• We’re currently investigating an issue related to the forum theme and styling that is impacting page layout and visual formatting. The problem has been identified, and we are actively working on a resolution. There is no impact to user data or functionality, this is strictly a front-end display issue. We’ll post an update once the fix has been deployed. Thanks for your patience while we get this sorted.

Request for DDR3 users

Jeff7181

Jeff7181

Lifer
I'm having some issues with some memory I purchased and the manufacturer is attempting to blame the motherboard manufacturer for timings being set incorrectly and causing the instability I'm experiencing.

So I'm curious if some of you can take a look and tell me what your DDR3 memory's tRFC and Command Rate are set to. CPU-Z should provide this info on the memory tab.
 
Mobo: Intel DH55HC
CPU: Intel Core i3-530 Clarkdale
RAM: OCZ3G10664GK (2x2GB)
Vid: Asus 8800GT
PSU: Antec TruePower 550
HDD: Hitachi 7k250 250 GB
OS: Windows XP Profession 32-bit

Windows XP 32-bit install went just fine. Fully patched with MSE installed and updated. When I was installing software it froze... keyboard and mouse unresponsive, display frozen, Num Lock and Caps Lock would not toggle on or off. Had to hard boot the thing to get it going again. It did this once more when installing something different but both times the reinstall went fine the second time I tried. Another time I just opened Firefox and got a BSOD.

So I downloaded Prime95... ran 4 threads for 20 minutes, no problems. Even installed some other software while it was doing that, no problems so I'm assuming it's not CPU instability.

So I stuck my Ultimate Boot CD in (4.1.1) and immediately after hitting enter to boot, the computer locks up and I have to hard boot. I can repeat this over and over - it never successfully boots to the UBCD menu.

In all my prior overclocking experience, the symptoms seem to indicate a memory issue more-so than another component.

So I downloaded a Memtest-86 ISO. I first selected the single CPU test - it got through about 60% of the first test and the PC rebooted. I can repeat this over and over as well. I tried disabling Hyper-Threading, no help. I tried disabling one of the processor cores, no help. Tried disabling the other processor core, no help. However, if I select the multi CPU test, it keeps running and doesn't show any errors... 1 pass completed as I type this. Also, if I choose the old version (3.4) I can run a full pass with no reboot or errors.

OCZ tells me I need to set tRFC to 80 rather than 60 and Command Rate to 2T rather than 1T. I would do this if I could, but I can't - the motherboard doesn't allow these to be changed.

I insist that this is a memory issue as OCZ themselves are saying tRFC should be at 80, but the SPD contents of the memory says it's programmed for 60 (59 actually). I'm currently awaiting their response to the entire contents of SPD as seen in the URL below...

https://docs.google.com/Doc?docid=0ARHlVnPGUsbRZGM2aDZmcjZfMTBkbTJ2OGNxcA&hl=en
 
Yup. So I checked my BIOS for available settings . . . the lowest tRFC I can set on my GD70 is 90 ns. Allowable tRFC settings may be very different for Intel memory controllers.
 
Firstly, i'd suggest trying Memtest86+.
http://www.memtest.org/

Run at LEAST two passes.

What timings option do you have in your BIOS?
RAM shouldn't be running 1T by default; that's generally only possible when setting manually or using an XMP profile (do NOT do this for now).

Sounds like a rather primitive BIOS if you cannot alter tRFC or command rate, which means you'll be relying on SPD timings.

What about vDIMM, have you upped to 1.6v as your kit is rated 1.5-1.6v?

Something to note: 1T is NOT guaranteed by the manufacturer on the the majority of kits out there.
They might do it, but it's rarely guaranteed.


My tRFC = 88 right now, & command rate is 1T.
2T is always default; tRFC varies; i could also manually set it higher or lower if i wanted.

But yeah, please post some pics of your RAM options in the BIOS.
I have a hard time believing it's set to 1T & there's no way to change that, as that'd indicate a garbage BIOS (not surprising for an Intel-brand mobo sadly).
 
I've run memtest... it will run for at least 12 hours (I started it, went to work, came back and it was still running) if I use the multi CPU core test. It fails absolutely every time at 60% of the first test on the first pass if I select the single CPU core test.

Here are some screenshots of the memory settings in the BIOS (hope you have broadband, I was too lazy to resize):

http://img72.imageshack.us/img72/3484/img0194u.jpg

http://img710.imageshack.us/img710/8026/img0197ok.jpg

*EDIT* The board will let me set memory voltage up to 1.650 - it makes no difference in the stability.

I also noticed Command Rate is not mentioned in the SPD contents... isn't that supposed to be specified by SPD?

I agree that the options for setting memory timings in the BIOS are lacking at best, but that's the whole purpose of SPD... to provide the motherboard with a set of values that "just work" so we don't have to fool with dip switches and changing values.

I should also mention, memtest86 4.00 starts up and immediately freezes before it even starts running any tests.
 
Last edited:
Mobo [lack of] options = epic fail.

Oh, make sure tRAS is loose btw; 16 is likely too tight...try 24+.

I'd say that BIOS + that RAM = incompatible TBH, & it's likely mainly due to Intel's fail BIOS.

Just to confirm, is CPU-Z actually showing 1T not 2T?

If so, then yeah, that BIOS + that RAM = not correctly working together.
 
Yes, CPU-Z shows it's running at 1T.
I tested all the timings it lets me change at the maximum values and it still freezes.

I'm running the memory test that BTRY linked right now.
 
Just went into the other room to check on it... showed 0 errors but locked up again at 3.1% complete in one instance and 3.2% in the other. (I had two instances open testing 1400 MB each)

I'm under the impression that this is a memory problem because if you read newegg's reviews, there's literally dozens of people with stability problems posting on there with different motherboards.
 
Last edited:
Yeah, I'm not interesting in using any more OCZ products... I've been fooled twice, so shame on me. Won't happen a third time. Just going to unload it on eBay and get something else... maybe locally from a shop that will take returns/exchanges if the memory doesn't work properly.
 
So I went to a local computer store with this memory and asked if they had a system they could test it in. They took a display model and swapped the memory, booted it up and attempted to run memtest86 4.00... got slightly further than mine did, but eventually did lock up before it even started the test.

Their board was able to adjust the memory timings in the BIOS... so they set it to 8-8-8-16 according to SPD, then adjusting command rate to 2T and tRFC to 80. Ran memtest86 perfectly fine for a few minutes, then started to get errors. So they changed tRAS to 24 and rebooted... let it run memtest86 for 5 minutes with no errors and the guy says "you can try to RMA it, but if they send you more modules with SPD settings like this, it appears you're going to have the same problem." I already knew that, so I bought some generic Super Talent memory from them, got it in my computer and pass 1 is currently 50% complete with no errors at 8-8-8-24 with tRFC at 74 and CR at 1T running at 1333 MHz on 1.500v.

(gives OCZ the finger)
 
Jeff7181 said:
I'm having some issues with some memory I purchased and the manufacturer is attempting to blame the motherboard manufacturer for timings being set incorrectly and causing the instability I'm experiencing.
Click to expand...


And this response you got from OCZ seems to be more the usual response from them rather than the exception lately. I'd get your memory RMA'd, sell it and buy another brand, like Mushkin or Corsair. Have used both those brands and have never had either try to blame something else for failing modules.

Heck, I had a stick of Mushkin Redline start giving intermittant errors a couple of years ago. RMA was as painless as could be and they even overnighted the new retail packaged RAM back to me.
 
I hate to say, but this is bottom-of-the-barrel OCZ you got; sometimes you get what you pay for.

That said, i'd agree something seems borked in the SPD settings for that kit, so getting something different is exactly what i'd have done as well.

/course i'd never have gotten an Intel mobo either... :sneaky:
 
n7 said:
I hate to say, but this is bottom-of-the-barrel OCZ you got; sometimes you get what you pay for.

That said, i'd agree something seems borked in the SPD settings for that kit, so getting something different is exactly what i'd have done as well.

/course i'd never have gotten an Intel mobo either... :sneaky:
Click to expand...



It'd seem to me that even "bottom of the barrel" memory should perform adequately. I know the Value series from Corsair has always done quite well in the budget builds I've done.

As for the Intel board, I've used quite a few Intel brand boards and have found them to be the most tolerant for running almost any memory you can throw into them without a hitch. While Intel's boards may not be the fastest or sexiest, they've always been rock stable boards.
 
Meghan54 said:
It'd seem to me that even "bottom of the barrel" memory should perform adequately. I know the Value series from Corsair has always done quite well in the budget builds I've done.

As for the Intel board, I've used quite a few Intel brand boards and have found them to be the most tolerant for running almost any memory you can throw into them without a hitch. While Intel's boards may not be the fastest or sexiest, they've always been rock stable boards.
Click to expand...

That was my thought too. Bottom of the barrel memory may have shitty performance, but it should be 100% stable. That's why I bought it... I KNEW it was their "value line" of memory.

I too like Intel boards. I've used a few of them before in some builds I've done for others and they've always been rock solid for me. I've started buying Intel boards for all builds I do where I know the person won't ever want to overclock anything.
 
You have trouble shooted with two different boards and it fails. Back to OCZ it goes.

RMA the RAM and when it arrives, sell it on E-Bay as new and buy something from Intel's compatibility list for that board. With the recent increases in DDR3 prices, you should get your money back.
I have had really good luck with Corsair XMS and Micron/Crucial value RAM and Kingston's value RAM in Intel boards.
Pay attention to the voltages supported.
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.

TRENDING THREADS

Back
Top