Can DDR2-800 memory underclock?

Bob151

Senior member
Apr 13, 2000
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Due to a long string of hardware which would not OC, Northwood 1.8 on P4B533-E, and A64 3000+ on K8N-E Deluxe HW rev 1.04 (the rev w/o OC'ing options everyone got on the 1.05 hw rev), I am asking.

Of which problems included a disagreement with Corsair about my memory problems on P4B533. They distanced themselves from instability issues with their CMX PC2700 installed in the P4B533. I was hoping to use that memory to OC. That system wouldn't operate reliably OC, and wouldn't run at all unOC'ed. They said it was because the memory wasn't supported running on that systemboard as that board operated at 266 only. Amazingly, retail boxed Kingston PC2700 memory ran on that 266Mhz board and passed memtest86 after about 20 hours of tests, in fact it still runs at this very moment.

So, now you know the background. I don't want to spend $550 on 3 components which wont work together.

I want to get the Asus P5B Deluxe, the E6300(or E6340 if I can wait), some well rated memory from newegg, and maybe a 1950Pro.

So, if for some reason I get a MB/CPU combo which doesn't OC, will my memory work at a lower speed than its speed? Can memory these days not have to operate on the bus at 400Mhz? I've heard there is a memory clocking ratio, but when I read through the manual, I didn't find what the ratio numbers are.

I haven't really decided exactly which memory to get, there are a few that are well rated which users say they have run on P5B boards.

Can someone very knowledgeable about these components comment on the memory component underclocking or the memory ratios?

Thanks.
 

smopoim86

Senior member
Feb 26, 2006
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Yes, mem can underclock. The speed stated is the upper end that it is guaranteed to run at.
 

Roguestar

Diamond Member
Aug 29, 2006
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Your memory will automatically run at the FSB's speed unless you're overclocking your CPU, you don't even need to think about it.
 

engiNURD

Diamond Member
Jan 15, 2004
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Keep it simple. Just run everything at a 1:1 ratio... so raise your FSB to 400, and you'll get 7 * 400 = 2.8Ghz @ DDR2-800. Intel C2Ds run best at 1:1 anyhow. If you can, get the E64X0, along with a Scythe ninja or something (tuniq, infiity, 9700, etc), and run it even higher, 8 * 400 = 3.2Ghz @ DDR2-800.
 

Bob151

Senior member
Apr 13, 2000
857
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Thanks all, yea, I know that just about everyone has been getting great OCing using quality coolers. But just in case, I was concerned about the memory based on Corsair's dismissing of my problem in the past. I won't get Corsair again, but I don't know about all the other brands of memory ability to underclock in the event I get another old HW rev of a mainboard or a lame E6xx0.