Questionalble RAM

[Chuck]

My system will run, but it randomly re-boots. I recently upgraded the MB,
CPU and the RAM for both computers.

Are there any tests I can preform to either eliminate the RAM as a problem
or confirm the RAM as the problem?

I have
CompUSA 400 watt Power Supply
MSI 865PE neo2-LS mb
Pent4 2.8ghz w/HT 800mhz
512mb Corsaires RAM 3200 at 400hmz
evga 5600 nvidia video card w/256
SB Live Sound Value Card
Generic 56k modem
two partitioned Maxtor Hard Drives
one CDROM Re-Write
one DVD reader CDROM
Windows XP Home
Norton Systemworks

(all items equall in two computers)

One computer is working fine. The second computer is re-booting and having
system failures (blue screen of death). It will run for a while, then
without warning, re-boot. It has done this about 20 time in the past four
days.When I trade the RAM chip, the problem stops in the seconds computer
and begins in the first. I have an older 512 266mhz RAM chip, which I tried.
System had no problems with that chip.

I have tried changing the frequency in the BIOS from Auto to 400mhz, and it
made no difference. I also tried the chip in different RAM slots and that
also made no difference.

The system failure message I get reads:
(A line about a problem and the windows must shut down)
File-SYSMEVENT.SYS (file name varies)
PAGE_FAULT_IN_NONPAGE_AREA

(A paragraph about restarting and trying bios changes or F8)

Tech. Info

***STOP:0X00000050 (OXE274B00C, 0X00000000, 0XF223C21B, 0X00000001)

SYMEVENT.SYS-ADDRESS F223C21B
BASE AT F2232000, DATESTAMP 3F31AC37


Thank you for any help you can give me.
Chuck

 

[Jason Tsang]

Get memtest86 from www.memtest86.com and run it through a thorough test
there.

If it fails, you've found the problem.
If it passes, the problem is likely elsewhere.

 

[Kent_dieGo]

Having more than one RAM module often causes trouble. Look for overheating
too.

-Kent

 

[Richard Urban]

I would not take the results of memtest86 as an absolute.

I have, right now, over a dozen sticks of RAM that pass with flying colors.
Test them in a hardware RAM tester and they fail miserably. These sticks are
basically unusable in any computer I install them in.

Unfortunately, without an honest hardware tester, the best trouble shooting
methodology is "substitution".

That's why technicians have so many sticks around! (-:

--
Regards:

Richard Urban

aka Crusty (-: Old B@stard

 

[Chuck]

Thank you to all for the links and advice. Tried Memtest and there was no
problems.

I still think I will go ahead on the premis that the chip is flawed though,
as when I swap chips between computers, the problem follows the chip.

Thank you all again
Chuck

 

[Ron Martell]

My system will run, but it randomly re-boots. I recently upgraded the MB,
CPU and the RAM for both computers.

One computer is working fine. The second computer is re-booting and having
system failures (blue screen of death). It will run for a while, then
without warning, re-boot. It has done this about 20 time in the past four
days.When I trade the RAM chip, the problem stops in the seconds computer
and begins in the first. I have an older 512 266mhz RAM chip, which I tried.
System had no problems with that chip.

I have tried changing the frequency in the BIOS from Auto to 400mhz, and it
made no difference. I also tried the chip in different RAM slots and that
also made no difference.

The problem moves from computer to computer when you swap the RAM
modules.

Therefore the problem is with the one RAM module. Period.

Software RAM testers are pretty good but the only really definitive
test is a RAM testing machine, which large computer repair shops
should have.

In the meantime leave the defective module uninstalled and use the
older 266 mhz module instead. There will be a small performance
penalty, but that is preferable to the recurring errors that you get
with the defective RAM module.

Good luck



Ron Martell Duncan B.C. Canada
--
Microsoft MVP
On-Line Help Computer Service
http://onlinehelp.bc.ca

"The reason computer chips are so small is computers don't eat much."