4X PC3200 1GB DIMMS won't run at 400MHZ

[orangat]

Originally posted by: Andreos
UPDATE

OCZ technical support is GREAT. They confirmed my processor/motherboard/RAM combo should, indeed, run at DDR400. They told me about memtest86+ and with it I was able to identify the bad pair of DIMMs, and they are under RMA. Hopefully in a few days I will have a good pair of DIMMs to replace them and will be running 4GB @ DDR400.

How long did it take for memtest to get an error?

 

[Andreos]

The errors happen in test #5, which takes about 45 minutes to get to. But I later learned that tests can be manually selected - once I select test #5 it takes about 10 minutes before the errors begin.

 

[CraigRT]

running 4 DIMM slots yields 166MHz memory all the time, no matter how fast the memory actually is... it's part of the nForce chipset... I'd run it at 166, as the memory controller is on the CPU, so the speed really doesn't matter much. check benchmarks if you don't believe me.

 

[Anubis]

Originally posted by: CraigRT
running 4 DIMM slots yields 166MHz memory all the time, no matter how fast the memory actually is... it's part of the nForce chipset... I'd run it at 166, as the memory controller is on the CPU, so the speed really doesn't matter much. check benchmarks if you don't believe me.

the new rev chips E6 will run it at 200 but at 2T

 

[Steve]

It's not just limited to the chipset, but to the JEDEC spec of DDR400 which is calculated with electrical considerations. As Anubis said, it can be done, but at 2T - and with some luck.

 

[Pabster]

Originally posted by: Anubis
the new rev chips E6 will run it at 200 but at 2T

Actually my experience is E6 will run well above 200 (albeit 2T) with 4 DIMMs. I've hit 230+.

 

[orangat]

Originally posted by: CraigRT
running 4 DIMM slots yields 166MHz memory all the time, no matter how fast the memory actually is... it's part of the nForce chipset... I'd run it at 166, as the memory controller is on the CPU, so the speed really doesn't matter much. check benchmarks if you don't believe me.

Newer versions of AMD processors (Venice onwards) have upgraded memory controllers and can run 4 sticks at 400Mhz at 2T.

 

[imported_michaelpatrick33]

I see a lot of people saying that the AMD processors don't support 4dimms at DDR400 which is true only for the pre E revision processors. The OP has an E revision processor and absolutely supports 4dimms at DDR400 at 2t. If that is not being achieved than there is either a bad cpu, motherboard, memory or psu (or not enough power as OCZ suggested).

 

[Hacp]

You can skip directly to test5 and do loops of it. Try that. I usually do loops of 5 and 8 when overclocking my ram, as those are the ones that usually fail.

 

[Andreos]

Originally posted by: michaelpatrick33
I see a lot of people saying that the AMD processors don't support 4dimms at DDR400 which is true only for the pre E revision processors. The OP has an E revision processor and absolutely supports 4dimms at DDR400 at 2t.

YES: OCZ tech support flatly stated to me that my processor, mobo and memory configuration should run at DDR400!

 

[potato28]

So thats y my 1 gig of 256 sticks are running slower than usual. And I have the same mobo, and it's the last time i buy 1 for Overclocking...

 

[Andreos]

Originally posted by: potato28
So thats y my 1 gig of 256 sticks are running slower than usual. And I have the same mobo, and it's the last time i buy 1 for Overclocking... Vcore locked.

potato28: I'm able to adjust Vcore on my board, using the F6 BIOS.

 

[Andreos]

FINAL UPDATE -- AND A BIG TIP TO ANYONE STRUGGLING TO GET 4x STICKS OF RAM RUNNING AT DDR400!!!

I now have my system running at DDR400 reliably. I have over 24 hours of memtest86+ tests without a single error, and nearly that much "user" time with no problems.

Here's what I did - instead of installing the memory sticks in the "matched pairs" as supplied by OCZ, I mixed them up. Much to my surprise that did the trick!

As it was explained in another forum:

"The problem is that populating all four DIMM slots on a motherboard puts a high capacitive load on the memory controllers. That load, in turn, can have a negative effect on the signal quality and hence hurt the ability of the system as a whole of operating at very high clock speeds.

As for what you can do, sometimes it is worth swapping the modules around to see if it will help. Sometimes there are unit to unit variations and installing the modules in a different order can help with your configuration."

 

[drum]

Originally posted by: piotrgurin
Yea, i'm runnin 4 gigs no prob on an ultra D @ 200mhz. or 400 whatever it is lol.

Why did u buy gigabyte mobo? Oh yea and also value ram? come on man your asking for trouble with this hardware.

You shouldn't be suprised

I have a gigabyte mobo and value ram and I haven't had a single issue in 2 years