them, or to fix
them?

--
Thanks,

Admin.
Want to buy me a book? http://tinyurl.com/78xzb

errors. The guy said he cleaned it, set it back into place, ran the
memtest86 again, and it went through without any error.


That sounds like BS to me. Were you a witness to him running the memtest? Is
there a substantial (10º +) difference in temperature between your office
and the computer shop? Did he say that the system's airflow was cut off by
dust?
I'd bring the computer back to the guy (in the afternoon, when it's hottest)
and have him run the memtest in front of you.
--


"I don't cheat to survive. I cheat to LIVE!!"
- Alceryes




"Admin" wrote in message newsp.swwfioo1uoj956@charles...
I don't know what is going on with my DDR Ram memory here.
Earlier this week, I have run a memtest86 in the office and found out that
the memory was bad (lots of red error messages on the screen).
I took it to the computer store, they tested it, and they found the same
errors. The guy said he cleaned it, set it back into place, ran the
memtest86 again, and it went through without any error.
Back into the Office, I have the memory problems again, I run memtest86
and... The red warnings showing the errors again.
The memory and the mobo are all brand new, they're not dusty at all.
I did the test with another memory, and there are also these errors.
Should I change both of them? Is there a way to "clean" them, or to fix
them?

--
Thanks,

Admin.
Want to buy me a book? http://tinyurl.com/78xzb

On Sat, 10 Sep 2005 15:12:14 -0300, Admin
wrote:

I don't know what is going on with my DDR Ram memory here.
Earlier this week, I have run a memtest86 in the office and found out that
the memory was bad (lots of red error messages on the screen).
I took it to the computer store, they tested it, and they found the same
errors. The guy said he cleaned it, set it back into place, ran the
memtest86 again, and it went through without any error.
Back into the Office, I have the memory problems again, I run memtest86
and... The red warnings showing the errors again.
The memory and the mobo are all brand new, they're not dusty at all.
I did the test with another memory, and there are also these errors.
Should I change both of them? Is there a way to "clean" them, or to fix
them?

Memtest checks for memory errors. That doesn't mean the
memory is bad, necessarily, only that the specific module as
installed at the moment in a _specific_motherboard_ is not
stable. It can be (and often is) the motherboard itself
that is partly to blame.

It doesn't matter what the "guy" determined, if the memory's
spec is supposedly suitable for the system but your system
isn't stable running it, you should return it for a
refund... most preferribly NOT an exchange for exact same
brand/model of memory because of this potential for the
motherboard or motherboard-memory interaction (compatibility
issues) problem potential.

Check your bios to see if it's running "auto" or "SPD"
timings. If bios settings are misconfigured, correct that.
You might try clearing CMOS, if you can set any necessary
bios settings yourself afterwards. "Sometimes" a bios
update can help. If you know how to manually set memory
timings that can help too, but is generally best done when
you "need" to keep/use a particular module for some reason,
not when you have the possiblity of being able to return the
module instead.

Memory must run fine in every type of bus condition from 20
up. This is an arbitrary number provided only to demonstrate
the process. Your computer may be a 40. His tester may be a
70. Therefore the memory will work everytime in his tester
AND memory is still defective - it will not work on a 50 bus
or less.

One way to make errors obvious is to use a hairdryer. Did
this once with memory. It would work just fine during test.
Computer would crash periodically. Vendor refused to admit
memory was bad until I warmed it with a hairdryer on high.
Then it failed in his tester every time. Warm memory changes
defective memory from a 50 to a 20. If memory was good, it
would remain at above 100.

Memory calls it "pig's heaven" - thinks 70 degree F and 100+
degrees F are ideal and comfortable temperatures. If you
don't think so, then get the manufacturer's data sheets -
provide numbers that say otherwise. Intermittent memory tends
to show its pathetic nature only when heated to 100+ degrees -
a hairdryer on high.

BTW what do we do for flight hardware? We run those ICs
right up at the maximum spec temperatures, cycle temperatures,
and test again. Contrary to myth, this causes no damage, no
significant stress, and finds intermittents before they morph
into hard failures. Learn from how testing was done even in
the 1960s. Your memory should remain at well over 100 even
when heated by a hairdryer.

BTW, if the memory vendor said he cleaned the memory pins,
then you know his technical knowledge is fully based in
myths. Those electrical connections are self cleaning. And
yet still some naive will take an eraser and clean those
contacts. Classic myth purveyor who would make a good FEMA
Director.

Admin wrote:
I don't know what is going on with my DDR Ram memory here.
Earlier this week, I have run a memtest86 in the office and found
out that the memory was bad (lots of red error messages on the screen).
I took it to the computer store, they tested it, and they found the same
errors. The guy said he cleaned it, set it back into place, ran the
memtest86 again, and it went through without any error.
Back into the Office, I have the memory problems again, I run memtest86
and... The red warnings showing the errors again.
The memory and the mobo are all brand new, they're not dusty at all.
I did the test with another memory, and there are also these errors.
Should I change both of them? Is there a way to "clean" them, or to fix
them?

On Sat, 10 Sep 2005 15:12:14 -0300 As Androids Dreamed Of Electric
Sheep and then Admin wrote :

I don't know what is going on with my DDR Ram memory here.
Earlier this week, I have run a memtest86 in the office and found out that
the memory was bad (lots of red error messages on the screen).
I took it to the computer store, they tested it, and they found the same
errors. The guy said he cleaned it, set it back into place, ran the
memtest86 again, and it went through without any error.
Back into the Office, I have the memory problems again, I run memtest86
and... The red warnings showing the errors again.
The memory and the mobo are all brand new, they're not dusty at all.
I did the test with another memory, and there are also these errors.
Should I change both of them? Is there a way to "clean" them, or to fix
them?

Software memory testers aren't worth the cost of the download let
alone running.
My 10 penn'th



--
Free Windows/PC help,
http://www.geocities.com/sheppola/trouble.html

Admin wrote:
I don't know what is going on with my DDR Ram memory here.
Earlier this week, I have run a memtest86 in the office and found out
that the memory was bad (lots of red error messages on the screen).
I took it to the computer store, they tested it, and they found the
same errors. The guy said he cleaned it, set it back into place, ran

snip

Is the RAM...the "generic" type that the store has on special?
I'd return it for a know-good name brand...even if it's more expensive.


Or... try clocking down the RAM a bit.

Admin wrote:

Earlier this week, I have run a memtest86 in the office and found out that
the memory was bad (lots of red error messages on the screen).
I took it to the computer store, they tested it, and they found the same
errors. The guy said he cleaned it, set it back into place, ran the
memtest86 again, and it went through without any error.
Back into the Office, I have the memory problems again, I run memtest86
and... The red warnings showing the errors again.
The memory and the mobo are all brand new, they're not dusty at all.
I did the test with another memory, and there are also these errors.
Should I change both of them? Is there a way to "clean" them, or to fix
them?

You deserve a refund because you paid to have the computer fixed or at
least diagnosed exactly, not to have a clueless guy tinker with it and
do something useless. I can't imagine dust on a new mobo and memory
being thick enough to affect anything, so why didn't the guy simply
chant and pray? In the repair report, what are the values of the
voltages, not just the PSU's but also for the CPU core, memory bus, and
AGP slot?

I'd remove and reseat the memory, but if that doesn't help (it probably
won't), change the memory parameters in the BIOS. Sometimes the
automatic settings (SPD) are wrong for a module because it's rated
faster than the mobo's memory speed (i.e., PC3200 memory in a PC2100
mobo) or the module maker was lax about screening its chips for speed
and quality and used marginal ones (often the case when the chip
maker's part numbers are missing and the chips have only the module
maker's marks on them) that may require underclocking. I've
experienced this even with some national brands, most recently
Kingston.

A memory diagnostic has to be run for several hours, maybe overnight,
to find all errors, and while MemTest86 has gotten high marks (see
www.realworldtech.com review), you should also use Gold Memory
(www.goldmemory.cz) to find errors it misses. Gold has also missed
errors for me, so it's important to use both diagnostics.

Shep=A9 wrote:

Software memory testers aren't worth the cost of the download let
alone running.

How much does a good hardware memory tester cost, and do most computer
shops with hardware testers have the good ones? I've seen some selling
for $500 US, and one store said that theirs cost $700.

If software testers are useless, why have they found defects in some of
the modules I've bought (only those with no-name chips, not those with
chip makers' part numbers on them) and have done so consistently with
each pass?

Also how do you explain this:
http://www.realworldtech.com/page.cf...WT052001232443 and this:
http://www.realworldtech.com/page.cf...WT120901222920 , where some
software testers did as well as the hardware testers from Ultra-X?

philo wrote:

Is the RAM...the "generic" type that the store has on special?
I'd return it for a know-good name brand...even if it's more expensive.

Or... try clocking down the RAM a bit.

What's a good name brand? Because even Kingston, PNY, K-byte, Centon,
and maybe even Corsair now use no-name chips in at least some of their
modules. I buy locally from stores with 100% money-back guarantees
because of the high defect rates I've experienced with some of these.

On 11 Sep 2005 16:26:29 -0700, "larry moe 'n curly"
wrote:

What's a good name brand? Because even Kingston, PNY, K-byte, Centon,
and maybe even Corsair now use no-name chips in at least some of their
modules. I buy locally from stores with 100% money-back guarantees
because of the high defect rates I've experienced with some of these.

What ever happened to Micron?

http://www.micron.com/



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