[Asus+Dothan]Dead BH5 - Here is the TUT to fix it!

[kiwi]

Dump the SPD of the working stick, and shut down the PC. Remove the working stick and plug the "dead" one. Rewrite the SPD. This way I have done it with my Twinmos...

I have to load windows to do that and run that program!

But with dead stick I have no Post


But no worries, I found one of many boards where I have a post with that stick

[lawrywild]

Its like why do people flash their video cards with their clocks oced? Just makes things easier.

or he could sell it on as ddr400 lol


anyway, great fix waus! should my ballistix or bh-5 when i get some back die, I will know where to come! GREAT!

this definately deserves stickyness

[Micutzu]

I was going to try this in a day or two but I am glad you did it first

But there could be another problem. I have 1 'dead' stick that works only on one (via kt266) motherboard. No post on other boards (tried 5 so far) no matter what - single , dual channel, 1 stick or 2 sticks (other sticks working). So, I really can't load windows even if good stick is used too. Basically, the only way would be some kind of hot plug, like loading Win with good stick and then plug that dead stick and write SPD.

But as I said, luckily I found 1 board of many that gives me a post with a bad stick. And to my surprise it can even pass memtest on that board.



Will let you know how it goes.

Try using a good stick and the bad one both plugged in together, the good one plugged in normally and the bad one with all the pins covered with scotch tape except the SPD communication pins. The SPD is accessed trough the following pins:

89 - Vss
90 - NC
91 - SDA
92 - SCL
...
181 - A0
182 - A1
183 - A2
184 - Vddspd

These are the rightmost 4 pins on each side of the DDR module, by leaving only them connected you should be able to boot to Windows and Thaiphoon Burner should be able to access the SPD and re-write it.

[kiwi]

I have a problem here:



I have either only one Read SPD option for a good module (1 bad and 1 good module installed) or NO options at all if only bad stick is installed. Basically it can't detect SPD for a bad module at all and I can't Full rewrite because that option is not available.


Any way to Force the update or other tools for SPD rewriting?

[Micutzu]

Probably the SPD EEPROM is damaged (even if most can take 5V no problem) ... if it's a really good stick and you want it back order a AF24BC02 or equivalent EEPROM and have it replaced, the program it with the other stick's data.

[kiwi]

But why does it work on that gigabyte KT266 board without problems (memtest error free, prime stable)? It just can't read SPD

Will I have to resolder that EEPROM chip or is it more similar to MB bios chip replacement? Can they be easily bought somewhere?


And on these boards I have no post (even if timings set manually with the good stick):
P4GD1
P4GPL-X
Gigabyte Intel 845E
Biostar nforce410 s939

[Micutzu]

I don't know why it boots on the Gigabyte, maybe it's defaulting to some preprogrammed timings if it can't detect the SPD (btw, with what timings starts, what does CPU-Z say ?).
The EEPROM has 8 pins and is easy to replace even with a soldering gun and moderate skill ... i don't know where you can find it though, for example i can find AT24C02N (equivalent from Atmel) here, it costs 30 eurocents ... but they sell only in Romania.

[kiwi]

Timings are set in bios, 2-2-2-6 1t I think. CPUZ does not show anything at all @ SPD info i.e. it can't read it

Thanks, I will check if I can get it, 30 eurocents is cheap.

[Waus-mod]

Cant you just run Thaiphoon on the gigabyte motherboard?

[200%absolut]

a good news for all dead BH5

[Micutzu]

Cant you just run Thaiphoon on the gigabyte motherboard?

Check post #29, he said Thaiphoon doesn't detect the SPD.

[Waus-mod]

Then i think his whole spd or even de module itself isnt working at all.. to bad kiwi.

[wander_jarra]

Oh My GoD !!!!

It Works Like a Charm guys - i´ve done it with a BH-6 Mushkin Selected Memory - and it´s working like a charm ... i must give a kiss to everyone.

I´m going to dump a bios for every memory i have and send to guys

[wwwww]

Anyone got a dump of Mushkin Black PC3500 Level II they'd like to share with me? :P

[wander_jarra]

Anyone got a dump of Mushkin Black PC3500 Level II they'd like to share with me? :P

I do know someone with this rare one - but need to talk to him - he lives in the same state - if i find him i´ll dump it for you - but maybe someone else here have it !!!

[wwwww]

I do know someone with this rare one - but need to talk to him - he lives in the same state - if i find him i´ll dump it for you - but maybe someone else here have it !!!

Cool thanks - no rush, babyelf still has them (gave them to him to test 'em out - was before many people knew about the Asus boards killing bh5s).

These sticks almost broke 290MHz which is pretty impressive for 512MB sticks.

[nop]

My dead Mushkin's alive again Thanks Waus-mod for an excellent found.

@wwwww, please check your pm

[Victorshen]

thanks for the info
maybe thats why my pair of corsair bh5 cant boot the machine after the dothan disaster (cpu died)

i gave it a try this morning, but seems that p4c800e refuse to boot with this pair, is there any equipment that can program the spd. iirc ive seen some device via serial port that can program the spd chip...

anyway thanks for the info

cheers

[pippin88]

I'm attempting this on a stick of HyperX. Unfortunately it won't post in my NF7-S.

I've tried taping the pins except for 89-92 and 181-184. That didn't work

Any further ideas? Particular BIOS settings (eg should I be setting a SPD in BIOS, and if so what?)

[wander_jarra]

I had done this using an old asus a7v8x with kt400.

Just put one stick that is right ! and the other one with problem - the one with problem, does not get recognized into the bios and even makes the board beep. An follow the how to at first page - after a resetart i just got all sticks working - in dual channel.

Have already tested with the mushkin and a Kingston HyperX without any problem.

I just passed an Memtest86+ and no errors - so it´s fully working like a charm.

[omga14]

has anyone tried reprograming the SPD of a PC3200 stick with that of a PC3500 stick without issue?

i'm going to try this with my TMSP's cause they work very well singularly but incur errors at much lower speeds when installed together. i'll post results when i get the balls to do this


EDIT: ok i've been having some trouble downloading this program. can anyone host a link so i can download this:

[Micutzu]

There you go, few BH-5 dumps.

[omga14]

thanks for the dumps. i'll try them later. got the download from another thread here. fixed the cooperation issue i was having with my TMSP's. 235mhz at 3.1v's with no errors. didn't play any further cause i want to game for a little while. i'll see how these dumps help out my ram

how important does it seem for the SPD data when it comes to overclocking? does anyone know how different manf's determine what to write to the SPD?

[Micutzu]

I haven't noticed much difference between SPD's max frequency wise, but i can say that i've seen a slight performance boost from using Corsair PC3500C2 SPD on G.Skill 1GBGH modules. I'll have the G.Skill SPD posted tomorrow as it's on my computer at work.

[Ratax]

@Fugger

Well i hope i get youre question..

I had 1 good working 3200LL stick to get in windows so i could load thaiphoon. so i placed the not working stick in dual channel, and windows loaded. Then you can select an dump from the original spd, or mayb (didnt test it) an dump from other mem that has the same layout. But i think the best way is to still use the dump that has been made for the memmory itself.

My system doesn't post with the bad stick in.
So you're saying that we must slot in the "dead" stick while the system is with windows loaded allready? I mean, slot in the stick with the system running?