A program like memtest can be burned to a cd-r and then you would boot the system from that rather then a floppy prepared for it. The memory you are describing sounds more like PC4000. Although it's still 184pin memory the bulk of the boards from Socket A, 754, and 939 seem to have DDR400 as the memory supported with no reference to any faster memory available.
Computer Freezing may be VPU problem
- Thread starter TrogdorTB001
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TrogdorTB001
New Member
how would i go about burning it do a cd-r? ive tried maybe im doing it wrong
and yes, the memory that i have is DDR500 (PC4000), but my motherboard supports DDR400 (PC 3200)
Edit: oh wait, i just glanced at my motherboard manual, and it says the following.
"Memory: 4 x DDR DIMM Slots:
4 DIMMs support PC3200 (DDR 400)/PC2700 (DDR 333)/
PC2100 (DDR 266), Max. 4GB"
I think you are right, as there is no reference to supporting PC4000 (DDR 500).
Hmm, then is that the problem do you think? Should I get a gig of PC3200?
Edit 2: I just checked my RAM speed in my BIOS, and it said DDR 333, so im guessing that my friend was right, and my RAM just automatically ran at the supported speed. Now im stuck again, but im leaning on the fact that my Graphics Card is the problem. Anyways, if i return it, its not gonna hurt anything because ill just get it exchanged, and its not gonna cost me any money.
and yes, the memory that i have is DDR500 (PC4000), but my motherboard supports DDR400 (PC 3200)
Edit: oh wait, i just glanced at my motherboard manual, and it says the following.
"Memory: 4 x DDR DIMM Slots:
4 DIMMs support PC3200 (DDR 400)/PC2700 (DDR 333)/
PC2100 (DDR 266), Max. 4GB"
I think you are right, as there is no reference to supporting PC4000 (DDR 500).
Hmm, then is that the problem do you think? Should I get a gig of PC3200?
Edit 2: I just checked my RAM speed in my BIOS, and it said DDR 333, so im guessing that my friend was right, and my RAM just automatically ran at the supported speed. Now im stuck again, but im leaning on the fact that my Graphics Card is the problem. Anyways, if i return it, its not gonna hurt anything because ill just get it exchanged, and its not gonna cost me any money.
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Are the memory timings set to 166mhz or 200mhz in the bios? If that setting for a DDR400 board is turned down from the 200 to 166mhz setting you will see 333mhz at post time. The PC4000 will have simply backclocked to the DDR333 speed if the timings were not at the 200mhz setting. Otherwise it should be backclocking to the 400mhz mark.
The video card is far from the problem if that setting was reduced or the memory simply isn't compatible to the board itself. But you are dead set on the card being the problem even after finding that the memory itself is what shoud be replaced if found incompatible. You are rushing too fast there.
The video card is far from the problem if that setting was reduced or the memory simply isn't compatible to the board itself. But you are dead set on the card being the problem even after finding that the memory itself is what shoud be replaced if found incompatible. You are rushing too fast there.
TrogdorTB001
New Member
yeah i like to rush sometimes 
well, im not sure how to set it to 200mhz. If my video card is not the problem, would it be the RAM since its not compatible, even though it automatically reduced the settings?
well, im not sure how to set it to 200mhz. If my video card is not the problem, would it be the RAM since its not compatible, even though it automatically reduced the settings?
PC4000 on a PC2100, PC2700, PC3200 board can easily spell problems if the memory and board refuse to work together. When you go into the bios on many of the older model boards you would go into the advanced chipset section to adjust memory timings there if that option was present. Unfortunately your description of the model number of the Asrock board doesn't give enough information to locate the exact model. Is this the model seen at http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16813157081&ATT=13-157-081&CMP=OTC-d3alt1me ? A look at the user's manual should tell whether memory timings can be adjusted manually.
TrogdorTB001
New Member
Yes, that is the exact motherboard i have.
It does not say anything about ram timing in the manual, except what i put on my earlier post. If the RAM and the motherboard are not compatible, wouldnt they not work at all? or would they cause problems like this?
I also went into my BIOS, but there was no option to change the ram timings
EDIT: if you want to, you can go http://www.asrock.com/Drivers/Manual/939Dual-SATA2.pdf and look at the manual yourself.
It does not say anything about ram timing in the manual, except what i put on my earlier post. If the RAM and the motherboard are not compatible, wouldnt they not work at all? or would they cause problems like this?
I also went into my BIOS, but there was no option to change the ram timings
EDIT: if you want to, you can go http://www.asrock.com/Drivers/Manual/939Dual-SATA2.pdf and look at the manual yourself.
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On your model board the memory timings are determined by the "memory clock" setting as you will note from page #27 in the manual. As you can see there that shows [133mhz=DDR266], [166mhz=DDR333], [200mhz=DDR400] with another feature on the board that could help here. "Flexibilty Option" offers better tolerance for memory compatibility when enabled. You can see if the memory clock is set to 200mhz and enable the other option to see if that will correct this.
TrogdorTB001
New Member
ok, i set my memory clock to 200mhz(DDR 400), as it was set as 166mhz(DDR 300), and I also set the flexibility option to [enabled], so hopefully my ram will have more compatibility, and i wont freeze. ill edit this topic if i freeze, and thank you for finding that, as the manual that came with my motherboard only goes to page 17, then continues on in another language, so i didnt know that the pdf manual is more in-depth.
WWWelll well well! Now you are getting somewhere! One thing to remember is that most(but not all for sure) brands of boards will provide an online manual or downloadable PDF file for the user. That stinks when you only get part of a manual. But if that can be downloaded in text format or printed out you should grab at least the pages missing for your reference. Now you can rule out returning your video card there! See how it goes with these setting changes and post back if you have any more problems.
Now you are getting somewhere! One thing to remember is that most(but not all for sure) brands of boards will provide an online manual or downloadable PDF file for the user. That stinks when you only get part of a manual. But if that can be downloaded in text format or printed out you should grab at least the pages missing for your reference. Now you can rule out returning your video card there! See how it goes with these setting changes and post back if you have any more problems.TrogdorTB001
New Member
well so far i havent frozen yet i really appreciate your help. I dont know how i can thank you enough
i really appreciate your help. I dont know how i can thank you enoughTrogdorTB001
New Member
hmm i was surfing the web, and i froze. then, i restarted, and right when i started up firefox i froze again. maybe that wasnt the problem...
maybe that wasnt the problem...The important thing to remember is the "process of elimination" when it comes to a specific problem where it could be "Either" software or hardware. I never went with PC3400 or higher since the boards here have run DDR400 for a few years now. The new build is still running it from the old case. But a simple setting seems to be a winner there. When you stated 333mhz on DDR500 that right there points in that direction as a possible. Let's how it goes over a few days time just to be sure. Have you gamed yet? try running a favorite to see if it sees problems or runs smooth.
hmm i was surfing the web, and i froze. then, i restarted, and right when i started up firefox i froze again.
The fact that you saw an improvement right off when changing the settings points at the need for replacing those dimms for DDR400 then. That would be the preferred way to go anyway knowing you are backclocking memory there.
TrogdorTB001
New Member
well, i dont freeze up when playing games much at all, but the only time i really do is when surfing the web, and i click somethin, then it freezes
That could easily be a glitch with IE or you may have to adjust some settings in the Internet Options like active x controls. You may have to reinstall IE itself to see that corrected. But you are seeing this only when online pointing at a software not hardware problem there unless your connection is somehow goofed. How are you connecting? dialup, dsl, cable, wireless?
TrogdorTB001
New Member
i am positive that it is not my connection, because i live at two different houses one house is cable, one is DSL, and I connect perfectly.
I also use Firefox, and i had the problems on both firefox and IE.
I dont just glitch on the internet, sometimes I can while being on the desktop doing stuff, and it can also happen when graphics get demanding on a game(ex. im in a tank, another person in a tank comes, shoots me, and i freeze, because too much was goin on)
one house is cable, one is DSL, and I connect perfectly. I also use Firefox, and i had the problems on both firefox and IE.
I dont just glitch on the internet, sometimes I can while being on the desktop doing stuff, and it can also happen when graphics get demanding on a game(ex. im in a tank, another person in a tank comes, shoots me, and i freeze, because too much was goin on)
It sounds far more like either a hardware configuration problem with the memory you are currently running or reserved memory addresses are being gone after by the program you are running or something in the background is clashing there. Repeated freeze ups are either memory or even bios related. If the non violitile ram is losing programming information that can cause a number of problems. When the old board was failing I reduced the memory timings to run that case until this one was finished. The old board saw THREE video cards when things froze. It was never shown any of those cards were cause for any locks in gaming or otherwise.
TrogdorTB001
New Member
well,
I dont really know what the problem is, but I now have some reassurance that the Video Card is my problem.
I will go ahead and replace it, because it will cost no money to exchange it for the same item.
hopefully, hopefully that was the problem.
I dont really know what the problem is, but I now have some reassurance that the Video Card is my problem.
I will go ahead and replace it, because it will cost no money to exchange it for the same item.
hopefully, hopefully that was the problem.
Most of the time just repeated freeze ups are video card related, Memory or bios setting will give you a blue screen or error