Suggested settings for stability

[Rafelez]

Hi everybody! :o:

 

I have some problem with my new system. With BIOS (latest version, 1301) defaults, it hangs randomly at all: in five seconds as two hours, doing something or nothing at all, etc.

 

I read many discussions on your forum, until I found out a guy with a configuration similar to mine (except for CPU, he had a Core2Duo instead of my Core2Quad) and with my identical problems; he was suggested to change DRAM Voltage from Bios from 1.5v to 1.7v; downgrade DRAM frequency from 1333mhz to 1066mhz; upgrade MCH/NB Voltage of a .2v.

 

Anyway, i tried gradually the first two things and magically my system won't hang anymore. Now, just to be more sure, I'd like to know what other settings i should change for stability & integrity. For example i've read about manually change dram timings according to that of the ram module (9-9-9-24 instead of the bios defaults 7-7-7-20), the voltage of MCH/NB, and maybe setting again the DRAM frequency at 1333mhz as wrote on the ram modules.

 

Sorry for my bad english ^^

Thanks in advance.

 

 

Edit I think there should be something else to change: my pc froze a few moments ago -.-"

[RAM GUY]

Your memory is rated for 9-9-9-24. You can set these timings manually if you like. And you'll need to leave the memory voltage at 1.6v - 1.7v.

 

Try 1.4v to 1.45v on memory controller voltage. This is very important with 4 modules.

[Rafelez]

Thank you for your reply!

 

I've tried manually setting all the ram infos into BIOS as specified on the modules (1,6v, timings 9-9-9-24, freq 1333mhz), but my pc still freezes.

 

So, about the MCH/NB voltage, i was going to make tests increasing it from the [auto] value - 1.25v - but i was not too sure. I mean, from 1.25 to 1.40v is a looong journey.

 

How can I proceed? .02v to .02v until it becomes "good" ? And can I be calm about tweaking this value without damaging my pc?

 

Thanks again, in advance.

 

Edit I've tried increasing the mch/nb voltage up to 1.41v but my pc still frozes -.-"

Guess I'll get back to - working - 3gb of RAM...thanks anyway.

[DerekT]

If you populate all four DRAM slots, then you are advised to drop the DRAM bandwidth and raise the memory controller voltage. Mixing and matching versions and capacities is not supported and never assured of stability but you already know this.

 

So, you are advised to drop the bandwidth to 1066Mhz.

 

The only memory Corsair supports in a four DRAM slot population is their Quad kits. This does not mean two dual kits or even worse two dual kits of different versions will not work together, just that you have no recourse to RMA Corsair if they do not work together. If there are problems with the DRAM modules, they are still supported via lifetime warranty, but that is for physical defects and errors in a two stick kit mode. Matched Quad sets are highly binned modules for a four slot population. The Dual sets are tested as a kit, not a Quad and warranted as a dual kit, not a Quad setup. You need to Memtest them as Kits (2 modules, not as a four DRAM slot population). If they fail as a kit or singly, then you have RMA. Keep in mind that there is no support for mixing and matching different versions of DRAM either since different version are of different fabrications and/or manufacturers. They might work, they might not work, but you have no support if they do not work. Thus you are advised to buy all the DRAM at the same time and in this way be more assured of getting the same versions. If you buy online, be sure to specify same versions of the modules and do not expect even then that they will work and again, no support unless you purchase a quad kit.

 

For a four DRAM slot population of 1333Mhz DRAM you are advised to drop the bandwidth to 1066Mhz and raise the NB Voltage +.1v - .2v for your PQ product. You can then, if you wish, attempt to recoup some lost bandwidth via the CPU <--> MCH <--> DRAM overclock. Once stability is found, you can then, if you wish, attempt to regain some of the lost bandwidth of the CPU <--> MCH <--> DRAM stream with an overclock.

 

Please research this thread:

 

http://www.houseofhelp.com/v3/showthread.php?t=64360&highlight=Unpredictable+results+QUAD2X4096+Gigabyte+X38-DS5

 

There is a limitation of the On Motherboard (Intel) memory controller or On CPU (AMD) and a population of all four banks at the full speed of a two bank run. This limitation is across the board with both AMD and Intel chipset based boards, DDR, DDR2 and DDR3.

 

Keep in mind that often issues can arise in the longer term even though you have shorter term stability. The issues seldom damage the DRAM unless you raise the DRAM voltage too high. They damage the on CPU (AMD) memory controller which has a harder time keeping up with the demands of a four DRAM slot population being run as fast as a two DRAM slot population. This is why you are advised to perform the DRAM lowering and MCH Voltage raising.

 

I'm looking at buying new PC components and think I'll be getting the Asus P5Q-E motherboard and would like to have 8GB of RAM running at 1066. What ram would you recommend for getting this speed out of 8GB for this board. Looking around I can find no one able to obtain this.

[DerekT]

Download Memtest86+ V2.11 from--->

Here

and extract the ISO image. Burn the ISO image to an CD-ROM disk.

Download CPU-z from

Here

.

AI Tweaker

Configure System Performance SettingsAi Overclock Tuner = Manual
    eXtreme Memory Profile = Disabled
CPU Ratio Setting = 8
FSB Strap to Northbridge = 333
FSB = 333
DRAM Timing Control = Manual
DRAM Frequency = DDR3-1066
DRAM Command Rate = 2N
DRAM CLK Skew on Channel A = Auto
DRAM CLK Skew on Channel B = Auto
DRAM Timing Control = Manual
CAS# Latency =  9
RAS# to CAS# Delay = 9
RAS# PRE Time = 9
RAS# ACT Time = 24
All Else to Auto
DRAM Static Read Control = Disabled
DRAM Dynamic Write Control = Disabled
Transaction Booster = Disabled
  Relax Level = 8 
CPU Voltage = Auto
CPU PLL Voltage = Auto
FSB Termination Voltage = Auto
DRAM Voltage = 1.7v
NB Voltage = 1.30v
SB Voltage = Auto
Clock Over-Charging Voltage = Auto
Load Line Calibration = Disabled
CPU GTL Voltage Reference = 67%
NB GTL Voltage Reference: 63%
CPU Spread Spectrum = Disabled
PCIE Spread Spectrum = Disabled

USB Legacy Mode = Disabled (For Memtest, Enabled Afterwards)

 

Shut the system down. Boot to the Memtest CD with that single stick and allow for two full paasses. Shut the system down. Remove the first stick and insert it in slot two. Repeat memtest. Shut the system down. Remove the first stick and insert it into slot three and repeat memtest. Do the same for the last slot. You have now tested one stick and all four slots. Shut the system down and remove the first stick. Insert the second stick in slot one. Retest. Shut the system down and remove the second stick and insert the third stick in slot one. Repeat Memtest. Do the same with the last stick. You have now tested all four sticks.

 

Now test for the Dual Channel Mode function of the memory controller. Insert a stick in slot one and three and memtest. Remove the set and insert the second set in slot two and four and memtest.

 

Finally, insert a stick in slot one and slot three, a stick in slot two and slot four and repeat Memtest. If Stable enter Windows and post screenshots of CPU-z's CPU, Memory and SPD tabs.

[Rafelez]

Thank you for your detailed answer.

 

Yes, all the four sticks of ram have the same charateristics :o:

 

Since the first problems I had with this pc, before I tried tweaking the bios DRAM settings, I checked the ram with MemTest86+, with all four slots populated, and it gave me no errors after a full pass.

 

The limitation of the motherboard about the dram frequency isn't really a problem: even now, with three of four slots populated (3x1gb) and all the bios overclock settings back to [Auto], at start the bios says "1066mhz dual channel asynchronus".

 

Just a last question: do you think that if I take a pair of 2x2gb ddr3 ram banks instead of 4x1gb, it'd give me the same problems?

[DerekT]

Populating with 2 X 2GB modules will be the best method and will be far easier on the memory controller. It's the population of all four slots that can be problematic and need extra tweaking. You will be fine with 2 X 2048MB.

 

Just a last question: do you think that if I take a pair of 2x2gb ddr3 ram banks instead of 4x1gb, it'd give me the same problems?

[Rafelez]

Just as a last test, this morning I set the whole bios as indicated in your settings. Guess what? The pc won't post.

 

So I reverted back to all [Auto] settings except for DRAM Voltage [1.7v] and MCH/NB Voltage [1.3v]...it booted, but at half of prime95 test it froze.

 

Now I'm back to all settings to [Auto] and 3x1gb ram installed. All working great.

I'll have to try the 2x2gb solution as soon as possible, in order to have 4gb of ram instead of 3gb.

 

Thanks anyway for your patience and your explainations :biggrin:

[DerekT]

Sure thing. Sometimes it just doesn't work at a four slot population. Many people RMA the board to get one that will run with four slots populated.

 

I personally advise those people to do so. What happens if you decide to move to 8GB? You have a board with a weak memory controller. It won't take it. It will only take three or 6GB. If you are OK with that, then fine, but I advise RMA of the mainboard.

 

Just as a last test, this morning I set the whole bios as indicated in your settings. Guess what? The pc won't post.

 

So I reverted back to all [Auto] settings except for DRAM Voltage [1.7v] and MCH/NB Voltage [1.3v]...it booted, but at half of prime95 test it froze.

 

Now I'm back to all settings to [Auto] and 3x1gb ram installed. All working great.

I'll have to try the 2x2gb solution as soon as possible, in order to have 4gb of ram instead of 3gb.

 

Thanks anyway for your patience and your explainations :biggrin:

[Rafelez]

I wake up this my old thread for updates on the problem, just for knowledge. Sorry if there are some english errors.

 

I went all these months with only 3 sticks of ram, without any problem. A few days ago, I saw an update for the BIOS of my motherboard, with the annotation "Fix the system cannot boot up with certain ECC memory modules".

 

So, I update the BIOS and voilà...the system is more stable, worked a full day without problem, with all the BIOS settings on AUTO...then after a while it froze again :|

 

Anyway, I wrote on the ASUS support forum, and they said to me that it's a well known incompatibility problem of the motherboard with the pair QuadCore processor + 4 sticks of RAM, and that they are still working on it.

 

Finally, after some other test, I've discovered why with the manual settings given here the pc won't boot (see older post): the setting that gave "Overclock failed" is "CAS# Latency = 9"...I don't know why, but I've set it to 8, and it booted...and seems quite stable (2 full passes of Prime95) until now.

 

That's all. Hope that these info are useful to other people here with my same problem.

[RAM GUY]

Thank you fore the update and please do let us know!

[Rafelez]

Hi everybody!

 

I've still the stability issue here described, so far the best I obtained is 1 froze a day.

Anyway I'd like to set properly all the CAS settings of the RAM, but as I wrote last time, as soon as I set CAS Latency [tCL] to a value bigger than 8, the PC won't POST.

 

(noob mode ON) How can it be?

 

Thank you in advance.

 

Edit

To be more precise, I can't post with CAS Latency set to 9, with 3 or 4 sticks, until I manually set the DRAM frequency to 1333Mhz. Otherwise the system sets automatically the DRAM frequency at 1066Mhz. With 4 sticks this sounds logical, since the frequency has to be reduced, but why reducing the frequency even with 3 sticks?