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8KNXP Memory Help

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Creampuff

Registered
Joined
Jan 1, 2003
I have an 8KNXP with a P4 2.8GHz 800MHz FSB and two sticks of PC3200 memory from OCSystem. My computer will only work with the memory at 266Mhz. In the BIOS it is set to auto for the memory frequency. At 333Mhz, the computer restarts. At 400Mhz, the computer will freeze during or after the memory test. I need to know what to do to fix this. I have the factory BIOS on it.
 
It is a bios issue! My Corsair PC3200LL will only run stable
at 333 not 400. Mine will boot into WinXP and run Prime95 for hours, but if I launch any 3D it will blue screen and reset in a matter of 30 seconds or so. The bios F6c(beta) fixes this, so I have been told, however I have only been able to find the F6a bios and it doesn`t run at 400 either.
 
Gigabyte is supposed to be sending me a version of the F6 bios, but I dont know which one. Ill give those a try.
 
They sent me the F6a bios so I updated the main bios with it. When I turned the computer back on, I went into the bios and set the memory to 400mhz. Now its not working at all!!! It will either freeze will booting, or let me go into the bios, then freeze. Some of the characters end up being messed up everytime it actually boots. When I try to get into the bios and it doesnt freeze, only a little bit of the blue part of the bios screen is displayed and it freezes. I need this computer to be fixed and working. It seems like the bios update made the problem worse.
 
I think the bios update did help, but I need to up the memory voltage in order for it to work.
 
And so the saga continues, no bios update in a month and everyone elses boards are runnning 400. I wonder if it has something to do with the extra dimm slots? And low latency dimms. Corsair said at thier House of Help website the PC3500LL was do out soon. Think I will wait for PC4000,500mhz dimms before I buy more memory though.
 
Tom's Hardware did a review on the 8KNXP Ultra board, and they used memory that all had a CL of 2, my memory is CL 2.5, so I'm wondering if it had to do with memory speed. Tech support from the place I got the memory had me increase the memory voltage and slow down the timings. That let me run at 400mhz, but the computer still restarted when I would run something. I just spend even more money to get a dual channel kit hoping thats what I need since they recommended that for the 875 chipset. I had it overnighted so I would get it today, but UPS screwed up and ground shipped it. Today I had them send more so I will get it tommarow, now I have to mail back two sets of memory. I just need this thing to work at full speed.
 
The problem is not the mobo or the bios....

The problem exists on all makes of i865/75 mobo's and it has to do with the fact that your P4C runs an effective default FSB of 800mhz....That's a damn high FSB even at standard settings not to mention overclocked settings, and the problem is made worse when you consider that you're trying to run the sticks in duel channel, two sticks of ram living on the edge don't like sharing bandwidth at the best of times....

It appears different makes of mobo's like different brands of ram. One make of mobo may like Corsair but not Kingmax, while another make may 'love' kingmax but not corsair....Take a look around the various overclocking forums - You'll see problems with ram stability everywhere. May have something to do with the fact that DDR400 or PC3200 and above isn't 'officially' recognised yet, it's purely overclockers ram, or so i'm told.

The fix is to either 'up' your vdimm in the bios until your memory is stable or swap your sticks of ram for a different make. Just as a note, the problem also seems worse when running two 512k and above sticks of ram - Two 256k sticks in duel channel don't seem to exhibit the same instability problems, in my opinion the best setup for an overclocker in terms of stability vs peformance is 2 X 256MB sticks of ram in duel channel....As the reality is that at the end of the day, unless you're into a lot of photoshopping, there isn't an application on the planet that 'really' needs above 512MB of system ram.

Personally i'm using 2 X Corsair XMS XTreme ram PC3200 CAS2 and it runs in my Gigabyte 8KNXP no worries at all, although, naturally when the system is running any speed over default the vdimm needs to be increased in order to aid stability.

More and more i'm noticing that successful P4C overclocking has to do with vdimm adjustments rather that vcore adjustments....
 
true fluid...

i had to replace my corsair twins, cause they had a flaw, but even the replacements weren't working as they should... all was corrected with +0.2V vdimm.

so, that is the problem, cause the ram modules aren't totally 400MHz proof...

and it really messes my thoughts on overclocking, cause the bios lets me higher the vdimm only up to +0.3 (i wouldn't go over it anyway), but it puts me near the top on vdimm, and i don't have room for any serious ocking...
 
and it really messes my thoughts on overclocking, cause the bios lets me higher the vdimm only up to +0.3 (i wouldn't go over it anyway), but it puts me near the top on vdimm, and i don't have room for any serious ocking...

Once you 'up' the vdimm to achieve stability I think you'll get a plesent suprise at the amount of overclocking headroom it will give you....

That coupled with the fact that the Gigabyte tends to 'overvolt' slightly on both the vcore 'and' vdimm means you should have no troubles whatsoever hitting your overclock goals....

And with 6 phase power the 8KNXP tends to achieve rockstable voltages under load, which is more than you can say for the 'other' makes of boards out there....Further aiding overclockability.:)
 
Ive talked to Gigabyte and they recomend Twinmos mems and Samsung.

my self is running Geil Pc3500 Ultra Platinum perfectly at 460Mhz.

OCZ wouldnt work at all on my 8knxp.
 
How are you guys getting on now. I have tried all the suggestions above and am getting nowhere. I can run prime for as long as I like no prob, Memtest the same, but as soon as I start to do anything else the problems, hangs and blue screens start. It's not hardware related as I've bought alternatives or used old components to try and find the problem. The only hardware I haven't tried alternatives of is the CPU and mobo.

Any help would be appreciated.
 
I am fine now running bios version F6e. So if a bios update fixed my problems it must have been a bios issue then.
 
Bios F6k is now on page 17 from the previous post. It nows give a 2.5 choice for PC3200LL.
 
can anyone give me a clue as to what memory timings
to use w/ corsair twinx 3700 ?
At the moment I can only get to the bios, I'm unable to
install xp pro. I can only assume the errors I'm getting
are due to the 8knxp being very picky about memory.

3.2 ghz p4
8knxp
1 gb corsair twinx 3700
ati aiw 9800

Currently using f6k bios.
 
F6 retail bios is available at Gigabytes site now. Also get memtest and run it to check and see if your memory gets any errors!

The timings people seem to be having the most success with are:

2-6-3-2 at 2.7v@200fsb
 
Last edited:
Alphaeon,

I appreciate your response, but it seems a little
ambiguous to me. I mean I'm having a tough time
finding 1 post that gives specific memory timings
for twinx 3700, so when you say "most people",
it suggests to me that you're saying it doesn't matter which
corsair ram you're using. Cause most ppl seem to be
using pc3200 and not all of them are using twinx.
 
I am assuming from your post that you are running your 3.2 at 200fsb and not 233(PC3700).
 
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