Please explain memory "shorthand" (i.e. 2-3-3-5)??

I've read the FAQ's as I'm trying to diagnose a new system problem.... but I cannot figure out what number applies to what BIOS setting when people explain their memory is running at 2-3-3-5 etc.

I assume most BIOS's have a different order for setting CAS, RAS-to-CAS delay, etc.... so how do I know which number applies to which setting?

TIA!

Wazoo (newbie in training!)

Yes, bioses do order the numbers differenlty and it is stupid. Asus will be 2-3-3-5 and Abit 2-5-3-3. The placement of the 5 is the only different. Most times it saves confusion to list them as 2-3-3-5 as this is the more common choice in bioses.

larva said:

Yes, bioses do order the numbers differenlty and it is stupid. Asus will be 2-3-3-5 and Abit 2-5-3-3. The placement of the 5 is the only different. Most times it saves confusion to list them as 2-3-3-5 as this is the more common choice in bioses.

Click to expand...

Which, of course, begs the question: what does 2-3-3-5 translate to?

When we say 2-3-3-5, we are listing the following bios memory latency timing values:

2-CAS (CAS Latency)
3-Trp or tRP (RAS Precharge Delay or Precharge to Active)
3-Trcd or tRCD (RAS to CAS delay)
5-Tras or tRAS (Active to Precharge Delay)

These are latencies, or delay cycles, that we program for various memory functions. The lower the values, the better the latency performance but the greater challange to stability. We strive to reduce them to their minimum for any particular application, but all other factors (except memory voltage, reduce it after testing timings) should be optimized with them set high (2.5-4-4-7) and then work them down individually while testing for stability to allow best performance.

well whats the t part? kuz ive seen 2-2-2-5 2t

hitechjb1 has some really good (at least to this newbie) explainations of memory timings here:

http://forum.oc-forums.com/vb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=207088&perpage=30&pagenumber=2

Pages 2-4 (mixed in with other posts but helped me a lot)