Failure on blend test after 1 minute!
 

I've run the blend test a couple of times now, and it always trips over after about one minute with this error:

"FATAL ERROR: Rounding was 0.5. Expected less than 0.4"

I'm not overclocking or anything, but needless to say I'm a little concerned about this.

I'm currently running a AMD64 3500+ on an MSI Neo2 Platinum, with 1024mb of 3200 Crucial memory

Any ideas what might be worth looking at?

in get exactly the same error on blend aswell on the first test.

i am running a p4e@2.8 with no overclocking, this is kind of annoying as i am trying to test my ram as i am adjusting the timings and i need to be able to test if its stable.

by the way i got the erros before i adjusting the timings aswel. Hopefully this should be a software bug because i have noticed lots of other people with the same problem and in stress.txt it says if its the same error in the same place all the time it is most likely to be a bug

I'm inclined to think it might be a software thingy, rather than a hardware thingy (to use technical terminology). I've been able to run 'CPU stability tester', and Memtest86 (or whatever they're called) with no problems. It's still a bit of a concern though. I've just built this 'dream machine' of mine, and I want it to be perfect :)

Oh, and this is great: :banana:

By the way, my CPU (and my graphic card) seem to perenially be at 50-60 C when idling. Is that a little hot? I'm using the stock heatsink and fan, but the graphics card is a Galaxy Glacier with a hefty heatsink and fan ensemble on it.

Maybe my case is hot...

It is unlikely that heat is the cause of the problem. My best guess is memory. Try changing your memory timings in the BIOS to the safest (slowest) values possible.

To test this, I took the memory out and put in some older PC2100 RAM that I've got sitting about from an old PC. Unfortunately, I couldn't get it to work with the two 256 mb stick and one 512 mb stick together (probably to do with memory configurations... but it only liked either the pair, or the single 512), so I couldn't try it with 1 gig of older memory, but I was able to pass this test (and a fair few more) with both the single 512 stick and the pair of 256 sticks.

The strange part is, I put the newer memory, that was present when I encountered the problem before, back in, and ran the test again. It passed it :huh: .

The only difference is, I put it back into the other pair of slots (slots 1 and 2, not 3 and 4 which they were in originally). It's in the same order (I swapped them over and retested to check if that was it), just a different slot. So it might have been badly seated the first time, or had a fleck of dust or something, or maybe something's up with my slots 3 and 4...

Strange...

[QUOTE=zombie1000]by the way i got the erros before i adjusting the timings aswel. Hopefully this should be a software bug because i have noticed lots of other people with the same problem and in stress.txt it says if its the same error in the same place all the time it is most likely to be a bug[/QUOTE]

It must be a software bug as i have now swapped my ram with some other pc3200 dual channel 512mb and i get exactly the same error and trust me i ahve tried everything to get it to work: upping the voltage, lowering the timings, swapping the slots there in, running single channel, nothing works!

Sorry, I still think its a hardware problem. Unfortunately diagnosing the exact cause is terribly difficult.

Does it pass the in-place small FFT torture test?
Have you tried under-clocking the memory in the blend test?
Have you tried underclocking the CPU?

ok i will try these things then, maybe i didnt try everything :smile:

It fails both of them tests, the in-place large on the first test and the small FFT's won the first 10k length test(it passes the 8k tests). also i tried under clocking by lowering my FSB all the way down to 160mhz! but it still fails.

zombie1000, you have a tough case to diagnose! If you post your system specs maybe someone here can tell you if one of your parts has known quality control issues.

i am running:

Q-tec 500w big fan psu
P4e 2.8ghz (stock hsf)
maxtor 80gb SATA
Gigabyte GA-8VT880 ultra (bios revision F4) and im running the onboard sound and lan, usb's etc.
512mb Geil Value PC32000 dual channel kit
aopen cd rewriter
bog standard sony floppy disk
geforce 4 mx4000(crappy i know but i smell an upgrade soon)
and xp pro sp2

I had a thought that maybe its my install of xp?? It was a badly scratched disc and some files failed to kepp but i am planning of reformatting soon.

I forgot; I would like to try an older revision of prime 95 if i can get me hands on one or i will try linux version after raid, reformat and partion. (R.R.P lol)

You can find the older versions here: [url]ftp://mersenne.org/gimps[/url]

I just browsed through this thread, but one thing I didn't see mentioned is that running in safe mode sometimes helps. Safe mode uses different versions of some drivers, and sometimes drivers interfere with Prime95 (not restoring the previous state after an interrupt).

I will try safe mode tommorrow, also it seems to be only the M19922945 that it fails, dont know wether this is any use.

safe mode = same problem :sad:

after looking at the post below this one (unstable?) he seems to have the same error as me but i ahve already run memtest 86+ and it passes

Any ideas anyone?

Bad motherboard.

failure error after 1 minute.
 

I had the same problem about failure less than .4 etc.
I checked in the bios and found that my ram memory was not set on auto which is the best setting. It was set on RPB as I can remember. Once I set the bios to auto on the ram it ran perfect and I stopped after 4 hours. Now why did this happen? When I built my computer I got an athlon 2600 and I planned later to upgrade to a 3200. So I bought memory at 3200 planning for the upgrade later on. However as I remember my 2600 chipset doesn't use 3200 but best suited to 2700. So I feel the problem was due to overclocking the chipset. I set up the chipset with no overclocking but didn't realize.
Whether you agree or not, It solved this problem which has been giving me ulcers. I tried everything possible and this did make it work.
Hope I helped you out. I'm new to this forum which I linked up from prime 95.
Good luck,
dedicated :razz:

As a general rule , the memory shouldn't run faster than the FSB.
That fixed my problem. MS has a download to torture test memory. Good test to run.

[QUOTE=dedicated]As a general rule , the memory shouldn't run faster than the FSB.
That fixed my problem. MS has a download to torture test memory. Good test to run.[/QUOTE]

All my timings and speed etc for memory is auto.

Maybe im just unlucky :surrender

[QUOTE=zombie1000]All my timings and speed etc for memory is auto.

Maybe im just unlucky :surrender[/QUOTE]

It may be a feature of the BIOS. Which one do you have?

Luigi

Interpreting Stresstest Results
 

I recently put together an new system, and I'm trying to track down an instability using MemTest86, and Prime95

MemTest86 seems to pass all tests except for #7, the random number test.

Thinking it might be the FPU I tried Prime95. The blend stress test consistently fails in few seconds, with :

FATAL ERROR: Rounding was 0.4990234375, expected less than 0.4

or

FATAL ERROR: Rounding was 0.5, expected less than 0.4

So I decided to try the in place test instead of the blend. Currently I've passed the 8K, 10K, 12K, and 14k tests, and am chugging away at the 16K test.

Anyone have some idea where my trouble is? Just by way of coincidence, I also have a MSI mother board..

(Results information below)

[Tue Dec 21 19:50:20 2004]
FATAL ERROR: Rounding was 0.4989803823, expected less than 0.4
Hardware failure detected, consult stress.txt file.
FATAL ERROR: Rounding was 0.5, expected less than 0.4
Hardware failure detected, consult stress.txt file.
FATAL ERROR: Rounding was 0.5, expected less than 0.4
Hardware failure detected, consult stress.txt file.
Compare your results to other computers at [url]http://www.mersenne.org/bench.htm[/url]
That web page also contains instructions on how your results can be included.

Intel(R) Pentium(R) 4 CPU 3.40GHz
CPU speed: 3415.27 MHz
CPU features: RDTSC, CMOV, PREFETCH, MMX, SSE, SSE2
L1 cache size: unknown
L2 cache size: 1024 KB
L1 cache line size: unknown
L2 cache line size: 128 bytes
TLBS: 64
Prime95 version 23.8, RdtscTiming=1
Best time for 384K FFT length: 17.523 ms.
Best time for 448K FFT length: 21.159 ms.
Best time for 512K FFT length: 23.424 ms.
Best time for 640K FFT length: 29.486 ms.
Best time for 768K FFT length: 35.691 ms.
Best time for 896K FFT length: 42.353 ms.
Best time for 1024K FFT length: 47.223 ms.
Best time for 1280K FFT length: 62.436 ms.
Best time for 1536K FFT length: 75.353 ms.
Best time for 1792K FFT length: 90.292 ms.
Best time for 2048K FFT length: 101.579 ms.
FATAL ERROR: Rounding was 0.4990234375, expected less than 0.4
Hardware failure detected, consult stress.txt file.
[Tue Dec 21 22:32:37 2004]
Self-test 8K passed!
[Tue Dec 21 22:48:37 2004]
Self-test 10K passed!
[Tue Dec 21 23:04:49 2004]
Self-test 12K passed!
[Tue Dec 21 23:22:35 2004]
Self-test 14K passed!

My apologies, it isn't passing the in place test, but the small FFTs test.

Also, for reference MemTest86 Test 7 is the Random Number Testing, which was what led me to believe the FPU might be at fault.

Same problem
 

Hello all, just thought this might be useful and I might be able to get some help...

I have just built a new PC in a shuttle case and have had problems during long gaming sessions, nVidia recommended running this program, and guess what.... I get the same problems that every one else is having in less than a minute, I have tried underclocking (significanlty) but I am still consistently getting this problem, can anyone give any advice on what the problem could be?

Shuttle SN95G5
AMD 64 3500+ (NewCastle core)
1GB Corsair 2-2-5-2 (running in auto, but have dropped it to 3-3-6-3)
Maxtor 250GB SATA HDD
BFG 6800GT OC (running at stock speed)

[QUOTE=Thabor]My apologies, it isn't passing the in place test, but the small FFTs test.

Also, for reference MemTest86 Test 7 is the Random Number Testing, which was what led me to believe the FPU might be at fault.[/QUOTE]

So prime95 works on small numbers that fit entirely in the L2 cache, but fails on numbers where main memory is accessed. Sounds like a memory problem to me. Try slower memory timings or slower FSB or a touch more voltage to memory or running with one stick instead of two or try a friends memory stick.

This should give you more info on whether its a motherboard, timing, or memory stick problem.

Isolating hardware troubles is not easy!

[QUOTE=Newbie]I have tried underclocking (significanlty) but I am still consistently getting this problem, can anyone give any advice on what the problem could be?

Shuttle SN95G5
AMD 64 3500+ (NewCastle core)
1GB Corsair 2-2-5-2 (running in auto, but have dropped it to 3-3-6-3)
BFG 6800GT OC (running at stock speed)[/QUOTE]

I'd guess its a memory, motherboard, or CPU (memory controller) problem. Now wasn't that helpful :smile:

Is this two sticks of memory or one? If two, try running with just one. Lots of motherboards are finicky running two sticks, some are finicky about which slots are used.

Have you tried memtst86?

Follow up
 

Hi I have run the same tests but that one in particular instead of the blend test and it passed....

Very weird, no I haven't tried memtest as I don't have a floppy drive and I can't see a way for it to work without one.

Thanks for your suggestions though.

Memtest86 can be run from a bootable CD-ROM. The [url="http://www.memtest86.com/"]memtest86[/url] site even has prepared ISO files ready for burning a bootable CD.

If the XP disk doesn't work than perhaps I can e-mail you the files you can't get off the disk.

I had both the memory sticks replaced, and now I'm reaching over 3 minutes on the blend test before failing.

As a side note, Memtest86 doesn't seem particularly reliable.
Only the random number test (7) in Memtest86 revealed any problems with the original memory.

It seems likely now that only that test was really bypassing the cache to test the system memory.

When I exchanged the memory the used a tester in the store which verified the problem.

I'm guess the new memory is better, but still has problems. I may ask them to exchange it for something other than Corsair memory next time.

[QUOTE=Thabor]
As a side note, Memtest86 doesn't seem particularly reliable.
Only the random number test (7) in Memtest86 revealed any problems with the original memory.

It seems likely now that only that test was really bypassing the cache to test the system memory.[/QUOTE]So, Memtest86, by using a variety of tests, accurately identified a borderline memory module, and you maintain that discovery is evidence of a lack of reliability? I'd say it demonstrates the opposite. A less rigorous testing program would not have identifed the flaw. Intermittent failures are the hardest to detect, hence the standard recommendation that Memtest be allowed to run for several complete error-free iterations before classifying a given module as error-free.

The algorithms/methods used in Memtest do disable/bypass the cache. The documentation so states, and as a reality check, imagine how fast the tests would complete with cache enabled.

Relief
 

Hi all, just thought I'd let you know I have found a solution....

The motherboard was actually giving out a lower voltage to the CPU than it thought it was, so I increased that to where it should be and hey presto.... No further errors!

I get exactly the same problem running the Blend Torture Test:

Test 1, 4000 Lucas-Lehmer iterations of M19922945 using 1024K FFT length.
FATAL ERROR: Rounding was 0.5, expected less than 0.4
Hardware failure detected, consult stress.txt file.

Running Gigabyte GA-K8NSNXP-939 Mobo, Athlon64 3500+, 2GB of OCZ RAM. Not overclocking at all, running 200Mhz FSB.

Same problem
 

I get the same error in blend but small FFT flies by itself and large FFT flies by itself (large FFT appears to be the same test as the first test in blend: 4000 iterations of M19922945 using 1024K) what gives? I want to know that my system is stable too but am I beating my head against the wall for naught?

I've been having a similar problem for a little over 6 months now :sad:

My system used to be perfectly stable, passing over 24 hours of the blend test. Now it randomly fails in blend, but running in place passes just fine. Also, sometimes it fails right away, sometimes after a couple hours, sometimes after 10 hours :yucky:

I've gotten the same results on two totally different setups, one an AMD Barton System, and the other a p4 2.8c system. The only thing similar between the two setups was that I used the same ram, 2x512Mb Mushkin BH-5.

However, the ram can pass all the tests in Memtest86 looping all night without errors. Even slowing the ram down and loosening the timings doesn't help. One thing I have noticed, is that in BOTH setups, if I take one stick out (either stick) it seems to run fine. Also, if I limit the amount of ram used by Prime95, say to 768Mb instead of all 1024Mb, then it also passes.

Oh yeah, and I've tried another 2x512Mb set of ram - same results.

Seems like this is a software problem to me. I get no errors in any other Windows stress tests, only Prime95. I've tried older versions too with the same results. Sometimes instead of Prime95 throwing an error I actually get a Windows Fatal Error message that says "Prime95 has a fatal error and needs to close". That happens even when my entire system is underclocked and has happened on both my p4 setup and my AMD setup. I've also tried a fresh download of Prime95 in case my copy was corrupted....same result.

I've been waiting for a new version to come out so I could try that, but it seems 23.8 has been out about the entire time I've had the problem.

I've also tried Safe Mode with the same results, and have reformatted my hard drive countless times and done a full reinstall. Also have used both ATI and nVidia video cards on different installs, so I know its not the video card or video driver.

I'm going insane....WTF is the problem!?!?!?!?!?!? :censored: :furious: :censored: :rant:

failure on stress test
 

Had all the same problems with asus A7NX deluxe mobo and crucial 3200 ram. I had the same problems with my first athlon 2600 and my upgrade to 3200.
I had every error in the books, hardware, user errors,application errors etc.
I had a hunch it was the memory. I tweaked the spd settings to no avail.
I reduced the fsb lower and it ran fine. However, It was slow and I couldn't stand. I did alot of reading on Tom's Hdwe and it confirmed in my mind that it was the memory. I even tested the cucial memory I had and it tested ok in microsoft tool and always failed in prime 95. I took a chance and put in corsair xms ddr 2 memory and it solved all the problems everywhere and it's fast.
I will no longer buy regular memory again. It's worth the additiona cost. Besides the fact that corsair is recommended by asus and Amd. Now it is possible that the faster mem from crucial could work as well as the corsair.
Some memory producers tell you what to set the spd at in the user mode.
Corsair does and cucial doesn't . Crucial just lists the class 3, maybe on the faster memory they do too.
ae: 2.5 3 3 3 5T

Well, as it turns out, one of my sticks of BH-5 had gone bad. I tested them individually with Prime95 and one passed over 24 hrs, the other failed within minutes. Funny thing is, memtest86+ didn't find errors in either stick. I guess it doesn't fully check every aspect of memory stability. I even ran the extended tests on them and it found nothing :(

I just wish I would have tried them individually 9 months ago :( Memtest passing made me totally write off the fact that it could be a memory problem.

I'm having the same problem - Getting this error after less than a minute:

"FATAL ERROR: Rounding was 0.5, expected less than 0.4"

It has to be a software bug,

I had put my RAM through overnight tests both in memtest86 (v1.55) and Microsoft Diagnostic Tool - the extended test and extended memory map.

Spec:

Athlon64 3500+
GV-K8NSNXP-939
Corsair TwinXP1024-3200XL

It's interesting that a lot of people with this error think that a software error is the only possible solution. After all, this kind of test (which has next to no variation in it) has been run millions of times on a lot of different architectures, and only a tiny fraction doesn't pass it...

Did you consider that the CPU could be the source of the error? In that case, neither memtest nor MDT would find anything.
Even in case of a memory issue, history has shown that prime95/mprime is a tougher test then memtest. IIRC, Memtest+ shows better performance when it comes to error detection...

I'd propose taking out one memory module and try again. With non-overclocked systems, DualChannel access is one of the most likely sources for faults.

Unregistered Guest, my ram passed every Memtest I could throw at it, basic and extended for hours on end. Prime95 found an error with one stick though, so I wouldn't be so sure its a software bug.