Memory OC probs

[infrared]

Hey all.

Ive been running my system at stock for quite a while now, just for using as a ftp server, and downloading stuff. When i went to clock it back up it wouldn't run at the previous settings. I spent days fighting with voltages, timings, dividers etc. Eventually i found some nice settings:

CPU: 425 x 8 = 3.4GHz (1.48v vcore / 1.6v cpu PLL v)
RAM: 1064MHz 5-5-4-10-3-35-3-3-3 (4:5, 2.1v)

Ok, I left it overnight running memtest86+, which did 30 passes overnight, and showed no errors - great i thought... took the disk out and restarted. It didn't even make it to the desktop before crashing and restarting. So i thought it could be either cpu frequency/voltage or NB/fsb volts.

vMCH = 1.4v
vfsb = 1.3-1.4v
Dropped the cpu down to 7x multi (<3GHz), upped cpu PLL volts to 1.7v
Upped ram volts to 2.15v.
Loosened up sub-timings

Again, passed memtest, but didn't make it to desktop... :mad:

Dropped the ram back to 1:1 (850mhz) and suddenly everything is fine! I dropped all the voltages back, still fine, changed timings to 4-4-3-8-3-30-3-3-3... still ok...

SO WTF is wrong with my mobo/ram not getting on with each other? I'm using 2 of the same sticks on my little brother's ABIT IP35 motherboard and it's running 1000mhz CL4!! I also tried swapping to see if somehow the ram in my rig had been damaged... same thing happened.

Does anyone have any ideas? I'm really puzzled by this.

[DOM]

have you tryed upping the NB some ?

[infrared]

yeah, stock vmch is 1.2v, and it can go up to 480mhz fsb with that. i tried 1.4 and 1.5v, but same thing happened when i tried upping the memory speed again =/

I found an option that might have been causing probs - DRAM static read control. When enabled/auto causes a no-boot at 900+mhz.. i'll check to make sure that's dissabled in a moment. There's also the option "transaction booster", which just increases memory performance, i might try dissabling that. And also there's one called "clock over-charging mode", not sure what it does. I think it increases the signal voltage to the ram. I might have a play with that.

Ram isn't getting hot, northbridge is fine... I'll have another stab at it in a moment. There's a WU about to finish :D

Thnx for reply Dom

[infrared]

Hmm, looks like I may just be really unlucky and have shit-loads of dead ram. I just tried all of above, to no avail. So i found the one remaining working stick of Crucial Ballistix pc2-6400 (review sample). Put it in, and bam... booted streight up @ 1100mhz 5-5-4-10 2.15v. If only it's twin hadn't died :(

Ok.. next step. Rip the other two sticks of Supertalent pc2-6400 out of my little brother's PC and see if that will run ok in mine.

Does anyone know where i can buy Transcend AxeRam in the UK? :D

EDIT:

Ok, the Supertalents in my rig worked great in little brothers. I took the heatspreader off one of them to see what chips they use, and unfortunatly they're not Micron D9's. No brand was etched on them. I'm wandering if it's just something about the spd's that my motherboard doesn't like, so i'm going to flash them with the spd from the crucial ballistix stick i tried earlier. BRB

EDIT 2:

Nope, flashing the spd's made no difference whatsoever. I even tried booting with 2.5v and briefly made it to the desktop before it crashed. Very odd. Oh well, AxeRam 1200 it is then! Any idea where i can buy some?