EP45-UD3R, abit WiFi PCIe and RAM

[Richard_S]

First of, run down of the system:

GA-EP45-UDR3 v1.0 with Bios F8
Q6600 Quad Core CPU
2 x 2GB Corsair XMS2-8500 (matched pair)
2 x Seagate SATA2 200GB drives
Sapphire ATI x1550 Graphics card
Thermaltake TR2-470PP PSU
1 x IDE CDROM
Internally connected USB card reader

I'm using the Optimised BIOS profile as standard with the exception of the RAM voltage being tweaked to 2.1v from the initial 1.80v.

The major problem I'm having is that I have an abit AirPace 802.11b/g PCI Express Mini Card (Product No: WLP-01) which when I insert into the motherboard, I get now graphics output! I'm fairly certain the machine is booting as normal as I hear Windows XP's startup tune. I've tried it in two of the three PCIe x1 slots to no avail. The card was in an abit mobo until two days ago when I swapped it out for the EP45-UD3R so I'm assuming it still works :)

The other thing is this isn't a gaming PC and it will never be. What I'm intrested in is a nice stable (speedy but not OC'd) machine. I've noticed that quite a lot of people have different results with regards RAM (obviously this isn't just Gigabyte!) and doing a search I've noticed people have mentioned the type of RAM I'm using. Is there a a good arguement for settings things such as RAM timings manually rather than letting the BIOS detect it? Is there actually some sort of table or chart which I can check against to make sure the BIOS is detecting and setting up the RAM (and I guess the CPU) to get the best out of it?

So many questions, so little knowledge :)

Suggestions appreciated!


Regards

Richard S

[profJim]

Re: EP45-UD3R, abit WiFi PCIe and RAM

It sounds like you might have an IRQ sharing/conflict with the Abit card and the video. You might have to manually set the Abit IRQ to a specific value. Is there a jumper setting on the Abit card to use a different IRQ?

Download the generic bios template and post your actual bios settings.

[Th3_uN1Qu3]

Re: EP45-UD3R, abit WiFi PCIe and RAM

Yeah that Corsair RAM can be trouble, i bought two kits for 8GB and both of them could only do 900MHz. The replacements work fine though. But if you don't get freezes/crashes it means your RAM is alright.

Try setting the BIOS boot first device to PEG, maybe it's somehow getting confused and thinking the wifi is a video card. As for IRQs and jumpers, well, my dual-PIII rig needs some configuration of those, but in today's systems there are tons of IRQs, so unless the card is hardwired to certain addresses (unlikely) you shouldn't run into trouble because of that.

[Richard_S]

[Th3_uN1Qu3]

Re: EP45-UD3R, abit WiFi PCIe and RAM

Those settings are the right ones for that RAM.

As for your wifi conflict, i think you should also drop Abit an e-mail... I think you need another card. After all, they're cheap.

[Richard_S]

Re: EP45-UD3R, abit WiFi PCIe and RAM

Thanks Th3_uN1Qu3 :)

It's not the end of the world if I can't use the AirPace, I was mainly wanting to make sure it wasn't a motherboard issue or an issue with the RAM or PSU. Me and PCs don't get on too well and they have a very nasty habbit of failing to work for me :/

Regards

Richard_S

[Th3_uN1Qu3]

Re: EP45-UD3R, abit WiFi PCIe and RAM

No problem. If you get any more application freezes/crashes, let us know. You can use the Blend test of Prime95 to test your memory in Windows (the bootable Memtest86+ doesn't always catch all errors), any search engine will give you all needed info.

[Richard_S]

Re: EP45-UD3R, abit WiFi PCIe and RAM

So before I noticed a reply from you, MSN crashed. Then I put in a MS into the USB card reader and it froze. Not rebooted or BSOD, just froze. Forced power off, tried MS again, got BSOD. Rebooted, skype crashed, read you email and tried Prime95 using Blend. It failed that there was an error. Tried again, BSOD. Forced power off, Windows did a scandisk, booted up okiay. Ran Prime95 and MSN crashed, so did IE.

So I guess that'll be a RAM issue then...

:(

[Th3_uN1Qu3]

Re: EP45-UD3R, abit WiFi PCIe and RAM

If the error was "Rounding was 0.5, expected less than 0.4" it's definitely the RAM, i had the same issue. Send 'em back to Corsair.

[Richard_S]

Re: EP45-UD3R, abit WiFi PCIe and RAM

Not sure what the issue was, but having removed one of the sticks, it's now happily doing the test.

I guess that either means iffy RAM or iffy socket. I will try the other stick by itself and then try them both together and see what happens.

[Richard_S]

Re: EP45-UD3R, abit WiFi PCIe and RAM

Ah yes, you're right:

FATAL ERROR: Rounding was 0.4996900561, expected less than 0.4
Hardware failure detected, consult stress.txt file.

So I guess it's time to get something else then.

Your help and patience is very very much appreciated!

[Th3_uN1Qu3]

Re: EP45-UD3R, abit WiFi PCIe and RAM

The rounding error with many decimals usually points to CPU rather than RAM, but since you're running at stock it can't be the CPU. On my first batch of those sticks (i have 8GB of them, two kits), i would get all sorts of funky errors, at one time i got what you see in the attached pic.

So definitely, get them replaced, or buy other RAM. Mushkin should be fine.

[Richard_S]

Re: EP45-UD3R, abit WiFi PCIe and RAM

Hope it's not the CPU. I did buy it a few months ago and was running it in an Abit mobo so just carefully transferred it from that to this new mobo.

Daft thing is, with just 1 stick of the 2GB Corsair in and that PCIe AirPace in, I actually get video output. Although once in Windows it does get rather screwy and I get corrupted video...

I shall ring the place of purchase tomorrow and have words with them.

I love computers...


Regards

Richard_S

[Th3_uN1Qu3]

Re: EP45-UD3R, abit WiFi PCIe and RAM

Definitely the RAM then. Get 'em replaced and all will be fine.

[Richard_S]

Re: EP45-UD3R, abit WiFi PCIe and RAM

Ironically it may not be the RAM. I've tried both sticks in Slot 3 by themselves. One I get BSODs, the other one comes up with "FATAL ERROR: Rounding was 0.5, expected less than 0.4". I'm now running both sticks in Slots 2 and 4 and thus far, Prime95 is more than happy with it.

Wonder if the mobo is broken :/ Either way, somethings going back to get replaced :)


Regards

Richard_S