Help configuring ram

[TigerUK]

I bought another pair of RAMs to give me a total of 8GB in my system. I run vmware on my computer so need to set 2GB to each OS.

I couldn't find the original rams I bought so ordered another matching the specs as closely as possible. See screenshots below for details

Original ram crucial ballistic ddr2, in slot #1 and #3

Bought new corsiar in slot #2 and #4

I was surprised to find that their timings table was completely off wack, but there was one consistent timing EPP#1 matched, I'm not sure if this is correct but the SPD Ext. shows the timing that the motherboard has set for the rams. Is this the case?

If it were true then it would means that the timings are synchronised between rams. But leaves me with one nagging issue, the crucial us 2v and the corsair us 2.1v

Is that a major issue?

 

[Plec]

Ignore that tab it's just the SPD settings - you need to click on the CPU-Z 'memroy tab' to see what your memory is running at.

Did you set the memory up manually in the BIOS?

If you didin't you need to manually set the timings/frequency so that all the memory is running at the lowest specced set.

Also, set a voltage that is within the recommended specs for both sets.

 

[TigerUK]

Thanks for writing Plec

I've managed to find a "common denominator" with the ram configurations and the timings, voltage and frequency match on all four rams. Check the attachment at the end..

However my bios setttings throw out some complete out of whack data. according to the info from cpuiz the rams run on 800mhz, at 1.8 v, but my bios tells me they're running at 1.96 volts and at 1066mhz which is overclocked?

I have to add that all my RAM configurations are set to [Auto] but the mobo sets the default voltage at 1.96v

COuld it be that the BIOS settings are being overridden by the OS or should I downgrade the RAM settings based on the info obtained from CPUiz?

 

[Plec]

I've managed to find a "common denominator" with the ram configurations and the timings, voltage and frequency match on all four rams. Check the attachment at the end..

Sorry, if this refering to a BIOS link/img/attachment - i can't see it.

As i don't know the spec of your 2 sets of memory i'm a bit out of the loop. What are the 2 types of memory that you have and could you list the brand and model code for both?

Could you also confirm that you manually input common settings for both sets and then saved and exited? (i'e. you didn't just check the BIOS info.)

Please don't feel i'm stating the obvious - but sometimes things get lost in translation.

 

[Plec]

Just seen your edit regarding 'auto' read above post and apply the common settings to both sets manually.

 

[TigerUK]

Edit: p.s. are you not seeing the 5 images I uploaded after the 4 original posts?

Sorry, if this refering to a BIOS link/img/attachment - i can't see it.

No, I was referring to the cpuiz images

As i don't know the spec of your 2 sets of memory i'm a bit out of the loop. What are the 2 types of memory that you have and could you list the brand and model code for both?

The information is on the screenshots, both DDR2 800mhz
1 pair crucial ballistic
1 pair corsair xms2

Could you also confirm that you manually input common settings for both sets and then saved and exited? (i'e. you didn't just check the BIOS info.)

I saved and exited after setting ratings at Auto, then i re-entered the bios and the voltage was set to 1.96.. But the cpuiz settings above seem to indicate that it should be running at 1.8v

Please don't feel i'm stating the obvious - but sometimes things get lost in translation.

 

[Plec]

Edit: p.s. are you not seeing the 5 images I uploaded after the 4 original posts?

No, but i am now - i've moved to desktop.

[I saved and exited after setting ratings at Auto, then i re-entered the bios and the voltage was set to 1.96.. But the cpuiz settings above seem to indicate that it should be running at 1.8v

Manually input the voltage at 1.8V (i advise setting the other settings manually too) - don't leave it at auto - save and exit. Then ignore CPU-z if it says otherwise...

 

[TigerUK]

Thanks these are the settings from the bios before the changes.. SHould I just change the voltage to 1.8, and leave everything as is?

I have change
DRAM frequency to 400mhz ddr2-800 (from auto)
DRAM voltage to 1.79v [didn't work], then set it to 1.85v [next voltage up] and is now working

 

[Plec]

bump - just double checked your crucial memroy - it needs 2.0V - where as the Corsair needs only 1.8V max.

There is no common ground between the sets regarding voltage.

I would test them out on 1.8V and hope they're stable.

 

[Plec]

See above post.

Thanks these are the settings from the bios before the changes.. SHould I just change the voltage to 1.8, and leave everything as is?

Manually change the voltage to 1.8V and change the timings to 6 6 6 18 (i know these are looser than required but we need to be sure the crucial is stable at 1.8V).

Then i would run memtest for a couple of hours to test stability.

If it fails try slackening the timings a bit more (6 6 6 20) - or you could try overvolting the Corsair.

 

[TigerUK]

sucks.. I will run memtest and do a full round today.. and report back.. I was under the impression they were both 2v.

Doesn't the CPUiz timings table mean anything? Because according to that the corsair should run at 2.1v

 

[Plec]

You need to take the specifications from Corsair - and from my searches it's 1.8V.

All is not lost though - input the settings above and hopefully the crucial will run at the Corsair's looser timings at 1.8V.

 

[Plec]

Bump - hang on you may be able to up voltage - i'm on a corsair forum.

EDIT: They are 2.1V - i originally searched for TWIN2X4096-6400C5DHX (1.8V) - not 4DHX. i need to wear my glasses more.That CPU-z image was hard for me to read (see what i mean about lost in translation) i would have normally cut and paste the model number but it was within an image so i typed it.

OK, manually set the voltage to 2.0V (within crucial's spec) and set the timings to 5 5 5 18 - then you should be good to go. (emphasis on manually ).

PHEW! Hopefully, you'll be sorted.

 

[TigerUK]

Plec, thanks for responding and giving me help throughout this post. I learnt a few things from this.

Playing around with the voltage wasn't fruitful. I set the voltage at 2.0, 1.86 1.79 etc and have not been able to run it successully, on 1.86 it did book and run fine with all ram banks, and even did metest and it worked great, then then following day I tried to turn the computer on and it wuld not get past post. I tried to tweak it, but still failed, eventually I pulled out the old crucials and am running the corsair on the stated specs.

As you discovered the corsair was in fact 2.1v.. I should have pulled out the RAMs and read the label on the side

Im running the corsairs just fine in 4-4-4-12 2.1v, so what I'll do is sell the balistix and get another set of corsairs, and (will pay extra attention that it's the exact same ones as I have on now).. Hopefully I won't take a hit in the used market.

 

[Plec]

Plec, thanks for responding and giving me help throughout this post. I learnt a few things from this.

Not a problem – glad you found the process useful.

Playing around with the voltage wasn't fruitful. I set the voltage at 2.0, 1.86 1.79 etc and have not been able to run it successully, on 1.86 it did book and run fine with all ram banks, and even did metest and it worked great, then then following day I tried to turn the computer on and it wuld not get past post. I tried to tweak it, but still failed, eventually I pulled out the old crucials and am running the corsair on the stated specs.

There may still be hope for all 4 sticks...

When you were experimenting with the voltages did you try bumping up the NB (MCH) voltage?

Using all the memory slots puts additional stress on the memory controller (MCH) and this will in turn sometimes require more juice to keep 4 sticks stable.

If you didn’t try the slacker timings again at 2.0V and then bump the MCH voltage up by one or two increments.

 

[TigerUK]

Plec thanks for helping me out with this, in the end I just threw in the towel, the system would seem stable and boot fine, and then after long period of non use when I tried to reboot it would just give me a black screen, and I'd have to remove two rams out and then reconfigure the bios and retry.

All these technical aspects confuse me which is why I never bothered to overclock this rig which was clearly designed for it. In the end I just sold the two pairs of performance rams, and bought 2x4GB nonname rams. They work straight out of the box without configuring.. Plus the CL rate is just one step down from the downclocked CL that I was attempting with the pair of mixed performance rams.

So probably avoided,rather than solved, but you live and learn, maybe next time when I have more time to learn about computing stuff

 

[Plec]

Plec thanks for helping me out with this

Not a problem.

So probably avoided,rather than solved

Not at all, you gave it more of a go than most, and then made a logical, reasoned choice.

It's also quite prossible that the 2 sets would have never worked together, no matter how much tweaking you did, so you may have saved yourself a lot of needless headaches.

Life's too short to troubleshoot every problem to the n'th degree and as you rightly observed 'you live and learn' (well most do) - I'm glad you've finally found a solution.