RAM timings

[wellmad]

Hi,

i read the first part of the overclocking guide and just want to check something. I have a GA-965P-DQ6 mainboard with a Q6600 CPU and 2gb of 6400 kingston hyper-x RAM.

With the default BIOS settings, CPU-Z shows an FSB: DRAM of 2:3 and timings of 5-5-5-16
In the BIOS I have lowered the Memory Frequency from the default of 800 to 533, which I acheived by setting my System Memory Multiplier to 2.00

Now CPU-Z shows FSB: DRAM of 1:1 and timings of 4-4-4-11

So, I've lowered the frequency of my RAM, is this better? Surely, the higher the frequency, the faster the RAM?

Can someone just clarify that this is indeed the way forward and the best setting, or should I increase the FSB in order to keep the 1:1 ratio with a higher RAM frequency? My CPU clock speed hasn't changed as a result of this, but I would like to increase this as well

[Magnets]

Hi,
Now CPU-Z shows FSB: DRAM of 1:1 and timings of 4-4-4-11

So, I've lowered the frequency of my RAM, is this better? Surely, the higher the frequency, the faster the RAM?

Can someone just clarify that this is indeed the way forward and the best setting, or should I increase the FSB in order to keep the 1:1 ratio with a higher RAM frequency? My CPU clock speed hasn't changed as a result of this, but I would like to increase this as well

If your ram is faster than your FSB, you need to raise your FSB to match the RAM. By lowering the frequency (clock rate) of the RAM, you just slowed it down.
Lower frequency RAM (in MHz), will mean the ram can have tighter (lower) timings though. But having more speed, is better than having lower timings.

Take a look at these overclocking guides
C2D overclocking guide
This guide is for gigabyte 965p boards.

Your RAM runs at 800MHz effective, 400MHz actual rate.
The mobo (IIRC) is 1333 FSB.
The CPU is 9x266MHz

To run your RAM at 1:1 at full speed, you need to overclock your CPU to 400MHz FSB (400x9 = 3.6GHz). This also means you need your bus to run at 1600MHz, instead of the standard 1333.

Apparently the Quad cores get really hot, i don't know if 3.6GHz is possible on air.


Personally, i would see how high you can get the CPU without it getting too hot (or search the web for other peoples results), then depending on how far you need to downclock your RAM, i would either downclock to 1:1 ratio (if it's not too far off). Or leave it running a divider.
*cue 1:1 vs divider debate*

[Clunk]

The only reason for me telling people to run the RAM at 1:1 in the guide, is because many people automatically assume that once they have set the RAM to 800Mhz (or whatever theirs is) that it stays at 800Mhz when they overclock the FSB, and this just isnt the case.

If you start off with your RAM at 800Mhz (PC2-6400 RAM I'm talking about here), and then start upping the FSB, the RAM speed will also rise, and this isnt a good thing because you are instantly running your RAM out of spec.

To do this, you will need RAM that you know overclocks well, and also you will need to carefully add voltage, which can easily kill the RAM, and that is why I always recommend 1:1 for beginners.

[wellmad]

ok, thanks guys, back to original settings...

Will have to spend some time reading those guides