# Turning Off Bad RAM Sectors



## tarsanth (Aug 8, 2009)

So i've had some spare RAM around for a while, and Ive just installed it and it runs fine, but ran a test with Memtest86+ just incase, and on two passes it found 68 bad sectors, all within a very narrow range (5246.1 MB to 5246.5 MB, showing as 000080 as the bad sector). Now my OS has been running fine...I opened up a whole lide of memory hogging apps and pushed it to around 3.5/4 Gb of RAM used, and system was stable. But i know at some point some key system file will come across those bad sectors and presto-BSOD time.

My question then is because its such a narrow range of RAM thats bad, is there some way to tell the system not to use those sectors/addresses? Have had a little mess around in system management looking for something like that but couldnt find anything. Relevant system info below. Many thanks for any help!!!

Processory: AMD Athlon64 x2 2.8Ghz
RAM: Corsair 4 x 1Gb 800 MhZ 5-5-5-18 at ~1.8V
OS: Dual boot Vista Ultimate x64/Windows 7 Ultimate x64
Mobo: MSI K9N2 Diamond


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## speedster123 (Oct 18, 2006)

Welcome
Return the ram to corsair. It should have a lifetime warranty.
http://forum.corsair.com/v3/showthread.php?t=44521


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## Stu_computer (Jul 7, 2005)

also, the answer to your question is...

since you have this module in the first slot it's appearing just above the conventional memory so it can be set aside so windows doesn't use it.

use notepad to open Windows\System32\*CONFIG.NT*

the last part looks similar to this...

```
REM
REM     The EMM size is determined by pif file(either the one associated
REM     with your application or _default.pif). If the size from PIF file
REM     is zero, EMM will be disabled and the EMM line will be ignored.
REM
dos=high, umb
device=%SystemRoot%\system32\himem.sys
files=40
```
modify it to look like this...

```
REM     The EMM size is determined by pif file(either the one associated
REM     with your application or _default.pif). If the size from PIF file
REM     is zero, EMM will be disabled and the EMM line will be ignored.
REM
REM int15=xxxx (+ 1088K of conventional and UMA)
REM int15=4096 (+ 1088K = 5184)
REM
REM note there is a deliberate space between himem.sys and /int15= as in himem.sys<space>/int15=
REM
device=%SystemRoot%\system32\himem.sys /int15=4160
dos=high, umb
files=40
```


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## tarsanth (Aug 8, 2009)

Hi Stu and thanks for the reply. Have had a look in both my Windows 7 and Vista Ultimate System 32 folders, and cant find config.nt anywhere. Had a little search on google and it seems to be an issue one or two others have, with the solution being to maually create the file with the last three lines of what you've given me there. I seem to have spawned a second question here haha.

Also Stu, you say I have the module in the first slow. How have you arrived at this? As my RAM sticks in slots 1 and 2 I know are both working fine from previous tests. Its one of the sticks in slots 3 and 4 (i believe 3, based on the fact the errors are at 5246mb. maybe my understanding of how the errors are located is wrong though) that i recently added that are the issue. Would your solution still apply if this is teh case?

Many thanks again!


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## Stu_computer (Jul 7, 2005)

I see from your second post this was based on rather limited testing, (no ram swapping, no single module testing, etc..)

So it could be due to ram, or slot, or >3Gb, or test settings, or other overlooked test conditions... here's something I noticed while looking through the k9n2 manual, on page 3-20 the image shows SoftWare Memory Hole: Enabled and above you mention 000080, so you might want to check/set Advance DRAM Configuation, SoftWare Memory Hole: Disabled and then run memtest again.

I suggest your getting the error because testing above 3Gb can be unstable--memory holes, pci etc...

Anyway, for the MSI K9N2-Diamond DIMM1 is the default slot.

To check which DIMM slot has the error select Show DMI Memory Info (on memtest menu).

Really should check each module individually though, (I assumed that was done, caught  at the wheel again).



> The himem.sys method was an old trick used back when ram was very expensive.
> 
> -disconnect everything not required for minimal system boot.
> -disable all bios cacheable/shadow settings (but not CPU L1/L2 cache), memory holes, video aperatures set to minimum (disabled if possible).
> ...


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## tarsanth (Aug 8, 2009)

Stu,
Thanks for all the research you've done. Going to spend today playing around with it: testing each module individually, with Memory Hole disabled, etc... and get back to you. Just something interesting Im noticing as Im running a test right now with all 4 sticks in, is that Memtest is reporting them to be at 400MhZ, when they are 800 MhZ modules. Not sure if this is just for testing purposes, or a clue to some other issue maybe?

Thanks for all your help once again,
Tarsanth


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## tarsanth (Aug 8, 2009)

Just finished testing with some predictable and some odd results:

The predictable - after testing each stick individually, it was the one in slot 3 that was causing trouble, with an error count in the region of 1200 on Memtest86+, but all errorbits showing up as 00008000, and roughly in the same region (839.6mb, with a few in 959mb area). 

The odd - When i disabled the memory hole feature with all 4 sticks in, memtest only picked up 2751 mb of memory? 

Either way, I think Im just going to send the stick back to Corsair now as it seems there are far more dodgy sectors than i first thought, now that ive tested it by itself. Many thanks for your help anyway Stu!

Tarsanth


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## Stu_computer (Jul 7, 2005)

yep, always best to get a replacement.
handy to know what/how can make do in a pinch too though.

couldn't tell you how many times a trainee told me ram was bad, usually a couple seconds cleaning with an eraser and the ram worked like a charm.

glad to see your satified with your experiment, have fun.

did you try using an eraser to polish off the tarnish? :grin:


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