Need Some Advice on Getting More Out of My Patriot XBLK TCCD

[hovo73]

Hi, I was wandering if I can get some advice on how I can get more out of my 2x512 PDP Patriot XBLK + DFI NF4 Ultra-D.

I see a lot of people can get their TCCD up to 290 to 300 with 2.5-3-3-X-1T (2.5-4-3-X-1T). However as hard as I try I can't get more than 260MHz on mine. I would be happy if I could get 280 out of it so I can run 1:1 with my CPU.

Can you please look at my specs and tell me if I can try something to make it go higher?

DFI NF4 Ultra-D (Using 3.3V line and 510-2 BIOS)
Winchester 3000+ (0444 I believe)
2x512 PDP Patriot XBLK
Enermax Noisetaker 485W (dual +12V at 18A each)

And here are my BIOS MyGenie settings:

FSB Freq: .......................... 280
LDT/FSB Ratio: ................... x 3.0
LDT Transfer Width: ............ 16 16
CPU/FSB Ratio: ................... x 9.0
PCI eXpress Freq: ............... 100 MHz
Cool'n'Quite: ....................... Disable
CPU VID StartUp Value: ........ StartUp
-------------------------------------
CPU VID: ........................... 1.450 V
CPU VID Spec: ................... 110%
LDT Vlt: ............................ 1.30 V
Chip Set Vlt: ...................... 1.60 V
DRAM Vlt: .......................... 2.80 V
DRAM+ .03V: ...................... Disable
-------------------------------------
MAC Lan: ........................... Auto
MAC Media Interface: ........... Pin Strap
VIA 1394 Control: ................ Enabled
EVERYTHING ELSE HERE: ....... Disabled
-------------------------------------
Freq: ................................ 180 (09/10)
CPC: ................................ Enable
Tcl: ................................. 2.5
Trcd: ............................... 03
Tras: ............................... 07
Trp: ................................ 03
Trc: ................................ 15
Trfc: ............................... 17
Trrd: ............................... 04
Twr: ............................... 03
Twtr: .............................. 02
Trwt: .............................. 04
Tref: ............................... 3072
Twcl: ............................... 01
------------------------------------------
DRAM Bank Interleave: ........ Enabled
DQS Skew Control: ............. Increase Skew
DQS Skew Value: ............... 200
DRAM Drv Strength: ........... Level 7
DRAM Data Drv Strength: .... Level 3
Max Async Latency: ........... 07.0 Nano Seconds
DDRAM Response Time: ....... Fast
Read Preamble Time: .......... 05.0 Nano Seconds
IdleCycle Limit: ................. 256 Cycles
Dynamic Counter: .............. Disable
R/W Queue Bypass: ........... 16 X
Bypass Max ...................... 07 X
32 Bit Granularity: .............. Disable (8 Bursts)

As you can see right now I am running:
CPU: 9x280, 1.450+110%=1.55V
RAM: 10/09, 252 MHz, 2.8V, 2.5-3-3-7-1T-etc

I have tried playing with timings:


tried Drive Strength (7, 5, 3), didn't make any difference I think anything lower than 3 wouldn't load windows
tried Data Drive Strength (3 and 1), didn't help, with 1 I believe it couldn't load windows.
tried higher Max Asynch Latencies, for some reason anything over 8 would result in windows not posting, which is weird, I thought the higher the easier it should be.
tried higher Read Preamble, anything over 5.5 and windows doesn't load, also weird?
tried Normal response time
tried R/W Que bypass 8 X and lower
tried Decrease Skew control
tried Bank Interleave disabled didn't help, but I wouldn't want to do this anyway as I noticed a huge performance difference in 3DMark2001.
I have tried relaxing Trc and Trfc
tried Trcd 4, it helped a little but not much.
One thing I haven't tried is different Tref values, the reason being I don't really know what to try, I am completely bewildered by the options, dont' know which way is up and which way is down, I settled on 3072 because I have read that that and 4708 are good for TCCD.
I have also tried lower and higher DRAM voltages.
as well as higher or lower VCORE, Chip Set, or LDT voltages.


I am suspecting that the key is in tinkering with Tref, Trc and Trfc values, but am not sure what to try.

Is this really the limit of this RAM (255-ish with 2.5-3-3-7-1T)? I can do 280 with 3-4-4-8-1T, but I would really like to get the tighter timings.

I would appreciate any (I want to emphasize ANY, even if it already has been tried) suggestions.

Thanks.

[Major]

For TCCD you should use 510-3 bios, the 510-2 is for UTT and low latency.

Also you can just about leave everything to Auto and defaults execpt for 2.5-4-3-7

check this thread out too if you haven't already:

http://www.xtremesystems.org/forums/showthread.php?t=57317

[hovo73]

For TCCD you should use 510-3 bios, the 510-2 is for UTT and low latency.

Also you can just about leave everything to Auto and defaults execpt for 2.5-4-3-7

check this thread out too if you haven't already:

http://www.xtremesystems.org/forums/showthread.php?t=57317

Thanks Major,

Yes I know about 510-3. I was on 414-3 before and I thought I will give xxx-2 a try because I saw some of the people in "Highest TCCD" thread and others were using that one.

Yeah I have looked at that thread, and tried most of what the original poster talks about, I thinkt hat is where I got the suggested Tref values.

I guess I will give 510-3 a try, but are there any other suggestions before I do?

[Major]

With previous BIOS versions I had to do some tweaking to get my TCCD up and flying. With the 510-3, its pretty much plug and play.

[turtle]

It's worth noting most people that achieve 300+ are using 2.9-3.1v vdimm. Have you tried cranking it up from 2.8v to 2.9 or 3? That's what i'd do...find the max usable voltage...ala the highest voltage before you get memtest errors CAUSED by too much voltage, use 2.5-4-3-7, the rest auto, and tweak from there.

[fatfreepork]

when you tried with different voltages, is 2.7V the best?

[hovo73]

Major, I will try 510-3 then. I am trying my UTT sticks now, once I am done testing them I will flash 510-3 and try it with TCCD. Can i ask you to post your MyGenie settings?

turtle, i have tried up to 3.0V to 3.1V. Is 3.1V pretty much max anyone should try with TCCD? I wil try your sugestion.

fatfreeport, it is funny you should ask, during some of my tests I have noticed that Memtest sometimes errors when the VDIMM is high (2.8V+), once I set it down to 2.7V it passes fine, but then when I try testing Windows stability (Prime95, Stress Prime, SuperPi) those low VDIMMs usually result in BSOD, Windows seems to like more higher voltages. I really haven't tested this too much, and dont' have any explanation for it.

Any more ideas?

[fatfreepork]

I would think Xbl Tccd does best with 2.8.5 (in windows at least)

[xenolith]

Your not alone hovo. I could never figure out how to get above 265 stable w/ 2.5-3-3-10 1T with my 2x512MB XBLK's. Couldn't even get 250 memtest stable without Data Drive Strength @ Level 1, but I see you tried that already.

I just chalked it up to a weak mem controller on my old 3400+ Newcastle.

[EMC2]

Using 331-3 BIOS, Vcore=1.30, Vcore Special 123%, Vmem=2.8V, +.03V ENABLED, & TCCD (not XBLKs) these were best settings for 2.5-3-3-6 timings on a 3200+ CBBHD 0450 TPCW (may it RIP)....

1T,2.5,3,6,3,9,12,2,2,2,3,4708,1,NBL,DECREASE,90,5 ,2,7.0,4.5,8,DISABLE,8X,7X,DISABLE

Note: Skew settings will depend on sticks and CPU... the two drive strengths depend also on which BIOS you use.

Peace :toast: