Is my RAM causing the crashes?

[mazeroth]

I have a DFI Lanparty NF4 Ultra with an Opteron 165 and I've been running it rock solid at 2.4ghz with Corsair Value Select 2x512. I've heard a lot of people say the Corsair Value Select and the DFI don't get along and I might have just gotten a taste of that.

I installed Oblivion and anytime a spell was cast my computer would lock up completely or crash back to Windows. I tried EVERYTHING to fix it, including a fresh format and install of XP with no luck. The last thing I did was lower my HTT to 222 from 267 and VOILA, it works like a charm now. I never, ever had a problem playing games with my Opty at 2.4ghz until Oblivion came along.

Does it sound like it's a RAM problem? If so, can you recommend me a cheap pair of RAM (1gb is plenty, 2 would be nice if it's cheap) that will allow me to OC my Opty back to where I had it, or higher?

Thanks!

 

[the cobbler]

I ran my Corsair 2x512mbs for a long time on my Sli-D, so they can work just fine. Lots of others run them as well...but they seem to be hit and miss for some users. You probably will have a difficult time running Oblivion, COD2, FEAR, BF2, etc. with just 1GB of RAM, unless you turn down textures, etc.

1) please post your current RAM timings and voltage

2) what memory divider where you using @2.4ghz with the 267FSB?

3) have you run memtest86+ with the RAM at your former settings (2.4ghz?)

also, could just be heat from the GPU...

I would strongly consider getting a nice cheap 2GB set ~$200 like Mushkin XP4000 or G.skill HZs. iirc, G.Skills are on sale @ Newegg right now for ~$175 after instant rebate.

 

[mazeroth]

Here's a screenshot of my current setup. I didn't change anything else when I went from 2.4ghz to 2.0ghz so the settings should be the same. Also, it's the only place I knew of to host the image.

http://www.polkaudio.com/forums/showthread.php?p=460424#post460424

Oh yeah, I did forget one minor detail. I also switched memory banks on my motherboard. I had one chip in the yellow and one in the orange. Someone told me to try both in orange and then it wouldn't load at 2.4ghz. I had to back it down to 2.0ghz for it to load Windows. I think them both being in orange means I'm in dual channel mode, right?

Sorry for the newbish questions, but I am a newb

 

[the cobbler]

I'm a little confused by that screenshot

so you are using 180mhz divider correct? then @267FSB, your RAM would have been running at 2.5,3,3,8 and ~240mhz, which I would bet my life that it isn't stable at that speed/timings. mostly those top out at ~225-230mhz (the GOOD ones, hehe...bad ones are <220mhz)

I would back up and start running memtest86+ from bios. You will need to figure out where your RAM is stable/what timings before you just start plugging things in trying to find max CPU speed.

 

[the cobbler]

also, put those sticks in orange/orange, not yellow/yellow or yellow/orange

they don't like yellow/yellow

try these timings in bios, should be pretty much in order

CPC=enabled
2.5
3
7
3
14
17
4
3
2
4
tref= auto
twcl= 1
BI= enabled
dns= auto
dns value= 0
drive strength= level 7 / weak 4
data strength = level 3 or level 4
Max asynch= 10ns or auto
dram response= normal
read preamble= 7ns, 8ns or auto
dynamic counter= ENABLED
idle cycle timer= 256clocks or auto
8x
4x
32-bit gran= disabled

those should get you about as much as you'll get from those sticks

I'll check back periodically tonight in case you have questions, etc.

also, set vdimm to either 2.70v and "+.03= DISABLED, or you can try 2.60v and "+.03v= enabled". I wouldn't go much higher than that, won't gain you anything.

 

[mazeroth]

Thanks for the help! I've been busy cleaning the basement and will give these timings a shot in an hour or two. I've never messed with timings so we'll see how this goes.

Thanks again.

 

[F1shF4t]

My value select ram hates my mainboard, i cant run the mem above 190mhz stable (ddr380 speeds), so u might need to run a lower divider.

 

[mazeroth]

I tried the cobbler's timings and it allowed me to go from 2.0ghz to 2.2ghz. I then tried the 9:10 divider (180mhz) and now I'm running at 2.25ghz. However, when I run SuperPI with one on each core, one of the cores gets a NOT EXACT IN ROUNDING error.

I've still very new to overclocking and was wondering would upping my CPU voltage help at all? I'm runninn at 1.31v right now, according to Smartguardian. I changed the CPU VID StartUp Value to 1.350v but Smartguardian is still showing 1.31v.

Thanks!

 

[the cobbler]

please post the exact settings you are running right now

250x9, or what? 250x9 your RAM might not be stable with 180mhz divider...would be running @ 225mhz and most Corsair VS won't do that...

i would drop your memory divider back down to 166mhz or even 150mhz which will keep your RAM ~200mhz or less, where you KNOW it's stable. then keep pushing CPU until you reach 270FSB or so, where again you will need to drop your memory divider to at least 150-140mhz....and so on

you have to keep your actual RAM speed under 220mhz at least until you figure out how high your CPU will go.

Personally, i think you are going about this backwards. I would drop CPU multi to x6 or x7, set memory divider to 200mhz, set HTT=200mhz and start bumping RAM speed 5mhz at a time. Each time you bump RAM speed, test with memtest86+...3 runs of test #5 and 1 run of test #8. Keep bumping speed until you get errors. Drop back a couple mhz until errors in these tests disappear, then let memtest run ALL TESTS at least 30-40 passes. This will take probably 12-18 hours. Once you know where your RAM is stable, THEN you can start pushing your CPU.

if you don't know where your RAM is stable, you'll never know what is causing problems. I doubt one core of your 165 is crapping out @ 2.2ghz...but it's possible