Odd memtest86 results & RAM-related BSOD (stop 0x00000050)

Kerek · 04-11-2009, 07:26 PM

Hi there... My new rig has been suffering from the same BSOD randomly (while gaming, opening the control panel, browsing the internet... etc) (BSOD stop 0x00000050: PAGE_FAULT_IN_NON_PAGED_AREA) and my research has pointed to RAM as a likely culprit, although there are other possibilities.

System Specs:

Core i7 920 @ 2.66 (default)
EVGA 132-BL-E758-A1 X58 Motherboard
EVGA nVidia GTX 260
OCZ Gold 3 x 2GB DDR3 1600 Triple Channel SDRAM
COOLER MASTER UCP RS700 700w PSU
Running WinXP 64bit, SP2

Eventually I found out that I could consistently reproduce the BSOD by starting a virtual machine in VMware, and some quick testing revealed that the BSOD happens when I have any two or more DIMMs installed, in any order. I tested this the following way:

As per my motherboard's instructions, I used slots 1, 3 and 5 for my RAM. The serial numbers of my three DIMMs ended in 1, 2 and 3, so when I say (1,2,x) I mean that I had DIMM 1 in slot 1, DIMM 2 in slot 3, and nothing in slot 5.

Tests:
(3,2,1): BSOD on VMware virtual machine startup
(1,2,3): BSOD on VMware virtual machine startup
(3,2,x): BSOD on VMware virtual machine startup
(3,1,x): BSOD on VMware virtual machine startup
(1,2,x): BSOD on VMware virtual machine startup
(3,x,x): No BSOD - runs fine
(2,x,x): No BSOD - runs fine
(1,x,x): No BSOD - runs fine

As you can see, the BSOD seems dependent upon how many DIMMs are installed, but not on the order or _which_ DIMMs are installed.

Because of this I was tempted to say that faulty memory wasn't the problem, but I had to run memtest to be sure. When I ran memtest86 v3.5 (with DIMMs 3,2,1), it stopped after 3 seconds with the following result:

Test #0, 5%: [Address test, walking ones, no cache]

Lowest error address: 0007f800000: 2040.0mb
Highest error address: 0007fc00000: 2044.0mb
Bits in error mask: ffffffff
Bits in Error - Total: 32
Max contiguous errors: 1
Errors per Memory slot:
0:0
1:22
2:0

I've never played around much with memtest, so I'm not sure why it stopped. But, since I thought faulty memory was probably the cause, I reconfigured to (1,3,2) and ran memtest again. I got the same result, including the same error addresses, even though the DIMMs were in different slots. I got the same result for (1,3,x) and (1,2,x). However, when I ran memtest86 with only one DIMM (1,x,x) (2,x,x) and (3,x,x) it ran fine and for each found no errors.

I ran memtest86 v3.4 with the configuration (3,2,1) and received no errors. I also ran memtest86+ v2.11 for several passes with (3,2,1) and it reported no errors.

Some random facts that may help:

The BSODs that randomly occur while gaming etc cite 'disk.sys' while those occurring when I started a virtual machine in VMware don't - but they're the same stop code and same "PAGE_FAULT_IN_NON_PAGED_AREA".
While running Windows 7 64bit I haven't gotten any BSODs while gaming.

I'm pretty clueless about what's going on here. If it weren't for memtest86 3.5 reporting the errors, I'd say it wasn't a memory problem at all... The fact that memtest 86 v3.5 reports no errors for individual DIMMs and that I don't get any BSODs while using only a single DIMM makes me think... motherboard, possibly? It could also be WinXP 64bit. But if the problem is simply the OS, would memtest86 v3.5 report any errors?

Thanks for taking the time to read (or skim!) all this. Any help with this is _greatly_ appreciated.

dai · 04-12-2009, 01:01 AM

with memtest you have to test 1 stick at a time

**wrench97** · 04-12-2009, 03:04 AM

What speed are you running the ram?
Try setting it down to 10666 to see if it runs stable.

Kerek · 04-12-2009, 03:29 PM

I'm running my RAM at the default (2:8 CPU host frequency) or 4*133=533mhz, or 1066mhz if you double it for DDR.

Any ideas?

**wrench97** · 04-13-2009, 12:28 PM

I think it's a memory mismatch the i920 doesn't support PC3 16000, OCZ does not list any EVGA boards in their configuration utility, and Crucial only lists slower speeds the ram should be defaulting to PC3 10600 or 1333Mhz,
http://www.crucial.com/store/listpar...132-BL-E758-A1)

http://conf.ocztechnology.com/index....08&mfrid=11611

Corsair does list 16000 Speed but that would be for the i7 965.
http://www.corsair.com/configurator/...aspx?id=767751

Have you updated to the latest Bios? There have been a lot of Ram related Bios updates for the X58 series in general, Can't say for sure about EVGA boards.

Kerek · 04-14-2009, 03:17 AM

Well, with a bit of googling I came up with this:
http://communities.vmware.com/threa...

Apparently the BSOD is standard given my vmware version under XP 64bit. The random BSOD's I had gotten while doing other things (the ones mentioning disk.sys) vanished as soon as I disconnected my old 400gb seagate barracuda. Random, yes. Hopefully this will help anyone else looking for a solution. Thanks for all your answers!

04-11-2009, 07:26 PM	#1 (permalink)
Kerek Registered User Join Date: Apr 2009 Posts: 3 OS: WinXP SP2	Odd memtest86 results & RAM-related BSOD (stop 0x00000050) Hi there... My new rig has been suffering from the same BSOD randomly (while gaming, opening the control panel, browsing the internet... etc) (BSOD stop 0x00000050: PAGE_FAULT_IN_NON_PAGED_AREA) and my research has pointed to RAM as a likely culprit, although there are other possibilities. System Specs: Core i7 920 @ 2.66 (default) EVGA 132-BL-E758-A1 X58 Motherboard EVGA nVidia GTX 260 OCZ Gold 3 x 2GB DDR3 1600 Triple Channel SDRAM COOLER MASTER UCP RS700 700w PSU Running WinXP 64bit, SP2 Eventually I found out that I could consistently reproduce the BSOD by starting a virtual machine in VMware, and some quick testing revealed that the BSOD happens when I have any two or more DIMMs installed, in any order. I tested this the following way: As per my motherboard's instructions, I used slots 1, 3 and 5 for my RAM. The serial numbers of my three DIMMs ended in 1, 2 and 3, so when I say (1,2,x) I mean that I had DIMM 1 in slot 1, DIMM 2 in slot 3, and nothing in slot 5. Tests: (3,2,1): BSOD on VMware virtual machine startup (1,2,3): BSOD on VMware virtual machine startup (3,2,x): BSOD on VMware virtual machine startup (3,1,x): BSOD on VMware virtual machine startup (1,2,x): BSOD on VMware virtual machine startup (3,x,x): No BSOD - runs fine (2,x,x): No BSOD - runs fine (1,x,x): No BSOD - runs fine As you can see, the BSOD seems dependent upon how many DIMMs are installed, but not on the order or _which_ DIMMs are installed. Because of this I was tempted to say that faulty memory wasn't the problem, but I had to run memtest to be sure. When I ran memtest86 v3.5 (with DIMMs 3,2,1), it stopped after 3 seconds with the following result: Test #0, 5%: [Address test, walking ones, no cache] Lowest error address: 0007f800000: 2040.0mb Highest error address: 0007fc00000: 2044.0mb Bits in error mask: ffffffff Bits in Error - Total: 32 Max contiguous errors: 1 Errors per Memory slot: 0:0 1:22 2:0 I've never played around much with memtest, so I'm not sure why it stopped. But, since I thought faulty memory was probably the cause, I reconfigured to (1,3,2) and ran memtest again. I got the same result, including the same error addresses, even though the DIMMs were in different slots. I got the same result for (1,3,x) and (1,2,x). However, when I ran memtest86 with only one DIMM (1,x,x) (2,x,x) and (3,x,x) it ran fine and for each found no errors. I ran memtest86 v3.4 with the configuration (3,2,1) and received no errors. I also ran memtest86+ v2.11 for several passes with (3,2,1) and it reported no errors. Some random facts that may help: The BSODs that randomly occur while gaming etc cite 'disk.sys' while those occurring when I started a virtual machine in VMware don't - but they're the same stop code and same "PAGE_FAULT_IN_NON_PAGED_AREA". While running Windows 7 64bit I haven't gotten any BSODs while gaming. I'm pretty clueless about what's going on here. If it weren't for memtest86 3.5 reporting the errors, I'd say it wasn't a memory problem at all... The fact that memtest 86 v3.5 reports no errors for individual DIMMs and that I don't get any BSODs while using only a single DIMM makes me think... motherboard, possibly? It could also be WinXP 64bit. But if the problem is simply the OS, would memtest86 v3.5 report any errors? Thanks for taking the time to read (or skim!) all this. Any help with this is _greatly_ appreciated. Last edited by Kerek; 04-11-2009 at 07:30 PM.

04-12-2009, 01:01 AM	#2 (permalink)
dai Manager, Hardware Forums Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: west australia Posts: 56,555 OS: win 7 32x 64x rtm	Re: Odd memtest86 results & RAM-related BSOD (stop 0x00000050) with memtest you have to test 1 stick at a time __________________

04-12-2009, 03:04 AM	#3 (permalink)
wrench97 Moderator, Hardware Team Join Date: May 2008 Location: S.E. Pennsylvania Posts: 18,459 OS: Win7	Re: Odd memtest86 results & RAM-related BSOD (stop 0x00000050) What speed are you running the ram? Try setting it down to 10666 to see if it runs stable. __________________ Power Supply and Selection

04-12-2009, 03:29 PM	#4 (permalink)
Kerek Registered User Join Date: Apr 2009 Posts: 3 OS: WinXP SP2	Re: Odd memtest86 results & RAM-related BSOD (stop 0x00000050) I'm running my RAM at the default (2:8 CPU host frequency) or 4*133=533mhz, or 1066mhz if you double it for DDR. Any ideas?

04-13-2009, 12:28 PM	#5 (permalink)
wrench97 Moderator, Hardware Team Join Date: May 2008 Location: S.E. Pennsylvania Posts: 18,459 OS: Win7	Re: Odd memtest86 results & RAM-related BSOD (stop 0x00000050) I think it's a memory mismatch the i920 doesn't support PC3 16000, OCZ does not list any EVGA boards in their configuration utility, and Crucial only lists slower speeds the ram should be defaulting to PC3 10600 or 1333Mhz, http://www.crucial.com/store/listpar...132-BL-E758-A1) http://conf.ocztechnology.com/index....08&mfrid=11611 Corsair does list 16000 Speed but that would be for the i7 965. http://www.corsair.com/configurator/...aspx?id=767751 Have you updated to the latest Bios? There have been a lot of Ram related Bios updates for the X58 series in general, Can't say for sure about EVGA boards. __________________ Power Supply and Selection

04-14-2009, 03:17 AM	#6 (permalink)
Kerek Registered User Join Date: Apr 2009 Posts: 3 OS: WinXP SP2	Re: Odd memtest86 results & RAM-related BSOD (stop 0x00000050) Well, with a bit of googling I came up with this: http://communities.vmware.com/threa... Apparently the BSOD is standard given my vmware version under XP 64bit. The random BSOD's I had gotten while doing other things (the ones mentioning disk.sys) vanished as soon as I disconnected my old 400gb seagate barracuda. Random, yes. Hopefully this will help anyone else looking for a solution. Thanks for all your answers!