My RAM is dying...alternatives?

**Potemkine** · 12-03-09, 12:54 AM

So I am 95% sure my RAM is dying and here is why.

Last Wednesday, a week or so ago, I had a random BSOD. I thought it odd and decided to keep an eye on it.

Today...shit got REAL.
So I come home from school today, looking to post up some knowledge bombs and debate and what not but my desktop decides to behave differently. On initial boot, the computer POSTs and starts loading the BIOS settings, but then BSODs...odd, but ok. After automatically restarting, the BIOS loads, but only 1 gig is recognized in the BIOS load. It starts to load windows XP but a fatal error occurred with a random Windows boot up .exe file. Now I am REALLY concerned. It again, automatically shuts down and restarts. It loads the BIOS, but again, 1 gig recognized and windows starts doing a scan of critical files before the OS load, again, automatically, and it was an XP color scheme, but the text was blurry to the point of being very reminiscent of safe mode. All is well and continues to load, but freezes in the "Welcome!" screen. I hit the reset button on my tower and it reboots...time #4. This time, the BIOS recognizes the second DIMM and displays the 2 gigs and windows loads normally. *whew*

I have backed up all my documents, music, pictures and movies to an external hard drive, so should something fail, it wont be a life and death situation.

I currently have Patriot Extreme Performance 2GB (2 x 1GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory Model PDC22G6400LLK set to run at 1066 with 5-5-5-12 timings.

Other specs:
750 Gig 7200 rpm seagate baracuda hard drive
ECS nVidia 8800GTS 512mb
500W power supply
and EVGA 123-YW-E175-A1 LGA 775 NVIDIA nForce 750i FTW SLI ATX Intel Motherboard (limits to DDR2 1333mhz RAM)
XP 32 bit OS(SP 2)

I am eyeing:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16820220396

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16820227289 (I am leaning towards this one)

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16820220426 (I could just as easily accept this one)

Other thoughts? I am looking to upgrade to a total of 4 gigs ram for win7 64bit. (future IT major here, so MORE POWER!)

These suggestions were given to my by 11Bravo, and I respect his knowledge in these areas quite a bit. But that is not to say I am not open to alternatives.

**dex71** · 12-03-09, 01:03 AM

No love for Corsair?

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16820145247

**Potemkine** · 12-03-09, 01:05 AM

Originally Posted by dex71

No love for Corsair?

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16820145247

meh....the timings on the Patriot (last link) are better: 5-5-5-12

**DancingCorpse** · 12-03-09, 01:10 AM

I can give you a mini review on the OCZ reaper memory after Christmas if you would like, I am building a new game rig for my bro for Christmas and that is the same RAM I am putting in it. You probably can't wait that long though....

The timings on the RAM you are currently running are set differently than what the NewEgg page says is supposed to be the timings for that RAM, is it overclocked? (I can't remember right now if higher or lower is overclocking for RAM)

**Potemkine** · 12-03-09, 01:16 AM

Originally Posted by DancingCorpse

I can give you a mini review on the OCZ reaper memory after Christmas if you would like, I am building a new game rig for my bro for Christmas and that is the same RAM I am putting in it. You probably can't wait that long though....

The timings on the RAM you are currently running are set differently than what the NewEgg page says is supposed to be the timings for that RAM, is it overclocked? (I can't remember right now if higher or lower is overclocking for RAM)

essentially, lower #s are over clocked. It said it was perfectly able to handle it, so I did it. Its at 2.1 v with those settings and have had no issues with it until now. Always thought well of the stuff.

**Jambi** · 12-03-09, 01:33 AM

Yeah, he's running it at looser timings, but higher clock speed, that tends to be the trade off when OCing RAM. And the set you're eye is only 800mhz, I would opt for something faster. You will probably notice the difference in clock speeds more than the latencies of the RAM.

**Potemkine** · 12-03-09, 01:37 AM

Originally Posted by Renegade.

Yeah, he's running it at looser timings, but higher clock speed, that tends to be the trade off when OCing RAM. And the set you're eye is only 800mhz, I would opt for something faster. You will probably notice the difference in clock speeds more than the latencies of the RAM.

I meant to say I am eyeing the following. I am thinking of going with the OCZ one, but is the extra $3 or so dollars worth an essentially identical piece of equipment?

**Jambi** · 12-03-09, 01:50 AM

I'd go for it, especially at only $13.00 more. You never know how well the RAM will OC, some will be great and others not so much. A lot of that has to do with how the companies sort/bin the RAM though, and what chips it uses.

**vectus** · 12-03-09, 03:44 AM

In most cases a boost from 800 to 1066 MHZ will be a very minimal upgrade. The timings are even worse. I have only seen CSS really take advantage of lower timings.

**FireAtWill** · 12-03-09, 09:12 AM

I have the Patriot Viper DDR3 Triple channel version and have loved them. This is my first Patriot product and have been very satisfied so far. For $13 get the memory fans. They look cool and keep the air circultaing...

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...=patriot%20fan

FAW