PC4000 Ballistix memory failing memtest in AI7

Hi.
Abit AI7,
Northwood 3.4 cpu. Stock volts.

2 x 512 Mb PC4000 crucial balistixs in slot 1 and 3.

667 timing to enable PAT.
GAT set to either Auto, Auto, Auto, Auto, Auto or last 2 disabled.
Bios set to 2.8v ddr v. 1:1 ratio.
Timings set by spd.

above 220 fsb the ram fails memtest?
I have lowered timings, and still fails, passes at 220, fails at 222, upped V to 2.95 and still no go.

I thought this ram was rated at 250 Mhz???


OK. Memtest and cpu-z both report when pat is enabled. so changed from 667 to 800

I can lower the ram timings to minimum and its still no go with memtest over 221 fsb with pat enabled.

The cpu at 1.55 v is on the limit at 225.
Raising th v core to 1.65 and it will go to 232+

Im in a few minds, either

the AI7 does not like the ballistix.

The ballistix is gash and change it.

Change to another mobo while I can. Asus PC800E deluxe maybe.

Or leave it at a setting that passes memtest.
FSB 212= 3604Mhz, up from 3400.
Gat set to F1 Auto, Auto, Auto, disabled disabled. 1:1 and 800.
25222.

At least the ram is running full at this setting with no errors.

Dropping the ram timings to what they should be and with PAT enabled even at 220 FSB gets memtest failing.

Sure it maybe the cpu. I briefly tried 1.7V and above 4 Ghz ran windows.

Im not sure what to do!

what about chipset voltage? bad memory controller can give memtest errors.

run the memory in single channel(bad stik) and also try running it at a 3/2 divider that effectively will eliminate the memory and test other components,. the ballistix should be able to run pretty tight timings at least to 250.

Don't try to force PAT to function. I think that is the source of some of your memtest woes. GAT is more effective anyway, you don't need PAT.

Always leave those last two GAT fields disabled. They introduce stability issues in 99% of situations. For now, leave the first at Auto. This is disabling GAT. Once you get your FSB and timings stabilized try Turbo, then SR, then F1.

I would try throwing voltage at it. Always max the AGP voltage at 1.65V. And I would try both extra cpu and memory voltage until you get things figured out.

The thing you must understand about an AI7 is it is serious gear. The bios calibrations are much more agressive than other boards, meaning it will be impossible to run the memory near 500MHz without disabling some or all of the Abit's performance enhancing tricks. This is the dirty side to DDR500... it's not necessarily faster than DDR400 with all the Intel and Abit performance-enhancing stradegies intact. And your cpu is going to run out of gas long before 250fsb, and could in fact be having issues at the ~220fsb level with as little voltage as you are giving it.

Your ram running at 433MHz at 2-2-2-5 GAT F1 shows there is nothing wrong with it or the board. If you give it some more voltage, you may be able to maintain those performance-aiding settings as you increase fsb. But sooner or later you will have to give up GAT F1, then SR, then Turbo, finally GAT entirely, then timings, and then you get to 500MHz. You will likely find enough stuff to turn off to make it happen, but it's a giant step sideways from a system design standpoint that is only useful in that people generally have too low a cpu multipier (making excessive fsb necessary to produce adequate cpu clock).

larva said:

Don't try to force PAT to function. I think that is the source of some of your memtest woes. GAT is more effective anyway, you don't need PAT.

Always leave those last two GAT fields disabled. They introduce stability issues in 99% of situations. For now, leave the first at Auto. This is disabling GAT. Once you get your FSB and timings stabilized try Turbo, then SR, then F1.

I would try throwing voltage at it. Always max the AGP voltage at 1.65V. And I would try both extra cpu and memory voltage until you get things figured out.

The thing you must understand about an AI7 is it is serious gear. The bios calibrations are much more agressive than other boards, meaning it will be impossible to run the memory near 500MHz without disabling some or all of the Abit's performance enhancing tricks. This is the dirty side to DDR500... it's not necessarily faster than DDR400 with all the Intel and Abit performance-enhancing stradegies intact. And your cpu is going to run out of gas long before 250fsb, and could in fact be having issues at the ~220fsb level with as little voltage as you are giving it.

Your ram running at 433MHz at 2-2-2-5 GAT F1 shows there is nothing wrong with it or the board. If you give it some more voltage, you may be able to maintain those performance-aiding settings as you increase fsb. But sooner or later you will have to give up GAT F1, then SR, then Turbo, finally GAT entirely, then timings, and then you get to 500MHz. You will likely find enough stuff to turn off to make it happen, but it's a giant step sideways from a system design standpoint that is only useful in that people generally have too low a cpu multipier (making excessive fsb necessary to produce adequate cpu clock).

Click to expand...

Thank you fr everyones comments.
Are you saying that I turn down all memory performance and lower ram timings then see how far the cpu will go?
What should I test with?
Does an unstable cpu give memtest failures?

I was thinking of trying another board or ram, the cpu is the component I am least likely to swap but is this is the bottleneck then I will live with this mobo.

Ok.
Thanks for the info.
From my quick findings so far, I think that you are right about the cpu.

Testing as follows. All with Ram V at stock 2.8 V
CPU V standard 1.55. Set fsb to 225 as I know memtest would fail.
A,A,A, D,D and pat off. dropped ram to lowest timings.
Memtest failed.

then. Ram 5:4 in spd it was set at 2733- Failed.

Up cpu volts to1.625V memtest passed.

Set divider back at 1:1 memtest passed.

It is as you thought.
CPU needs more Voltage.
Im not sure I want to go abov 1.625 V .
I have yet to see what highest fsb the cpu will fail at with this voltage.

Is this what you were expecting?

Ok. At v core 1.625
Mem at any voltage up to 3.0
V-agp either 1.55 (std) or 1.65.

Mucking around with the memory and agp voltages do not appear to help.

PAT enabled, max fsb 216

PAT disabled max fsb 225


What are your thoughts on either?
Do you think I would benefit from trying the asus board and then deciding on one or other?

Thanks for your help so far.

Like Larva said, a lotta ram don't do too high on 667 strap! Don't get fixated on the 667 strap; I actually get higher unbuffered at 800 strap, Sr-Enh-A-D-D, same fsb at 1:1.

Try running 800 strap, 1:1, and maybe A-A-A-D-D for the most relaxed settings. You may get as high as 240-250, 2.5-2-2-5 at 2.8 volts, 2x512s. I have to check my notes, but I believe the ram runs A-Str-A-A-A fine at 1:1, but needs A-A-A-D-D at 5:4.

If you ask me, Ballistix has to be the most underhyped ram in existence. For one thing, no other ram manufacturer can get their hands on the ICs (charity starts at home after all). I notice not even MemoryUpgrades-UK sells Ballistix; they probably can't get a good wholesale price.

Speaking of the devil, I ordered another pair of Ballistix PC4000 from Crucial, as I was dying to see how the latest sticks fare. Here's what I got:

223 @ 2-2-2-5
248 @ 2.5-2-2-5 (!)
264 @ 2.5-2-3-5
273 @ 2.5-3-3-5
Could not get above 273 even at 2.5-4-4-7

All results above are 2x512s @ 2.8 VDIMM on a (cough) DFI LanParty 865PE, Rev. A. The settings above are 3D stable settings; they are Memtest clean higher.

I'm not through yet. I was in fact able to run 300 fsb (299.7 to be exact), 5:4, 2.5-2-2-5 with the ram above, at 2.8 VDIMM on this board! I backed this up by running PQI TCCD at 300, 5:4, 2-3-3-6. I did not experience a single 3D failure (reboot or lockup), benching the 3DMarks for stability testing, over the course of three nights with three sets of ram, at 300 fsb, 5:4. 'Tis a shame the board's been discontinued and nowhere available over the Net.

And take a close look at those results. There is no ram in the world right now that will run 250-264, 1:1, 2.5-2-3-5 - not on an unmodded board at 2.8 VDIMM anyway. These sticks will come in awfully handy should you be running a S939 board like the MSI K8N Neo2 Plat. No more blah 2.5-3-3-6 timings with TCCD from 250 fsb and up.

I have four sets of Ballistix. I don't even bother switching dimm positions with the ram, nor changing slots; the sticks I've got have been that consistent, and why bother with these results? The ram perform well at at both ends of the scale, and are definitely the leading candidate for maintaining overclockability, should I try for 2 GB ram on the MSI board.

My AI7 does not like PAT above 220 at all. Or should I say my ram. I set NB strap to by CPU and advanced settings at A,A,A,D,D. As far as special settings that is it. 285, 1:1 . I understand 512 modules don't usually do as well as 256 ones due to the memory controller but am hoping I can get to 280 with the DDR600 I have on order comes in.

Thank you Clevor and Xception.
you have been very helpful.

I now know my cpu voltage was causing the errors and probably not at all the ram.

Unless I up the cpu voltage to 1.65 or 1.75 I am looking at a clock to 3.65 Ghz and SPD timings with PAT off.

I got my AI7 up again, after a hiatus of 8 months. This is my early 2003 board. I want to reproduce 300+ fsb, as many feel the AI7 is not up to it. I did do barely 300 earlier, but at 3:2, and I was on air.

I have my 1st set of Ballistix PC4000 in and as far as I got last night is 300, 5:4, 2.5-2-2-5 @ 2.8 VDIMM (!). So far entire loop of Memtest is clean, and it boots XP, but I need to reactivate the restored partition to get further (damn Microsoft!).

Man alive, the sticks must have burnt in. I'm at 240 at 2.5-2-2-5, Memtest #5/6 clean - at 5:4 to boot!!! I was marginal here at 1:1 couple of months ago, with 2.8 VDIMM. Based on my experience with the 865P Abit boards, the rig should be 3D stable.

The CPU I'm using is a 3326 MO step 2.40C that does 293 on air. With my HC200, I can barely push it to 300 fsb during winter. I have two others that do 300 on air but I flog this one when testing ram in case I fry it.

BTW, it's a myth that only some boards can do 300 fsb. It's all in the chip. I also hit 300 fsb with a DFI LanParty 865P, an IC7, an IC7-G, and before I put the AI7 in, a P4C800-D. I could do 5:4 with the DFI board also, but had to run 3:2 on the IC7s and Asus. Dare I say Ballistix ram rocks at 2.8 VDIMM???