RAM holding me back?

[TheUnk]

I have my E8500 stable @ 3.8GHz, load temps around 53c. I feel like I can go higher, but think my RAM is holding me back, it's only PC6400 (800MHz), my FSB is at 400 so any higher has to OC the ram too, and that's when Prime95 starts getting errors.

This is what I currently have
http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16820231122

Any tips on how to get this to go beyond 800MHz? I was hoping to hit 4GHz, which would mean the RAM @ around 840.

3.8 is a nice OC, to me, and I probably won't see much difference @ 4.0, but I still want to try!

 

[disports]

I have the same ram and I have my FSB at 445 (DDR2-890). It could just be that your ram isn't great at OCing.

 

[myocardia]

I have that same RAM in one of my systems, and it will do DDR2-970+. It went slightly over 970, but that was so long ago, I can't remember how much farther. You're having other problems besiodes RAM, though. Most likely voltages.

 

[TheUnk]

Did either of you have to loosen your timings or increase voltage for the ram to go over 800?

 

[OCGuy]

Originally posted by: TheUnk
I have my E8500 stable @ 3.8GHz, load temps around 53c. I feel like I can go higher, but think my RAM is holding me back, it's only PC6400 (800MHz), my FSB is at 400 so any higher has to OC the ram too, and that's when Prime95 starts getting errors.

This is what I currently have
http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16820231122

Any tips on how to get this to go beyond 800MHz? I was hoping to hit 4GHz, which would mean the RAM @ around 840.

3.8 is a nice OC, to me, and I probably won't see much difference @ 4.0, but I still want to try!

List all your specs/voltages please.

 

[betasub]

Try a lower multiplier to remove the CPU clock speed from the equation, and test if the errors are FSB/memory related, e.g. drop from 9.5x to 8x and see if 8x400+ is stable (CPU clock speeds increasing from a safe 3.2GHz).

As TheUnk suggests, higher voltages or looser timings may help out if it is FSB/memory related.

 

[disports]

I still have the same timings and voltages (5-5-5-15, 1.8v)

 

[Tempered81]

Originally posted by: TheUnk
Did either of you have to loosen your timings or increase voltage for the ram to go over 800?

probably going to need to do both.

try upping the volts to your manufacture's specs first. What type of ram is it, maybe give us some cpu-z/prime/coretemp screenshots?

 

[OCGuy]

Originally posted by: smithrwon
I still have the same timings and voltages (5-5-5-15, 1.8v)

CPU voltage, FSB TERM (VTT), Northbridge.

 

[Tempered81]

Originally posted by: Ocguy31

Originally posted by: smithrwon
I still have the same timings and voltages (5-5-5-15, 1.8v)

CPU voltage, FSB TERM (VTT), Northbridge.

Smithrwon is not the OP.

Originally posted by: betasub
As TheUnk suggests, higher voltages or looser timings may help out if it is FSB/memory related.

TheUnk is the OP. hehehe

Has everyone had their coffee today? :laugh:

 

[disports]

lol exactly :X

 

[krnmastersgt]

Originally posted by: jaredpace

Originally posted by: Ocguy31

Originally posted by: smithrwon
I still have the same timings and voltages (5-5-5-15, 1.8v)

CPU voltage, FSB TERM (VTT), Northbridge.

Smithrwon is not the OP.

Originally posted by: betasub
As TheUnk suggests, higher voltages or looser timings may help out if it is FSB/memory related.

TheUnk is the OP. hehehe

Has everyone had their coffee today? :laugh:

Lol, I was thinking the same thing xD

Anyways try upping the voltage a bit, try out 1.9 and 2.0v, use smithrwon's timings, those are pretty loose. If it still isn't stable either the RAM doesn't want to go that high or it's another component that's causing the instability.

 

[OCGuy]

Originally posted by: jaredpace

Originally posted by: Ocguy31

Originally posted by: smithrwon
I still have the same timings and voltages (5-5-5-15, 1.8v)

CPU voltage, FSB TERM (VTT), Northbridge.

Smithrwon is not the OP.

Originally posted by: betasub
As TheUnk suggests, higher voltages or looser timings may help out if it is FSB/memory related.

TheUnk is the OP. hehehe

Has everyone had their coffee today? :laugh:

I knew that. I was just test.....aw screw it.

 

[disports]

lol the timing and voltage I use are the default ones.

 

[nerp]

Originally posted by: smithrwon
lol the timing and voltage I use are the default ones.

Default or "auto?"

 

[disports]

Well for one, I do have 1.8V and 5-5-5-15 as my timings manually set in the BIOS. I used to use tighter timings (4-4-4-10? I don't remember) when I had my E7200 before I changed it back. The manufacturer's specifications do say 5-5-5-15 (1.8V - 1.9V).

 

[myocardia]

Originally posted by: TheUnk
Did either of you have to loosen your timings or increase voltage for the ram to go over 800?

I was using the stock timings, 5-5-5-15, manually set in the BIOS, with 2.0v of vDimm. Note that the SPD subtimings are somewhat tight on this RAM, specifically Row Refresh Cycle Time. If your motherboard allows changing it, try 54-55 for that setting. It will allow it to overclock higher, or overclock the same, using less vDimm.

 

[TheUnk]

Well, bumped my ram voltage +.1, so I assume that's 1.9v. Currently at 3990 MHz with FSB of 420. Been running Prime95 for about 15 mins so far without error, which is like 10 minutes longer than before so it's looking good.

 

[disports]

so far so good

 

[TheUnk]

Well I got my E8500 to 4GHz, but I had to up the vcore in the bios to 1.4v, CPU-Z shows it to be between 1.328-1.344. Max temp hovers around 63c unless I up the fan speed.

Since I've heard that 1.36 is the highest "safe" vcore, and it's not clear to me if that's bios reading or cpu-z, or how much life it will take out of the chip (will probably replace it in less than 2yrs anyways hah) I've dropped it down to 3.9GHz which lets me run 1.375v in bios or between 1.312-327 in CPU-Z.

 

[Tempered81]

Originally posted by: TheUnk

Since I've heard that 1.36 is the highest "safe" vcore

1.4000 cpu-z load is the safe vcore limit.

 

[OCGuy]

Originally posted by: TheUnk
Well I got my E8500 to 4GHz, but I had to up the vcore in the bios to 1.4v, CPU-Z shows it to be between 1.328-1.344. Max temp hovers around 63c unless I up the fan speed.

Since I've heard that 1.36 is the highest "safe" vcore, and it's not clear to me if that's bios reading or cpu-z, or how much life it will take out of the chip (will probably replace it in less than 2yrs anyways hah) I've dropped it down to 3.9GHz which lets me run 1.375v in bios or between 1.312-327 in CPU-Z.

You are fine. Nice chip.

 

[taltamir]

i am surprised nobody mentioned memtest yet... prime95 error can mean a CPU or ram error... memtest helps isolate ram issues... www.memtest.org

 

[Dadofamunky]

Originally posted by: TheUnk
Well I got my E8500 to 4GHz, but I had to up the vcore in the bios to 1.4v, CPU-Z shows it to be between 1.328-1.344. Max temp hovers around 63c unless I up the fan speed.

Since I've heard that 1.36 is the highest "safe" vcore, and it's not clear to me if that's bios reading or cpu-z, or how much life it will take out of the chip (will probably replace it in less than 2yrs anyways hah) I've dropped it down to 3.9GHz which lets me run 1.375v in bios or between 1.312-327 in CPU-Z.

Yeah, that's a little too high under most circumstances, but in general you're fitting the profile quite well. I had to play around with mine and finally install a fan controller before I could get my temps down and pass an overnight OCCT stress test. That's good enough for me.

 

[TheUnk]

Originally posted by: taltamir
i am surprised nobody mentioned memtest yet... prime95 error can mean a CPU or ram error... memtest helps isolate ram issues... www.memtest.org

Well, I thought it was stable.. 10hrs of Prime95 with no error, then The Witcher started crashing the other day.. Ran Prime95 again and had errors

So I did the memtest86+ and it's giving me errors, even on stock settings. So seems like I may have a bad stick or something