BSOD and computer hang

[richardd43]

A few weeks ago my computer got where it would not always respond to the mouse correctly which would require a system reboot. While I was trying to work on that I started getting BSODs. The error was not always the same but the most common error was IRQL NOT EQUAL TO OR LESS THAN.

After a week of that I turned off my Vista 64 HDD and and turned on XP-32. Booted up and still had the same problem.

Now the good news..

I stepped up the voltage to the memory and cured the problem with the mouse, leaving the BSOD error. I then stepped up the voltage to the CPU and cured the BSOD.

I did no hardware changes to the system so am not sure exactly why I had the problem. Could it possibly have been a driver upgrade that required the CPU (or another piece of hardware) to use more voltage and changed the voltage distribution balalce?

[ctjoyce]

Usually the problem is that your BIOS will undervolt things to enter a "Power Saving Mode" where it brings your voltages down to their absolute minimum to save your electric bill. By stepping up your voltages you have gave all your components enough power to preform at their fullest even enuder load.

In the future keep a log of the hex codes you get. Ex 0x1E or 0xA0 these will help you find out exactly what hardware is giving you the problem.

Cheers
Cameron

[NickN]

assuming there may have been some overclocking involved, Arctic Silver 5 breaks down over time and requires re-application every 4-6 months


Arctic Silver Ceramique will not break down as fast and is designed to last much longer than AS-5 but has a bit less thermal conductivity.

I use Ceramique by applying it and smearing it down to a FILM with a plastic glove or other clean plastic sheet. That is of course after properly lapping the heatsink and CPU. AS 5 has a typical life of 6-9 months where AS Ceramique will run 1.2 to 2 years with minor increases in temp and loss of thermal conductivity.

The A64 memory controller is located in the CPU so any thermal change in the CPU will affect both the CPU and memory stability.

Intel is releasing their version of x64 with Nehalem due out in ..

[richardd43]

assuming there may have been some overclocking involved, Arctic Silver 5 breaks down over time and requires re-application every 4-6 months

Actually I was running all standard BIOS settings when the problem started. I set the voltages to a higher lever but still am not overclocked.

I use Ceramique by applying it and smearing it down to a FILM with a plastic glove or other clean plastic sheet.

I am useing AS Ceramique and the install is about 2 months old (I use a ziplock bag). My temps are steady idleing at 32-35 depending on the room temp and the temp under load varies between 42-48 depending on the game being played.

I have not had a problem since the voltage change and am a little reluctant to change them back

[NickN]

Most motherbaords are off a tad in calibration and as components get older their power requirements may go up so a combination of the motherboard VRs and the components getting a bit of wear and tear, bumping things up a tad makes sense.

Asus has always been known for their Vcore being off and a lousy Vdroop

I would not worry about it unless you had to set it to something that seems a bit too high or out of place for the components.


As for what is coming, I have not heard much from the AMD/Nvidia camp si I am also waiting to see whats going on

[richardd43]

Actually the post was more of an information item in the hopes that it might help someone else with the same or similar problem.

As far as the voltages went, I upped the memory to 2.1v from 2.0v and changed the CPU to the next voltage range from stock. Am not sure what the range is now without looking but the overall change was like .125v I believe.

I need a power boost sometimes too, guess the computer takes after its owner... rofl

[richardd43]

Well, an update on this problem...

Went to the computer store and got a replacement board. Tried to install 4G of ram on the old board and the computer would not boot. Seems the memory controller was bad on the old board.

The new board would not accept any of the Mushkin memory sticks so had to trade them for Crucial that works fine on the board. Was a little odd because I have been running 2G of Mushkin since I first bought the original board.

Anyway, everything now works at stock settings again.

[congo]

Seems the memory controller was bad on the old board.

That's interesting, seeing how the board has no memory controller

A64's use an on-die (built into the cpu) memory controller as Nick mentioned above.

[richardd43]

That's interesting, seeing how the board has no memory controller  

ROFL.. you are right.

The board was bad and would not accept more that 2G of memory. The funny part was the new motherboard would not use any of the Mushkin memory that worked in the original board. We stuck 4G of Crucial in the new motherboard and it is working great.

Maybe it was my memory controller that was not working.....

[congo]

Well, that's like saying "my cpu is dead", because it's practically the same thing.

The fact that the Crucial ram works fine means the memory controller on the cpu is fine.

I'm not sure about this, but I'd wager it was the board's BIOS that was the problem, and the other mainboard simply couldn't automatically configure the Mushkin ram by SPD.

Had you been able to preset the Mushkin's memory configuration in that board's BIOS using some other ram, then the Mushkin may have fired up and not caused any more problems, at least not until the board's bios got kicked back to defaults for some reason, which would mean having to keep on hand a ram module that worked at the boards default bios settings.

I wish I could somehow magically obtain all the "faulty" hardware out there that is simply mis-understood

[Ashar]

Well, that's like saying "my cpu is dead", because it's practically the same thing.

The fact that the Crucial is fine means the memory controller on the cpu is fine.

I'm not sure about this, but I'd wager it was the board's BIOS that was the problem, and the other mainboard simply couldn't automatically configure the Mushkin ram by SPD.

Had you been able to preset the Mushkin's memory configuration in that board's BIOS using some other ram, then the Mushkin may have fired up and not caused any more problems, at least not until the board's bios got kicked back to defaults for some reason, which would mean having to keep on hand a ram module that worked at the boards default bios settings.

I wish I could somehow magically obtain all the "faulty" hardware out there that is simply mis-understood

Now there's someone I haven't seen in quite some time...Glad to see you back

[richardd43]

The old board had some other faults that I have lived with. Was glad to see it gone.

Everything in my computer has Instant Replacement Insurance. To use this option I have to let the store techs check the item/s that need to be replaced. They could not get any brand of memory (more that 2G) to work in the original board.

The fact that the Mushkin did not work in the new board was probably due to the BIOS. Can't remember for sure but I think the BIOS was 0102 and they did not flash it to anything newer to test the memory.

But all worked out. Two G of the Mushkin was brand new so I traded it and $10.00 for 4G of Crucial. I have a use for the original 2G of Mushkin so all was not lost in the memory department.

Well, that's like saying "my cpu is dead", because it's practically the same thing.

Am not quite sure what you are trying to say or imply with that statement. The board was bad and was exchanged. I tried a couple of different BIOS downloads and the Mushkin would not go above 2G and post. Having a dead PCI slot did not make me happy either but the slot was never required so I lived with that.

[congo]

Am not quite sure what you are trying to say or imply with that statement.

Simply that the memory controller was not at fault, it's part and parcel of the cpu, that's all. And yes, I was confused, thought that you replaced the new board is all.

Cheers,
Congo

[NickN]

I would say based on the original fix (bump up the voltages) the motherboard was undergoing VR failure and was simply defective.

As for Mushkin/Crucial, typically those picky memory issues are BIOS + motherboard memory circuits which deal with filtering, and, I have seen poor layer designs cause memory manufacture preferences. Usually the BIOS programmer trims most of the issues out of the system through registers typically not available to the user (which is why they have that interface) and in the case of the board in question BIOS settings for memory are available which are typically not. Mushkin may have had an answer for the issue but sometimes there are revision changes which force the user to go with one brand over another.


Asus, on and off over the years, has geared their boards toward Micron memory chips which are what Crucial use exclusively. The new P35 and X38 chipsets favor Micron Z9 chips for highest stability and speed.