Reply from Crucial Tech Support about Memory Timings

[bloodandsoil]

Thought you guys would find this interesting. I recently sent an email to Crucial Tech Support to try to find out the validated sub-timings on the Crucial Ballistix memory I recently purchased.

Here is my original email:

Dear Sir:

I recently purchased (through Newegg) 1GBx2 of Ballistix memory (model BL12864AA804).

Crucial validates this module with memory timings of 4-4-4-12.

However, I would also like to know the validated sub-timings for this memory.

In the BIOS of my motherboard (Asus P5B-Deluxe), there are settings for 6 memory sub-timings:

DRAM Write Recovery Time
DRAM TRFC
DRAM TRRD
Rank Write to Read Delay
Read to Precharge Delay
Write to Precharge Delay

I look forward to your response. Thank you very much.

And here is the response I received today:

Hello,
Unfortunately we do not support any other timings other then the standard timings listed on our website.

[momomo6789]

Auto :)

[G.S Technician]

i like that answer, will save us a lot of time :)

[bloodandsoil]

How do you think I should respond? I'm kinda frustrated because it sounds to me like they don't even know what I'm talking about.

[momomo6789]

Yo this is also a bad place to put this b/c most of us umm pick are own timeings :) if you want stable use lose timeing :)

[bloodandsoil]

Yea but I don't see any good reason why Crucial can't provide the information I'm asking for. I know they have it.

[nicepun]

Thus the answer is/was "Hello,
Unfortunately we do not support any other timings other then the standard timings listed on our website."

Yo this is also a bad place to put this b/c most of us umm pick are own timeings :) if you want stable use lose timeing :)

+1 on this one. I think some people already touche don this, oh yeah you did and some people answered oh yeah me.

http://www.xtremesystems.org/forums/showthread.php?t=138838

In the end what works for some may not work for others but at least you have a refence to go by.

Additonal Comments:

Here's another screenshots from Crucial Ballistix subtimings on a i975x Chipset:

http://img223.imageshack.us/img223/8204/crucialballistixtimingsqh1.th.jpg (http://img223.imageshack.us/my.php?image=crucialballistixtimingsqh1.jpg)

[bloodandsoil]

I'm persistent and determined by nature. I want to get an authoritative response regarding the sub-timings.

[NickS]

Call?

[Gautam]

I'm persistent and determined by nature. I want to get an authoritative response regarding the sub-timings.

If you ever manage to get a hold of anyone at Crucial that knows what they're talking about, they'll just tell you to enable SPD in BIOS and leave it alone. Of course no one over here would. :p:

[ozzimark]

I'm persistent and determined by nature. I want to get an authoritative response regarding the sub-timings.

a lot of the things you asked about are already in the SPD.. ;)
and it's also sorta chipset/memory controller dependant too... as well as dimm population.

[bloodandsoil]

a lot of the things you asked about are already in the SPD.. ;)
and it's also sorta chipset/memory controller dependant too... as well as dimm population.

Well my SPD is programmed with 5-5-5-15 timings. I don't want to use SPD for the main memory timings or for the sub-timings.

This memory is validated with 4-4-4-12 timings. They should also provide the validated values for the sub-timings as well.

I shouldn't have to settle for SPD for memory that is A) This expensive and B) Obviously marketed for power users and overclockers

[theelectic]

I think their response was entirely reasonable. Subtimings depend on the motherboard as well. Most mobos are tweaked for certain types of RAM, the BIOS will set different values depending on not only the SPD but what manual timings are set. Hell I bet in their validation and testing process, they only set the first four values and leave the rest on AUTO. Go to the Corsair site, they have extensive lists of their RAM with different mobos - the only thing they adjust is primary timings and voltage, everything else is AUTO.

"Power users and overclockers" are going to set the values and subtimings on their own. Get with the program man, set them to a low/middle value, fire up Sandra or SuperPi and get benchmarking!!!

[ozzimark]

Well my SPD is programmed with 5-5-5-15 timings. I don't want to use SPD for the main memory timings or for the sub-timings.

This memory is validated with 4-4-4-12 timings. They should also provide the validated values for the sub-timings as well.

I shouldn't have to settle for SPD for memory that is A) This expensive and B) Obviously marketed for power users and overclockers

oh, that's strange.. my 2x1gb pc6400 ballistix defaults to 4-4-4 :confused:
but sadly, i'm gonna have to reflect the general consensus... go with some settings, tweak it for maximum performance :D

[[XC] gomeler]

seriously.. just plop the sticks in, set some loose timings, and work from there. Do you want Crucial to walk you through everything? This is XS, we won't hold your hand the entire way. Crucial advertises the sticks as 4-4-4-12, NOBODY ever advertises sub-timings, I think it would just look bad when you see a ton of double-digit timings.

[clon22]

Auto :)
i gotta agree with this... Auto...
Besides, I think different board *bios* have different mem sub timings if left to auto..
I have no idea how crucial is able to answer that either...
Hmm... subjective to me.. :)

[skate2snow]

Sub-timings are not... how can I say... "standard" yet in the industry, and may never be... Sub timings were at first showed/released to try to gain some stability when changing of chipsets...

[irev210]

I'm persistent and determined by nature. I want to get an authoritative response regarding the sub-timings.



Their authoritative response is "auto"


IE, if you really want to know what the default timings are, why dont you enable SPD and boot up and in windows open memset (as another person kindly showed you a screen shot)

[sedg.raven]

everest ultimate edition in spd part, says my team xtreem sub-timmings not for standar 1200mhz but helps you to be on the right/wrong track :)
http://img113.imageshack.us/img113/9494/dibujogt5.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
bye

[afireinside]

B) Obviously marketed for power users and overclockers

There's the "authoritative" response to your question. Overclockers and power uses will know that sub timings will vary board to board, bios to bios, chipset to chipset, and at different primary timing sets. It's something that's impossible to test. You bought overclocking ram, now overclock it. That's the only way to find the best subs.

[zbomb5610]

i like that answer, will save us a lot of time :)

i pm'd you about subtimings as well as another question about the HZ's a few days back.