[Doby]

found this on a forum. My RAM says it is compatable in the mobo manual -but - Can you set mobo voltages??

Yes you can and your default bios setting would be auto so just in case the auto setting is not correct go into bios click on the advanced tab>jumper free config>DDR Ram voltage, set this to 2.6V this is what your ram should be set at you could also try 2.7 but no higher.

[Advertisements]

i am running prime now - RAM was 99% (now going down a bit 87%) CPU 100% - system is running and voltages 1.49, 3.23, 4.92, 11.71. Has been running for about 20mins with about 4 other programs open.

I am looking into getting a new psu anyway soon, because i'm building another comp with the first MoBo. Will pass over this psu (coz am building for girlfriend who wont need graphics card and high specs) However this may not be for a while - as its much cheaper to buy online and my buzzer on flat downstairs not working- so post unreliable until it is fixed. So... if I've got this right...

...it doesnt seem, immediately, to be the psu (although a new one may help with stability a bit i guess). I really want to get both of these sticks working... are there any other possibilities??

i might run memtest again with ram in more different combinations of slots. (but is time consuming and i'm always being pestered by flatmates and girlfriend to use internet - another reason for me to build the other MoBo in a comp soon).

Is there anything we could have overlooked.
Will check bios now, see u in a sec.

[deudonne]

i am running prime now - RAM was 99% (now going down a bit 87%) CPU 100% - system is running and voltages 1.49, 3.23, 4.92, 11.71. Has been running for about 20mins with about 4 other programs open.

I am looking into getting a new psu anyway soon, because i'm building another comp with the first MoBo. Will pass over this psu (coz am building for girlfriend who wont need graphics card and high specs) However this may not be for a while - as its much cheaper to buy online and my buzzer on flat downstairs not working- so post unreliable until it is fixed. So... if I've got this right...

...it doesnt seem, immediately, to be the psu (although a new one may help with stability a bit i guess). I really want to get both of these sticks working... are there any other possibilities??

i might run memtest again with ram in more different combinations of slots. (but is time consuming and i'm always being pestered by flatmates and girlfriend to use internet - another reason for me to build the other MoBo in a comp soon).

Is there anything we could have overlooked.
Will check bios now, see u in a sec.

[deudonne]

ok - get this..

just restarted and tried to go into bios - the 'k8N Asus' screen froze as i tapped 'delete'. pressed restart button on case and tried again - same thing. Tried again and entered bios (?!?)
anyway.. checked voltage - it was on auto set i set to 2.6v

restarted, then turned off and tried the other 512 stick as well in DIMM2. Windows started up fine and was stable for a while when i was doing nothing. then went to start menu and tried to start up everest - it froze immediately. (this happens for any program)

so - i restarted and tried to enter bios to change to 2.7v. Couldnt enter bios at all - just froze on MoBo loading screen (is this the 'post' screen?)

Also all this time ati control centre still is only accessible/only loads up half the time on boot-up.

I am stumped. Remember tho - this is my first build and I may have overlooked something fundamental. Is there anything else that could be causing this? - or anything i should try next?

[deudonne]

could updating bios solve anything? - i dont really want to do this. I have no floppy drive and i heard it can be problematic. However i would be willing to try if i thought it would do any good.

[deudonne]

could i try uninstalling cool and quiet?
Arrgh. I feel like im clutching at straws.

[deudonne]

update chipset driver? are any of these things necessary with my sys specs do you think?

[Doby]

This ain't looking like a hardware issue more like bios but I wish you could leave prime run at least overnight to be sure so,,,,,,

clear the cmos by the jumper and removing the battery for atleast 10 minutes then head directly into bios and load the defaults.

Disable cool n quiet

does it freeze when you enter? if not and all seems normal try the other stick of ram.

It maybe time to upgrade bios if these fail, I am looking into that now

[deudonne]

how do i clear csmos and what does it mean? (will look eslewhere for how to do this too)

I just got home from work and turned comp on. It took longer than it ever has before to boot up. Before the windows loading screen it was about 3 mins on MoBo screen and just blank - i thought it had frozen. So.. seems to be getting worse. System icons shown vary on each boot. And i cant get the windows user chooser screen to show automatically on boot up (i tried to enable it because i read somwhere that this sometimes helps to return lost sys tray icons). I have lost belkin wireless utility icon, ati icon and creative (audigy 2) volume icon.

I was reading on creative's forum about people having issues with audigy 2 compatability. They all have similar symptoms, but not exactly fitting. Have tried to follow some on this thread (having been led to it while researching my DCOM error in event viewer) although my DCOM error is staring winmngt not PFmodNT and i pretty much elinimated most of the solutions - however there are some things to think about in there. (only read if you have time .. is 7 pages long -- http://forums.creati...cending&page=6)

Will try your latest suggestions.
THANKS SO MUCH - im lost without this!

[deudonne]

have found how to clear cmos in mobo manual

it suggests to move jumper for 20-30 secs before returning it to original position. -- is this the period you suggest to extend to 10mins, OR do you mean - after it is returned, before i reconnect power supply?

Cheers!

[deudonne]

i'm going for the ultra x-connect 500w. Good advice, seems to have best spec for price! actually its 12v rail seems WAY above any others!

[deudonne]

--- A development! - i just ran memtest with two sticks- in dimm2 and dimm3. It went through once with no errors (it has always frozen at test 5 with two sticks in 1+2 and 1+3). So i tried booting up windows with them both in 2+3...

It still took ages (1/2mins) before windows loading screen appeared, but windows IS running. It hasnt frozen - it has never been this far with the two new ddr400 512 sticks in -- i should have tried this earlier as i had previously said i would.

Still no ati in sys tray. Still have the new problem (since running prime95 i think) of a very slow bootup. But it IS running - albeit only in dimm2 and dimm3.

Everest shows
1.49
3.23
4.92
11.78
so no change there even with two sticks engaged (and i just ordered the new ultra x psu - oh well it looks like a nice bit of kit, and it means i can use this psu in another comp)

so why only dimm2 and 3? I read somewhere that someone else had this problem - two 512s (double sided) only working in slots 2 and 3. They didnt know why and people were hinting at dual channel modes or something - but we decided that the asus k8N didnt have this didnt we...?

Computer is running noticeably faster (except for really slow to get to windows loading screen). 1.00gb is stated in 'my computer' properties.

one other minor thing (and i only list it because i dont understand why it happens) winamp shortcut in start menu has become unrecognised - this has not ever happened on this computer with any icon so far.

(sorry about multiple posts - its just as i work on it, and we are in different time zones)

[deudonne]

Hi Doby (and anyone else that has been unfortunate enough to get this far in this thread)

here is an everest memory page. Does it all look right? Is the virtual memory correct?

Sorry about this bombardment of questions. Hope its not too much, it just that i dont know if i would be able to explain all this situation again to anyone else!

Attached Thumbnails

• 

[Doby]

have found how to clear cmos in mobo manual

it suggests to move jumper for 20-30 secs before returning it to original position. -- is this the period you suggest to extend to 10mins, OR do you mean - after it is returned, before i reconnect power supply?

I suggested to wait 10 min just to ensure a good cmos clear, this should have been done when the machine was first built, this won't hurt the machine but the bios could get its signals crossed so to speak so,,,

Turn off the computer and unplug from the wall outlet, move the CLRTC jumper to pins 2&3, remove the battery, wait 10 minutes, replace the battery and move the CLRTC jumper back to pins 1&2.

This method will ensure a good cmos clear.

Go directly into bios, on the advanced tab highlight "cpu configuration" and press enter, find "AMD Cool N Quiet and disable it.

Now highlight the exit menu then "load setup defaults" press enter, a confirmation widow will appear select OK.

Now still on the exit menu, highlite "exit and save changes"

This could correct alot of problems not so much the windows problems ( icons and task bar items) but the slow boot and ram problem.

When this gets running correctly and I am talking about the ram problem you should reinstall windows because of all the problems and changes. There are alot of problems here and most are a windows thing but we must get the hardware to run stable before we worry about windows. I think this all started with the ram and changes made, freezes,reboots and all that stuff and now windows is somewhat corrupt.

[Doby]

i'm going for the ultra x-connect 500w. Good advice, seems to have best spec for price! actually its 12v rail seems WAY above any others!

Glad your getting a good psu, I have the X Connect its very good for almost 2 years now, very stable voltages

[Doby]

--- A development! - i just ran memtest with two sticks- in dimm2 and dimm3. It went through once with no errors (it has always frozen at test 5 with two sticks in 1+2 and 1+3). So i tried booting up windows with them both in 2+3...

According to the ram config in your manual you should not be able to run ddr 400 (pc 3200) in slots 2&3.
the only config for that speed of ram is slots 1&2 unless you slow the ram clock down to ddr 200 and I am sure you have not done this.

When you boot, on the post screen what is the ram listed as? It will be near the top watch closely it goes by fast

Are you sure you don't have the dimm slots confused, sorry had to ask this is of major importance. If somehow the ram was installed in the wrong slots either by mistake or by the slots being labled or traced wrong then that has been the problem with the computer being unable to run 2 sticks at the same time.

The last screenshot from Everest looks good, everthing is in order regarding memory, so now that the computer will pass post and enter windows with the 2 sticks the remainder of the problems are windows problems. I would format and do a nice clean install of windows then reload all the drivers, then get all the MS updates.

Also get that new ultra psu in there soon as you get it, don't wait.

I think you are very close to getting this resolved now and admire you for hanging in there.

please keep me posted how its going

rick