1600 DDR3 vs 1333 Ram?

cje · 27 Feb 2009 at 00:09

I've currently got 2x TWIN3X2048-1333C9DHX (4gb total) on an ASUS Striker II Extreme. One of the modules developed a fault, that I noticed after upgrading to vista 64 bit. The faulty module was in the last slot on the mobo, and my guess is , that it wasn't being addressed often enough until I migrated from 32 bit to 64 bit.

Anyway, I'm running the board at 1600 fsb at the moment. Some people say these modules can be clocked to 1600 mhz with 2T command rate, but I think thats optimistic, as I've been told on the corsair forums that running 4 sticks will require me running them at 1066mhz.

So, what I want to know is, since I'm running 1600 fsb stable with an 8x multi. Would it be worth my while buying these:
http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=MY-154-CS

That would give me my 4gb and wouldnt put so much strain on my NB. Any ideas?

cje · 27 Feb 2009 at 07:48

Thanks for your reply yellowbeard. They have been sent for RMA a week ago. My setup currently runs sweet at 1600 fsb, but the RAM is set to 1066 mhz. It blue screens constantly if I set timings to 9-9-9-24 2T. BUT if I let it on AUTO, (8-8-8-20-1T) it ok. I'm awaiting the return of the 2 sticks that have been sent for RMA, then I'll see if both kits will run together at 1333 mhz. If they won't, I'll buy this memory.

cje · 27 Feb 2009 at 13:55

Yeah setting command rate to 2T is sometimes beneficial for stability on this board. I am going to see if I can run 4 sticks (when I get the 2 back from corsair) at 1333mhz. If I can't I'll buy this kit. The offer probably will have finished, but oh well.

cje · 27 Feb 2009 at 22:23

@Andy, you reached 1600mhz with all four modules? What voltage you gave them? 1.6v? What timings?

I can only get my Q6600 to 3.2ghz, which is a disappointment, it needs just under 1.6v to stay stable with 3.6ghz. Runs sweet at 1600x8 so need my ram to match it now.

EDIT - I only got 2 modules in right now, I set ram to 1600, 1.6v in BIOS, 9-9-9-24-2T. Passd 17 passes memtest, but froze after 5 minutes in Vista. Suggestions?

cje · 2 Mar 2009 at 22:28

AndyOcUK said:
1.82V with an antec spot cool basting over them

Whoa! 1 stick of mine died with just over 1.8v. So I ain't going nowhere near that again. I've got 2 sticks at 1600 9-9-9-24 2T with 1.6v in BIOS.

When adding 2 more sticks, would I need to up the VDIMM more? I know NB would need to be raised.

cje · 2 Mar 2009 at 23:12

Better board. lol. I must say I have a love/hate relationship with it. But having got it nearly stable. I didn't see any drop from 2 modules to 4 modules though. Don't know if anyone else had this, but it behaves the same now as it did with 4 in it. 1600 ram and fsb will be sufficient for my needs - for now anyway.

cje · 3 Mar 2009 at 00:00

What RMA the motherboard you mean?

cje · 3 Mar 2009 at 16:11

Andy. Was that 1.82 actual or load? I can get 2 sticks to run 1600 with 9-9-9-24 1T with 1.64 in BIOS (1.7 actual).

But POST freezes on cold boot on USB INIT and MSINSTAL. Set ram back to 1066 3:2 ratio and doesnt happen anymore.

cje · 3 Mar 2009 at 21:17

Yep, tried 1.4 to 1.46. Same result.

It bsods and restarts after 30-40 minutes every time. No matter what I do. Temps are all ok, everything under the 60s.

Also, I loaded setup defaults, reset, entered BIOS again and was inputting some new settings when my BIOS actually froze up. Nothing responded and had to reset it.

I am considering an RMA on this board because nothing over 1333 fsb seems to work properly.

cje · 3 Mar 2009 at 21:26

Yep, have only got 2 sticks in, and they pass 12 passes of memtest. Also 50 passes intel burn test, but I start watching a movie in itunes for 30-40 minutes and I get a BSOD and a restart. Very very annoying.

cje · 3 Mar 2009 at 21:35

It happens only when i leave it alone "idling". I am watching a movie fullscreened right now, and running prime95 smallFFTs in the background no problem.

If I leave it watching a video, then return after 20 minutes, it'll sort of freeze for 10 seconds, bsod for 10 seconds, restart.

I lowered multiplier to 6x and it freezes after 30 seconds of starting to watch a video. Maybe 1600 fsb is unstable on the board? I'll try something in between 1333 and 1600. I know it is out of Intel spec, but I've tried everything else.

cje · 3 Mar 2009 at 22:40

It is a clean isntall, but i can't remember if the bad RAM stick was in at the time...

I loaded defaults, and vista startup froze on the logo. I went into safe mode. swtiched off pc, cleared CMOS and booted up fine.

But I'm going to run it with setup defaults for a while, see if it could be a bad OS. Because the faulty RAM stick I had produced an error every 5 seconds in memtest, so my windows install might have been corrupted?

EDIT - Well have run pc with default stock settings for 2 hours just fine no bsods, so I guess my OS is fine. My PSU should be fine, it's a brand new Zalman 1000 watt PSU. Memory controller issue on mobo?