Computer Memory Troubles

[chequita guevara]

So, for the past month or so, my computer's been giving me grief. Since I installed Civ 4, I've started having sponteneous reboots. When I got the latest ATI drivers, that stopped for a bit.

Then it started again, giving me page fault errors, and this and that, so I increased the page file size, and stopped having that problem, turned off the reboot on error and started getting BSoDs.

It seemed to be one of two possible problems: a conflict with the ATI drivers or bad memory.

I downloaded Memtest86, and it showed I had a memory error. Since then, the computer's been freezing a lot, and I have the occassional reboot (no BSoDs).

Bought some new memory (I wanted to do that anyway). Put it in the machine, crash! crash crash CRASH! Ran Memtest on it and before it had even barely started it was showing 1200 errors!

So I'm thinking that's probably not right, and run the program on my wife's machine. No problems. Put my new memory in her machine. No errors. Put my old memory in her machine, no errors.

So what on my machine would throw memory errors like that? I'm guessing it's a problem on my motherboard.

I figured maybe the motherboard got damaged somehow (maybe by all those reboots Civ IV caused?). I tossed my wife's old memory in my PC and it boots up fine. I'm still getting the occassional freeze, though not as bad as before.

So, motherboard or CPU? I guess I could find out by swapping CPUs with my wife's pc, but they're both Athalon's and I hate installing those. Always afraid I'm gonna crack it putting on the fan.

[Urban Ranger]

What are the specs of the memory modules?

[chequita guevara]

The first one was 512 meg 333 PC2700 2-3-3 unbuffered non-ECC 2.5V, Corsair. It's got a lifetime warranty. I'll probably sell it on eBay.

The new one was 1 gig of 333 PC 2700 2.5-3-3 unbuffered non-ECC 2.5V, Patriot.

The wife's were 2x512 meg of 266 PC2100 Mushkin.

[Urban Ranger]

Originally posted by chegitz guevara
The first one was 512 meg 333 PC2700 2-3-3 unbuffered non-ECC 2.5V, Corsair. It's got a lifetime warranty. I'll probably sell it on eBay.

The new one was 1 gig of 333 PC 2700 2.5-3-3 unbuffered non-ECC 2.5V, Patriot.

The wife's were 2x512 meg of 266 PC2100 Mushkin.

Is your mobo older than bunnygrrl's?

Also, if your mobo has been developing problems, running it on memory of lower speeds usually makes it more stable.

[alva]

giving me page fault errors,

Those aren't memory errors, at least not the way you think of them.
Don't worry about those.

At the moment I play Civ on a single Gig with my swap file turned off. It usually stays withing 500 MB anyway.

[Fake Boris]

You'll want to check:

1. Power supply. Is it cheapo or brand name? Athlon + ATI card can draw a lot and crash no-name PS.

2. CPU and mobo temps. Clean the dust if there is any, check thermal grease and/or change heatsink, add or move fans.

[chequita guevara]

The mobo is older than Bunnygrrl's. It's a four year old SOLTEK SL-75DRV5 Socket A (Socket 462) VIA KT333 ATX AMD Motherboard - Retail. (I love how Newegg keeps all your old orders ).

Power supply is a PC Power & Cooling 350W ATX. That should be plenty of power.

The onboard temperature sensors show the my CPU is well below thermal death, happily running around 66°C.

There is dust in the system, and I vacuumed some of that out, maybe not enough. Guess I need a anti-dust spray can.

I have not overclocked my system.

[Fake Boris]

The PS sounds good, it's probably not the problem then. But the 66C is too high - I've seen stability problems in the high 50s.
I'd even say that reboots and BSODs are often caused by high CPU temps in my experience, much more than faulty RAM (especially when you use brand memory).

[Fake Boris]

If you're too lazy to change heatsink/fan, try lowering CPU voltage first.

[Stuie]

I had the same problems when I bumped my RAM from 1 gig to 1.5 gig. I replaced the 350w Antec power supply with a 500w PS and have had no more problems.

Edit: oops - didn't notice the CPU temp. That's pretty hot. Mine runs in the upper 40s/low 50s.

[Provost Harrison]

Yeah, it's an Athlon though, that's not entirely surprising...

[alva]

Making an opinion based on info that is 5 year old.

[Provost Harrison]

Using offensive pictures as avatars

[Whaleboy]

[chequita guevara]

Okay, I just blew all the dust out of the machine, but I don't think I did myself any favors. Lotta condensation, but no more dust.

Anyway, this is an older athalon, so 66&degC isn't that hot. The danger zone is over 75°.

Well, guess I'll just have a professional look at it. It's costing me more having it be quirky than I'll save figuring out the problem myself.