980X - my RAM is not stable while CPU kept at stock speed

[The_JoKeR_]

Hi people, I'm new to the forum and to overclocking and I've got a problem setting up my RAM to work at its rated speed with an i7 980X. I know this CPU is a bit outdated, but I'm sure there are a few good people on this forum who has experience with it.

Basically, I can't seem to find a stable setting for my 1.65V OCZ Gold RAM at 1600 MHz using my "new" i7 980X. I switched this CPU two days ago with my 930, which was giving me no problems after finding the correct settings through experimenting and testing. I'm not even trying to overclock the CPU here, just trying to get the RAM to pass memtest at its rated speed while using stock speeds for the CPU.

My stable configuration for the RAM with the 930 was:

BCLK: 133
Uncore multiplier: 24
Memory multiplier: 12
QPI / uncore voltage: 1.300 V
DIMM Voltage: 1.62 V
Command Rate: 2T
DIMM Reference Voltage Training: OFF


From what I've read, the only difference between the 980X and 930 concerning RAM is that the 980X is able to accept a minimum Uncore multiplier / memory multiplier ratio of 1.5 instead of the 2.0 for the 930; which means I should be able to go below 24. And that does happen, however strangely enough, I can't go above 21. When I do, POST fails even if I take QPI / uncore voltage all the way up to 1.375 V.

Now I've got to say first of all that I'm reluctant to change any of the settings that concerns only the RAM and nothing else (such as timings and DIMM voltage), because I had these settings work fine with the 930, and since (from my understanding) these settings have no dependency on the CPU. Although I've tried a few combinations with DIMM voltage set to 1.66 V and DIMM Reference Voltage Training and Command Rate set to auto just in case. It felt less stable with Vdimm at 1.66 V. The other two didn't seem to make a difference.

I'm guessing the problem is about finding the correct Uncore multiplier and QPI / uncore voltage combination. I've tried so many combinations but still couldn't get a clean memtest result. It seems that an uncore multiplier of 18 and QPI voltage of 1.250 is most stable (however, still unstable overall) as it can always complete a single pass on memtest until it starts giving errors. There are a few more combinations that also do this. As far as I can remember uncore 20 & Vqpi 1.250 was also similar, but the PC feels faster with uncore 18 (or it might just be me). Has anyone got experience with overclocking the 980X or 990X?

Also:

1) Does the time it takes for memtest to produce errors correlate to the level of stability? (I know stable should have no errors, but at least the tests should tell you whether you're getting closer to or further away from the sweet spot, right?)

2) Should I also be looking at changing Core voltage even though I'm not overclocking the CPU? Could this have an effect on stability at stock speeds?

3) Should I have the dynamic power options such as Speed Step disabled or enabled?

4) Can things like Turbo Boost or HT have an effect on this, ie. if I disable them could it help?

5) What about some of the other settings like IOH core voltage or CPU VR Current or Power Override settings?

6) Can I trust memtest? Should I double check each unstable configuration using memtest86+?


Thanks in advance to all who reads this and tries to help.


* My mobo is an Intel DX58SO.

 

[EarthDog]

Post screenshots of CPUz, the memory and SPD tab please.

1. not sure.
2. Nope. Nope.
3. Disabled to start, then enable after you are stable
4. Nope. Nope.
5. IOH may, but not VRC or PO settings
6. Yes, but not as The Gospel.

 

[The_JoKeR_]

The attach button doesn't appear for some reason, but here are the screenshots. By the way, command rate appears to be set to 1T, I think I left it on auto last time, that's why. But it's still weird to see auto sets it to 1T...

 

[ATMINSIDE]

Verify your email and the attach button will work.

 

[trents]

Hey, I'm new to Intel overclocking but is it possible that the problem is your are trying to run the ram at 1600 mhz when the ICM is not quite stout enough to handle that frequency on every CPU in that generation? We see this on the AMD side with the Phenom IIs Deneb core series. Some will do 1600 on the ram and some will not quite.

 

[EarthDog]

1600mhz is easy breezy on that gen.

 

[freeagent]

I had a i7 970 that was able to run mems at 1066 all stock, but the CPU only did 4.1 with 1.4v, 4.2 barely came with 1.55v. It was able to run mems at 1200mhz. My x5690 can do 4.8, but it cant run mems at 800mhz with stock clocks. And it doesn't much like mems over 1000mhz

 

[ShrimpBrime]

1.65V OCZ Gold RAM at 1600 MHz

something is not correct here.

You state above the Ram is 1600mhz 1.65v, but the SPD tab has no such settings and is 533 ram.

Assuming the 1600mhz at 1.65v was an old overclock but then I see...

My stable configuration for the RAM with the 930 was:

BCLK: 133
Uncore multiplier: 24
Memory multiplier: 12
QPI / uncore voltage: 1.300 V
DIMM Voltage: 1.62 V
Command Rate: 2T
DIMM Reference Voltage Training: OFF

I'm beginning to wonder if you are having a memory issue and not in the PC.

Was it 1.65v or 1.62v at 1600mhz 8-8-8-24-32 2T

Try 1T....

the 980X is able to accept a minimum Uncore multiplier / memory multiplier ratio of 1.5 instead of the 2.0 for the 930

Stick with the 2.0 ratio if it worked best before.

 

[Bobnova]

It's ocz gold, you'll probably need to run it a bit below it's "rated" clocks. That stuff is about as basement as it gets. My last set I had to rma three times before I got a working set, and when I did it would only overclock 2mhz.
I recommend some new ram, personally.

Will it run at 1333?

 

[The_JoKeR_]

something is not correct here.

You state above the Ram is 1600mhz 1.65v, but the SPD tab has no such settings and is 533 ram.

Assuming the 1600mhz at 1.65v was an old overclock but then I see...



I'm beginning to wonder if you are having a memory issue and not in the PC.

Was it 1.65v or 1.62v at 1600mhz 8-8-8-24-32 2T

Try 1T....



Stick with the 2.0 ratio if it worked best before.

The 1600 MHz is not an old OC. The reason it doesn't appear on the SPD is probably because apparently this RAM doesn't come with an XMP profile (stupid, I know...) but if you look up "OCZ Gold 12800", it's rated to run at 1600 MHz.

I ran it at 1.62 V before because the next level was 1.66. I realised 1.62 was the stable one after testing. I don't think it's a memory issue as I tested for quite a long time with no errors in results with these previous settings. By the way it's 8-8-8-24-88. Which setting were you talking about when you said 32?

I'll run a few tests using 1T, although I doubt that it'll work any better... I can't actually stick to the 2.0 ratio because I can't get the PC to boot with an uncore multi above 21 using the 980X.

It's ocz gold, you'll probably need to run it a bit below it's "rated" clocks. That stuff is about as basement as it gets. My last set I had to rma three times before I got a working set, and when I did it would only overclock 2mhz.
I recommend some new ram, personally.

Will it run at 1333?

It's definitely not the RAM you'd want for overclocking but I'm not trying to go above its rated speed anyway. It performs fine when it's stable

I'm not sure about getting new RAM at the moment as this is my old rig, but I might if I get more frustrated. Would go for a triple channel in that case anyway.

I haven't tried 1333, but I'm not sure I'd want to settle with that. Although what trent said above makes me think...

 

[freeagent]

You probably wouldn't notice any difference at 1333, it should still feel pretty good.