Memory and overclocking?

[Gautama2]

Can someone explain to me, idiot-proofly, how memory can affect cpu overclocking and what memory dividers do.

 

[Golgatha]

If your memory is rated below the FSB setting you're trying to use, then it is running out of spec and is much more likely to cause errors, etc., which limits your overclocking ability provided you haven't hit a motherboard or CPU bottleneck.

Memory dividers do exactly what it sounds like they do. A 2:1 divider at 400Mhz FSB on the motherboard will clock the memory at 200Mhz for example.

Intel CPUs typically run best with no divider or 1:1 memory speed to FSB speed. The Core 2 Duos have a very low multiplier and run at 266Mhz FSB already natively (PC5400 DDR2 max rated speed), so you'll want something faster than PC5400 for Core 2 Duo overclocking. I'd recommend PC6400 (sometimes referred to as PC800 DDR2) or better.

 

[jg0001]

I'm running my e6400 at 150% using a 399 FSB and no other changes (PCI-e locked to 100, PCI to 33.3)
And (for now) I have only kingston valueram I bought 2+ years ago that is DDR2-4300 (533mhz).

Works like a charm (so far). I remain positively SHOCKED about it.

link to my thread on it
http://forums.anandtech.com/messageview...atid=28&threadid=1912606&enterthread=y

 

[Gautama2]

That clears a lot up, thanks

 

[Gautama2]

So i plain on overclocking my amd 3500+ to around 250 HTT, and i used Corsair XMS2 512mbx2 PC6400 would i have to change anything in the ram? Even up the volts? The board i plan on using has a max of 1.95 vdimm, will that hold me back since my ram is only 1.9v?