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Volker Armin Hemmann <volkerarmin <at> googlemail.com> writes: |
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> > I let memtest86+ run overnight and it found zero memory errors. |
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> Maybe it really operated in the range of allowed tolerances - and those |
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> were never crossed with memtest as a very light system load. |
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Manufacturers and designers of ram have sophiticated and expensive |
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systems to test ram. When and where to set the "cut off" for acceptable |
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and garbage memory, is a fluid call at most companies. Paying the high |
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price for the best ram does not ensure an outcome, but statistically |
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it moves up the odds favorably. |
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> But with an OS booted, the CPU, graphics solution, harddisks all sucking |
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> power like mad, your mainboard or PSU might not be able to deliver as |
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> stable currents as the specifications demand. Some memory is more |
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> tolerant than other. |
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Along with increases in power draw comes differential heating. Heat is the |
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enemy of all electronics. Add to this the stealth phenomenon of |
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"wait-states" [1] and it is hard to predict ram behavior, let alone what |
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is acceptable and what "fails". We, as users, merely judge the ram |
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by the fact that the system keeps running and does not crash as OK. |
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That's not really how processors, busses and SS memory works, but it |
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is all we have to judge memory performance. |
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Memtest is great, but it's really like using sharpened animal bones as |
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surgical scalpels. Version 5 [2] is better, but still it is only a very |
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modest tool to a very complex and transient problem; which is very sensitive |
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to the quality of the volage/current, as Volker pointed out, |
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as well as the differential heating effects inside your PC chasis. That's |
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why the gaming systems today create turbulent air flow inside the chasis. |
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I use water coolers, sandwiched inside (2) fans to cool my 4GHz amd-8350 |
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CPUS. The coolder the better for electonics to about few degrees above |
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freezing. But, also humidity plays a roll on cooling electronics. |
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hth, |
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James |
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[1] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wait_state |
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[2] |
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http://forum.canardpc.com/threads/84663-Memtest86-is-freezing-while-running-test-7 |