Memory HELP PLEASE!!!

[Bruizer]

Alright, i just bought another gig (2x512) of GeIL Ultra DDR500 to put in my computer. I did all the research and found out since i have a Venice 3000 processor i should still be able to run my ram at 200 mhz at 2t timings dispite filling all four dimms. It didn't bother me that performance might drop a percent or two so i went ahead and got the 2 more sticks. I actually found out that the 1 gig i was already running was set to 2t timings so i figured my performance wouldnt go down any further. However, got the new ram popped it in and now i wanna cry! My 3dmark03 score went down 600 points from 6100 to 5500 killing my fps. I used to play BF2 at medium with no problem now i sometimes get hickups and lag. I set the mhz in the bios to 200 but it performs no different from 166 mhz. I also have a MSI Neo2 Platinum motherboard. Could it be the problem? It says its supposed to run all 4 dimms at dual channel and i can set it at 200mhz with my venice, but no dice. Could it be the chipset on the board or something? Please help!

 

[montag451]

4 DIMMS isn't a great idea.
You need to wait for someone who is knowledgeable about dual channel, but, in general, try to keep some slots empty!
You might be able to get away with lowering the RAM timings of all slots. This may give them a chance to catch up with each other and sync a little better.

 

[Bruizer]

Thanks for your reply. I know its better going with 2x1gig sticks, but i can't get my ram in that and i really like what i got. The fact still remains though that my fps shouldn't have taken that big of hit when number one i was already running at 2t 2.4.4.7 with 1gig getting 6168 on 3dmark03 and putting in the extra gig it stayed at 2t 2.4.4.7 and i set it to 200mhz but it dropped to 5500 and i started getting hickups(yes, i realize thats a very long run on sentence), and number two i have a venice core processor which are designed to do 200mhz at 2t timings. Number three, my mobo is supposed to support 4 dimms dual channel(MSI Neo2 Platinum) which it says it running at, but it also says its running at 200mhz when its basically still 166. Could uprading to an N-Force 4 ultra motherboard help since maybe my MSI isn't designed to take advantage of the Venice core?

 

[montag451]

I personally have never seen a mobo that works brilliantly when 4 or more usually 3 DIMM slots are filled.
But - best to try the mobo forum, and no harm in posting in General Hardware as well. Tell them you are cross posting.

 

[deathwalker]

I find it hard to believe that you can get 4 stick of memory to run at those timings stable...and mixed memory at that I assume. I would detune the memory to around 3-4-4-8 at 2t and bump the voltage up a to 2.8 or 2.9. Those setting are very aggresive for using 4 stick of memory...that adds a lot of latency to the memory bus.

 

[Bruizer]

Actually, i have all four sticks funning at 2.3.3.6 at 2t timings prime95 stable with the voltage at 2.70. I tryed ocing them today and got them to 240 with 2.70 but then my desktop would freeze up after a second or two and i decided not to mess with it until i got some help from people that know what they're talking about and have done it like yall. I'm not the most knowledgable person when it comes to computers, but i do have a brother and some of his friends that teach me as i go.

 

[Bruizer]

Also, ive got the bios installed off the CD and not an updated version! Could that be the problem? If so i got an updated one downloaded but i dont exactly know how to flash a bios.

 

[Bruizer]

Alright yall, ive tried updating the bios on my MSI Neo2 platinum to the latest 1.b and relaxing my timings and slowly tightining them but still no dice. Help Please! Is the motherboard just not new enough to take advantage of the venice cores memory controller possibly?

 

[montag451]

Last piece of advice I can give you is something you don't wanna hear - take out a stick or two.

 

[Bruizer]

I'm leaning towards that! I'll at least try it but ill probably end up putting it back in, just because i hate having unused stuff lying around. You know how stubborn us 4x512 people are.

 

[Bruizer]

GUESS WHAT!!! I TOOK OUT THE TWO STICKS I HAD PUT IN AND IT DIDN"T DO JACK! PERFORMANCE STAYED THE SAME! Either my msi 9800pro is messed up or my msi neo2 platinum board has gone defunk.

Just test my computer with the original 2x512 at 2t, at 1t and all 4x512 and got the exact same performance/score for each one, give or take a point!

 

[mountcarlmore]

reinstall the mobo and video card drivers