Yes, a bad RAM module can cause all sorts of problems.  When running Memtest, it is best to run each stick individually for 8 hours or more in the slot recommended for running one module for your motherboard (it is in the User's Manual).  It can take a while sometimes for errors to occur.  To run your RAM and FSB linked and synced at a higher frequency, and to stay at the same CPU frequency of 3.33GHz, you will need to lower your CPU multipiler.  Using 4GB of RAM (2 X 2GB) in the black slots, and both GPU's, please try the below settings:
BIOS Version: SZ17
CPU Freq, MHz:  3.33 GHZ
FSB Reference Clock, MHz: 1333.3 (1600MHz)
CPU Multiplier: [10X] (8X for now)
PCle x16-1 & 16-2, MHz: Auto [100]
PCle x16-3, MHz: Auto [100]
SPPc->MCP Ref Clock, MHz: Auto [200]
nForce SPP --> nForce MCP: [5X]
nForce SPP c-- nForce MCP: [5X]
**Spread Spectrum**
CPU Spread Spectrum: [Disabled]
HT Spread Spectrum: [Auto] (disabled)
PCle Spread Spectrurn(SPP): [Disabled]
PCle Spread Spectrurn(MCP): [Auto] (disabled)
SATA Spread Spectrum: [Down Spread] (disabled)
**FSB & Memorv Config**
FSB - Memory Clock Mode: [Auto] (linked)
FSB - Memory Ratio: Auto (synced)
FSB (QDR), MHz: [1333.3] (1600MHz)
Actual FSB (QDR), MHz: 1333.3 (1600MHz)
x MEM (DDR), MHz: Auto 1333.3 (1600MHz)
Actual MEM (DDR), MHz: 1333.3 (1600MHz)
P1: [AUTO]
P2: [AUTO]
**Memory Timing Setting**
Memory Timing Setting: [optimal] (manual)
tCL (CAS Latency): 9 
tRCD: 9 
tRP: 9
tRAS: 27
Command Per Clock: [1T] (2T)
** Advanced Memory Settings **
tRRD: [Auto] 4
tRC: [Auto] 33
tWR: [Auto] 12
tWTR: [Auto] 16
tFAW: [Auto] 21
tREF: [Auto] 110
tRFC: 7.7 us (7.8uS)
**System Voltages**
(Manually set your System Voltages)
VDroop: With (without VDroop)
CPU Core: [1.25000V] (1.35v for now)
CPU FSB: [Auto 1.1V] (1.30v)  
Memory: [1.65V] (1.65V)
nForce SPP: (1.42v)
nForce MCP: (1.50V)
CPU PLL: Auto 1.5V (leave on auto)
(Leave the GTLV Lanes on auto)
GTLVREF Lane 0: [Auto]  0 mV
GTLVREF Lane 1: [Auto]  0 mV
GTLVREF Lane 2: [Auto]  0 mV
GTLVREF Lane 3: [Auto]  0 mV
**CPU Configuration**
Limit CPUlD Maxval: Disabled
Intel Speedstep: Disabled
xPPM Mode: [Native]
CPU Thermal Control: [Disabled]
C1E Enhanced Halt State: [Enabled] (disabled)
Execute Disable Bit: [Enabled] (disabled)
Virtualization Technology: [Enabled] (disable if not using)
CPU Core 0: [Enabled]
CPU Core 1: [Enabled]
CPU Core 2: [Disabled]
CPU Core 3: [Disabled]

If i'm understanding correctly; this step is to ensure that the ram can handle the higher speed while keeping the cpu at the same speed, to limit the number of variables.
*edit* btw prime ran for about 10 hours (judging by the cpu temps) before windows updates managed to install something and reboot (how it managed that with prime running priority 10 i don't know). I'm off work today so i'll get as much done as i can.

mrzenmaster77

If i'm understanding correctly; this step is to ensure that the ram can handle the higher speed while keeping the cpu at the same speed, to limit the number of variables.

Yes, sort of.....your CPU is running at 3.33GHz, which is a good frequency/speed, especially to be stock.  We can get into overclocking that next, if you have a good cooling solution in place that can handle overclocking it.  You are currently running your RAM & FSB at 1333.3MHz, which is bottlenecking the CPU's frequency at 3.33GHz.  By increasing your RAM & FSB frequency from 1333.3MHz to 1600MHz, you are increasing your speed.  You have RAM that is rated at 2000MHz, so even at 1600MHz, you are still underclocking it, so it should be able to handle the increase easily. 

Gotcha

There are a few more things that you can do to increase speed and efficiency.  Since you are running your RAM below its rated frequency, you should be able to tighten the timings.  After we know that you are stable at 1600MHz, you can try 1800MHz, FSB and RAM linked and synced...but first let's get you stable at 1600MHz.

Sounds good. I'm shipping the bad pair of dimm's back to newegg today and of course they don't have any more in-stock so i'm not sure how the "replacement" is going to go. I assume if i end up with something else that's happy at 1.65 v and similar timing (9,9,9,27) i'll be ok?

mrzenmaster77

Sounds good. I'm shipping the bad pair of dimm's back to newegg today and of course they don't have any more in-stock so i'm not sure how the "replacement" is going to go. I assume if i end up with something else that's happy at 1.65 v and similar timing (9,9,9,27) i'll be ok?

Perhaps....mixing and matching brands/models of RAM, even RAM that utilize the same timings and voltage, doesn't always work.  You will have to try what they send and see.

I called newegg on the off chance they'd be nice... And they were. Since they are out of stock and one pair was defective they are giving me a full refund for both pairs. I'm looking at 2x 2x2g corsair cmz4gx3m2a2000c10 instead. But they won't be here for a couple of days. Is it worth going back to my OCZ and working on getting my SLI issues sorted out (pending a Burn test) while i wait? Or is there something more productive to do? Or should i give you a break and practice my Zen?

Are you placing 8GB of matching/identical RAM in your PC?  As far as getting stable at 1600MHz with RAM that you are going to change out, you may as well wait, since different RAM can change the dynamics of stability.

Yeah, i'll essentially be trading g.skill for corsair with similar timing both pc3 1600 though i'd be using 4g, 4x1g OCZ in the interrum.

If it were me, I would stay at 1333.3Mhz until I received my new RAM....but that is your call.  But, there is no harm in playing around with 1600MHz with what you currently have, especially if you have the available time to do so.

Yeah, no point in tweaking for ram I'm not even going to use. I'll work on getting the second gpu in and stable in the meantime. Running burn on my old OCZ now.

The only change that you should have to make when you add the second GPU is to increase the SPP voltage to 1.42v (if it is not currently set to that), as both cards installed will be controlled by it.  If you used tri-sli, the third (middle) card would be controlled by the MCP.

8 gigs of corsair ddr3 2000 mhz PC3-16000 (cmz4gx3m2a2000c10), received. I set the voltage and timing as recommended (1.50 V 10-10-10-27) then burn tested in pairs (high, 10 passes), then tested all at once (very high, 20 passes). Everything looks good so i plan to follow the steps in post 31 to see if i'm stable at 1600 mhz. I'll keep you posted.
*edit*
    Ok so everything does not look good, it looks confusing... So when I only run 2 sticks in the primary slots I can use the Corsair recommended 10-10-10-27 timing (still linked and synched). However, when I put all 4 sticks in I get a long beep/ C1 POST error and I end up at the "safe boot" screen. When I check the BIOS nothing is changed except the timing for the RAM which reverts to the "optimal" settings of 9-9-9-24 (still linked and synched).
  When this happened the first time I set the timing back to 10-10-10-27 saved and exited the BIOS. When I got the C1 error again I just "F1'd" through the safe boot screen thinking it would try using my settings and I could check the stability. Apparently it applies the 9-9-9-24 timing, which is what I tested yesterday and Burn declared stable. I figured this out when I booted up again tonight and got the C1 error again and the BIOS is still forcing 9-9-9-24. If I understand correctly this means it won't boot with the recommended, slower, timing. The safe boot screen tells me all 8 gigs are "OK", should I just keep going with the faster timing? I haven't a clue as to what could be wrong, all 4 sticks of the OCZ worked at non "optimal" timing (9-9-9-30) so I’m stumped. Any suggestions? In the meantime I’ll try running Burn on the highest setting...
    One last thought, while waiting on the Corsair ram I went back to the OCZ and tried installing my "new" GTX 280, things went well after I resolved a driver problem (see http://www.evga.com/forums/fb.ashx?m=1459652) for about 3 hours. I ran some 3D Mark Vantage benchmarks then played some Withcer 2 then went to bed. When I went to play the following evening I couldn't get the game to start and I found that 3D Mark locked on the first frame of the GPU test. If I disable SLI, and just use my old GTX 280 everything works fine so I’ve removed the "new" GPU assuming that my refurb is a POS. I think this is a separate issue but I thought I’d include the information just incase it helps the diagnosis.

re paste will help you,.

i dont have problems with evga sr2

9-9-9-24 are tighter timings then 10-10-10-27.  The lower the number, the faster.  I would manually set it to 9-9-9-24.

That is why i was surprised it wouldn't boot with the recomended, slower, timing. Is that a mobo/bios conflict? At any rate, i'll proceed as per post 31 as time allows. Do you agree that the GPU issue is probably unrelated?

I don't believe it is a motherboard/BIOS conflict.  I believe it is the chips used in the manufacture of the RAM working in conjunction with the motherboard chipset...not truly a conflict per se.  As far as your refurbished GPU, it seems to be causing you issues also.  Before I committed it the junk pile, I would try running it in a different rig (if you don't have another one, perhaps a friends rig) to see if it is indeed, as you put it, a POS.

OK, my BIOS looks like this now: Differences from your advice in post #31 are in bold
Starting Burn, 20 passes on Very High.
 
BIOS Version: SZ17
CPU Freq, MHz: 3.2 GHZ
FSB Reference Clock, MHz: 1600
CPU Multiplier: 8X
PCle x16-1 & 16-2, MHz: Auto [100]
PCle x16-3, MHz: Auto [100]
SPPc->MCP Ref Clock, MHz: Auto [200]
nForce SPP --> nForce MCP: [5X]
nForce SPP c-- nForce MCP: [5X]
**Spread Spectrum**
CPU Spread Spectrum: [Disabled]
HT Spread Spectrum: [Disabled]
PCle Spread Spectrum(SPP): [Disabled]
PCle Spread Spectrum(MCP): [Disabled]
SATA Spread Spectrum: [Disabled] 

**FSB & Memorv Config**
FSB - Memory Clock Mode: [Linked]
FSB - Memory Ratio: [Synched]
FSB (QDR), MHz:  [1600MHz]
Actual FSB (QDR), MHz:  [1600MHz]
x MEM (DDR), MHz: Auto  [1600MHz]
Actual MEM (DDR), MHz:  [1600MHz]
P1: [AUTO]
P2: [AUTO]
**Memory Timing Setting**
Memory Timing Setting: [Expert]
tCL (CAS Latency): 9
tRCD: 9
tRP: 9
tRAS: 24
Command Per Clock: [2T]
** Advanced Memory Settings **
tRRD: [Auto] 6
tRC: [Auto] 41
tWR: [Auto] 12
tWTR: [Auto] 17
tFAW: [Auto] 31
tREF: [Auto] 110
tRFC: 7.8 us
**System Voltages**
(Manually set your System Voltages)
VDroop: Without VDroop
CPU Core: [1.35V]
CPU FSB: [1.32V] no 1.30V available
Memory: [1.5V]
nForce SPP: [1.42]
nForce MCP: [1.5]
CPU PLL: Auto 1.5V 
[Auto]
GTLVREF Lane 0: [Auto] 0 mV
GTLVREF Lane 1: [Auto] 0 mV
GTLVREF Lane 2: [Auto] 0 mV
GTLVREF Lane 3: [Auto] 0 mV
**CPU Configuration**
Limit CPUlD Maxval: Disabled
Intel Speedstep: Disabled
xPPM Mode: [Native]
CPU Thermal Control: [Disabled]
C1E Enhanced Halt State: [Disabled]
Execute Disable Bit: [Disabled]
Virtualization Technology: [Disabled]
CPU Core 0: [Enabled]
CPU Core 1: [Enabled]
CPU Core 2: [Disabled]
CPU Core 3: [Disabled]

Your settings look good.  Let us know the results.  If you pass the stress test, next we will increase the CPU multiplier to 9x.

8X success @ 65 C
9X running @ 70 C
*edit*
Both 9 and 10 X passed for 20 passes on Very high. 10 X had a peak temp of 75 C though. Based on the temps i saw for the brief time i had 2 GPUs going it'd be more like 80 C. Is 1800 fsb 8X the next step?

I would try 1800MHz for the RAM and 8x for the CPU multiplier (to start).  Keep in mind that the higher the RAM frequency, the more stress is being placed on the memory controller (SPP), especially with all four DIMM slots occupied.  Having said that, you may find that you will need to loosen the timings by an increment, and/or increase the RAM voltage by an increment to compensate for the increase in frequency.  I would try 1800MHz at the current settings, and if I had issues, I would first try loosening the timings.  If I still had issues, I would increase the voltage.  You also want to change the following settings when going above 1600MHz for your RAM:
P1: [AUTO] (enabled)
P2: [AUTO] (enabled)

Testing: *passed, 20 passes on Very High, max temp 70 C*
fsb: 1800 MHz
CPU: 8X (3.6 GHz)
Memory: 9,9,9,24 1.500 V
P1/P2 enabled

Testing: *passed, 20 passes on Very High, max temp 76 C*
fsb: 1800 MHz
CPU: 9X (4.05 GHz)
Memory: 9,9,9,24 1.500 V
P1/P2 enabled
 
Should i push it to 10X? Is it worth pushing the RAM to 2000 MHz?  Is it time to start dialing back core voltage? From what i've seen of others with this processor this is pretty much the peak performance without really stressing the system...  Even if i can squeeze more out of it will it ever match what a GPU can do using PhysX?

You probably will not be able to run 8GB of RAM linked and synced to the FSB at 2000MHz.  It will require too much voltage to remain stable.  If it were me, and I repeat, if it were me....I would try to run the RAM at 1900MHZ and the CPU multiplier at 9x.  If that did not work out, then I would run the RAM at 1800MHZ and the CPU at 10x.  Although...the frequencies that you are currently using are  good.  You won't notice any difference in everyday usage between running your RAM at 1800MHZ or 1900MHZ. 

Ok, tried X10 and Burn caused a crash very quickly. During reboot i got the C1, long beep, safe boot BIOS. I dropped the multi back to X9 and rebooted, rerunning Burn now. Honestly i'm pretty satisfied with 4 GHz, if things are still stable is the next step to drop core voltage as far as i can get away with?

I would try the RAM at 1900MHz, however, if you are fine where you are, then lowering the CPU voltage would be next.  I don't think you will be able to lower it much, if at all, as you are running a little above 4GHz using 1.35v, but it won't hurt to try.  If it were me, I would just leave it at 1.35v.

Tried 1900 MHz, she booted fine but failed Burn (temps looked good though). I tried bumping the timing to 10,10,10,25 but it wouldn't boot. Should i bump the voltage, futz with individual timing settings or quit while i'm a head?

I would increase the RAM voltage by a increment or two, and if that didn't work, I would stay where you are.  As I stated in post #56...you won't notice any performance difference in every day use between 1800MHz and 1900MHz.