Corsair XMS3500 512mb & XMS3200 on BD7II

Anyone else running XMS3500 on there BD7II Raid board? I'm able to overclock my XMS3200 256mb alot better then my XMS3500 512mb on my BD7II board. I could use the 3:4 ratio at 158mhz = 210mhz with the XMS 3200 and I can't even use the 3:4 ratio with my XMS3500. I tried 150mhz 3:4 ratio = 200mhz which isn't even worth bothering at because it severly underclocks my 2.26b and i still can't even get it to run. I've tried the 2.5 /7/6/6 cas under memory timings and still a no go. So now I'm currently running the memory at 167mhz 1:1 ratio. Anyone give me there results I'd appreciate it

As stated in a recent artical on the front page, that having a higher CPU speed is better then running a higher memory speed. But I do see where you'd be complainin that 3500 can't even hit its specified speed. If no other solution presents itself I'd RMA the stick because you got a life time warrenty on it and get a new one. Also try increasing voltage to 2.6 or 2.7 see if that helps.

Well the Abit BD7II board does not like both memory slots taken to hit high FSB speeds. I put the single stick of memory (Xms3500)Ran 166mhz at 3:4 ratio(222mhz) its a little quirky but running. Voltage is at 2.7v CAs setting is at 2-7-3-3 not sure if its the board or the memory now? Would like to get the BH7 if it had RAid, I'll guess I'll wait.

its really close to the limit if im not mistaken memory wise. Did you try using different dimm slots with the 512 stick. My experiances always have been with 1 stick in a Abit board put it into dimm 2 or 3. 2 Sticks (in my case) put in 1 and 3. Got an extra 12 mhz out of my ram this way at tightest settings 2,5,2,2 on 2.6V with 2 512 sticks in my IT7-Max. Can't hurt to try at leaset.

You may also want to consider that some of us have had some probs with our 3500. Mine wouldn't do 400ddr, as opposed to my kids 3200 doing higher with "two" stickes in a BD711 non raid board. I RMA'd mine to Corsair and the replacement is functioing as expected. There have been a couple of other guys in this forum as well, who have had similar problems. Also a friend of mine purchased some 3500 and had to RMA it to Corsair due to the fact it wouldn't even achieve 390ddr.

Well if mine is doing 165mhz with a 3:4 ratio (220mhz) stable with CAs settings at 2-7-3-3 is it performing to its standards? I can't get it to run at 166mhz, explorer crashes, and I can't set my cas settings any lower as well. I'm using 2.7v on my bd7II board.

I've tried Corsair XMS3500 C2 on the BD7II and can prove it's the board, not the ram. A single 512 MB stick maxed out at DDR417 or so at 2-3-3-6. 2.7 volts of course. I did not see much difference trying 2-3-3-7. This very same stick is currently running DDR470, 2-2-2-5 on my 4PEA+ board, at 3.1 volts. Even at 2.7 volts on the 4PEA+, I can hit DDR420, 2-2-2-5, and DDR454, 2-3-3-6.

The BD7II seems to have very stringent memory timings so you will have difficulty getting an XMS3500 stick to even run at Corsair's advertised DDR434, 2-3-3-7 settings. It doesn't help you can only go to 2.7 VDIMM.

The IT7 series of boards have more relaxed timings and the same stick was able to get up to DDR445, 2-3-3-6 at 2.8 volts, but no higher, as the VDIMM settings over 2.8 are basically bogus on the IT7 boards. Check your stick out in Memtest and you will eventually see errors over DDR445, 2-3-3-6 while looping the #5 and #6 test, no matter 2.9-3.2 VDIMM. This is my experience, anyway.

Now you know why I own two 4PEA+ boards.

However the BD7II is as fast a board there is at 1:1, 2-2-2-5 or 2-2-2-6. It is also the best overclocking board I've seen (and requires the lowest voltages) by about 1-3 mhz over the Albatron PX845PEV PRO, IT7 series, and 4PEA+. Unfortunately, VCORE can only be set at 5, 10, 15% over so you can't characterize an overclock as well as if you can control fsb in 1 mhz increments.

It could very well be the lack of voltage the board lets you feed the ram. In my experience 2.7 Volts is usually not enough for Corsair ram to run at its rated speed.

I am so chapped about the poor voltage options on this board that I'm not buying an Abit board again, ever, unless they get it right with the voltages.

In my experience 2.7 Volts is usually not enough for Corsair ram to run at its rated speed.

Click to expand...

Grungee, I think it's luck of the draw with Corsair XMS3500 sticks. I've tested four different 512MB sticks of this ram, and yes, they won't do DDR434, 2-3-3-7 at 2.5 volts, but Memtest cleared up completely at 2.6. I don't know if I'd be totally happy with a stick that needed 2.7 to do this, but Corsair allows up to 2.8.

The 4PEA+, to my knowledge, is the only DDR board I know that offers actual, true VDIMM voltages above 2.8 (and it even overvolts by .03 so 2.9 is 2.93!). Unfortunately, the board has been discontinued and is difficult to find. It's possible the new Abit BH7 might have improved on the IT7 series and may offer actual voltages over 2.8-2.85.