Re: Memory errors on new memory in new system
On Wed, 2012-11-28 at 11:08 -0500, Gary Dale wrote:
> On 28/11/12 10:17 AM, Ralf Mardorf wrote:
> > In the absence of an updated Debian install (it's wiser not to update a
> > digital audio workstation too often) I used another install of current
> > Ubuntu Quantal 64-bit, Memtest86+ v4.20 and instead running it from the
> > same Parted Magic live CD, I run it from the lastest Parted Magic 64-bit
> > Live CD, also Memtest 86+ v4.20.
> >
> > Ubuntu's Memtest still claims that my RAM is broken, Parted Magic's
> > Memtest still claims that my RAM is ok. Intense RAM usage for more than
> > 8 hours a day and never turning the computer of since several days and I
> > had not a single RAM issue. I don't had RAM issues for the last
> > years ;).
> >
> > So it's very likely that the RAM is ok ;).
> >
> > Perhaps you should run Memtest86+ from
> > http://partedmagic.com/doku.php?id=downloads too.
> >
> > And even if this should fails too, it doesn't mean that RAM is broken.
> > OTOH if your RAM passes the test there's no guarantee that the RAM is
> > ok.
> >
> > Memtest86+ can help to find a broken RAM, but it's not a secure test,
> > when there's no suspicion for new RAM.
> >
> > Hth
> > Ralf
> I disagree. My experience with MemTest86+ has been that when it detects
> errors, you have a problem.
>
> The other side of the issue is that memory can test OK but that doesn't
> mean your memory is being accessed reliably. Klaus Knopper recently
> reported, and I can confirm, that sometimes chipsets aren't able to
> handle simultaneous disk and memory access at full speed. This isn't a
> RAM problem - it's either a chipset problem or a BIOS problem where the
> manufacturer pushes the memory timings to the limit only to have them
> fail in real use.
>
> I recently also had a problem where a memory stick failed and the
> replacement (under warranty) tested OK but wouldn't work with the other
> stick in the pair. Each stick tested OK but they failed when used together.
>
> In all cases, slowing the memory speed down can help. The real fix is
> for motherboard manufacturers to do better testing when setting the BIOS
> timings for different memory types. A clean test with MemTest86+ doesn't
> mean that your board will actually work in the real world - especially
> as it ages.
Do you have an idea why Memtest 86+ v4.20 from one distro does report
errors after a few minutes and from another distro, the same version of
Memtest can run 2 days without reporting an error?
This always will happen, I tried it several times.
Different compiling options?
I don't have issues with my machine, excepted of software issues when
using distros with e.g. Xfce 4.10, but an old Debian is stable, an old
Suse is stable and an old Ubuntu is stable.
Regards,
Ralf
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