Problem getting DDR2-1066 to run above 400 MHz

[Darksource]

New Member





Posts: 1
Joined: 7/7/2007
Status: online I have an EVGA 122-CF-NF68 mobo with 2 GB of Crucial Ballistix PC8500 ram.
The ram works fine up to around 425 Mhz, but the PC will simply not boot above this setting! It just asks me to go back in and edit the BIOS settings.
I have tried changing the memory voltage from 1.85 to 2.2 v. I have tried changing the memory timings from 4-4-4-12 (2T) to 6-6-6-23 (2T), but the PC will just not boot.
The ram should be good for 533 MHz straight out of the box!

I know the CPU (E6600) will run up to 3.4 GHz coz it's been stable at 375 x 9 for days. Hence 6 x 500 should be a breeze.

CPU-Z says the ram is only PC-6400, but it does show optimal timings for 400 MHz and 533 MHz.

Has anyone got any ideas?

Thanks.

 

[dudleycpa]

Check out this tread for starters:
http://www.ocforums.com/showthread.php?t=512724

 

[Darksource]

Thanks for the info!
I might have missed something, but most of the thread seems to be about overclocking the CPU, which isn't the problem at the moment - it's getting DDR2-1066 specced memory to reach 533 MHz.
In the end I RMAed the Crucial Ballistix and went for OCZ PC8500 instead. Hope this works out!
Any thoughts?

 

[freeagent]

i have one thought... it might not be your ram, but your cpu/mobo combo.. i know this is going to sound strange but.. i have a 6300, and on this board, i can bring it to 3640mhz, thats 520fsb. with this 6600 installed, my mobo will not post above 460fsb no matter what multi, voltage, mem settings i use, it refuses to post. i gotta say its kind of a bummer getting a cpu thats fsb limited, ive never had one before up till now.

 

[Peepaw]

I'm with freeagent on this one. That Crucial is most likely not the problem.
Mine won't go over 440 fsb either. But I can put the ram on a 4:5 ratio and run it up to 530mhz easily.

Not sure if my mobo or my proc is the problem, but it's not the ram.

 

[Darksource]

Well done - you guys are absolutely right! My CPU won't run with an FSB above 450 MHz. D'oh!!!
I'm gutted. However I've tweaked the CPU FSB and memory settings in 'unlinked' mode and have got the ram up to 500 MHz.

Will have to keep trying the settings and see what I can achieve!

Thanks

 

[Peepaw]

Well done - you guys are absolutely right! My CPU won't run with an FSB above 450 MHz. D'oh!!!
I'm gutted. However I've tweaked the CPU FSB and memory settings in 'unlinked' mode and have got the ram up to 500 MHz.

Will have to keep trying the settings and see what I can achieve!

Thanks

Have you got it stable at 450 fsb?

 

[Darksource]

So far I haven't had time to run a 12 hour stability test, but it boots up, runs memory benchmarks etc. Clearly I need to give it the full set of tests before saying 'yes' it's ok, but early results show it has potential.

Can't get the CPU (E6600) over 3.6 MHz though. Tried running at 1.55 v (water cooled so temp around 50 degC even under full load).

I still have to get the hang of the linked/unlinked/sync mode on my EVGA 122-Ck-NF68 mobo.
In linked mode with 5:4 @ 1120 MHz I get a Sandra memory benchmark of 7300. But with linked and sync mode @ only 900 MHz I get 8300!

 

[Darksource]

Err that's 3.6 GHz - we're not talking 6502s here!

 

[dudleycpa]

3.6GHz might be the max you're going to get out of that thing. They don't all o/c the same. That's way I posted that link for you.

I'd be happy with 3.6GHz

 

[Darksource]

You're right 3.6 GHz would be a pretty good result for a CPU starting at 2.4!
I'll settle for that!

 

[dudleycpa]

Pretty Good? As Tony the Tiger would say - IT'S GGGGRRRRREEEAAATTT!!!

 

[Vento1]

Darksource WELCOME TO THE FORUMS and 3.6 will be a good 24/7 speed for your setup.

 

[Darksource]

Thanks for the welcome!
Will post details of my labours (both successes and failures) over the next few days.