"SLI-ready" RAM kits and motherboard settings

[BonzaiDuck]

ASUS Striker Extreme, v.1603 BIOS (august 08)
E8400 Penryn-Wolfdale processor
Dual Seagate 7200.10's in RAID0
Dual BFG 9600 GT graphics cards, enabled to "SLI" in nVidia Control panel running under VISTA 64

So far, (evident in other threads I've posted here lately), I've been stress-testing with PRIME95. I'm swapping a pair of 2x2GB Corsair DDR2-800 DHX modules for a set of G.SKILL DDR2-1000 2x2GB. VISTA 64 now has the SP1 update, so there should be no problem with either memory kit.

But I've stumbled across mention (in forums) that the "SLI memory [Enabled/Disabled]" feature may affect stability.

I currently have this feature turned off. One user suggested that "Enable" with "CPUOC 0%" was an optimal setting.

This system IS -- and WILL BE -- over-clocked from 3.0 to 3.6 Ghz, while the memory (Corsair) will be run at stock settings, or (G.SKILL) below spec and at DDR=800.

Is anyone available to explain this BIOS feature (SLI-memory enabled . . . . CPU OC 0%, etc. etc.)? Or can you point me to some forum or "how-to" post/web-site which will clarify it?

 

[LOUISSSSS]

i'd keep it disabled. SLI memory are just memory profiles that adjust timings accordingly. nothing that you can't do yourself.
i have the same ram as you and they are running 100% memtest86+, prime95, OCCT *(ram) stable for over 48 hours of total test time @ 5-5-5-18 @ 500mhz @ 2.0vRam

 

[BonzaiDuck]

Thanks, and you've given me "new hope." But I have to qualify it with a bit of cynicism, based on our common frustrations -- even of different sorts -- with Crucial.

I need to assure myself that G.SKILL will send me a factory-fresh set of RAMs. My deductions about what Crucial was doing with the better-halves of RMA returns is posted -- either here or elsewhere -- but in the last couple hours.

I must've been a tad naive about the "SLI-Ready" feature. I found some better descriptions of it, and you're right. Further, a hardware review comparing DDR2 kits noted that the performance gain for using it was insignificant . . . ."at the margin."

This is the first SLI system I've built, and I'm still convinced "I don't need it." It just makes my system a power-hog. I may be mildly pleased by gaming performance, but I probably did it -- spending an extra $170 on the spare 9600 GT card -- just out of curiosity.

If Lou Dobbs is right about the coming economic crisis that he says "will make the Great Depression look like a modest stock-market adjustment," I'll need to curtail my curiosity in the future . . .

 

[LOUISSSSS]

yea it looks like you bought into the WHOLE "SLI" marketing gimmick, which includes SLI video cards (where a better card can be had if u had just sold your first 9600gt) and SLI RAM (just plain stupid)

hope you're feeling better about the whole thing

 

[BonzaiDuck]

I don't feel "bad." I'm just pretty clear about "need" vs "want."

I didn't buy the memory kit based on some "SLI-Ready" marketing gimmick. I wanted "latency elastic" memory. From what I've read from some customer reviews on the G.SKILLs, you can't so easily tighten the latencies below spec, even if you run a set of DDR2-1000s in "Native DDR2-800" mode. Someone asserted that they could get 4,4,4,12 at that speed. Somebody else insisted that they couldn't.

There's a whole string of 9600 GT's from eVGA, XFX, BFG, MSI, etc. I had a BFG 8800 GTS (640MB), and I although the BFG had a $30 or $40 rebate and you could get two rebates per-person or per household, I chose this particular BFG model because of the Zerotherm heatpipe coolers that came with them. That saves me a lot of trouble with aftermarket cooling solutions, although I replaced the thermal paste with IC Diamond.

Several months ago, I'd posted my results in Excel bar-graphs confirming the marginally superior performance of diamond thermal paste. Got a PM here from a guy who must've been a principal in Innovative Cooling LTD. We exchanged some gossip, and he offered to send me free samples.

Couple weeks later, among other items in the same package, I got another tube of the diamond paste. I didn't realize until last week -- cleaning up the mess in my work area -- they'd sent me the 24-carat tube -- about 3+ times more the the 7-carat tube.