Error allocating RAM

[Comark Corp]

I have had this error occur on several different platforms.
One is an Ipox mobile mini-ITX ADE-6051 with a core 2 duo T7100, the other is a MSI mobile 945GM2 with a core 2 duo T7200. Using version 5.3 1012. OS is XP SP2. The failure can take anywhere from 1 hour to 1 day to occur.

Here's the end of one test log where the error occurs in about an hour and a half. Thanks.

LOG NOTE: 2007-12-20 07:21:44, RAM, Status: Total bytes:526823424 Avail:258273280 Test:9457948 Diff:8
LOG NOTE: 2007-12-20 07:21:50, RAM, Status: Total bytes:526823424 Avail:253972480 Test:9268796 Diff:4294778144
LOG NOTE: 2007-12-20 07:21:55, RAM, Status: Total bytes:526823424 Avail:254164992 Test:9268945 Diff:149
LOG NOTE: 2007-12-20 07:22:00, RAM, Status: Total bytes:526823424 Avail:254214144 Test:9271113 Diff:2168
LOG NOTE: 2007-12-20 07:22:05, RAM, Status: Total bytes:526823424 Avail:254189568 Test:9270128 Diff:4294966311
LOG NOTE: 2007-12-20 07:22:10, RAM, Status: Total bytes:526823424 Avail:258367488 Test:9453831 Diff:183703
LOG NOTE: 2007-12-20 07:22:14, RAM, Status: Total bytes:526823424 Avail:253943808 Test:9267356 Diff:4294780821
LOG NOTE: 2007-12-20 07:22:19, RAM, Status: Total bytes:526823424 Avail:257921024 Test:9434073 Diff:166717
LOG NOTE: 2007-12-20 07:22:24, RAM, Status: Total bytes:526823424 Avail:257798144 Test:9436001 Diff:1928
LOG NOTE: 2007-12-20 07:22:29, RAM, Status: Total bytes:526823424 Avail:257867776 Test:9439149 Diff:3148
LOG NOTE: 2007-12-20 07:22:34, RAM, Status: Total bytes:526823424 Avail:257761280 Test:9434603 Diff:4294962750
LOG NOTE: 2007-12-20 07:22:39, RAM, Status: Total bytes:526823424 Avail:257781760 Test:9435304 Diff:701
LOG NOTE: 2007-12-20 07:22:45, RAM, Status: Total bytes:526823424 Avail:258138112 Test:9451008 Diff:15704
LOG NOTE: 2007-12-20 07:22:50, RAM, Status: Total bytes:526823424 Avail:258052096 Test:9447915 Diff:4294964203
LOG NOTE: 2007-12-20 07:22:55, RAM, Status: Total bytes:526823424 Avail:258052096 Test:9447779 Diff:4294967160
LOG NOTE: 2007-12-20 07:23:00, RAM, Status: Total bytes:526823424 Avail:258121728 Test:9450836 Diff:3057
LOG NOTE: 2007-12-20 07:23:05, RAM, Status: Total bytes:526823424 Avail:258105344 Test:9450249 Diff:4294966709
LOG NOTE: 2007-12-20 07:23:10, RAM, Status: Total bytes:526823424 Avail:258093056 Test:9449684 Diff:4294966731
LOG NOTE: 2007-12-20 07:23:15, RAM, Status: Total bytes:526823424 Avail:253808640 Test:9261228 Diff:4294778840
LOG NOTE: 2007-12-20 07:23:20, RAM, Status: Total bytes:526823424 Avail:254025728 Test:9262487 Diff:1259
LOG NOTE: 2007-12-20 07:23:25, RAM, Status: Total bytes:526823424 Avail:254083072 Test:9265064 Diff:2577
LOG NOTE: 2007-12-20 07:23:30, RAM, Status: Total bytes:526823424 Avail:254058496 Test:9264096 Diff:4294966328
LOG NOTE: 2007-12-20 07:23:33, Disk, C, SMART Reallocated Sector Count start value: 1, current value 1
LOG NOTE: 2007-12-20 07:23:35, RAM, Status: Total bytes:526823424 Avail:254005248 Test:9261712 Diff:4294964912
LOG NOTE: 2007-12-20 07:23:40, RAM, Status: Total bytes:526823424 Avail:253972480 Test:9260166 Diff:4294965750
SERIOUS : 2007-12-20 07:23:45, RAM, Error allocating RAM
LOG NOTE: 2007-12-20 07:23:45, RAM, Current allocation:9260166 Additional:205058460
LOG NOTE: 2007-12-20 07:23:52, Status, Test run stopped

**************
RESULT SUMMARY
**************
Test Start time: Thu Dec 20 05:48:30 2007
Test Stop time: Thu Dec 20 07:23:49 2007
Test Duration: 001h 35m 19s

Test Name Cycles Operations Result Errors Last Error
CPU - Maths 2536 662 Billion PASS 0 No errors
CPU - SIMD 1030 721 Billion PASS 0 No errors
Memory (RAM) 891 22.866 Billion FAIL 1 Error allocating RAM
2D Graphics 95 95956 PASS 0 No errors
Disk (C: ) 16 2.688 Billion PASS 0 No errors
CD/DVD (D 5 3.517 Billion PASS 0 No errors
Sound 66 112 Million PASS 0 No errors
Network 1 113 908320 PASS 0 No errors
Video Playback 1137 5082 PASS 0 No errors
Serial Port 1 65 3.749 Million PASS 0 No errors
Serial Port 4 65 3.758 Million PASS 0 No errors
Serial Port 5 65 3.745 Million PASS 0 No errors
TEST RUN FAILED

*******************************************
SERIOUS ERROR SUMMARY FOR THE LAST TEST RUN
*******************************************
SERIOUS : 2007-12-20 07:23:45, RAM, SERIOUS: Error allocating RAM (x 1)

[Ian (PassMark)]

Jay,

An "Error allocating RAM" error occurs when BurnInTest is unable to allocate a large enough block of sequential RAM for the RAM test. It is most typically caused by virtual memory fragmentation. It is highly unlikely to be a RAM hardware error.

As it takes quite some time to occur, it would appear that some software (.exe, .dll) is allocating virtual RAM that is not being released from the virtual RAM address space. If this occurs then the free blocks with-in the virtual address space become smaller and smaller, to the point where it is smaller than the RAM test requires, and BurnInTest raises an error to basically indicate that it can't continue the test.

We have done some testing with BurnInTest to try to confirm that it is not BurnInTest that is causing the memory fragmentation. At this stage it would appear not to be caused by BurnInTest, but rather more likely system software such as a library (system dll).

Could you email me:
- The full log file, and
- Your configuration file (*.bitcfg)
- The paging file settings (sizes)

Either directly to me (you have my email address), or to help [at] passmark [dot] com

Thanks.
Ian

[Comark Corp]

Hello Ian,

I've emailed you the info you requested. I gave you one erroneous piece of information - on the MSI motherboard, the OS was Win2K SP4. Thanks.