Testing your Memory OC

[flexy]

Most people run benches or just their favorite games for testing their memory overclock, looking for artifacts. (For example, on my 660 TI OC, a too high memory OC will result in a green/pink checkerboard pattern).

There are of course some tools out there too, for example OCCT with memory checking on, but I found the OCCT GPU test not so reliable really.

What I do:

I run http://www.softpedia.com/get/Tweak/Memory-Tweak/MemtestG80.shtml (for GPUS with CUDA) or http://www.softpedia.com/get/Tweak/Memory-Tweak/MemtestCL.shtml for any other GPUs.

That CUDA test is extremely fast, it tests 1.2GB of my memory in a mere seconds really.

Important: WHILE testing the memory, I have Kombustor running in the background to put additional load/heat on the card. (I also tried to have Heaven4 running but Heaven bogs down everything so you cannot run the memtest at the same time).

Let it rip over a good amount of memory (as much as you can) and then maybe 1000 or more iterations.

Testing w/ Kombustor and memtestG80 (eg. memtestG80.exe 1200 1000) kind of confirms my earlier findings for my own card (660 TI OC) where I can OC my memory up to +580 with afterburner. +600 gives me a few errors after about 20 mins.

 

[blastingcap]

Bump because I would also like to know about any non-OCCT programs

 

[Xarick]

Would this tell me if I had a bad memory module on the card?

 

[flexy]

there is really no such thing as a memory "module" on the card, but no it wouldn't tell you what specific memory chip would be defective. This is why you should try to run it with testing as much memory as possible to make sure all your card's memory is actually tested.

 

[Xarick]

But it would tell me if my memory was bad, just not specifically where?

 

[blastingcap]

What are you going to do, remove it and solder new memory back on?

 

[flexy]

But it would tell me if my memory was bad, just not specifically where?

Well if you would encounter errors at stock speed and normal temps, then yes you could assume the memory is bad. But no, there is no indication "where", it would also be somewhat pointless, IMO.

 

[Xarick]

I didnt mean where. just if..
I ran it and had no errors after 500 iterations so I am happy.

 

[BallaTheFeared]

Every iteration gives me a error on the random block test no matter what speed I use for ram or voltage I give it.

No other errors, stops on the 50th test every time with no errors except huge amounts from random block.


Card is a 7950 using the CL version.

 

[alcoholbob]

I tried OCing the memory on my GTX Titan but even a 400 MHz memory overclock didn't even add 1 fps in most games. 100Mhz core clock boost on the other hand would easily add 4-5 fps.

 

[flexy]

Every iteration gives me a error on the random block test no matter what speed I use for ram or voltage I give it.

No other errors, stops on the 50th test every time with no errors except huge amounts from random block.


Card is a 7950 using the CL version.

Has that card any other issues in games and benches?

When I overclock my memory too high, I only see memory at random, not the other tests. Is your card running at stock?

 

[flexy]

I tried OCing the memory on my GTX Titan but even a 400 MHz memory overclock didn't even add 1 fps in most games. 100Mhz core clock boost on the other hand would easily add 4-5 fps.

Titan SHOULD have plenty of bandwidth anyway, how would you be able to even satisfy that bandwidth...just my $0.02. On my GTX 660 TI I can add +580 to memory, I also don't see "significant" FPS increases but I assume/guess it would add up if I *were* to game in very high resolutions, 4xAA and lots of texture memory (at least to compensate for the 192bit bus).

 

[wand3r3r]

There is some strange behavior when overclocking memory this generation. Memory at faster clocks actually bringing FPS down etc.

Termie has checked some VRAM overclocking and found raising the clocks can decrease the performance at certain points.
http://www.techbuyersguru.com/VRAMocing.php

If you overclock ram make sure you bench it and see if the FPS actually go up as you increase clocks.

 

[alcoholbob]

There is some strange behavior when overclocking memory this generation. Memory at faster clocks actually bringing FPS down etc.

Termie has checked some VRAM overclocking and found raising the clocks can decrease the performance at certain points.
http://www.techbuyersguru.com/VRAMocing.php

If you overclock ram make sure you bench it and see if the FPS actually go up as you increase clocks.

Raising TDP due to faster RAM might be faster causing throttling of core clocks?

 

[BallaTheFeared]

Has that card any other issues in games and benches?

When I overclock my memory too high, I only see memory at random, not the other tests. Is your card running at stock?

Not until I go over 1700MHz, at which point I get artifacts.

No issues in games/benches/stresstests with known good clocks for either ram or core.

Tried stock, overclocked, downclocked all stock/under/over volted... Same results every time.

 

[24601]

The MemtestCL has a bug and needs to be recompiled with the newest source for it to work properly for 7950 and 7970.

I recompiled mine and it worked fine.

https://github.com/ihaque/memtestCL

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms235639(v=vs.110).aspx

 

[flexy]

Hello, does memtestG80 have the same problem?

 

[24601]

Hello, does memtestG80 have the same problem?

Haven't heard that it does. No idea.