OCZ Platinum DDR2: BSOD @ 1066 only when in dual channel! HELP

Hello,

Since my motherboard is not too old yet (MSI k9n6pgm2-v http://us.msi.com/product/mb/K9N6PGM2-V.html#/?div=Detail) and supports AM2+/AM3 ready, I updated the BIOS in order to take advantage of a Athlon II cpu and 1066 ram.

So I upgraded my CPU (from a Athlon X2 4600+ to a Athlon II X4 640, just EUR35,00 online, on the Bay) and got 2 sticks of used OCZ Platinum DDR2 PC2-8500 (1066): http://www.ocztechnology.com/ocz-ddr2-pc2-8500-platinum-4gb-edition-dual-channel-eol.html for about EUR 30.

For some reason I can't get to run @ 1066 for long without getting BSOD or other errors, especially while playing games.@ 800 everything is fine.
@ 1066 I tried every possible (usable) timing and every possible voltage between 2,05V and 2.25V, but I keep getting BSOD once in a while.

So I decided to run Memtest because I thought that one of the 2 sticks (or both) was defective. And something else came out (this is so weird):
- if I test BOTH sticks in dual channel @ 800, no errors. Everything fine.
- if I test BOTH sticks in dual channel @ 1066, I get loads of errors.
- if I test ONE stick at a time @ 1066, no errors!


It seems like the chipset can't quite handle both sticks @ 1066 in dual channel.

Is it maybe a known issue with older AM2 / "AM3 ready" mainboards that couldn't quite handle 1066 as those processors were not on the market yet?

In fact, the most recent BIOS versions of my motherboard DON'T HAVE THE 1066 OPTION in the Ram managemen drop down menu!!! It just disappeared from the menu! Maximum=800mhz. I had to rollback to an older BIOS in order to have my memory run @ 1066.

What do you think, and what do you suggest in order to have these sticks work @ 1066?

Thanks

It may be the CPU-NB voltage.

I wish I could tweak the CPU, but unfortunately my MB bios does not allow that. The only overclocking page in my BIOS is the RAM tweaking page, where I can pick RAM voltage, clock, and timings...

I would run them at 800MHz in dual channel there is no performance loss unless your benching.

wingman99 said:

I would run them at 800MHz in dual channel there is no performance loss unless your benching.

Click to expand...

Yea, I think I'll keep them @800. In my case, running @ 1066 is less than 8% faster than @ 800,

http://imageshack.us/f/834/800vs1066.jpg/

plus this motherboard is too old to properly handle 1066 in dual channel, as I'm getting BSOD continuoslu while running at 1066.

Since now I'm using expensive PC2-8500 ram @ 800 mhz (therefore at 5-5-5 timing just like any cheap PC2-6400 ram), do you think I should sell my sticks on ebay (making over €45) and buying those PC2-6400 (800mhz) OCZ Reaper 4-4-4 (or even those special edition 3-4-4 or 4-4-3) for the same price?
Is it going to be noticeable?

I would not sell and buy more ram with lower timing you won't notice a difference in speed of your PC. the only thing that will do noticeably better is memory benchmarking.

wingman99 said:

I would not sell and buy more ram with lower timing you won't notice a difference in speed of your PC. the only thing that will do noticeably better is memory benchmarking.

Click to expand...

Right now, I just lowered the timing of my PC2-8500.
If I can't have a pc2-8500 working @ 1066, at least I would like to have a tighter timing @ 800!

The SPD for 800mhz is 5-5-5-15, but as this ram is capable of reaching over 1100mhz with the same timing, I tried lowering the timing @ 800 to 4-4-4-12 (raising the V to 2.1).
It seems stable (so far...)

What timing do you suggest?

Whatever works for you when you test with mem86