Dominator 8888C4D and Crosshair Timings

Hey.

I was wondering how tight I can get the timings on my CM2X1024-8888C4D Dominator ram on my Asus Crosshair Mobo. I haven't overclocked or tweaked too much in the past. So far I have the following:

800mhz (no cpu overclock...4600+ at stock)

2.4 volts

Dominator airflow fans installed

Timings so far 3-4-3-9-2T

I picked the above timings because I saw them on Tomshardware :o: . I don't intend on overclocking the cpu at all, but want to get more out of my setup. The above setup is able to do 4 passes of memtest so far.

Anyone have something similar or suggestions on how to improve this? Will 1T make any difference? Anything else I can do here?

Thanks to any and all for help!

Yes, you should try your system on a 1T command rate. Keep in mind that the command rate is not a function of the RAM, it is a function of the on CPU memory controller on the AMD and the Northbridge of the Intel systems.

Thanks DerekT...that was quick!

I tried 1T with 3-4-3-9 and got errors straight away on first pass on memtest86....never got any in 6 passes with 2T.

Should I try to relax the other timings to get 1T? Or should I just quit on 3-4-3-9 2T? Does it make any difference anyways?

Thanks!

Your other timings are so good that I would personally leave the command rate to 2T if it is stable on memtest.

Great ram by the way. *drools*

Thanks again.

I have been looking for some kind of database/thread that lists the best latencies reached for a particular set of modules, but I can't seem to find one for the 8888c4d. I want to see if there is more room to push these (except fsb) to lower latencies but I am worried about damaging the ram/mobo.

Is there anything in the forums/web that I have missed? Should I just jack all the latency settings down to some absurd level to see what they can do?

Thanks for helping a relative noob!

This DRAM is the best of the best. I would test the timings with memtest and keep tightening them. You can not damage the RAM with tight timings, you will finally just error out.

3 - 4 - 3 - 9 are the timings of DDR RAM and seldom does anyone see these timings on DDR2 so you really are at a good spot anyway though.

Thanks again DerekT and Ram Guy. It is appreciated!

I have this ram now working at 3-3-3-5 2T in memtest86+ for 6 passes (2.4 volts...don't want to go over for warranty purposes and I will try to bring down voltage next I guess...I'll mention this at the end of the post).

Any other tests that I can/should run to test for stable? I keep reading about prime95 but there seems to be different versions out there. Or are the 6 passes of memtest enough?

I also got some weird errors/alarms from the Asus Probe software I just installed. I got an alarm for the "DDR2 term voltage" (1.2 volts) and I believe the "CPU - NB HT voltage" (1.36 volts). In my bios these are set to "Auto." The only things I have modified in this section of the bios is the memory voltage (2.4 volts....supported by this ram) and the timings I listed above. These voltage values were the same, no matter what latency timings I choose. Is this normal? (And should I just post this in a new thread instead of lumping it in with this one?)

Thanks for any and all help!

I just got my8888's to 820 mhz 3-3-3-6 1t This ram is a beast. I ran memtest for 4 hours no errors. Meanwhile my friend just bought 2 sticks of the 9136 and he cant get them to boot on his asus striker board. He tried all sorts of combos with the sticks and he even raised the voltage with his old modules that boot and still no luck. I told him you should of spend 150 more and you would of gotten the Quad 8ths.:D:

Couldn't get mine to run at 2T with looser timings than yours. I agree though, great ram.

Which mobo are you using? Do you get the voltage alarms that I mentioned above?

I dont use asus probe its sends out all screwed up signals.

My Bank cycle time (TRC) on 800mzh on cpu-z shows 1 clock instead of 23. I went into the bios and changed it to 23. Which is a better setting for this?

Any other tests that I can/should run to test for stable? I keep reading about prime95 but there seems to be different versions out there. Or are the 6 passes of memtest enough?

There are two reasons to run memtest. The first is to test the bandwidth for errata that is hardware based. It has been my personal opinion that one pass is enough. The second is to test the thermal output of the dram and the ability of the dram/system to radiate the thermal output. I would perform 10 or more passes to test for the systems ability to deal with the thermal radiation. It has been my personal knowledge that errata produced after one pass is due to the DIMM's and system's inability to radiate and remove the heat thus producing errata due to thermal issues.

Thus I run one pass and continue bandwidth tightening until errata are produced on the first pass. Then I back off the tightening. I do this

for bandwidth speed as well. Once I have found the sweet spot then I

run 10+ runs of Memtest to see how well my system removes the heat that the DRAM produces.

I run Orthos in the long term (12+ hours) to test the final stablity of my machine and an hour is (for me) enough to continue the upclock procedure.

I also got some weird errors/alarms from the Asus Probe software I just installed. I got an alarm for the "DDR2 term voltage" (1.2 volts) and I believe the "CPU - NB HT voltage" (1.36 volts). In my bios these are set to "Auto." The only things I have modified in this section of the bios is the memory voltage (2.4 volts....supported by this ram) and the timings I listed above. These voltage values were the same, no matter what latency timings I choose. Is this normal? (And should I just post this in a new thread instead of lumping it in with this one?)

The ASUS probe software tests fine for generic DRAM and the standard JEDEC voltages that such DRAM uses. However, the higher quality DRAM needs higher voltages and the ASUS probe software returns alarms at these voltages as they are greater than the standard JEDEC settings.

Do not worry about this as the ASUS probe is pretty much useless in a high end enthusiast and overclocked system. Alarms would be going off all over the place and serve to do no more than worry you. :)

@chiefhonco

Set your Trc to 22

Regards,

Derek

Thanks Derek. Earlier in this post you encouraged me to tighten the timings a little further and i got them to 3-3-3-5 2T, and I ran memtest on this for 8 passses with no prob (cpu temps 35c and mobo at 33c).

Again, thanks a plenty. If there was some kind of voting / points system in this forum you would get a 10+

Chris

Thanks Derek. Earlier in this post you encouraged me to tighten the timings a little further and i got them to 3-3-3-5 2T, and I ran memtest on this for 8 passses with no prob (cpu temps 35c and mobo at 33c).

 

Again, thanks a plenty. If there was some kind of voting / points system in this forum you would get a 10+

 

Chris

LOL

You are some fast on those timings. :bigeyes: I can only make 3 - 3 - 3 - 9 @ 6400. I'm overclocked to 3.2GHz with a 1:1 with the dram. I want some of that kickbutt DRAM. :bling:

http://www.houseofhelp.com/v2/attachment.php?attachmentid=2308&stc=1&d=1167522463

Thats a link of the screen shot of my timings on the quad 8 ths

Derek thanks for the info on the TRC

Memory is currently stable at 3-3-3-5 1T 800mhz

Just had something very strange happen.

Tried to shut down my computer which has been running just normal windows apps (no gaming, just a couple of instances of folding@home running) and it wouldn't shut down. Waited for a while, and when it finally did shut down a few error messages flashed up (application error boxes....couldn't read them in time). There was no bsod.

I was able to reboot the computer, but it would crash before loading Windows. I booted into my UBCD which has memtest86+, and I got errors right away on the first pass. I went into the bios, and set all my ram options to "Auto", and then the computer wouldn't boot at all.

The crosshair mobo has the handy lcd poster, which said "Det DRAM", which (obviously :p: ) means detecting the ram. Tried to boot a few times, no luck, and I then took the following steps:

1. Reset cmos

2. Moved ram to other slots

3. Booted 1 stick at a time

4. Tried some generic 533 ddr2

Resetting the cmos did nothing, as did moving the ram to other mobo slots.

But I was able to get the computer running with the generic ram, and ONE stick of the Dominator 8888. One stick gives me the "Det DRAM" message, no matter which slot I plug it in to. All mobo options are set to "Auto."

I guess this means that the one stick has gone bad?

I was running the latencies tight (3-3-3-5-2T), at the recommended voltage (2.4 volts) at 800mhz. I had the Dominator Airflow hooked up, and the temps at the time were 38c for cpu, and 33c for the mobo.

This leads me to the next issue.

With my generic ram OR the other Dominator 8888 stick (running with all settings "Auto", and having passed 2 passes of memtest...so I guess it's fine), the computer gets to the Windows load screen, and just reboots. This happens whether I try "Boot Windows Normally," "Safe Mode", or "last Good Configuration." Did that last crash when the ram went bad ruin Windows? Or is there another prob with hardware that could cause this?

Any ideas on how to fix this (besides reinstalling....I would really like to have played some games this evening. Just had my appendix removed a few days ago and I cannot go out and party in the New Year, so staying home and enjoying my new setup was the only thing for me to do tonight :mad: ).

Thanks for any and all help!

Hey Derek

The board I am having probs with is nVidia (Crosshair)...a 590sli with an x2 4600+. I was running 3-3-3-5 2T, 800mhz, 2.4 volts with the Fans installed. Another guy who posted in here has the Striker which has had many probs from what I have read as well, and he says he has the 1T command rate.

I tried to get Windows running again using the console (various tricks) but no luck so far.

I'm afraid I may have to RMA the ram....what a shame. Right now I'll try to save my xp install using my generic ram.

Right. Excuse my cross-threaded thinking :) You may want to create an image of a freshly installed system. I do this immediately when I create a new (personal) system.

It helps when tweaking. :)

I just tried benchmarks again on the ram settings of 1T and 2 T and there is a difference but not much. These tests where all done at 800mzh 3-3-3-5

Everest Mem read on 1T 10,189 on 2T its 9745

Everest Latency on 1T 47.3 on 2T its 50.1

Sandra Memory bandwidth 7452/5091 65% bandwidth efficency on 1T

Sandra Memory bandwidth 7233/5091 63% bandwidth efficency on 2T

Its moving faster on 1T than 2T so its not the same setting. Im using the striker extreme motherboard 360x9 FSB on a e6600 chip. This motherboard has a lot of advanced settings for memory timings, but I don't want to touch them as of yet because I dont know how or what effect they will have.

Happy New Year everyone!!!