Safe RAM voltage?

[James01]

I've got 4GBs of A-Data Vitesta RAM, running stable at 876Mhz with 5-5-5-15 timings and 2.1 volts. Is 2.2 volts safe for everyday usage? I really don't want to damage it, but I would like to get 4-4-4-12 running stable.

 

[myocardia]

Originally posted by: James01
Is 2.2 volts safe for everyday usage?

Welcome to anandtech. And no, it isn't safe at all, for long term use.

 

[James01]

Oh well, doesn't really matter. I upgraded from 2GB to 4GB recently, and the new RAM doesn't overclock as well as the old stuff. The original 2GB was stable with 4-4-4-12 timings at 2.1 volts. I guess having to raise the timings in exchange for 2 gigs extra RAM isn't a bad tradeoff.

I'll put them back to 5-5-5-15 with 2.1v. Thanks for your help!

 

[BlueAcolyte]

That's odd, I have 2GB of the stuff and I swear it's spec'd at 4-4-4-12, 2.0-2.1... But on overclockers club, they could only OC 2GB or 4GB up to 856 MHZ, which you are above. They also said that they would go up to DDR2-1066 at 5-5-5-15.

 

[James01]

Hmm...they failed an overnight memtest run at 5-5-5-15, 876Mhz, with 2.1 volts. That's pretty bad, isn't it?

I've reset the BIOS to defaults and set the main RAM timings to 4-4-4-12, and the subtimings to the SPD values (or whatever they're called). They're running at 800Mhz with 2.1 volts. If they fail this, I'm returning them.

Overall I'm not very happy with this RAM. It runs sizzling hot (might even be overheating?) and doesn't overclock well.

 

[sutahz]

RAM speed and timing has minimal impact on system performance, if you look at it from the real world perspective.
But if running ram at 2000MHz and 2-2-2-4 timings makes you happy, thats what it all comes down to in the end.

 

[WaTaGuMp]

My Crucial is listed at 4-4-4-12 at 2.2v so I run it that way.

 

[Idontcare]

Originally posted by: James01
Hmm...they failed an overnight memtest run at 5-5-5-15, 876Mhz, with 2.1 volts. That's pretty bad, isn't it?

I've reset the BIOS to defaults and set the main RAM timings to 4-4-4-12, and the subtimings to the SPD values (or whatever they're called). They're running at 800Mhz with 2.1 volts. If they fail this, I'm returning them.

Overall I'm not very happy with this RAM. It runs sizzling hot (might even be overheating?) and doesn't overclock well.

Are you doing anything extra/intentional to cool the ram?

I ran 4GB at 2.2V for >1year, the extra voltage was to run tight timings for low latency...but they would fail memtest if I did not zip-tie two 80mm fans over the top of them to keep them cooled.

 

[James01]

Originally posted by: Idontcare

Are you doing anything extra/intentional to cool the ram?

I ran 4GB at 2.2V for >1year, the extra voltage was to run tight timings for low latency...but they would fail memtest if I did not zip-tie two 80mm fans over the top of them to keep them cooled.

No, I'm not. I would buy something like the Thermaltake Cyclo RAM cooler, but I don't think it would fit on my Gigabyte 965P-DS3P. The graphics card is only millimetres below the RAM sticks. I have seen people make things like this:
http://forums.overclockers.com...howthread.php?t=632149

But I don't think that would fit because of my Tuniq Tower 120!

What exactly did you do? What did you zip-tie the fans to?

I suppose the next step for me is to try memtest again with the case open and a fan blowing in. Then I'll know for sure if heat is causing the instability.

Thanks for all your input everyone.

 

[TC91]

what i think you probably should do is run the ram using the 1:1 ratio, resulting in a net ram speed of ~778mhz, where you can use lower voltages for a longer lifespan, or tighter timings to mitigate the loss in mhz. you likely would not even need additional cooling either. ram speed really has pretty much no effect in real life apps, only in synthetic memory benchmarks. for instance, when i had my cpu up @ 3.6ghz before, running the ram @ 667mhz with CL3 timings and 1T command rate would yield better performance than running 800mhz @ CL4 timings with a 2T command rate, so i went for running @ 667 instead. same applies with my cpu now @ 3.4ghz too (3.6ghz was too hot for me, needed 1.48v).

 

[Idontcare]

Originally posted by: James01

Originally posted by: Idontcare

Are you doing anything extra/intentional to cool the ram?

I ran 4GB at 2.2V for >1year, the extra voltage was to run tight timings for low latency...but they would fail memtest if I did not zip-tie two 80mm fans over the top of them to keep them cooled.

No, I'm not. I would buy something like the Thermaltake Cyclo RAM cooler, but I don't think it would fit on my Gigabyte 965P-DS3P. The graphics card is only millimetres below the RAM sticks. I have seen people make things like this:
http://forums.overclockers.com...howthread.php?t=632149

But I don't think that would fit because of my Tuniq Tower 120!

What exactly did you do? What did you zip-tie the fans to?

I suppose the next step for me is to try memtest again with the case open and a fan blowing in. Then I'll know for sure if heat is causing the instability.

Thanks for all your input everyone.

Sorry but I can't see your intended link - I get this: "OCAU's Forums will be viewable by guest users soon"

What I did was take two 60mm fans - not stacked on top of each other, but sitting next to each other while both are laying flat - and arranged them so one fan blows down and the other blows up.

then I zip-tied the two fans together thru their screwholes. So now I has a "fan unit" which was 60mmx120mm which blows air both diections.

Then I laid this 2-fan unit flat across the top of my ram, so one fan blows air down between the ram and the other fan blows it back out.

Again using the screwholes in the fans I looped zipties thru the holes. In my case I had to use a couple zip-ties (like a chain) to reach something in my case or on my mobo which I could use as an anchoring point.

Remember the zip ties are just to hold the fan in place over the ram, it doesn't have to be bolted down and applying pressure like a HSF.

(I intentionally setup the fans for one to blow into the ram while the other blew away from the ram so I would reduce/minimize the chances of having a dead-zone of little/no air flow in the center region of the ram sticks.)

 

[James01]

Sorry about the link, forgot you needed to be a member to view the forums. Basically, the guy did a similar thing to you. Ziptied two fans together, except he secured them by using the motherboard screw holes surrounding the RAM slots. Here's a few of the pics:

http://i229.photobucket.com/al...itsdalien/PA300359.jpg
http://i229.photobucket.com/al...itsdalien/PA300355.jpg
http://i229.photobucket.com/al...sdalien/PA300357-1.jpg

Your way sounds easier, and I could make it fit next to my Tuniq Tower.

I'm not sure heat is causing my problems though, because I've since tried Memtest with the case open and a large pedastall fan blowing into the case. Memtest still picked up errors. I've made another thread outlining my ongoing RAM problems:
http://forums.anandtech.com/me...=2135148&enterthread=y

And TC91, I know I could run the RAM at a lower speed, but I've discovered each individual stick is stable at 876Mhz. I just need to figure out why they won't work together at that speed.

 

[Idontcare]

Ah those pictures are perfect.

You are right though, while pretty neat I think the guy went way overkill on the whole "mounting the fan via the mobo screwholes" route.

He has both his fans blowing one direction too. I suspect he'd get better airflow between the DIMMs were he to reverse one of the fans.

And yes I agree with your final conclusion...if you took your case side off and setup a box fan to blow into the case AND still have memtest issues then RAM temp is not likely what is holding you back.