Is this whats causing my system to hang?

[lettuce]

try dropping your bclk while keeping your multiplier at x8 so it is the same frequency..

e.g. 1200mhz with x6 at 200bclk
change it to 150bclk with x8 multiplier and see if it crashes...
it'll drop your cpu speed, obviously.. but it'll keep your ram at what you know to be a stable frequency.. so if it fails its the multiplier, no?
At least then you can tell whether it's a frequency problem or a multiplier problem i guess...

Ok, im currently playing the flash video through for the 3rd time, so it would appear its a memory speed problem not a multiplier???

As i have said before, the default value for this memory under the 'memory freq multiplier' is listed as 1066, surely the default value next to current memory speed shoudl be 1600?, as this is what the memorys default speed is no??, yet bios has it down as 1066

Have you tried a clean OS install?

Do you have a spare HDD you could install your OS onto to see if the problems are still present?

Yeah have tried a fresh install of windows 7. I currently have win7 on my OCZ SSD drive i do have a spinpoint in my system too, but what difference would that make, unless you think the problem maybe related to the SSD drive?

 

[Vir]

Just thinking of it, it might actually be a driver issue I'm thinking soundcard drivers... try a newer or a different version and see if that works

 

[Arachnae]

What does the memory manufacturer say is it's max frequency?

My mobo sets my memory down to something stupid if i put it on auto.. but i know my ram is certified at 1.65V, 1600Mhz.

Even though the lower frequency seems to have solved things, you're cpu is still not clocked as high as it was, and the memory controller is on the cpu, so don't get excited just yet

But I still cannot think why a higher memory clockspeed would crash on a flash video when your ram passes memtest86 and prime blends just fine..

Try putting it back up to full speed and using a different pcie slot and move your sond card to a different slot too while you're at it

 

[JonJ678]

I didn't say disable llc and see if it's stable. It patently wouldn't be. I said overclock from scratch with it off.

If you won't do this, you have to increase the vcore setting in the bios such that after vdroop it is about the same as the voltage you currently have under load. So put it up to 1.35V (within intel guidelines), run prime for long enough to see what the voltage drops to, and move the bios voltage down by the amount required.

Yes, llc off means a higher idle voltage. It remains a good thing.

edit: you *have* checked that the ram can run at stock speeds, with the processor at or near stock, right?

 

[lettuce]

Just thinking of it, it might actually be a driver issue I'm thinking soundcard drivers... try a newer or a different version and see if that works

Nah not that tried onboard sound and had the same problems.

What does the memory manufacturer say is it's max frequency?

My mobo sets my memory down to something stupid if i put it on auto.. but i know my ram is certified at 1.65V, 1600Mhz.

The sticker om the Patriot ram say, DDR3 1600Mhz (8-8-8-24) 1.65v

Even though the lower frequency seems to have solved things, you're cpu is still not clocked as high as it was, and the memory controller is on the cpu, so don't get excited just yet

Well no not really, as when i had the memory set at x6, my cpu and blck where still at there overclock settings werent they, and was stable with flash video at those settings, so it has to be memory speed, no?

I didn't say disable llc and see if it's stable. It patently wouldn't be. I said overclock from scratch with it off.

If you won't do this, you have to increase the vcore setting in the bios such that after vdroop it is about the same as the voltage you currently have under load. So put it up to 1.35V (within intel guidelines), run prime for long enough to see what the voltage drops to, and move the bios voltage down by the amount required.

Yes, llc off means a higher idle voltage. It remains a good thing.

But this doesnt explain why when the memory speed is at 1146mhz the system is fine in regards to flash videos, even with the memory at 1528mhz the system IS stable with regards to Prime, LinX, OCCT. So i dont see how disabling LLC and starting a new OC, will change anything as its the memory speed thats the problem, not voltage or cpu clock!? I mean i have a 100% stable system (flash videos and all ) with the RAM speed set to 1146mhz, so its the ram thats the problem not the actual OC i think, unless im missing something?

And looking at it im not suprised, as the Patriot memory is the cheapest on Overclockers shop but a fair bit. I might stick this stuff on the MM and get some OCZ Gold! Hopefully that will be the end of my problems

 

[JonJ678]

So, you haven't checked the ram can run its rated spec?

I think it is the abrupt changes from high to low voltage that are the problem, and turning off llc solves this. Turning off turbo is likely to help.

 

[lettuce]

So, you haven't checked the ram can run its rated spec?

I think it is the abrupt changes from high to low voltage that are the problem, and turning off llc solves this. Turning off turbo is likely to help.

Well yeah in regards to Prime, OCCT, and LinX, the system was 100% stable with the ram at x8 1158mhz, just isnt for flash video. Ok if it is to do with vdrop and all that, i wouldnt be able to guarantee that everytime i play a flash video i could get the system to crash, sometimes it would and sometimes it would, correct?? At the moment i can get it to crash at will just by playing a flash video. Now no idea how the hell playing a flash video relates to the memory speed, but in this case it would seem to.

Maybe if i could get an older version of flash player to try but there only seems to be version 10, maybe its something to do with the plug-in and some combination of the components i have in my system, and 1001 other variables that differ from my system to other peoples

EDIT:

Try putting it back up to full speed and using a different pcie slot and move your sond card to a different slot too while you're at it

Just tried that, even put the soundcard in the dedicated 'mini' PCI-E slot, and the gfx card in the 2nd PCI-E slot down, and crashed with 4 seconds of playing the flash movie

edit: you *have* checked that the ram can run at stock speeds, with the processor at or near stock, right?

Yeah thats one of the first things i did when i noticed the crashing, set the bios to default settings, and played the flash video and it played fine, all at bios stock settings

 

[lettuce]

edit: you *have* checked that the ram can run at stock speeds, with the processor at or near stock, right?

Just understood what you meant, i did load stock settings, but of course the memory wasnt at its rated settings was it. So l loaded optimal settings from the bios, and then went in and change the memory freq mulitplier to x12, which gives me 1600mhz speed, changed the timmings to 8-8-8-24-2, and the voltage to 1.64, left everything else as it is. Booted into windows fine, but as i was in the middle of typing this message the first time round the system hung on me . I have now restarted and gone back into bios and change the ram voltage to 'auto' and its ok atm, will now try the cursed flash video. So maybe its a RAM voltage problem? Will report back

 

[DavyBoy]

I was only asking if you had tried a fresh OS install as I was thinking that your install could have gotten corrupted somewhere down the line while you were testing for stability.

If it is running fine with with your RAM underclocked I personally think that your chip has a poor IMC, and there really isn't anything that you can do to fix this, except from buying another processor..

It is a known fact that using RAM speeds in excess of 1066MHz on these chips is classed as overclocking.. so it is not guaranteed to work, even though your RAM is rated at 1600MHz.

I personally think it is a weak IMC that is the cause of this now..

 

[lettuce]

I was only asking if you had tried a fresh OS install as I was thinking that your install could have gotten corrupted somewhere down the line while you were testing for stability.

If it is running fine with with your RAM underclocked I personally think that your chip has a poor IMC, and there really isn't anything that you can do to fix this, except from buying another processor..

It is a known fact that using RAM speeds in excess of 1066MHz on these chips is classed as overclocking.. so it is not guaranteed to work, even though your RAM is rated at 1600MHz.

I personally think it is a weak IMC that is the cause of this now..

Would this be the case even if everything else is at stock and all i have just changed is the RAM settings to their rated settings, as the system just locked up on me with everything as stock apart from:

Mem Freq Multi x12
timming 8-8-8-24-2
i left ram voltage on auto

and it still crashed on me, so even with cpu and blck all at stock no overclocking what so ever, the system still crashed only thing that was changed from stock was above ram setting, would this still suggest a weak IMC daveboy?? I will now attempt to up the voltage to 1.66 and see what happens

 

[lettuce]

Tried 1.66 RAM voltage and guess what........my system still crashed .

What does the, "Extreme Memory Profile" do?? With this at default setting which is disabled, the Memory Frequency is 1066, Profile DDR Voltage 1.5, and Profile QPI Voltage 1.75. If i enable it, which is Profile1, the Memory Frequency changed to 1600, Profile DDR voltage 1.65, and Profile QPI Voltage 1.25.

So it seems to changed the default settings of the ram to the actual rated settings, would enabling Extreme Memory Profile help with my current problem?

 

[DavyBoy]

Right mate, I have another suggestion for you.

Try only having one module in at a time, and set everything to optimized defaults, and then configure your RAM to run at 1600MHz like you have explained above.

Then proceed to test the video again with one DIMM installed, it could very well be one stick of your RAM that doesn't like running at 1600MHz, if this is the case then running each stick individually like this should tell you whether or not this is the case.

If it still crashes doing this, then I would definitely say you have a weak IMC..

 

[DavyBoy]

Oh, and Extreme memory profile just uses more aggressive sub timings, I would suggest leaving this on standard at all times..

::edit::

Sorry, no, I was thinking of something else, Extreme Memory profile is just your RAM's programmed XMP profile, this could very well help you out by using this instead of setting timings manually, it's worth a shot mate.

But I still recommend trying one DIMM at a time to see if it is one stick that is causing your issues.

I thought you were talking about the Performance Enhance option, which is what uses more aggressive subtimings when set to Turbo or Extreme, leave this on Standard.

 

[lettuce]

Ok i will try that, does it matter which slot i place the 1 stick in each time??

I guess one thing that might come out of this is that i should be able to get my voltages even lower now on the cpu side of things, as this memory speed is what was causing my system to crash on my stress testing, just means another bout of testing though

 

[Seneker]

I have the same memory and no problems at stock 8 8 8 24/1.65v/1600mhz.

Could you post a pic of your bios ram settings?

 

[lettuce]

Right mate, I have another suggestion for you.

Try only having one module in at a time, and set everything to optimized defaults, and then configure your RAM to run at 1600MHz like you have explained above.

Then proceed to test the video again with one DIMM installed, it could very well be one stick of your RAM that doesn't like running at 1600MHz, if this is the case then running each stick individually like this should tell you whether or not this is the case.

If it still crashes doing this, then I would definitely say you have a weak IMC..

Ok, have loaded optimized defaults, and the only option i have changed in the BIOS is enabling, Extreme Memory profile, this should give me the rams rated setting. I have 1 dimm in slot one now, so will try that out if it fails will replace with 1 of the other 2 dimms, and see how i get on

 

[lettuce]

Ok, tried each still individually, with optimized defaults are ram settings at rated settings. Each stick caused my system to frezze with a stuttering/interference sound within seconds of playing the flash video clip, and needed me to reset the system. Then with the same settings i installed all 3 sticks again, this time the video clip played for about 4 minutes before causing my system to restart, no frezzing or sound stuttering/interferance, just a plan system restart

Now why would the video clip play much longer with all 3 sticks in, but fail within seconds with each of the sticks in on there own??

 

[DavyBoy]

I am absolutely confused as to what this problem could be mate, I know how frustrating this kinda thing can be though, I spent the first 3 months with my i7 build trying to get my system stable, in the end I got my processor replaced and all my problems disspeared..

Maybe it does have something to do with your SSD, could you possibly try installing your OS onto your other HDD to see if this fixes the issue?

Or possibly try a different OS?

Do you know of anyone else that has an i7 rig that you could test your chip and RAM on their system??

I am pretty much out of ideas regarding your problems mate.

I do hope you get these problems sorted out though as it must be doing your head in..

Good luck mate, keep us informed as to how you get on.

 

[lettuce]

I guess i can try windows vista. Or failing that would getting different RAM help do you think. My system is 100% stable now i have my memory back at 1146mhz, maybe ill just leave it at that it trying another OS doesnt help.

Would i notice much difference in performance running my memory at 1146mhz??

 

[JonJ678]

Ah. So, the problem is not so complex after all. Your ram + processor is not capable of cl8 1600mhz at any processor speed. So you get to blame either the ram or the processor.

Checking the sticks one at a time is a means of determining which. If one or two sticks refuse to run at 1600mhz but the other does so happily, rma the ram as being incapable of running at rated speeds. If they are all fine individually, then it looks like your processor has a crap imc. It will be difficult/impossible to rma it because of this, so you may have to live with the ram running slower.

It is more likely that the ram can't cope.