Dual channel DDR overclocking

[skool h8r]

hi all,
Since all the components in my pc that can be overclocked have been overclocked (except memory), i would like to know how i go about overclocking the memory, or getting better timings. As i've never done or even know much about overclocking memory, i want to make a full set of overclocked components. Thing is, my cpu is overclocked using 260/10 and it's stable. Now i think my POST screen reports that the memory is running at the same speed (!!!), is this possible? Should it be happening? So basically, i want to know how to get better timings and/or better speed. I know it's pretty fast already, but i want to go all out on speed but still be stable, kind of at the edge of stability and speed. The memory i have is Corsair XMS3200C2PT running in Dual Channel and the motherboard is an Epox EP-9NPAJ SLI.

Thanks,
Scott.

[MONKEYMAN]

run cpu-z it will tell you how fast the memory is running, if it IS running at that speed you are one lucky bunny

[noob]

It is possible your memory will run that fast. Corsair is good overclocking memory.

It depends on if you are running a mem divider or not. If you are - then let us know what its sitting at (auto will run a divider), and we can tell you how fast the memory, if it states 200MHz (or 1:1) then you aren't and your mem will be runing at 260MHz (520MHz).

If its running that fast you have a good pair of RAM.

[skool h8r]

well, after talking to you on Xfire, it appears it's running at 260Mhz which is DDR520! Holy hell!

[noob]

Looks like you got a couple of good sticks there skool h8r

Just looked around, not 100%, but it seems your RAM is TCCD. So it may have a bit more left in it. It could possibly get all the way to 300 or DDR600, with a bit looser timings.

[skool h8r]

hmmm, timings are currently 3-4-4-9. And i've tried to get to 2.8Ghz on the CPU which seems to affect the RAM speed, but it doesn't allow booting then. 2.7 is quite stable, about 75% which isn't enough when it involves BF2. At 260 though, i'm 99.9% stable and i can go through hours of BF2 (at low settings due to GPU) multiplayer lag free and without a crash. Although, after a while, it sometimes crashes but that's after a few hours. Then after i restart BF2, it's fine for the rest of gameplay, no lag or crashes.

[noob]

To find the max RAM speed - drop HTT down as far as 2x
Drop CPU multi - so total clock speed is lower
Make sure running at 1:1 mem clock speed, and 1T
You may have to up the voltages slightly, but then increase the HTT (FSB) as far as it will go, to get the Max RAM.
Just be aware, the board may max out at 270, which is not to bad for a board at all.

Something else - remove the heat spreaders - most of the time they are insulators more than spreaders, and maybe mount a fan over the RAM modules.

Also check the temps of the northbridge - I know its active cooled, but a better fan and some as5 will do wonders - when the NB gets hot it gets unstable which could be causing your problems.

[QSDT]

Last night I tried 4,2,2,2 as to say I had to Clear CMOS and go back to 5,3,3,2. So I say if your changing timmings learn where CMOS is.

[skool h8r]

My ideal timings would be 2.5-3-3-6 but i tried 3-3-3-7 but suffice to say it booted, it was only about 15% stable and crashed a lot. But to say i got DDR520 for the price of DDR400, that's one good deal.

I'm not going to remove the heat spreaders, that's too risky, they are the corsair preapplied ones so i'm not risking it. I'll try and get a fan mounted near them though. And i do know where the CMOS reset jumper is, i've had to use it enough times when i was building the rig/upgrade.

Also, i need to know where i can get an active cooling solution for my chipset, although some were recommended, i need something that is activly cooled without all this rattling that my current cooler gives. I've got some AS5 already, used some on my CPU, dropped temps by about 5 degrees in all areas; idle and under load.

One last thing: be aware that i haven't increased the voltage from Auto and my current readings with epox thunder probe are:

[MONKEYMAN]

I wouldnt go too much higher with the cpu voltage to be honest, anything over 1.6v doesnt yeild a gain in most cases and with air cooling you are risking damaging the on-die memory controller with voltages over 1.65v.
You could however give that memory some more voltage, check what the memory is guaranteed upto on the corsair website and crank it up, if you dont care about warranty then put it upto 2.8v or 2.9v, you might be able to tighten your timings up a little with the extra juice. Ive never managed to kill memory by overvolting upto 3.0v so it should be fine.

[noob]

I have heard that epox boards undervolt slightly - so the actual vcore is probably 1.55V.
Also what PSU are you using - it shouldn't fluctuate (also unless you use a DMM I wouldn't take those readings as accurate, merely an indication)

For the northbridge - thermalright and zalman have good active quiet coolers or heatsinks with fan attachments.

Not sure where you would get them in the UK - in NZ we have several small computer places, most have a reasonable selection of cooling products, or will order it.

[skool h8r]

The PSU is a Hiper 580W Type-R modular ATX2.2. Also, that fluctuation is a natural occurence, variable resistence, maybe in the boards voltage controller. It's nothing i'm getting worried about.

I'll have a look at the corsair site to see what voltage it'll accept. I think it's rated for 2.7V but i will have to check.

[noob]

Sorry rechecked calculations - that fluctuation well within limits (stuffed up a decimal point and came out 10 times higher)

Your temps look good anyway - and with better cooling over the northbridge, you just may get a few more MHz out of it. Some boards wont hit 230 normally, but with water over the chipset they will hit over 300.

[skool h8r]

wow, not over 230. Well i spent about 6 months working out what was gonna go into this, although it's changed a few times since then. That may be why they are working together so well.

Well i've now got it at 265 which is DDR530 so the CPU is at 2.65Ghz, one might powerful setup i've got here, and that's with overvolting. Also, the RAM is rated for 1.75V which is what they use to test, and that's what it's at already.

EDIT: Ok, here's the CPU-Z validated dump: http://valid.x86-secret.com/show_oc?id=72658

I've just used a program called Central Brain Identifier (CBID) and apparently, my core is a venice E3 revision. I knew it was a venice but i thought it was later than E3. Maybe that's why i'm maxed out on my OC? The 'announce date' was April 4, 2005.

[noob]

It could be the CPU that is maxed. To find your max overclock you could take the multiplier down a notch or 2, as well as the HTT and find what the max speed is.

So if you got 300 x 9 it would run a bit faster as your RAM would be DDR600 your CPU would still be 2650 and HTT x3 to make it 900.

This would give you a little boost with the RAM - and HTT as it should be x3 now giving you 795, as x4 goes over the 1000 mark - which makes it unstable.

But if you are running it at x4 that may be the wall you are hitting.

[skool h8r]

Well i've decided to take it back down to 260 as i think that was the very max stable so i backed it down a bit. I will have to try what you recommended, DDR600 sounds very appealing, and i may be able to get the CPU higher as well, maybe even that dream 2.8Ghz that i want, or if i'm lucky, 3.0Ghz! That would be one mean machine, especially on air, although i'll need to get some more fans just to be on the safe side but even so, 3Ghz on air, one of the rare A64 based machines that are seen on here. But, that's just speculation for what the future could hold.

But even if i can't get 2.8 or 3.0, i'd be very happy with what i have now. Just on a side note, my board actually only supports DDR500 max, but i've managed to exceed that quite easily. Just shows what a little help can do for you.

[skool h8r]

Ok, nope, there's no way it's gonna have it. I tried setting it at 300 x 9, that just caused system speaker to beep and then restart. I tried 285 x 9, that booted, but it got to Phoenix System Configuration BIOS utility, but there's nothing you can do with the keyboard and it doesn't progress any further. So i put it back to 260 x 10 with auto HTT and it's fine. So i think i've completely maxed it out. Even so, not bad OC.

Slightly off topic, what is the max multiplyer on the Athlon64 4000+ single-core? It's 2.6Ghz at stock but what's the max multiplyer on it?