Pentium 4/RDRAM owners.....question please?

[GHz]

To all Pentium 4/RDRAM owners. I would like to know if any of you are able to clock your PC800 RDRAM to PC1066 with a 133MHz (533MHz QDR) FSB. If you have what motherboard are you using and which brand memory did you buy? Thanks for you replies.

 

[GHz]

bump

 

[SSXeon5]

Most people use a Abit TH7II and samsung PC-800 .... but RDRAM is done, the new B's (533MHz fsb) and the i850E chipsets might not even support PC-1066 because of high prices. PC-2100 or PC-2700 DDR is your best choice. All the next chipsets for the P4 is dual channel DDR in Q3-02. my $.02

SSXeon

 

[GHz]

Thanks for your reply SSXeon5, but the reason I was considering RDRAM for my P4 system is because currently RDRAM is the only memory that can be kept in sync with the P4 FSB and if I could hit PC1066 with a pair of PC800 RIMMs everything would be kept in sync when I attempt to clock a 1.8GHz Northwood to 2.4GHz. I read the news that RDRAM got dropped from Intel's roadmap, but currently, from what I've been reading, RDRAM is still the best solution for a Pentium 4 solution, especially with the NWs 512KB L2 Cache. I do eventually plan to move to DDR, as I currently have a pair of PC2700 DDRs in my Athlon rig, but until they go dual channel, I am strongly considering taking the RDRAM path. The question is, if my chances of getting a PC800 RIMM to run at PC1066 are slim, then I will just stick with DDR, it will be cheaper for me and when I O/C the memory, it will most likely outperform PC800, but I doubt it will outperform PC800 running at PC1066.

BTW, my planned upgrade calls for a 1.8GHz P4 NW, Abit TH7II-RAID or Asus P4TE (w/ PCI RAID controller card), and Corsair PC800 or Samsung PC800 RDRAM.

 

[jiffylube1024]

<< but the reason I was considering RDRAM for my P4 system is because currently RDRAM is the only memory that can be kept in sync with the P4 FSB >>



Umm, what are you talking about? You can run DDR SDRAM in synch @ PC2100 (133 MHz DDR=266 MHz) using a P4 1.8A@2.4 on an Asus P4B266 (or other intel i845D chipset) and you can run DDR SDRAM in synch @ PC 2700 (166 MHz DDR = 333 MHz) using the P4 on an Asus P4S333 (or other SiS chipset mobo).

 

[GHz]

What I meant by in sync is the memory bandwidth. At 400MHz, the FSB bandwidth is 3.2GB/sec theoretical and with PC800 RDRAM, it is the same. At 533MHz the FSB bandwidth is 4.2GB/sec theoretical, and if I could clock a PC800 RIMM to PC1066, my memory bandwidth would also be the same. On the other hand, with DDR even overclocked to 177MHz, if I were to maintain a 3:4 ratio with the memory, would only give me theoretical memory bandwidth of 2.8GB/sec, while my FSB will have a bandwidth of 4.2GB/sec. This is obviously why I want to maintain the memory bandwidth in sync with the FSB bandwidth, I see that currently with only a single channel DDR wont have the bandwidth, as I read, won't have enough bandwidth to "feed" a NW CPU running faster than 2GHz, at least till they have dual channel DDR.

BTW, I am also considering a DDR solution to my upgrade since I already have some PC2700 memory in my Athlon system.

 

[lastig21]

Abit TH7-II (ICS 9212DF-03 memory clock generators), and Samsung 16 device 256meg rimms. I can hit about a 136fsb with the combo, but the ram is the limiting factor.

 

[SHrKY]

SSXeon5,
You're correct in saying that RDRAM is not supported by any chipset distant future in Intel's roadmaps. But (no offense meant),


<< RDRAM is done, the new B's (533MHz fsb) and the i850E chipsets might not even support PC-1066 because of high prices. >>


is blatenly incorrect. The sole purpose of Intel releasing the i850E is for PC-1066 support. If they were not planning on moving to 1066, the existing i850 chipset would suffice for the 533MHz FSB (which is made evident by OCed i850 systems running at 600+MHz FSB speeds). The fact of the matter is, Samsung's existing PC-800 RIMMs have no trouble running at 1066, and RDRAM is not that expensive anymore. (comparable to DDR; check pricewatch if you don't beleive me) After i850E, who knows what will happen with RDRAM. I think Intel would be better off supporting both technologies, but understand why they would want to drop those sleazy b*st*rds at Rambus.


GHz,
The DDR vs. RDRAM predicament comes down to ethics vs. performance. Are you willing to support a shady company in your quest for an insainly fast system? But if you already have the memory that desicion has been made.
In my opinion, if you already have RDRAM use it! Don't sacrafice the system performance gained from increased bandwidth. Use the better technology while Intel still supports it. Get a TH7 II or a P4T-E, and they will get you close if not to 1066. Current versions of the latter have DRCGs that are designed for 1066, so you'd probably be better off with that one.
Personally, I have a 1.6A on a TH7 II and double-sided Samsung 256MB RIMMS that will run stable at 1066. (I don't currently run it at that since my processor could handle a higher FSB)

Anyway, thats just my opinion, in the end it's up to you so good luck with it.

 

[GHz]

SHrKY, thanks for your insightful reply, and considering what you said is really pushing me towards the RDRAM path, saving my DDR memory for when the dual channel P4 chipsets are released. My question to you is where can you find these double sided RDRAM RIMMs? Most websites I have checked don't tell you whether the RIMMs are double sided or not. Thanks again.

 

[ShoNuff]

GHz, save your DDR for whatever turns you on. For now stick with the RDRAM for the P4. The P4T-E is a very solid board. The key is to get the right one. Follow this thread and you will know what I mean. Again, the key is to get the board with the ICS 9212-13 DRCGs. If you don't you won't see 133 FSB on your board. As you read more of the threads over on the Asusboards forum you will find links to vendors selling the board you desire. Unfortunately, I am looking for another one and the two vendors who had them previously (Atacom and Outside Loop) are all sold out. They should get more in within the next two weeks. I am sure there are many still out there. The key is finding someone who will check for you.

Oh, my rig:
Asus P4T-E (Yes I have the 9212-13 DRCGs)
P4 1.6A oc'd to a rock solid 2.24GHz at 1.5v (if I did the wire trick I am sure I could get this thing up to 2.4)
2x256MB double sided RDRAM
SB Audigy Gamer
Promise Fastrack 100
2x40GB 120GXP's RAID 0, 16K stripe
Kenwood 72X CD-ROM
Plextor 16X10X40
3Com NIC
Enermax 365w (?) PS
Alpha PAL8942 HS (with SanyoDenki Fan)
Addtronics WTX 8500 Case
MS XP Pro
Leadtek GF3 (waiting on their version of the GF4 Ti4600)

 

[SHrKY]

I got mine at googlegear.com, but I think newegg and all the others have them too. At googlegear the part numbers were 80455 for single sided, and 80455-1 for double sided. Also at the time of my purchase, the double sided stuff was about $4 a RIMM more. Hope this helps.

 

[gjwild]

I have a 2.0a and the Abit TH7-II with Samsung PC800.

The chip, not the memory is my problem @ 138 FSB
I will have to take a different cooling approach other than air (at the moment) to see what it will really do.

 

[GHz]

Thanks for the link ShoNuff, I looked at the link and saw the wire trick and kind of weary about trying it. Do you know if there are any beta BIOSes released by Asus that allow you to change voltage at modification within the BIOS while running at 133MHz? If not, I dont think I want to go with Asus just because of that, and the fact that, over the Abit board, I will spend more having to buy a RAID controller card. Does anybody know my chances of finding the right Abit TH7II-RAID board that will be able to run my RDRAM @ PC1066? If there are are there any sites that I can go to that sell these boards specifically? Thanks again all for your replies.

 

[ShoNuff]

GHz, unfortunately there are no beta bioses that will allow you to modify the voltage while running at 133MHz. I know that "Some" Abit boards come with the ICS clock gens that you desire. Call Outside Loop, I am sure they will check for you. You will just need to tell them exactly what you are looking for.

 

[ShoNuff]

<< Abit TH7-II (ICS 9212DF-03 memory clock generators), and Samsung 16 device 256meg rimms. I can hit about a 136fsb with the combo, but the ram is the limiting factor. >>



GHz PM lastig21 and see where he got his board from. He may be able to lead you in the right direction. If not, at least you know to ask for the ICS DRCG's when you make the decesion to buy.

 

[GHz]

Okay, now that I know what kind of memory controller to look for in the motherboard, I have a new question for you. Considering that RDRAM has been making 128MB RIMMs longer than 256MB RIMMs this would, I believe, give better yeild to the 128MB RIMMs. So would I have a better chance of clocking the PC800 RDRAM to PC1066 with 4x 128MB PC800 RDRAM or 2x 256MB PC800 RDRAM? Would this make a difference or not, I dont plan on going over 512MB of memory in the forseeable future so it makes no difference to me which way I go, unless, one way overclocks better than the other. Thanks all again.

 

[PowerEngineer]

We've been having a discussion about the clock chips, BIOS versions, and on-board sound for the ABIT TH7II here which you might want to take a look at, and hopefully contribute to.

THANKS!