abit Max 3 can't run memory 1:1 at 250

I really need help with my abit max3, the problem is I am running 4x256 geil pc 4000 rated 500mhz when ever I try and set in bios at 1:1 and cpu frequecy 250 I can't reach the rated speed, I know it's not cpu becasue I ran cpu and this memory beyond 250 at 5:4, The memory is ran with default timming which I manually set in bios, also I don't have an peromance acceleration turn on anything. I am using bios 16 which is the lates one, Can somebody help I would appreicate

hmm....Try giving them some more juice (volts).

Well, I lost a good 8 FSB off the top, when i started using 4 memory modules (intead of 2).

Try with only to sticks (or each module separately), and see if you'll go higher. If you do, and you like it, its time for 2*512.

Alternatively, try upping he Vdimm some. What parts do you have?

tried up the memory votlage to 3.0 was able to get to bios run a bechmark and computer froze

meionm said:

tried up the memory votlage to 3.0 was able to get to bios run a bechmark and computer froze

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3.0volts is a little too much in my opinion. And the Max 3 has problems with the volts when they are above 2.9.
Try 2.8-2.9 and see what happens.
If this doesn’t help you can try to rip out two of the memory sticks.
So you only have 2x256 in the system. Then give them 2.6 volts and see what happens.

try 2 at a time and see which pair gives you the highest fsb. 4 pieces of memory is a load of work for the MB, it will slows down your fsb. btw, vdimm dont go over 3.0 unless you mod it. its really unstable over 2.9.

tried running kingston 2x512 hyper x 3500(217mhz) I was able to get 216 at 1:1 but when I switched to ratio 5:4 and attempt to boot, black screen dead, I have problem passing 220 at any ratio and any voltage

I'm running 250fsb 1:1 on my 2.8c, PC4400 Geil 512x2

My board won't let me pass 220fsb, if memory at 1:1 hits 220 or above I get errors in prime same goes when it's in 5:4 when it hits 220 and above, I was running p4 at 274 fsb and mem was 219.6 votlage 1.675, just added one mhz to fsb which made it 275 and it fails prime in half hour, tried uping voltage for the vcore and for the memroy nothing seems to help once is at 220 that's it, Also tried running the memory at 1:1 220 fsb was the furthest I could get and was stable and that using geil 4000, I am not happy with this board my previos board with the same setup did 247 at 1:1 and 285 at 5:4. I also tried the new bios the tempeture feature seems to work once you reinstall cpu

If your IC7 hits a brick wall like that, it almost always means a RAM conflict. The IC7 is sort of picky with RAM and Geil is not one that it usually likes that much.

Bat boy said it best. IC7 is a pain when it comes to ram. Likes my bh5 hyperx though.

I'd like to see his complete system specs. I'm using GeIL 4000 ultra at the moment at 230fsb/prescott 3.0e without issue. (swiftech h/s, panaflo U1A). Not going to push a 3.0 to 4 on air for sure (unless perhaps very clever, or lucky).
So, whatcha got?

pentium 3.Oc 15x277--- abit IC7 max 3 4x256 ---geil pc 400--- 3x HD = 440gb--- antec 550 watt psu ---sapphrine 9800 pro

Caught it. Take 2 sticks of memory out and see whatya get. What's Ur cooling?

I got mine up to 250FSB. As you can see, I have 2 512MB sticks of OCZ PC-4200. It's not stable though, so I'm guessing that I'll need to increase voltages. It seems like it may be the RAM that's giving you trouble. As people have said, filling up all the banks will definitely limit your FSB overclock.

I know that 4 sticks of memory will limit oveclockability but what I don't understand that it won't run rated memory geil pc 4000 at 250 at least 240, maybe it's the board as I wrote in one of my replies above I can't run geil pc 4000 1:1 but I can run it at 5:4, I can run my Hyper x 3500 at 1:1 but not at 5:4 and that's for 216mhz, other thing I can't update bios with floppy, I make disk with instructions and when it is starting updating bios it tells me to wait, when using windows utility to update bios some stuff in bios are missing and I usally need to flash twice to get it right

I m running fine with my pc4000 geil 512x2 @ 2.8v with 250 FSB. 1:1

So jealous ... I am at 242 @ 1:1 (2.8c @ 1.675v), can't move any further.

Cosair PC4000 (LED's) @ 2.8v

meionm said:

I know that 4 sticks of memory will limit oveclockability but what I don't understand that it won't run rated memory geil pc 4000 at 250 at least 240, maybe it's the board as I wrote in one of my replies above I can't run geil pc 4000 1:1 but I can run it at 5:4, I can run my Hyper x 3500 at 1:1 but not at 5:4 and that's for 216mhz, other thing I can't update bios with floppy, I make disk with instructions and when it is starting updating bios it tells me to wait, when using windows utility to update bios some stuff in bios are missing and I usally need to flash twice to get it right

Click to expand...

Regardless of what the rated speed of the ram is, if you fill up 4 banks, it will definitely limit the board in terms of overclocking the FSB. Where you would normally be able to achieve 250 or higher even with 2 banks full, with 4 banks full, you may be able to achieve less even if the rated speed of the ram is higher. Thus, I think it's a mobo problem, not a ram problem. See what I mean?

That is alot of RAM to address, but can it be considered a motherboad problem since it wont oc to 250fsb. If it runs stock then the MB is just fine. Just try it with 2 banks and see what happens. Most of the time in computers its _______error and not compnent error.

It's a known fact going waaaay back that with 4 sticks, you can't get much above 250 on Abit boards. Moreover, on any board, you lose PAT. It's not the way to go.

There's been a lot of posts on the various forums here about 'hitting a wall' at 250 fsb or so. I've tried a LOT of 2.6-3.0Cs, and the average ones maxes around here so it's not the board. If you have a 2.40C, then maybe, but I've tried a heck of a lot of boards of different brands, and none of them had a wall - it's all the CPU.

It's amazing to see a whole bunch of my previous 2.80Cs crapping out at 250-255 @ 1.68-1.75 volts, then the last one I got runs 272 @ 1.50 actual and climbing! Or how a Golden 2.40C boots 302 fsb nice and cheery (and does 293 fsb at 1.525 VCORE).

While I feel the Abit boards are the best at running 300+ fsb and benching the 3DMarks, they are the worse at running ram other than BH-5. I just got my phase change, and that's the one thing keeping me from putting an Abit in it. The 2.8 VDIMM limit on the IS7/IC7 is no help, and 3.2 on the AI7/MaxIII is more like 3.18.

Tried some Crucial with the same Micron ICs as the OCZ EB ram on the IS7. Max it could do at 2.8 volts was 240, 3-3-3-5, with severe artifacting. 5:4 was problematic. I was going to sell the ram this weekend. Put the same ram on the P4c800-D and it does 255, 1:1, 3-3-3-5 at 2.85 volts. It also does 285, 5:4, 2.5-3-2-5 at same voltage. Granted, the artifacting on the IS7 is due to the 865P chipset versus the 875P on the Asus.

And of all the Abit boards, the AI7 is the most finicky with ram, so keep that in mind.

I think it's my board, anyways it went for rma,

Reasons I tried runing my memory insted of 4x256 I ran 2x256, what happend it was more unstable than when it was with 4x256 and there wasn't any improvement with overclocking

Reason 2 won't update from floppy, please wait while updating and nothing

I don't think that's a defect but it's really anoying stuff
after flashing bios with flash software in windows, ide raid function is missing bios I can't diable it becase it's not in options after second flash it's back
Everychange of memory is pain, it needs to rebooted three times before I can enter bios, the same goes when I do something stupid like overclock it to much or set memory timing to tight and bios won't post, I don't even think that clear cmos works on this board becase it does nothing