What are right relaxed timings?

[magratton]

Have mushkin Level 1 2x256. I am trying to oc a new setup (Abit NF7-S and AXP2500M). Booted into MemTest86 V3.0(caught that from folks talking about corrupt windows).

Memory set to 2-2-2-11, CPU running at 210X11.5@1.675 (running Prime95 now will check where it got to when I get home this evening). I noticed the mobo undervolts at roughtly .025 so may run it at 1.7 if i get home and prime95 errored.

MemTest86 showed varying errors. Originally had Memory at 3:3 CPU FSBRAM and tried changing this from 3:3 to 4:4 ... 6:6 and degree of errors would change. Up'd voltage to 2.8 and still got issues. Changed timings to 2-3-3-11, dropped voltage to 2.7 and no more issues in memtest.

The question: is 2-3-3-11 the next step from 2-2-2-11 or should I set this differently? What have people found to be the 'right' setting with this?

 

[Elcs]

Tightest timings are the lowest. 2-2-2 are classed as extremely tight... and you are right with the last figure being 11, NForce2 based motherboards like 11 for some reason.

2-3-3 is actually more relaxed than 2-2-2. Memory gurus will be able to offer some more insight into this.

 

[Shimmishim]

2-2-2-X is the tightest
2-2-3-X is a little less
2-3-2-X is a little less

but i'm not sure what has more of an effect, the 2nd or 3rd changed to 3....

mem gurus?

 

[mechBgon]

What voltage are you using for the memory modules?

 

[magratton]

2.8v atm. I have noticed that at 2-3-3-11 that 2.7 seems to be fine as well, at least it passes memtest muster.

EDIT: I tried (at 2.8v) 2-3-2-11, 2-2-3-11 and both failed memtest. I tried 2-3-3-11 and it passed memtest. I think the question I am after is this: if 2-3-3 is what I am going to be using is the last number (11) still right or should this be lowered to something else.

BTW: ATM I am running this system AMD2500M@ 200x12 @ 1.65v. CPU:FSB radio is 3:3

 

[Super56K]

I'd like to know that answer too. My buffalo pc3200 will run stable with timings of 2-3-3-7 Would running it at 2-3-3-11 run quicker for me?

 

[magratton]

I am trying to remember who said this in another person's post (Thugsrook?) but they stated something like:
2,2,2,11
2,3,2,6
2,3,3,6
is the order in which timings are relaxed.

Also, cas+ras+2 seemed to be the right formula for the last number with many people reporting that 2-3-3-5 showing much poorer performance than 2-3-3-6, and staying true to the formula many put it at 2-3-3-7. I changed it from 2-3-3-11 to 2-3-3-6 and performance was still great in Sandra (don't have numbers sorry at work, just from memory). I personally did not try 2-3-3-5. Admittedly, the 2-2-2-11 doesn't fit based on the formula, but I have seen it written on the board that this is what is most generally accpeted when using very tight timings like 2-2-2.

BTW: should I have put this post have been in the General Hardware forum instead?

Edit: Was conversation between Thugsrook, Soulkeeper and i82lazyboy.

 

[myocardia]

Originally posted by: magratton
I am trying to remember who said this in another person's post (Thugsrook?) but they stated something like:
2,2,2,11
2,3,2,6
2,3,3,6
is the order in which timings are relaxed.

Also, cas+ras+2 seemed to be the right formula for the last number with many people reporting that 2-3-3-5 showing much poorer performance than 2-3-3-6, and staying true to the formula many put it at 2-3-3-7. I changed it from 2-3-3-11 to 2-3-3-6 and performance was still great in Sandra (don't have numbers sorry at work, just from memory). I personally did not try 2-3-3-5. Admittedly, the 2-2-2-11 doesn't fit based on the formula, but I have seen it written on the board that this is what is most generally accpeted when using very tight timings like 2-2-2.

BTW: should I have put this post have been in the General Hardware forum instead?

Edit: Was conversation between Thugsrook, Soulkeeper and i82lazyboy.

No, all overclocking questions come here. And you will get faster memory access with any nForce2 chipset using 2-2-2-11 than by using even 2-2-2-5, but only if you are running at or near 200fsb (as well as anything above 200fsb). If you are running below about 190fsb, you should use whatever your memory's rated timings are. And what he said in that thread your are kind of quoting only applies to P4-based systems, not Athlons.

 

[magratton]

Unfortunately, no matter how much vdimm (NF7-S only goes t0 2.9) I gave it, at 200fsb I was not able to get my Muskin Level 1 2x256mb to run at 2-2-2-11 timings. I tried FSB-DRAM ratios on: Auto, SPD, 3:3, 4:4, etc. Mushkin web site says chips are 2-3-3 and recommended on the NF7-S that they be run in sync at 200FSB. Also, no matter what variances I gave the timings, 2-3-2, 2-2-3, etc. I could not get them to run at anything tighter than 2-3-3. :frown: no matter.
BTW: if those were for Pentium, then what would it be for AMD (nforce2) then? I guess our questions are still relatively unanswered.

 

[myocardia]

First of all, memory is only guaranteed to run at the timings it was specified to run at when you bought it. Since level 1 is 2-3-3-x ram, that's what it's guaranteed to run at, at any frequency. And if you didn't understand the thread directly above your last one (the post that is totally about Athlons), then I'm not really sure if you are ever going to understand.

 

[magratton]

I'm not really sure if you are ever going to understand.

hmmmm... I seem to have invoked some passion.

I believe that no one who has answered my post actually knows the answer, hence the "any mem gurus?" statements that they made.

I know the "guarantee" is what is stated by the manufacturer, but if we were going to do that then this forum would not exist. The question I am trying to ask is: given that the manufacturer states 2-3-3 and that is it, and given that my first try OC didn't work (something tighter than 2-3-3) all I am trying to figure out is what should the last number in your "2-3-3-x" be. What replaces the x!?! I could do Sandra timings up the yin-yang and figure it out, I just figured I would post on it and see if anyone had already came up with some simple way to figure it out. I could also just leave the timings in the bios set to "Auto" or "SPD" (SPD sets it to 2-4-4-6) but I DO want to understand. People post on P4 (and most of the review sites focus on P4) memory most of the time. It is actually a little hard to find posts on memory for Athlon. Since I have begun reading here I have respected most peoples opinions (as many of your are obviously more knowledgeable on this topice than I, including you) and have hence wanted to post questions for which I would get respected answers.

I did notice that the previous was P4 related but did not know that it would be different by cpu type. Now I do.

Cheers, and sorry if my post aggravated anyone. :beer:

 

[myocardia]

No, it was just a little irritation, because I had spent awhile thinking of a way to explain it to someone who didn't know, and an hour later, you posted what you did (after the BTW). By doing that, you were implying that I didn't know what I was talking about, even though I was the only who kept on responding, when you kept asking pretty much the same question. So, let me reiterate: any nForce2-chipset motherboard will run slightly faster with 2-3-3-11 memory timings than with 2-3-3-5, or 2-3-3-6 or 2-3-3-7, as long as you are running it near, at, or above 200fsb. That doesn't apply to any other chipsets, only to the nForce2.

edit: And if you were only wanting another opinion, stating that might possibly have gotten you one.

 

[magratton]

Totally clear. Thank you That post filled in all the blanks for me anyways. And no problem for the misunderstanding. My BTW in my previous post was not meant to offend, but mere to say... By the way...

With the previous replies in place and with the notion that 11 seems to be the "right" number at the end then it seem we can fully fill in the picture. Your previous reply had only talked about 2-2-x-x settings and to be honest made TOTAL sence with it's respect to the FSB settings vs DRAM timings. I guess i just wanted to know if it was any different with 2-3-x-x timings.

Again, thanks, this absolutely gave me what I was looking for!

:beer:

 

[magratton]

Final chapter in this. Ran 2-3-3-6 in benchmark then ran 2-3-3-11 and the 11 was just a hair faster, but faster none-the-less.

 

[myocardia]

Originally posted by: magratton
Final chapter in this. Ran 2-3-3-6 in benchmark then ran 2-3-3-11 and the 11 was just a hair faster, but faster none-the-less.

Yeah, memory timings are in order of importance. The first number, which is called CAS, is the most important by far. If you want to see for yourself, set these memory timings: 2-5-5-9, and benchmark. Then, these timings: 3-3-3-11. The timings with a CAS of 2 (not 2.5) will be faster, even though you've got horrible numbers in the last three spots. So, since they are in order of importance, the last number is the least important, but it is still a tweak that you can take advantage of if you have an nForce2-based motherboard. I mean, why give away any performance that costs you nothing, right?