Very intersting 4X1GB DDR2 problem!!!

[imported_Husky55]

I have a pair of G. Skill HZ PC6400 OC at 469 MHz in my core2 duo. So everything is going good. With price of RAM crashing I picked up a pair of Crucial Ballistic PC6400.

Same micron D9 chips.

Then things are not so good. When I installed the 4 sticks, windows could not start. Enabled Memory Mapping in Advanced Chipset. No go.

I can only assume that my mobo Asus P5B-E version 1 sucks. VDimm max is 2.1V and that what I am running the memory at.

I did verify that each of the 2 sets work perfectly, but not together. WinXP Pro was recently installed so there is no problem there.

Would like to hear any other experience.

 

[JAG87]

dont mix and match. oh and also, dont mix and match.

 

[KIAman]

Running all 4 dimms puts increased stress on your motherboard. Typically, people had to lower timings and increase voltage to get the same stability that 2 sticks would provide.

I run all 4 dimms and I clock 425mhz FSB at 5-5-5-15 2T 2.3v.

With 2 sticks I can clock to 450 FSB 4-4-4-12 2T 2.1v.

Some motherboards are better equipped to handle the load of all 4 sticks better than others.

I'd suggest to try out the 2x2gb sticks if you like having 4GB of memory.

 

[imported_Husky55]

Thanks for posting your experiences.

I am happy with the 2 GB setup. Just fooled around and was surprised that's all.

No question about more stress on the Asus P5B-E V1 which was never my first choice. Ordered and hoped for Version 2 but Newegg sent V1 after V2 was released about 6 month before.

The Ballistics and G. Skill HZ are superb memory sticks. I could have gone higher but for the Asus. As a matter of fact I did go higher but the system was not Orthos stable.

 

[cmdrdredd]

Increase northbridge voltage and see if you get any change. Usually though you need more voltage or lower timings with 4 banks filled. 2.1v max being your primary limitation.

 

[imported_Husky55]

Already working on the next build.

You ain't kidding about the 2.1 V limitations, don't I know it

 

[Emo]

I also believe that having matched sets of ram avoids potential incompatability problems and reduced performance. I just picked a pair of 1gb OCZ rev 2 sticks to double my existing memory and it worked perfectly on my Asus P5B Deluxe Wifi. Running all 4 1Gb at 4-4-4-12 at 2.1v at 426Mhz. FYI, Vista 32Bit Ultimate sees only 3Gb so my next upgrade would be Vista 64Bit.

 

[soydios]

I had to relax the timings on my RAM when I upgraded to 4x1GB.
I used to run at OCZ Platinum 2x1GB DDR2-800 4-5-4-15 2.05V. Now I'm running at 4x1GB DDR2-835 5-5-5-15 2.1V.
I didn't have to change my Northbridge voltage, though sadly my P5W won't go above 345FSB and still be Orthos stable, no matter what CPU multipliers, memory straps, latencies, and voltages I give it.

Oh well, 334x9=3.00GHz on my E6600 at stock voltage with 4GB of DDR2-835 isn't that bad. Vista x64 is really loving the 4GB of RAM!

 

[Idontcare]

Originally posted by: KIAman
Running all 4 dimms puts increased stress on your motherboard. Typically, people had to lower timings and increase voltage to get the same stability that 2 sticks would provide.

I run all 4 dimms and I clock 425mhz FSB at 5-5-5-15 2T 2.3v.

With 2 sticks I can clock to 450 FSB 4-4-4-12 2T 2.1v.

Some motherboards are better equipped to handle the load of all 4 sticks better than others.

I'd suggest to try out the 2x2gb sticks if you like having 4GB of memory.

Similar story here too. I got 4x1GB loaded on my striker mobo and I had to relax the timings like mad to get them to run stable at much over DDR2-667 speeds...and they were Mushkin redline PC-8000 stuff too :Q

 

[terentenet]

4x1Gb Team Xtreem 1200MHz.
Watercooled northbridge @ 1.55v & RAM also watercooled (for show mostly, RAM don't get that hot), stable overclocked at 450MHz (900MHz) 4-4-4-12 2T 2.2v. It can do higher, this is a 24/7 setting.
With 2Gb @ 900MHz it should be able to hold 3-3-3 setting so yes, loosen the timings and up the voltages at both RAM and NB.

 

[cmdrdredd]

My 4GB (4x 1GB) G.Skill HZ DDR2-800 does 3-3-3-8 at 800Mhz w/2.25v and 4-4-4-12 at 1000Mhz w/2.3v