IP35 Pro and 4x1GB RAM Modules

[silvercue]

I have an Abit IP35 Pro with a Q6600 at 3ghz.

Vista Home Prem 64bit SP1.

Running stable with 2x 1GB Corsair Dominator PC2-8500 modules.

If I add 2 more to take me to my desired 4GB the system is unstable. I have tried upping MHC 1, 2 and 3 notches, but still unstable.

Only way I can get stability with the 4 modules is to lower speed down to ~800 from 1066.

Not my preferred choice as I feel I am getting less, not more, from my system now.

I would welcome any suggestions. Has anyone managed to get a similar set up running at correct speeds?

Corsair are suggesting that it is the motherbaord that is the cause and I wont find any RAM that works properly in 4x modules on this board....

PS - I know that 2x2GB is a better solution, but I have been away from PC building fow a while and using 4 slots never used to be a problem in the "good old days"

[gilgamesh]

I have an Abit IP35 Pro with a Q6600 at 3ghz.

Vista Home Prem 64bit SP1.

Running stable with 2x 1GB Corsair Dominator PC2-8500 modules.

If I add 2 more to take me to my desired 4GB the system is unstable. I have tried upping MHC 1, 2 and 3 notches, but still unstable.

Only way I can get stability with the 4 modules is to lower speed down to ~800 from 1066.

Not my preferred choice as I feel I am getting less, not more, from my system now.

I would welcome any suggestions. Has anyone managed to get a similar set up running at correct speeds?

Corsair are suggesting that it is the motherbaord that is the cause and I wont find any RAM that works properly in 4x modules on this board....

PS - I know that 2x2GB is a better solution, but I have been away from PC building fow a while and using 4 slots never used to be a problem in the "good old days"

Nope corsair are telling you fibs im afraid.

On this board I have had 4x1gig of crucial ballstic 8500 ram @ 5-5-5-15 running at ddr2 1067

What are the timings you are using in addition to the volts your using?

cheers

gilgamesh

[silvercue]

gilgamesh - thanks for the reply.

Timings are 5-5-5-15 2T IIRC. I set them manually for the board when running the CPU at stock and left them the same for the 3ghz clock.

Volts I set to 2.1 (manufacturer recommended value). Also tried 2.2 with the 4 sticks. Didn't want to go higher as I don't know what safe limits are.

[gilgamesh]

AHHHHHHHHHH forgot you are using vista 64

OK try this
uninstall vista and take 2 GIGS out save bios and reset

Install Vista
Install ALL patches for vista and reset
power off
Install the last 2 gigs of ram (this is a known vista issue)

The instability is this only in vista or during POST?

what bios version are you using?

gilgamesh

[silvercue]

I have instability when I play games or run stress testing utilities.

No other time.

The unisntall of Vista looks similar to how I installed it though.

I originally installed, patched and didn't upgarde to the extra 2 modules until a few weeks later....

If you think I should do this again, I can......

I will check BIOS later. I used the software to flash BIOS, but have read on a number of sites that this is not best and should install from BIOS via floppy or USB....

[gilgamesh]

yes ALways do a bios flash from MSDOS do not use the abit flash util!

gilgamesh

[silvercue]

Not sure how to check BIOS.

While system is booting I see BIOS 1.06.74

In the Flash Utility after booting it says 6A790A1BC-16

Should I update, or is it not going to help with this problem?

[gilgamesh]

i think there is a beta 1.7 out there, however you should have no problem with the bios you have.

Reset Bios memory to SPD timings but volts back to 2.1 then change the ratio to reflect teh change to 1066 save exit and boot
test then
if it is stable THEN slowly change the spd timings

Just a thought could be one stick of ram is faulty
insert one modual at a time, set the paremeters i.e 1066 and cl timings.

If you come to a stick that (since its on its own) refuses to boot or be stable @1066 then you have a fualty stick

gilgamesh

[silvercue]

thanks again gilgamesh.

I will try the 1 stick at a time routine. Test in memtest and playing a game. Is there a particular memeory slot I should use to do that? I'll check the motherboard manual.

Once that has been done I will do the timings test.

I'm not sure what SPD means...is that like a default auto detect value.....?

I assume the timings are the 5-5-5-15 2T bit...?

[gilgamesh]

thanks again gilgamesh.

I will try the 1 stick at a time routine. Test in memtest and playing a game. Is there a particular memeory slot I should use to do that? I'll check the motherboard manual.

Once that has been done I will do the timings test.

I'm not sure what SPD means...is that like a default auto detect value.....?

I assume the timings are the 5-5-5-15 2T bit...?

SPD Serial Prescence Detect (auto detection) sometimes board detect this incorrectly, so its best to check the specs of your ram and set accordingly. Insert RAM in the first dimm slot (nearest CPU)

gilgamesh

[silvercue]

I have not had enough time to do all those module tests yet - will crack on tonight.

Just a couple of questions (sorry to be a pain!)

I have seen on threads that uGuru indicates its safe to up MCH to 1.6v. This is many notches up and a lot higher than default. Is it actually safe to try that high? Or could I cause other problems by doing that?

When you said reset to SPD timings (board defaults) and slowly increase...(RAM can run at 5-5-5-15 2t) is there any way I should increase...or just trial and error?

Also, I mentioned earlier that Corsair are pointing to the board. I have now been told

""There is a chance but its less that 10% 4 modules will run at DDR1066 on that MB.""

Am I wasting my time here? I really can't afford to get new RAM (2x2GB) but starting to feel that's the only solution

[gilgamesh]

I have not had enough time to do all those module tests yet - will crack on tonight.

Just a couple of questions (sorry to be a pain!)

I have seen on threads that uGuru indicates its safe to up MCH to 1.6v. This is many notches up and a lot higher than default. Is it actually safe to try that high? Or could I cause other problems by doing that?

When you said reset to SPD timings (board defaults) and slowly increase...(RAM can run at 5-5-5-15 2t) is there any way I should increase...or just trial and error?

Also, I mentioned earlier that Corsair are pointing to the board. I have now been told

""There is a chance but its less that 10% 4 modules will run at DDR1066 on that MB.""

Am I wasting my time here? I really can't afford to get new RAM (2x2GB) but starting to feel that's the only solution

Still sounds like baloney to me! Check each individual stick of ram, and see what happens from there.

gilgamesh

[silvercue]

Ram sticks seem fine, though I don't know what is best to test them with, so used memtest, not sure if that puts them under much load though?

So, I tried to set the DDR to ~1066 - I increased the DDRvoltage from 2.1 to 2.15 and upped the MCH 4 notches. I then set the timings to SPD.

Saved and loaded Vista. I decided to go straight to Crysis as that usually finds the RAM problems faster than anything else....and it would not even load my saved game. Got halfway and game froze, but I managed to close via task manager.

The best I have been able to get is:

DDR ~834
5-5-5-15 2T

That is by increasing the MCH 4 or 5 notches and increasing DRAMvoltage from 2.1 to 2.15

Any increase in that speed means that the two games I am testing on - Conan and Crysis lead to BSODs, or lock ups. Also instability elsewhere, generally crash or BSOD within a 3 or 4 minutes.

Gilgamesh - you have been most helpful. But I am thinking this RAM just won't play in 4s....im really disapointed. First time I have used Corsair...

[Nelly.]

You tried talking to Yellowbeard in the Corsair section?

Also have a look at your sticks, see what it says on each set of sticks.

CM2X1024-8500C5D/F
........................XMS850X v1.X...MICRON.........64Mx8...Rev.D (2.2 Volts)
........................XMS850X v2.X...Qimonda........64Mx8...70Nm (2.1 Volts)
........................XMS850X v3.X...Elpida............64Mx8...(2.2 Volts)
........................XMS850X v4.X...PSC..............128Mx8 (2.1 Volts)

As far as I can remember the older sticks use Micron IC's & as you can see they have changed with the very latest manufactured sticks using PSC IC's.

Let us know if they are different, I woudnt be surprised to be honest.

[silvercue]

Nelly - thanks.

I will take a look see what they say today.

Might try Yellowbeard too.

[Nelly.]

Nelly - thanks.

I will take a look see what they say today.

Might try Yellowbeard too.

Let me know if they are different i.e. 2x1gb & 2x1gb sticks, just curious.

Definitley ask Yellowbeard, it maybe that even with non-matching pairs in terms of IC's used it shoudnt make a difference, but I cant tell you that - maybe Yellowbeard can.

Let us know how you get on.