A8N-SLI CPU/RAM Settings Messed?

[Sean Maxwell]

Hello,

When I enter my BIOS and set my frequency to 260x10, the processor runs fine, but it sets my DDR500 down to DDR266. So I went into my RAM settings, and set it to DDR500. But that makes my cpu run at 250x7. If I try to set my multiplier to 10 again, the RAM settings default back to "Auto." I have tried multiple BIOS', I am currently on 1007 beta. I cannot find any solutions to my issue, can anyone help?

- Sean

 

[ahurtt]

You will need to set your overclock profile to "Manual." And just as a side note, you probably won't be able to get your system to run RAM at 1T command rate if you set the HTT above about 240. And to get comparable performance from memory at 2T compared with 1T, you'd have to up it to about 290 which probably will not work. It is rumored the 1007 BIOS is supposed to fix this 1T above 240 problem. Let us know.

 

[GuitarDaddy]

Don't use the DDR500 memory setting its useless regardless of the rated speed of your ram. Use DDR400 if you want to overclock your ram 1:1 with HTT. But like Ahurtt said you can't go over 245 1T(ie..2.45ghz) and 2T is not worth it. And I've tried 1007.002 is doesn't fix the problem.

Most people use the DDR333 setting for overclocking. I'm currently running 292 x 9 = 2628mhz DDR333=ram@238mhz(DDR476). And don't forget to drop you HTT multi to 3x if you use HTT over 260

Everybody including myself that bought highspeed ram to run with this board, has a hard time excepting the current ram limitations on this board. My best advice is "Get over it!", because on A64's ram speed is just not that important, CPU speed is much more important. And running ram at 1:1 at the cost of lower CPU speed is not smart.

It's rumored that a new bios next week will fix this issue, but I'm not holding my breath as I've been waiting since mid December.

 

[DerKaiser]

Most people use the DDR333 setting for overclocking. I'm currently running 292 x 9 = 2628mhz DDR333=ram@238mhz(DDR476).

On my A8N-SLI, I can boot and run stably at 1:1 1T up to 220 Mhz HTT only with my Crucial Ballistix PC4000 memory. So I know the memory can handle at least that speed. I can also run up to 250 mhz HTT at 1:1 at 2T, so I know the mb can handle up to 250 mhz. However, if I use the DDR333 divider, it won't even boot if the HTT is at 240 mhz which should be 200 mhz for the RAM. At lower HTT speeds using the DDR333 divider, I can boot into Windows and CPU-Z indicates the divider is giving the correct memory frequency. It's absolutely driving me crazy that I can't even use the divider to get a decent memory speed. This is the third Asus board I have owned and they have all had flaky BIOSes. Argghh.

It seems like it's not a memory problem at 1T, but rather it won't go over a certain HTT speed with the 1T setting.

The 1006 BIOS did allow me to boot at 240 mhz FSB with the DDR333 divider, but it was not stable.

 

[ahurtt]

Originally posted by: DerKaiser


It seems like it's not a memory problem at 1T, but rather it won't go over a certain HTT speed with the 1T setting.

Exactly, now you got it.

 

[DerKaiser]

Yes, but I can set the HTT to 250, the divider to DDR266 and it runs just fine at 1T, so it's not really an HTT 1T problem, is it?

 

[ryoanji]

DerKaiser,

I have similar set-up as yours (see sig) and exactly the same problem. Just a few observations. With 1003 bios I could not get over 235-240 HTT period, even with CPU multi at 6 and 1/2 mem divider. Secondly, I got the divider working fine with 1004.1 beta in a following convoluted experiment. Set DDR 333 in bios HTT 200, log into Win, then in nTune drop HTT multi to 4x (1004.1 seem to always keep HTT multi at 5x no matter what the BIOS setting is. nTune to check that) and then voila increase HTT in clockgen to 274, giving me a memory running at 1:1 5/6 mem div @ 225. Stupid ASUS bios - Crucial incomatibility problem.

 

[DerKaiser]

Interesting. You know, I've been meaning to check the Crucial memory thing as I've got 2 256 Meg sticks of Geil PC4200 in another machine, but haven't gotten around to it yet. I thing I'll give that a try tonight.

 

[ryoanji]

Just note that with 2 256 sticks you are not bound by 250 1t limit

 

[GuitarDaddy]

Originally posted by: DerKaiser


It seems like it's not a memory problem at 1T, but rather it won't go over a certain HTT speed with the 1T setting.

It's definately a ram speed problem not HTT. I'm currently running 292HTT with ram at 1T using the DDR333 divider. I have run HTT as high as 325mhz using 1T and a divider

 

[GuitarDaddy]

Originally posted by: ryoanji
Just note that with 2 256 sticks you are not bound by 250 1t limit

Thats correct, I've seen several reports of people getting past 250 1T with 256mb sticks.

Almost makes me want to ditch my 2x512 for 2x256

 

[ahurtt]

Originally posted by: DerKaiser
Yes, but I can set the HTT to 250, the divider to DDR266 and it runs just fine at 1T, so it's not really an HTT 1T problem, is it?

Actually yes you are right, I misspoke. It will not go above about 240-ish at 1T when you are running at 1:1 ratio with your CPU (meaning DDR 400 for the A8N SLI)

 

[ahurtt]

Originally posted by: GuitarDaddy

Originally posted by: ryoanji
Just note that with 2 256 sticks you are not bound by 250 1t limit

Thats correct, I've seen several reports of people getting past 250 1T with 256mb sticks.

Almost makes me want to ditch my 2x512 for 2x256

Hmmm now this is news I had not seen before until here.