Asus G74sx and Ram Dimm problem

[Tumbee]

Hi everyone,

I bought a asus G74sx-tz105v last october . Here the key specs :

-Intel Core i7-2630QM (2 GHz / 2.9 GHz Turbo )
-8Gb SO-DIMM DDR3 1333MHz (2x4Gb)
-Nvidia Gtx 560m (3Gb)
-Windows 7 HP

Last week bought 4 new ram sticks (Corsair Value Select SO-DIMM 4Go DDR3 1333MHz ) , I installed them without any problems since I already done that with several other computers. Windows normally detects 16 gb ram , but since I upgraded some games or Internet browser crash quite often.

I ran Memtest86+ and it found 6 errors during test #5 . I test each ram stick in each ram slot individually and they passed all test (I took me all day 😮 ) so i don't think there is anything wrong with them .
Memtest86+ Only found some errors when there is more than 2 memory stick (so fine up to 8Gb) .

Does anyone know the reason ? (I update all my drivers and the bios )

Ps: Sorry if my text seems fuzzy since English is not my mother tongue

[fuzon1337]

What kind of errors do you get when you have the more then 2 memory sticks inside?

[Tumbee]

When there 3 or 4 ram inside the computer is slower and usually any program will shut down after 5-10 min of use . I also got two Bsod because of that.

[fuzon1337]

I have not been into this problem before, except when some people discover a faulty RAM because they can't get a picture on the screen, but the machine boots up as normal.

You're notebook is suposed to support at least 16GB RAM, so could it be a faulty ram-slot in you're notebook ? That you discover these issues.

Tumbee wrote:

I ran Memtest86+ and it found 6 errors during test #5 . .

When you get these errors, does it stand which kind of error you get ? A code or something like that.

[fostert]

Tumbee wrote:
Hi everyone,

I bought a asus G74sx-tz105v last october . Here the key specs :

-Intel Core i7-2630QM (2 GHz / 2.9 GHz Turbo )
-8Gb SO-DIMM DDR3 1333MHz (2x4Gb)
-Nvidia Gtx 560m (3Gb)
-Windows 7 HP

Last week bought 4 new ram sticks (Corsair Value Select SO-DIMM 4Go DDR3 1333MHz ) , I installed them without any problems since I already done that with several other computers. Windows normally detects 16 gb ram , but since I upgraded some games or Internet browser crash quite often.

I ran Memtest86+ and it found 6 errors during test #5 . I test each ram stick in each ram slot individually and they passed all test (I took me all day 😮 ) so i don't think there is anything wrong with them .
Memtest86+ Only found some errors when there is more than 2 memory stick (so fine up to 8Gb) .

What info on those sticks does memtest report? I.e. are the SPD settings being read correctly by the G74's BIOS (e.g. 9-9-9-24, 1333 MHz, etc?)

Did you test them all for three passes? Memtest can easily miss an error in one or even two passes, but it can usually identify them in three passes. Thats the criterion the overclocking community uses for memory stability.

Also testing in pairs can lead you to the faulty stick, or to the two that don't play well together. Test one pair; change out one stick, test again, and so on.

Again, all tests should be run for 3 passes.

If you want to RMA them, this is what Corsair will be asking you to do first, so you might as well do it now. Corsair is **very good** at accepting sticks that fail memtest, and will RMA them immediately and ship out new ones. They have earned my business because of their smooth RMA experience.

[Tumbee]

fostert wrote:
What info on those sticks does memtest report? I.e. are the SPD settings being read correctly by the G74's BIOS (e.g. 9-9-9-24, 1333 MHz, etc?)

Did you test them all for three passes? Memtest can easily miss an error in one or even two passes, but it can usually identify them in three passes. Thats the criterion the overclocking community uses for memory stability.

Also testing in pairs can lead you to the faulty stick, or to the two that don't play well together. Test one pair; change out one stick, test again, and so on.

Again, all tests should be run for 3 passes.

If you want to RMA them, this is what Corsair will be asking you to do first, so you might as well do it now. Corsair is **very good** at accepting sticks that fail memtest, and will RMA them immediately and ship out new ones. They have earned my business because of their smooth RMA experience.

Yes the Spd settings a being read correctly , I did only 1 pass on each ram . I also tested them on each Ram slot because I wanted to be sure the problem wasn't related to a faulty RAM socket .
I will let them do 3 pass next time .

Concerning errors during Test#5 ( since it seems I'm only getting them when I have more than 2 sticks otherwise there's no pb ) i read an interesting post on http://www.i4memory.com/f79/memtest86-v4-20-a-6/

test #5
Prior to 865/875 boards - memory speed, timings and vdimm related (meaning altering mem speed, timings and/or vdimm saw errors in this test disappear). X58 platform, still memory related and vdimm and cpu vtt balance are main related voltages. Also could be IOH/ICH voltage related on memory and uncore frequency overclocking.

But it can't help me since we can't tweak cpu settings in the bios ?

[fostert]

Thats right: we can't play with voltages to the sockets (VDIMM), qpi/vtt voltages (on-die memory controller volts), memory timings and clocks...virtually anything a decent motherboard gives you control of, you don't have it in the G74 BIOS. Its too bad because a bump in voltage to the IMC or the dimms is usually all you need to make marginally unstable sticks 100% stable.

Don't forget that memtest also exercises your cpu's integrated memory controller too...the whole northbridge subsystem. Errors can show up in perfect sticks paired with a marginally unstable IMC/CPU. So changing out the sticks may still give you errors. Again, usually a bump in the VTT uncore voltage will solve such woes, but we can't do that with the G74. If new sticks give you the same troubles, you have a case for RMA of the CPU back to intel.

[ricardoparada]

fostert wrote:
Thats right: we can't play with voltages to the sockets (VDIMM), qpi/vtt voltages (on-die memory controller volts), memory timings and clocks...virtually anything a decent motherboard gives you control of, you don't have it in the G74 BIOS. Its too bad because a bump in voltage to the IMC or the dimms is usually all you need to make marginally unstable sticks 100% stable.

Don't forget that memtest also exercises your cpu's integrated memory controller too...the whole northbridge subsystem. Errors can show up in perfect sticks paired with a marginally unstable IMC/CPU. So changing out the sticks may still give you errors. Again, usually a bump in the VTT uncore voltage will solve such woes, but we can't do that with the G74. If new sticks give you the same troubles, you have a case for RMA of the CPU back to intel.

I have the same problem with my g74sx, I bought 4 stick Kingston model KVR1333D3S9/4 GB ram and when I install the 4 sticks, the BIOS recognize 16GB but windows reboot and turn the system instable... I run memtest in each stick separately and every stick is 100% Ok... when I run all together... many problems are found!
resuming... I can't use the 4 stick together to get 16GB... my g74SX only works without problems with 8GB...
anyone can help me?
thanks!

[fostert]

Do you get BSODs when running 16GB? What error code? 0x124 is usually indicative of the Integrated Memory Controller instability.

This is the problem with the useless BIOS that the G74s come with! Putting sticks in all four memory slots on the mainboard results in a higher electrical load to the IMC, and for some CPUs the default IMC voltage (QPI/VTT) needs to be increased to compensate.

Try testing in pairs and see which sticks work well together, and which do not. If they all work error free in memtest86+ in pairs, then the only option is to borrow/get 4 new sticks and see if they too give errors in your G74 when used in fours. If they do, then I think its a weak IMC on the chip, and an RMA to ASUS (who will RMA the chip with Intel).

[ricardoparada]

fostert wrote:
Do you get BSODs when running 16GB? What error code? 0x124 is usually indicative of the Integrated Memory Controller instability.

This is the problem with the useless BIOS that the G74s come with! Putting sticks in all four memory slots on the mainboard results in a higher electrical load to the IMC, and for some CPUs the default IMC voltage (QPI/VTT) needs to be increased to compensate.

Try testing in pairs and see which sticks work well together, and which do not. If they all work error free in memtest86+ in pairs, then the only option is to borrow/get 4 new sticks and see if they too give errors in your G74 when used in fours. If they do, then I think its a weak IMC on the chip, and an RMA to ASUS (who will RMA the chip with Intel).

before tks a lot for the answer fostert!
I saw yours anothers posts... and it's very intersting...
well... yes, i get BSODs when i running 16gb and 12gb... and the problem, should be the IMC ...
I tried in pairs... and i can't get stability only with 2x4gb... sad...
I order 2 corsair stick 8Gb each... I will pray to work my 16gb... I only need 16gb... just to render my 3d's projects.... I can't spend time sending to RMA... but if this is the only way... I will do!
it's really that you get 32GB with your g74s? it's works without problems?
wich the model of your memory stick?