Name: Jophster (by jophster) Date: April 20, 2008 at 23:52:38 Pacific Subject: Discovering the fault... OS: Win Vista Ult CPU/Ram: QUAD/2GB Model/Manufacturer: N/A
Comment:
Hi After replacing everything except: My Graphics Card (Asus EAX1600PRO) My Power Supply My 1x DVD RW 1x CD RW Drives I am still getting the same bluescreens as I did before swapping everything. I get random errors including: MEMORY_MANAGEMENT IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL PAGE_FAULT_IN_NON_PAGED_AREA
What makes it even harder is that I get them doing all kinds of things like: Leaving my PC on all night Running Command & Conquer 3 Using Adobe Captivate
It is not a SOFTWARE fault as I have re-installed countless times and reset the page file also.
I hope you can help me find out what needs replacing...
Randomly replacing parts is not troubleshooting, it's guessing. Did you test the RAM with memtest86 (both new & old RAM)? And what do you mean you "reset the page file"? If you're using custom settings, let Windows handle it. All those error messages indicate a memory problem.
Both those messages are generated by the operating system, in Vista or XP or 2000, not the mboard bios.
You can get the IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL error from many causes, but sometimes it can be just because the ram module contacts are not getting a good connection - this worked for me when I got that error:
Having bad ram is extremely RARE! If you are having a problem with ram, it is most likely because you are having a poor connection problem, or you are trying to use incompatible ram!
A common thing that can happen with ram, even ram that worked fine previously, is the ram has, or has developed, a poor connection in it's slot(s). This usually happens a long time after the ram was installed, but it can happen with new ram, or after moving the computer case from one place to another, and I've had even new modules that needed to have their contacts cleaned.
See response 2 in this - try cleaning the contacts on the ram modules, and making sure the modules are properly seated: http://www.computing.net/hardware/w...
While you're in there, clean the contacts on and re-seat your cards in slots too.
ATX mboards are always powered in some places as long as live AC is being supplied to the power supply and the power supply is connected to the mboard, even when the computer is not running. You should ALWAYS remove the AC power to your case/power supply whenever you make any connection changes or unplug or plug in ram or any card inside your case
Ram that works in another mboard , or any ram you buy or have lying around, may not work properly, or sometimes, not at all - even if it physically fits and is the right overall type (e.g. SDram, DDR, DDR2, etc.; PCxxxx, xxx mhz) for your mboard. In the worst cases of incompatibilty your mboard WILL NOT BOOT with it installed, and the mboard may not even beep - the ram has to be compatible with the mboard and it's chipset.
See response 5 in this for some info about ram compatibilty, and some places where you can find out what will work in your mboard for sure: http://www.computing.net/hardware/w... Correction to that: Mushkin www.mushkin.com
If you do a ram test, do that AFTER having tried cleaning the contacts and making sure the ram is seated properly - otherwise any errors found may be FALSE. If the ram is incompatible with the chipset, it will likely FAIL a ram test - that is NOT a true indication of the ram being faulty - there is probably nothing wrong with it, and it will pass the test if installed in a mboard it is compatible with.
Hi All, Thanks for the replies, I have upgraded all those units not just replaced them in the hope of fixing them. The RAM I bought was suitable for AM2 Motherboards and mine is an AM2+ board but I was told that it would work by the seller. I will have another go at using memtest86 but couldnt get it to work before. The board is fairly new and so is the ram (less than a month old) so I hope there is nothing wrong there. I will let you know about my results.
"The RAM I bought was suitable for AM2 Motherboards and mine is an AM2+ board but I was told that it would work by the seller."
In the case of ram for AM2 or AM2+ mboards, the memory controller is in the AM2 or AM2+ cpu, so that's what the ram has to be compatible with, much less so the mboard chipset. Provided you haven't installed modules that are larger than the mboard chipset/slots support, the ram should work fine.
"I will have another go at using memtest86 but couldnt get it to work before."
Try re-seating the ram and cards and cleaning the contacts on them BEFORE running a ram test. See above.
Hi, Thanks for all your help OtheHill. (You have been answering my questions unlike lil leo so it is much appreciated.) Yes, I only have one 2GB stick, my PC wont even turn on from last night and I havent opened it up or anything! I hope that the connection problem is causing the computer not to start, but it leads me to believe that it is a power supply problem, but will re seat the ram chip later today. I dont think it is a ram seating problem because I get consistent errors whenever I try to preview a recorded file in Adobe Captivate. Is it something else if I get the error in the same place? Will post reply regarding PC status later today and results on re-seat.
When you opened the case and reseated the stick of RAM did you unplug the computer before doing that? Do not touch the components while the computer is plugged in. There is always power to to the MBoard and you can damage hardware. As far as reseating the RAM is concerned I suggest you completely remove and then reinsert. Look at the underside for notches in the module and align them with the bumps in the slot. Take care not to turn 180 degrees.
Post The specs for your computer including MBoard make and model, PSU make and model.
I asked about the RAM stick because it would have been better to buy 2 - 1GB sticks to run in dual channel mode.
MBoard makers usually test certain RAM modules with their boards and have a list of tested modules. Best to buy from that list.
Did you enter the BIOS to see if date and time are set corectly? IF the computer will not boot at all I guess that isn't possible right now. Unplug the AC and depress the power button a few times then reconnect the AC and try again. If no go then unplug again and reseat the RAM.
In BIOS, check to see if AM2 Boost is Enabled. If so, try Disabling it.
It's a long shot of-course but my machine definitely didn't like it Enabled. I had BSOD's galore and my mini-dumps repeatedly pointed (wrongly) to a driver issue.
You should not be getting this anymore: IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL
If you are, follow the above instructions I pointed to in response 3 and clean the contacts on the ram module. ....
DRIVER_IRQL.....
"Stop 0×000000D1: DRIVER_IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL - This Windows stop error indicates that the computer tried to access memory using a kernal process which had a IRQL that was too high (as kernal processes can only access IRQLs that it is either equal to or IRQLs that less than it). This is usually caused by incorrect or incompatible drivers."
Thanks for all the help, I will try both disabling AM2 Boost (Although I dont think I have that option). I will also have a look at the links posted. I will keep you updated. *I also got a PAGE FAULT IN NON PAGED AREA again today, after having re-fitted the RAM chip.*
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