Which RAM timings?

[NokiaDude]

Hello, I currently running an ABIT AT7-MAX2 with 512mb Kingston HyperX DDR333 RAM. Its running CAS2 and that's the only thing I changed. I would like to know which timings would be the most aggressive but also most safe timings. Thanks.

 

[squidman]

If you want to experiment with timings first keep your pc open and close (you might need to clear the cmos in case system dont boot). THen just experiment with one variable at a time. I heard kingstons are 2-2-2-5. Go below - it wont boot. CAS is the most important timing when it comes to performance - there also something like cas-to-tras delay, but they dont affect performance as much as CL2 does. In case you dont wanna clear the cmos, put the memory timings in BIOS to "agressive". See how it changed, for as "agressive" mode would utilise minimum SPD allowed timings of your ram. But if you choose to travel the CMOS-possibility-clear path - then use "User Define" and play with them.
Just to show how much the "agressive" setting is different from "optimal". On my Samsung 7-3-3-2.5 memory i was getting 4450 with "Opimal" settings, and 4590 with "Agressive" in PC Mark 2002. Thats not bad at all for the 7-3-3-2.5 memory.

 

[BG4533]

Lower numbers are better. Try out different settings to see what the fastest you can boot is. Then, use Memtest86 in dos to test for errors. Then use Sandra to test performance.

Brian