Help with unstable system

[gmastra100]

Hi all, I am a newbe here so be gentle.
I build lots of systems for friends but the latest one is completly weired.
So the system
Asus M4A785-TD-V-Evo
memory 2GB DDR3 Corsair 1333 ( CM3X1024-1333C9)
On board graphics or HD 6950
CPU AMD Phenom II X4 B45 Processor (Deneb) 3000GHz
Disk Western Digital Model WDC WD740GD-00FLA2 74.3 GB
Windows 7 x64 Ultimate

BSOD lots of these
so I tried changing them one at a time ( resulting in me buying virtually a new system )
System still unstable.
sent mobo back, but returned with no fault found. In desperation I bought another board , ( stupid I know) . Same issues.
After a year I bought an MSI board with no issues. But I still want to do something with what I have , I am sure its in the bios somewhere.
Have contacted Asus ( ha Ha ) no help
Have contacted XFX , more helpful, but cannot see problem.
The only consistant fault seems to be if I run passmark. It comes up with an error to initialize directX.
The other thing is I am running memory at 1.7V
I have also tried the following memory
Memory Timings 9-9-9-24 (CL-RCD-RP-RAS)
G.Skill DDR3 F3-12800CL9-2GBXL 4GB
Can anyone advise on what to try to do ?
You will go top of the xmas card list

 

[Covert_Death]

are you running EVERYTHING at stock speeds / clocks / settings?

 

[white phantom]

are you running EVERYTHING at stock speeds / clocks / settings?

+1 to this, this is always the first step then try changing ram timings manually in the bios and make sure they set (i think you mentioned you already done this?)

 

[95Viper]

What PSU do you have?
Have you tried a different one?

What Blue Screen error is it?
What are your CPU, GPU, and other temps like?
Can you boot into Windows consistently with out a BSOD or does it happen with certain apps, or just randomly?
Tried booting and running with minimal devices?
Drivers and bios up to date?

You really should fill out your specs in the UserCP and click the show box.
And, a little more info, might be helpful, such as what I asked above.

EDIT:
That is an old raptor drive, if I am not mistaken; have you run WD Diagnostics on it?

 

[gmastra100]

Hi all,
thank you for your fast replies.
I have updated my profile. I am running stock speeds ( I assume this is when bios set to Auto) though I have tried changing these to slower speeds but not clear on any relationship that there are between the different parameters.
BSOD does not occur after boot up but randamily during operation. Sometimes computer an go for 1-2 hours without crashing, other times it crashes just after I log in.
Temperatures are tyupically ~ 40deg. This is with Asus EPUG which slows things down to power saving mode. ( I invoke this as my fans ( used on hard drive and case are quite noisy, CPU and GPU fans are quite)
error messages are in dmp files but I cannot read these types of format and dont want to buy third party software.
One thing I did note. Before I had the HD 6950 a crash would result in the BSOD. but with the graphics card , crashes result in a grey screen ( with thin vertial lines)
I have re-installed the HD driver but not that the catalyst ( graphics card ) menu does not come up. Dont know if that means anything.
Another thing in the bios I have set the option of system sets up Plug and play devices to yes rather than the bios. ( Though I have tried tyhat in bios as well )

I hope this helps
Regards

 

[de.das.dude]

first of all, take out the processor and reseat it in the socket. something similar happened to me. the CPU was just loose.

turn off unleashing mode and or advanced clock calibration from BIOS, then the CPU should go back to stock dual core.

run system now.

also make sure you have selected the memory settings and timings manually as per the manufacturer.

 

[Jetster]

Try running a Linux Live disk like Mint.
Memtest86
run it out of the case

 

[gmastra100]

Hi all,
Am a little un willing to remove the CPU , because of the difficulty of access not to mention the thermal paste. but will do if no other alternatives.
I have run the windows mem test on extended test over a day with no errors using my Gskill RAM. Though I did read that the CPU does not support 1600 memory, so I may need to revert to my DDR 1333. I have tried the system in unleased mode.
The reason I felt that the memory timing was a possible issue, is because other users of the mobo have written about the instability ( in fact Asus have several bios versions to address instability)

User have written at the lack of the 2T command for the memory in the bios. The MSI board which I built using the extra RAM and CPU has a 2T command in the bios.

But I cannot explain why so many people have given the board such good reviews if it is un-stable, I musy have a wrong setting.

Tonight when I get home, I will try the slower RAM and the board set to unleash ( which basically makes it a x2 CPU)
I will set all parameters to Auto apart from the RAM voltage = 1.7V ( standard 1.5V)
The timings I will use are 9-9-9-24.
( Do the other timings have any major influence ?)

Regards
and Bios plug and play set to operating system

 

[de.das.dude]

dude turn off unleash mode and use the CPU at stock as the dual core it was meant to be. thats probably the issue.

if you want us to help you have to do what we tell you.

 

[Black Panther]

I will set all parameters to Auto apart from the RAM voltage = 1.7V ( standard 1.5V)
The timings I will use are 9-9-9-24.

Hi, and welcome to TPU

Have you tried setting all parameters to Auto, including the RAM voltage? And running the RAM at its stock timings?

(From my own and reading the experience of others it seems that it's the ram voltages and timings which are most finicky and which cause most of the stability issues)

 

[TC-man]

Hi,

please, try to use or test the Phenom II X2 545 in it's stock configuration first, i.e. dual core, perhaps the unlocking from dual core to quad core (Phenom II X4 B45) causes the instability. You can just revert this in the bios, just like de.das.dude has said: disable the unleashing mode or advanced clock calibration setting. If after the reversion from X4 to X2 you are no more experiencing bsod or any other instability issues then the Phenom II X2 545 probably has a weak core which causes the crash/bsod after unlocking to quad core.

Also try with an other PSU, because I don't think the CIT (Colours-IT) is a really good PSU brand, even when it's a 750W PSU. Anyway, how many amperes are on the combined 12V rail? Unlocking the processor to quad core will increase the power usage too, so with a better quality power supply unit with enough "juice" you will know whether the crash/bsod is caused by an insufficient/poor quality PSU or the Phenom II X2 has a weak core. Let's hope it's just the PSU, otherwise you will have to replace the processor if you really want to unlock it.

Further more, what bios are you using now? It seems there are several bioses for the mentioned motherboard that improve stability of the board, such as ver. 2005. So perhaps it's a good idea to update bios to the newest bios version.

 

[gmastra100]

Hi all,
am hoping pc will not crash "again" whist I am writing.
Everytthing in the latest Bios version 2103 except TCL ( CAS) = 9,
TRC= 9 TRR=9 TRAS= 24 ( DDR3 RAM timing setting)
Virtually back to where I started many years ago.
Please remember, every component on this motherboard has been tried with others,
New HDD, New CPU ( AMD II x3 ) New RAM, and a different PSU ( the last one was a 600W from Storm )
One thing that I have noticed is that it is stays on for longer after it has crashed.
Last crash details reported are :

Problem Event Name: BlueScreen
OS Version: 6.1.7601.2.1.0.256.1
Locale ID: 2057

Additional information about the problem:
BCCode: 124
BCP1: 0000000000000000
BCP2: FFFFFA8002A2E8F8
BCP3: 0000000000000000
BCP4: 0000000000000000
OS Version: 6_1_7601
Service Pack: 1_0
Product: 256_1

Files that help describe the problem:
C:\Windows\Minidump\110711-23727-01.dmp
C:\Users\dad\AppData\Local\Temp\WER-56472-0.sysdata.xml


I have the file but cannot open it
Please bear with me .
Regards

 

[gmastra100]

PC crashed 30 secs after I hit send key Phew

latest report
BlueScreen
OS Version: 6.1.7601.2.1.0.256.1
Locale ID: 2057

Additional information about the problem:
BCCode: 124
BCP1: 0000000000000000
BCP2: FFFFFA80029D5748
BCP3: 0000000000000000
BCP4: 0000000000000000
OS Version: 6_1_7601
Service Pack: 1_0
Product: 256_1

Files that help describe the problem:
C:\Windows\Minidump\110711-24024-01.dmp
C:\Users\dad\AppData\Local\Temp\WER-46659-0.sysdata.xml

 

[95Viper]

Looks like, maybe, you might need to try upping you CPU voltage.
Before doing that.
Get prime95 and CPUz.
Run CPUZ and post a screen shot of it at idle; and, then, run Prime95 after a couple of minutes, take another screen shot of CPUz and post your results.

I am sure someone familiar with that MB and CPU can tell you if you are ok or what to set the bios at for that cpu.

 

[brandonwh64]

set CPU at 1.4V and then retest stability using prime95 or intelburntest

 

[TC-man]

Hi all,
am hoping pc will not crash "again" whist I am writing.
Everytthing in the latest Bios version 2103 except TCL ( CAS) = 9,
TRC= 9 TRR=9 TRAS= 24 ( DDR3 RAM timing setting)
Virtually back to where I started many years ago.
Please remember, every component on this motherboard has been tried with others,
New HDD, New CPU ( AMD II x3 ) New RAM, and a different PSU ( the last one was a 600W from Storm )

Hi,

about the Storm 600W PSU, I have never heard about it, although after a quick search via google, I found some Storm 600W PSU for £18.72 or £22.99, with 24 amps Max on the 12V rail for a 600W rated PSU which does not sound good at all. I hope you are not using that Storm PSU. Please don't skimp on the PSU, otherwise you will get easily into trouble and may eventually damage your PC hardware/components; the high wattage doesn't mean it's always better, more important is what kind of OEM is being used in a PSU. Here's an interesting article how to find the original manufacturer of PSUs.

There are decent and affordable PSUs such as Corsair CX430 v2 with CWT OEM or those OCZ StealthXtreme 2 with Fortron OEM, or XFX Pro 450W which probably makes use of a Seasonic OEM (haven't checked yet).

Anyway, you should be able to run the PC with default/auto settings, otherwise there's really something wrong with the motherboard, ram or the PSU; although you already said the motherboard has been rma'ed and you even bought a new one, while you already switch from Corsair to G.Skill ram, so the problem may be the PSU.

 

[de.das.dude]

goto the BIOS.

press F5. select yes. then press F10 and select yes again.


you need to run everything in stock.

 

[gmastra100]

Hi all,
thank you for your help ( really appreciative)
I loaded Prime95 , hopefully I did the correct tests. When set to high stress , it passed, but at maximum stress it crashed. ( tests made befor cpu set to 1.4V)
Tonight I will power up. with bios at stock values ( inc RAM voltage )
Run CPUZ , take pic. ( Do I need all screens or just CPU and memory ?)
Then wait a while , and repeat.
I will post the results later.

As to increasing the cPU voltage to 1.4V , I did that , although it crashed , it may b e that I had other parameters changed so I will repeat it again.
Oh well back to work I may need to buy new mobo
Regards

 

[Thrackan]

As 95viper and TC-man say, your PSU sounds like a very cheap brand. Even though Storm is in the really dangerous area and CIT is a little less worrying, I'd try and get my hand on a (borrowed) A-brand PSU.
Weird stability problems are all so often PSU-related.

Also, as d.d.d says, run your stuff at stock. If it doesn't work at stock, there's a problem. If it doesn't work OCd, there's a problem with your OC.

 

[gmastra100]

Hi ,
am still at work, but thought I would reply to the Storm PSU isue
At present it is being used on another system that has an:
ASRock AM3 M3A770DE/A/ASR
AMD Athlon II x 3 445
Freezer 7 cooler
Sapphire HD 5670 Graphics card
2GB DDR3 1333GHz Crucial RAM
Seagate OEM 500GB Barracuda

All these components had initially been used on the Asus motherboard but kept crashing, so I tried new components. I even replaced the Asus Mobo with another identical one ( thinking it was faulty) eventually I gave up and bought the AsRock mobo, with the above parts I have had no issues.
So given I had all the other components left over I decided to populated the Asus board again and try and fix the crashing. I dont think I am the only person that has had this stability problem as I dont OC
So the Storm PSU may not be great but it has not caused me any issues, I hope my CIT 750W is better than the Storm and hence is not going to be an issue.( If I am going to spend money, I would rather put it towards a new mobo.I hear great reviews for Gigabyte boards.)

Will post results CPUZ tonight.

 

[heky]

Its not the mobo, its the cpu. Its the only part you have not tried to change. Try getting a different cpu and put it in this board. I bet it will work just fine.

 

[gmastra100]

pc crashing so posts will be in posts

Pre stress stock build

You've just submitted a CPU-Z dump to the CPU-Z Validator.

This dump has been verified. The associated ID is : 2088046


Your verified dump is now viewable here : http://valid.canardpc.com/show_oc.php?id=2088046


Thank you

 

[gmastra100]

Pc kept crashing before I had chance to paste CPUz results.
Tried CPU @ 1.4 V , but still crashed.
Then tried the following
CPU=1.35V
CPU-NB 1.175V
Htt Voltage 1.2V
SB 1.35V ( only option)
NB= 1.1V
CPU VDD = 2.5V
as recommended by :
http://www.techreaction.net/forums/showthread.php?t=367

Pc still crashed.

Increased RAM voltage = 1.7V
, timings @ 9-9-9-24 and speed = 667MHz.
seems the best I can do , will perform CPUZ then run intel burn on maximum stress

Posts to follow

 

[brandonwh64]

SET IT TO STOCK PLEASE. Your CPU is not stable when unlocked. Turn off ACC AND UNLEASH mode.

I have seen a few other suggest this but you never did say if you tested stock settings

 

[gmastra100]

Hi pc just crashed again so mailing from phone
When in BIOS. I hit F5 ( default setting) disabled internal graphics and then F 10
Is this not what is meant by stock values ?
If it is then the pc just crashes
Am in BIOS now
Let me know what settings to are suggested ?