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Old March 25th 20, 08:48 AM posted to alt.comp.os.windows-10
Paul[_32_]
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Default Windows 10 BSOD indicates a hardware problem - but what hardware is the problem?

Arlen Holder wrote:


I haven't played with memory in decades so I don't remember, offhand, if I
can leave just one DIMM card in a slot, or if I need them in adjacent
pairs, or, if they have to be staggered - but I'll get to that soon.

(This was sent earlier in the day many hours ago but failed due to
VPN & Usenet script setup issues on the new machine being immense but
unrelated to this hardware problem.)


We're in the era of Flex memory, so generally there
aren't a lot of rules now. Not so many rules as in the past.

At one time, and especially with AMD, the slot population
rules were more restricted. Dual channel mode only worked
in "128 bit mode", with the two sticks in equivalent slots
on each channel. I don't think AMD needs that any more.

CPU ----#1-----X Channel0 Can't do this on old AMD
I think it would "beep" for this.
-----X----#2 Channel1

You could test with one stick, two sticks, three sticks, four sticks.
Obviously, each mode has its own properties. Some combinations
and positions give better performance than others.

You can test two sticks in single channel mode, when using
the memtest.org utility, as a means to get 100% memory coverage.
By flipping the upper and lower stick while in single channel
mode, the upper stick (which gets 100% tested) gets to test
what used to be the lower stick.

CPU ----#1----#2 Channel0 run memtest, one pass

-----X-----x Channel1

CPU ----#2----#1 Channel0 run memtest, one pass
---------------------
-----X-----x Channel1 result = 100% memory coverage

Repeat sequence with stick #3 and #4.

Final test, in an attempt to get guarantee good performance
(assumes no stuck-at faults detected above) would be this setup.

CPU -----X----#1 Channel0 Test this way for a while, with
a variety of tests, to see whether
-----X----#2 Channel1 it's actually some other hardware
at fault. Make sure it's memtest
clean first though. It should be.

But for a quick test, I'd just try two sticks in dual channel,
for an immediate reward.

If you want to turn on XMP or its AMD equivalent, sure, you can.
It depends on whether you want to understand what mistake you
made with the original config, or, you just want it fixed.

Note that XMP or its AMD equivalent, the SPD table in the DIMM
generally only gives good results for one specific config. That's
two of four DIMM slots occupied, in dual channel mode. That's
virtually always in the table.

Other modes, such as having a table entry for four sticks in
dual channel mode, that happens much less often. This is
one reason my setup cannot and is not using XMP with my
"all slots full" setup. I had to hand-tune it. The older
I get, the less I look forward to that. So I just turned
mine down so it would work. And it's completely error free
at the selected speed, no screwing around. I've spent as long
as a week, on tuning RAM in the past.

There are some NVidia chipsets, where turning the memory clock down
is really the only practical working solution. Most motherboards
there are multiple knobs worth twisting.

Paul
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