how do you configure DRam Timing

[cjcan]

how do you overclock your memory? In my bios i get to a section called configure dram timing by SPD. I currently have it enabled. If you disable this option then you are able to change some settings.
DRAM CAS#Latency options 2.0clocks 2.5clocks 3.0clocks
DRAM RAS# Precharge options 4clocks 3clocks 2clocks
DRAM RAS# to CAS# Delay options 4clocks 3clocks 2clocks
DRAM Precharge Delay options 8clocks 7clocks 6clocks 5clocks
DRAM Burst Length.4 options 2.0clocks 2.5clocks 3.0clocks

I am currently running Pentium 4 3.4c northwood, mid-range thermaltake box with 3 cooling fans that come stock with the box,1 gig of pc3200 ram 2*512 simms, 32gig raptor wd hard drive.

I have hit a wall at
225 mhz and 1.60vcore giving stable overclock at 3.88.

I have gone as high as 1.65 on the vcore but it only gives me 1 or 2mhz more before the prime65 will give bad rounding error. I have read on these forums that you dont want to go any higher than 1.7 on vcore because can cause
Sudden Northwood Death Syndrome. So want to try to overclock memory and see what happens.

Would greatly appreciate any help. Hooked now on getting over 4.0.
Thank you and happy holidays

 

[batboy]

It might help if we know what brand of RAM you have and what memory ratio you are running. SPD timing is the default setting the manufacturer uses at default speed. Run CPU-Z and see what the timings are using the SPD setting. Report back with the additional info. I suspect you are about ready to use the 5:4 ratio since that is PC3200 RAM.

 

[cjcan]

simple tech ddr-sdram pc3200u

simple tech ddr-sdram pc3200u

I included 3 jpg from cpuz
cpu
memory
spd

dont know how to put picture in here so attached the jpeg files

 

[electrorcamd]

You are running your RAM at 150MHz, which is less than PC2700 spec (at least it looks like you are running that to me). You should be able to set your timings to the spd ones pictured for when the RAM is 166MHz. You can also try using a 5:4 ratio instead of 3:2.

 

[cjcan]

from where do you get the 150, which picture and #, sandra did show low comparable reading, and how do you change the ratio to 5:4 from 3:2 and how do you arrive at that 3:2 #

 

[cjcan]

ok figured everything i asked. I have ratio at 5:4. Now you said change all settings to spd 166 mhz settings which i did. Why not the 200 mhz settings.

Also system booted fine but the core speed remained the same. Does this now allow me to go higher on fsb or am i missing something?

 

[Sp1k3]

yes you should now be able to raise the fsb, but im not sure what kind of cooling you have but do it in steps. because you dont want to go from 150fsb to 250, you wanna go 180, 190, 200... And then so on, testing each one. So if one is un stable you can revert to the one that was before that. and test in between both of those. good luck m8

 

[batboy]

Ok, we are making progress now. The 3:2 ratio was lowering your performance. The 5:4 ratio is what you want. I'm assuming if you look at CPU-Z while at 225 FSB, the memory frequency is now at 180 MHz. You can easily go up to 200 and still be in spec.

With the timing numbers, lower is faster (tighter), but higher is often more stable. You have to make compromises. I would try leaving your timings at 2.5-3-3-7 and see if you can get a little more O/C. Maybe bump up the vdimm one more notch. If need be, you can change to the 200 MHz SPD timings for better stability, but you'll lose a little performance.

Memory ratios and timings help maximize the RAM performance, but that will not have any bearing on CPU clock speed (except to be a bottleneck if timings are too tight). To increase the system O/C you wiill need to increase FSB. You should be able to go at least up to 250 FSB using the 5:4 ratio. That don't mean your CPU will physically go that high though.

 

[cjcan]

had to go to 200 settings and lower fsb to 226 because keep getting rounding error on prime 95, but will not boot at 200 mhz frequency.
Why wont it boot at the 200frequency shouldn't it be able to?

So lowered the frequency to 166 but kept 3.0 setting on cas to boot. Boots and no rounding errors so far. But pretty much stuck at 226 and 3.84 anything higher on fsb will boot but will cause rounding error on prime95. Have gone up to 1.7 on vcore still rounding error.

How high can cpu temperature go before problems? Staying around the 50 to 52c area.

There is a performane mode that i set to turbo should that be off?

 

[batboy]

Yes, disable the turbo setting since you are manually setting timings. Sounds like you are hitting your limit with that CPU. If you can run 225 FSB with 2.5-3-3-7 timings at the 5:4 ratio, that's pretty good. I like to keep CPU load temp below low 50's on a Northwood. Higher vdimm might allow slightly tighter timings.

 

[cjcan]

you mentioned vdimm where do you find that setting?

 

[cjcan]

also i disabled the cpu internal thermal control will enabling affect performance?

This what slow down the cpu if you into x temperature correct?

 

[electrorcamd]

Yeah, I think that's the throttling. It lowers the cpu clock when it reaches a certain temp, so it is best to have it disabled.

 

[RAMMAN]

i wouldnt dare disable that option in my bios because my cpu is already running at 60degrees idle 70degrees load!!!probably turn my silicon into coolant in mere seconds.my system specs are in my signature(hint,hint).