Setting up RAM correctly when oc'ing.

Michaeljcox24 · 3 Jun 2010 at 20:17

If I set up an FSB of 1200 on a quad core Q6600, do I need to set the RAM at 600MHZ? I have two sticks of DDR2 in the machine (800MHZ) but they only run in single channel mode.

1200/4 = 300
300 x 2 = 600

Or is it ok just to leave the ram at 800MhZ as per auto setting?

cmndr_andi · 3 Jun 2010 at 21:38

Why are they only running in single channel mode? Are they in the correct slots? (it should say on your motherboard manual which slots to put them in for dual channel mode).

What is the exact rating of the RAM (this detail should be provided on the RAM product page, the packaging that the sticks came in and/or the sticks themselves)? The motherboard defaults of 800MHz (400MHz without taking DDR into account), but this does not mean it is running at the correct speed. Also, often the BIOS defaults will be the wrong voltage and timings for the specific RAM you are using - you are best finding out what the rated voltage/timings of your sticks are and input them into the BIOS.

Also, it is good to run the RAM at the same speed at the FSB (ie 300MHz, 600MHz DDR). However, if this is a good deal less than the rated speed of the RAM, then the performance/stability hit of using a divider is worthwhile due to the greater memory bandwidth available.

Michaeljcox24 · 3 Jun 2010 at 21:55

the machine wont boot when i put them in the dual channel slots. Board must be dodgy but at the moment i dont have the time to do a rebuild with a new board.
ive put the right voltage in, 1.85v. ram is rated at 800mhz. In the bios, there is a box you have to fill in for memory speed which is underneath the fsb you want to use for your overclock. ive got it set as 'unlinked' because when its linked the memory speed goes to over 800 and the machine tdrs in games.
at present its a Q6600 and the max overclock i can get is 2.7. seems low compared to what everyone else gets on this chip and i wasnt sure if i had set memory up correctly

reygjabla · 5 Jun 2010 at 09:39

Run your CPU first on default and run your memory on dual channel mode to make sure everything is working normally before you start overclocking.

It helps for the Guru's here to offer sound advise if you list down the details of your components as well. i.e. memory type and make, motherboard make, case and cooling, etc,etc.