Setting CAS latencies : BIOS?

[drwngflies]

I have been told my current config of 3-3-3-8 is too loose for my gaming.
However no one decided to explain how I adjust it to 2.5-3-3-6 as recommended.
Please correct me if I am wrong, but do I change this in BIOS?
I cannot see which topic in BIOS is controlling RAM.
I have Riva Tuner for my 6600, and AMD Tweaker, GigaByte EasyTune4,and CPU-z, but none of these let me change it. CPU-z shows the setings, but I can't get contrl of settings.
I did add .2 volts to RAM (from 2.5) using EasyTune4. I also changed the multiplier from x9 to x10 on my CPU.

 

[drwngflies]

I tried to use AMD Teaker to reset values for CAS delay, but when I changed the value, and then clicked "set", the screen froze.
No cursor movement or nuthin'.
ALT/CTRL/DEL did no good. I had 2 manually turn off power supply switch. It re-booted, but the value was back at 3.
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y99/drwngflies/AMDTwkr.jpg

 

[fstime]

Whoever told you your timmings are off is right.

2-2-2 @ 180 fsb would probably be faster than 3-3-3 @ 200 fsb.

Anyways, yes you change these settings from the bios.

The only prgram I know that lets you change these values is a64 tweaker but its stupid to use it.

Set your timmings to 2.5-3-3 in the bios.

I would set the mem voltage to 2.7.

I have no idea how you changed the multi sinced its locked. Thats probably why it froze.

 

[drwngflies]

Those were the setting advertised on RAM when purchased, I was told they were "loose", I already added .2 v from stock of 2.5v, so I am at 2.7v now.(to RAM)
Exactly which topic in BIOS do I need to address? "MIT"? I cannot find where to set the timings.
Sorry to be inferior in knowledge, but I am trying to learn so I can adjust this to what I want it to do for me.
<<No formal training what-so-ever......
Thnx 4 reply....
And, do I need to re-adjust my speed of cpu lower? Go down from 200? (208 actually)

 

[fstime]

I'm unfamilier with that motherboard but im sure if you look throughout the bios you will find it with ease.

They are labled CAS,TRAS, RAS, etc.

These are somtimes set to auto instead of a number.

 

[drwngflies]

Ok, i'll sign off to look now. I appreciate your attention to my wanderings.......back inna bit.

 

[Diasper]

With those timings might I guess you have Crucial RAM?

I have mine running at 2.5-2-2 with 2.8V (I wouldn't necessarily go above that). With that voltage and timings I think my RAm would be happy to go upto 218mhz fsb but my CPU/Northbridge isn't quite happy at that.

I wouldn't use stuff like Easytune or anything like that - changing in the bios is much better. Software just adds extra resource usage and unneeded complications.

Also about timings being too loose - well you could benefit with them being tighter, but you're not exactly going to be seeing any radical speed increases. It will probably only be perceptible in benchmarks in fact. But enough % increase here and there and you can get a nice bonus.

 

[drwngflies]

OK nothing that says anything about memory timings....only can adjust voltage to cpu or ram. I have the book in front of me, and it says nothing about it either.
Anybody else have this M/B ?
As my sig says, Corsair RAM.

 

[Diasper]

I'd hazard a guess that it'd be under the advanced settings in bios - not general which is where voltages, fsb etc are normally listed. Under them you should get options to change the type of timings eg optimal, turbo etc - you should be able to set it to expert or by speed which will allow you to set it according to what you want.

I'm sure your mobo should have that - I'd be VERY surprised if it didn't.


hmm i've heard some not too great stuff about corsair RAM. Well with the A64 timings are the most important aspect of the RAM settings eg it's not starved for bandwidth such that RAM at 2-2-2 @DDR333 would score v similiarly to 2-2-2 @DDR400. Moreover, 2-2-2 @DDR333 would be better than 3-3-3 @DDR400.

Corsair RAM hmm I think I may have heard some not very positive stuff about the RAM and timings it is possible of. Increase the volume and tighten the timings as much as possible - check it with memtest (you can also use prime95 blend test)


(EDITED)

 

[Diasper]

Try and get your RAM down and try and get it to 2.5-2-2 @200mhz - MemTest it overnight to see if you get any errors - if not it's fine. Otherwise lower it until you can MemTest it say for 6hours without any errors. I'd find its maximum fsb with Memtest without errors and then lower it by another two.


Anyway, getting your RAM timing to CAS 2 might be too difficult for your RAM without lowering the speed of it down far too low where you'll start to suffer performance penalties. For my RAM CAS 2 was impossible at a decent fsb so I abandoned that - significantly the other timings setting them to 2 etc could actually be more important than setting the CAS to 2 depending on what data you are working on.


(EDITED)

 

[Diasper]

What overclocking options does your board have? That includes dividers? If it has any settings like that you will be able to adjust the timings of the RAM.

You might want to investigate overclocking your CPU if so - you'll get a far greater performance benefit than changing the RAM timings.

 

[Diasper]

Originally posted by: drwngflies
I have been told my current config of 3-3-3-8 is too loose for my gaming.
However no one decided to explain how I adjust it to 2.5-3-3-6 as recommended.
Please correct me if I am wrong, but do I change this in BIOS?
I cannot see which topic in BIOS is controlling RAM.
I have Riva Tuner for my 6600, and AMD Tweaker, GigaByte EasyTune4,and CPU-z, but none of these let me change it. CPU-z shows the setings, but I can't get contrl of settings.
I did add .2 volts to RAM (from 2.5) using EasyTune4. I also changed the multiplier from x9 to x10 on my CPU.

BTW how did you change your multiplier to x10? Last time I checked 3000 used the 9x multiplier and were locked at that.

 

[IanE]

No idea how he edited the multiplyer, but I have a similar question.

I've go 2x512mb Corsair PC3200 VS and it's showing that its at 2.5 3 3 8... shouldn't it be running at 2.5 3 3 6? What would be the most optimal setting for these?

Hope you don't mind me posting this in here, drwngflies, but I think it's pretty relevant and maybe you'll get some questions answered by it too haha.

Thanks in advance. Ian.

 

[Diasper]

I think regarding TRAS 6 or 7 is the best setting but TRAS has very little effect on performance comparatively. Check it with sandra memory benchmark.

Ultimately, you can only find out what is optimum for your memory by testing it yourself as not all modules are created equal so you could find your modules out-performing or under performing other modules.

With CAS 3 rated value memory I'd aim for 2.5-2-2-7 with increasing voltages upto 2.8V as needed until getting stability and finally testing for 2-2-2-7. Lower the fsb using dividers if you need to. I suspect 2.5-2-2-7 would in fact be faster than 2-3-3-7 but you'd have to check that with Sandra etc.



(edited)

 

[IanE]

Originally posted by: Diasper
I think regarding TRAS 6 or 7 is the best setting but TRAS has very little effect on performance comparatively. Check it with sandra memory benchmark.

Ultimately, you can only find out what is optimum for your memory by testing it yourself as not all modules are created equal so you could find your modules out-performing or under performing other modules.

With CAS 3 rated value memory I'd aim for 2.5-2-2-7 with increasing voltages upto 2.8V as needed until getting stability and finally testing for 2-2-2-7. Lower the fsb using dividers if you need to. I suspect 2.5-2-2-7 would in fact be faster than 2-3-3-7 but you'd have to check that with Sandra etc.



(edited)

Would it make a noticable difference? I'm extremely happy with my computer's performance as it is, but it never hurts to make it better!

 

[Diasper]

It should make the system snappier and give a few % increases in general benchmarks and games (at most) - that is jumping from loose timings eg 3-3-3 to 2.5-2-2. However, whether you can feel that few % is another matter ...in short it's unlikely. I undoubtedly couldn't. Nevertheless, I like the get the maximum out of my hardware as possible so even for a few % increase I'd do it. Is it worth the time and effort for you is really the question for that % increase?

Whatever you do don't sacrifice any stability - just to reiterate I found my maximum at my desired timings and maxium fsb by letting memtest run overnight without errors and then backed down a few more mhz to find what I'd call my maxiumum fsb I'd be willing to use. Running Memtest and the like error-free doesn't guarantee it's 100% stable. Also, say heat built up in my case during heavy use a borderline case of stable RAM might venture into the unstable etc etc. ?


btw if you're running nforce2 the optimum TRAS is around 11. A64 is less as above but can vary with chipset.

edited.

 

[Ronin13]

drwngflies, did you find the settings in the BIOS?

I'm not familiar with the motherboard you have, but try looking for the term 'SPD' which may be under the Chipset heading.

If RAM timings by SPD (Serial Presence Detect) is enabled you may have to disable it for the manual options to appear.

At least, that's how it was in the ASUS BIOS of my latest build.

Btw, you can download CPUID and check what RAM timings by SPD your RAM has, as well as the actual timings it's running by.

 

[drwngflies]

I posted a link to a Screen Shot in my second post, ^ from top, using CPU-z.
I wrote down the topics availiable in BIOS screen:
The exclamation point is a divider between the two halves of choice menu screen....
Main Screen:
---------------------------------------------------------
CMOS SETUP UTILITY-Copyright"yada yada yada"
>Std CMOS Features ! Top Performance
>Adv. BIOS ! Select Language
>Intelligent Periphials ! Load Optimized Defaults
>Power Mngmt. Setup ! Set Supv. Password
>PnP/PCI Config. ! Set User Password
>PC Health Status ! Save & Exit
>MB Intelligent Tweaker (MIT) ! Exit no Save
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Esc: Quit F3: Change Language
F8: Dual BIOS/ Q-Flash F10: Save & Exit
Now 4 The options:
Adv Bios:
H/D boot priority
1rst Boot Dev.
2nd Boot Dev.
3rd Boot Dev.
Boot up Floppy Seek
Password Check
Flexible AGP 8x
Int Display 1rst
-----------------------
Now 4 PnP/PCI Config. :
PCI 3 IRQ [Auto]
PCI 4 IRQ [Auto]
PCI 1/5 IRQ [Auto]
PCI 2 IRQ [Auto]
-----------------------
Now 4 MB Intelligent Tweaker:
CPU Clk Ratio [Auto] choices: 5 - 25 adjustable
CPU O/C MHz [200]
AGP O/C MHz [66]
CPU Voltage Ctrl. [normal] choices: .8 - 1.7
Normal CPU Vcore [ 1.400v]
AGP Voltage Ctrl. [norm] choices:+.1v - +.3v
HT Link Voltage Ctrl. [norm] choices:+.1v - +.3v
DDR Voltage Ctrl. [norm] choices: +.1v - +.2v

 

[drwngflies]

Diasper, I used the GigaByte EasyTune4 screen to change multiplier:
Although it did change it back to 9x when I rebooted, I guess it is locked at 9x........
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y99/drwngflies/EZTune.jpg

 

[drwngflies]

As an afterwards.................
I found a way to enter advanced chipset options, I have to enter (at Main BIOS screen) Crtl +F1.
But, when I change the settings to 2.5, and re-boot, the screen locks up and you have to manually turn off power switch, just like when I changed timings in AMDTweaker. So, I guess I'm stuck with a CAS of 3.0. Maybe the Corsair doesn't allow a change.......
It was listed on package as 3.0-3-3-8 , and I guess it is stuck there.

 

[drwngflies]

OK then I need to focus on O/C'ing the CPU. I have GigaByte's EasyTune for that. I have individual adjustments for both FSB and RAM speeds.
Now, where do I start? How much do I need to move from 200MHz at 1 time? 5? 10? 20? etc.
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y99/drwngflies/EZTune.jpg
The problem I am trying to resolve is a temporary "CD skip" in audio and video during games, ie: CS:S.
This is the best way I can describe it. like the screen stops, and replays 4 or 5 times and then picks up where i am now.
Example:when I am running and shooting...then it "skips", now I am where i should have been) 4 or 5 steps further from where it started "skipping". bothe the audio and video "replays" itself over and over until I am where I would have benn with out "skip".
I hope I am clearly saying what I am experiencing.