Overclocking trouble.

[Elos]

Right ill start with my PC conf.
Asus P5B-E Plus
Intel Core 2 E6400, 1066FSB, 2,13Ghz
2x(2x1GB Kit) Corsair PC-6400 800Mhz
Zalman HP600W, Heatpipe

ATI 3870, 320GB HDD etc
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The exact same PC but with 2x1GB Kit corsair has run about 1 year perfectly on settings below.

E6400@2,8Ghz FSB 1400
RAM @ 875Mhz
Default volt. on both.
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Now after adding 2GB and going over to Vista 64bit (mind that i did try it with XP 32bit aswell some time ago, same problems) im getting lot of trouble to overclock my PC.

I can get it working either on Default values or any overclocking value for CPU with RAM not more than 700Mhz. Trying to get RAM to work faster, even at 800Mhz what its default will not load up windows, blue screen and restart.
Atm im running CPU @2,8Ghz and RAM @700Mhz, shame that i need to downlock my RAM to get it working, altho atm my FSB is synchronised, all this on default voltage btw.

EDIT: Even on 2,8Ghz and 700Mhz RAm it crashes so it cant be RAM nor CPU, mobo?

Adding voltage while trying to overclock has no effect what so ever, still same results.

Also, at default settings BIOS recognises my RAM as PC-6400 but while overclocking it says my RAM is PC-4300..uh?

I was trying to clock my FSB 4x320, @2,56Ghz, this would leave my RAM to 800Mhz, but in that case PC wount boot up at all.

Any ideas what may be wrong or wtf is going on?

I thought that maybe with 4 blansk of RAM it will downclock RAM automatically , but information says it should recognise my RAM as 800Mhz aslong as im not going for 8GB. And that it does in default settings.

Also, i have disabled a function in BIOS what lets Op.sys to determine my CPU speed according to PC usage but it still works on 2,1GHZ on idle and on games or just messing aroudn a bit it raises to 2,8Ghz.

This thing is giving me a headache why cant a person overclock in peace ;D

[Pyx]

Maybe you got unlucky with your additional ram sticks (be it faulty samples or worse, forged samples).

Do your problems go away if you remove the new ones and stick with the old ones?

Get it fixed will you, we need your tanking!

[Elos]

Pyx,my PC is workign just perfect if i dont overclock.

And yes trying both Kits separetely is working just fine @ 2,8Ghz and 875Mhz. So RAM is ok.

Today im gonna try installing 2x2GB Kit instead of 4x1GB and see what its like.

Its really weird, CPU can handle it, both RAM's can handle, but it seems mobo cant handle overclocking with 4 blanks, even with NB voltage at 1,65

[Jaera]

apparently some asus mobos cant handle 4 sticks too well. try updating the bios

[Elos]

apparently some asus mobos cant handle 4 sticks too well. try updating the bios

Thats first thing i did, im on latest BIOS, according to their site and my mobo manual 4x1GB Corsair should work perfectly @PC6400 800Mhz

[Zarhan]

On some motherboards the more memorysticks you have, the less you can OC. The DRAM has to be refreshed, and if there are more physical sticks, it needs a few moments more.

So, if the memory sticks are of different sizes, just leave the bigger ones in and try again.

[Elos]

So, if the memory sticks are of different sizes, just leave the bigger ones in and try again.

Exactly the same RAM 2x (2x1GB Kit PC6400C5) Corsair Heatsink. 4GB total.

Tried with 2.1 voltage highest, dont think adding more has any differense. Also left timings default, even these work perfectly 4-4-4-12

So trying with 2x2GB might actually work?

[Zarhan]

So trying with 2x2GB might actually work?

You got that right.

http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/24680 ... ooperating was first reference I could google, there are probably better ones. Basically it comes down to the length of connection path (the actual millimeters of copper wiring the signals has to go through), and naturally these are longer with 4 DIMMs instead of 2.

[Jaera]

indeed. but my 4x1 sticks work with the same oc. which is why i thought of the bios.

[frozenwiller]

It's most likely electrical problem, when you add more memory modules it means more capacitance on RAM-bus (fanout number for DDR driver chips), which limits the maximum clockspeed you can use on bus. Turning up voltage can make it work - or finding RAM-sticks with better electrical properties (specced for higher clock speeds == less capacitance).

I've seen similar cases happen on many lower-end boards, layout isn't good enough to handle high clock speeds and maxed out number of ram modules. So case might well be that the mobo and memory modules you have, is just impossible combination to get going faster.

For testing, I'd suggest using memtest86+. If it runs flawlessly for couple of passes, you can be quite sure your memory is working flawlessly. Lot better indication of things working than getting random crashes

[Elos]

I wouldnt really call my mobo low end, sure its 1y old but it was top notch product back then, cost me some money
its quality board, Uses 100% All High-quality Conductive Polymer Capacitors! Ofc its not as good as i expected otherwise i woultn be moaning here lol

Plus i have very good PSU.

Thing is it wount even run when i overclock my FSB 4x320 (1400) and set RAM to run on 700Mhz, thats 100Mhz less than its default, + in that case it runs synchronised. And still, no go.

[Elos]

Nice news for me...not

http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/forum/216 ... mshardware

[Jaera]

striker extreme is the way to go

[Elos]

striker extreme is the way to go

Ive sold lots of them, stupidly expensive board and tell you the truth 50% of them come back , so i dont trust it

And ofcourse i cant afford that expensive board atm

[Jaera]

striker extreme is the way to go

Ive sold lots of them, stupidly expensive board and tell you the truth 50% of them come back , so i dont trust it

And ofcourse i cant afford that expensive board atm

cool. i like mine. i got it cheap as used stock from dabs. wouldnt have paid the full retail

[Elos]

I got 12GB RAM packed with me and now im on my way to home to sort it out, surely some of them work

[Elos]

Board doesnt recognise Apacer 2x2GB, altho AM1 2x2GB 800Mhz works perfect clocked @875Mhz while CPU clocked @2,8Ghz.

So problemos solved, switched my Corsair for some AM1... and it works.

So far the differense in games i rather big, for example Company of Heroes: Opposing Fronts gained something like 20fps, all smooth now with maxed settings.

So basically this board cant handle clocking 4 dimms. Altho i must admit it had bit probs even with unclocked, for example TF2 got laggy after 10 min playtime.

Anyways im glad this is over, im sick of updating my PC.
Guess what, ill prolly do it again next week

[Pyx]

Good to hear the problems are solved. Now please sign up for some serious tanking will you