Faulty RAM or not? Memtest gets no errors after 7 passes

[Exxploit]

Hi!

I recently got a problem where my PC lags up and i need to restart it. I found out that one of the RAM's were faulty. I've got 4x1GB. I removed the faulty one, and tested those 3 together with Memtest86. It ran for about 7-8 hrs. Did 7 passes. It did not get any errors, so I assumed it was ok.

Today after the PC had been on for about 48 hrs straight, it froze again. I'm testing the RAM again, but it takes for ever. Can it be that i need to run Memtest even longer than 7 passes to find any errors? Or does the problem lie somewhere else?

I read here in several posts that if I let memtest run 7 passs, I can be fairly sure that the RAM is not faulty. Is this the case or can it still detect errors after more passes?

I know, or well... I am 99% sure that the slots are working as they should.

What else can this be? If it doesn't get errors after 8 passes, should i continue to let it test, or should i look for the problem somewhere else?

 

[Exxploit]

Can the lockup be caused by the RAM not getting enough voltage?

You see... I just relized... I had 2 CL5's and 2 CL4's... Now there is one CL5 and 2 CL4... Can this be the reason? THat the CL4 does not get enough voltage?

 

[captaincranky]

Voltage and timing compatibility cause more problems than different speed DIMMS.

For example, you could run DDR2 800 and DDR2 667 together assuming they were both 1.80 volts and say 5-5-5-18 timings. The system would run @667Mhz though.

Why don't you test your memory with just 2 identical DIMMs, and get back to us.

Since one is known bad you still have two the same, hopefully good.

If you must run 3 DIMMs, try populating sockets 1, 3, and 4. This may allow the memory to run in "flex" mode, a combination of dual and single channel.

 

[Exxploit]

When i run the Memtest, it lets me choose between using a single core or dual. I've got dual of course, but will it matter at all if i go with single or dual? I mean, on the outcome. Can the single show no errors while the dual can?

I've run it on single now, but I'm getting no errors. The PC still lags up though.

Also, If one of the RAMs get an error, it will get it the same time everytime right? I mean, if it's broken, it should get the same amounts of errors at the same point as it did last time? I managed to forget which of the two CL5 ones that was faulty -.- lol... I remember it had 10 errors after first pass. If i test one of them now and they do not get 10 errors after one pass, it is not the faulty RAM right? Or can that change from test to test?

 

[Exxploit]

I did just install a new CPU fan before the problems occured... but i know i did a good job on applying thermal paste, and when i check the temperatures in Everest, they show from 30-40 on idle and around 50 on load.

I've run tests on the CPU as well, but now i can't boot. Each time i start up, i get a message that i need to put in the windows CD to repair. I do so, but after Windows loads the file, and it is about to load up to the menu, it stops at the same point every time. When the windows logo shows up. It happens all the time now, and i know it's not the CD, i tried different ones and all tested on other computers as well. I did manage to get to a menu ones tho, where i could choose to run from last working setting. It booted up and all, and worked untill it locked up again, and i was back to the beginning.


Im so confused by this... It doesnt make any sense at all... Sometimes it works, mostly it doesn't...

Oh well... I've bought new RAM so when i get home on sunday, i will know if the RAM is the problem or not.