BAD NEWS: my Old Corsair PC3500 v1.1 use Winbond CH-5 IC's! I can't believe this!

[GOLDEN FLAMER]

Good Evening to everyone!

I'm an Italian Overclocker that has discovered a very strange news that I didn't like to much!

My configuration is:
DFI Lanparty NF3 UT250GB(with V-Dimm mod) @ 255FSB with 4x LDT/FSB
A64 Newcastle 3000+ Socket 754 step CG @ 2550MHz ===> 1.6V
768Mb RAM, one stick is a 512Megs Corsair XMS 3500 v1.1 and the other stick is a 256Megs Mushkin Level II module@ all running at 1/1 255MHz 2-2-2-6 with 3,22V.

My PC run this overclock 24/24h in daily use without stability problem from over a year.

BUT TODAY, I try to Overclock more and I Increase my RAM voltage from 3,22 to 3,55V. Using this high RAM voltage make my system totally unstable at all FSB frequency Unless I pull out my 512Mb Corsair from the system and see my other Mushkin stick can Run Error Free up to an incredible 276MHz 2-2-2-6!
Finally, I Pull OUT the HeatSPREADER of my Corsair PC3500 XMS v1.1 TO LOOK TO THE IC'S. Well, My Corsair HAS a total of 16 CHIP, 15 is Winbond BH-5 AND ONE IS CH-5 !!!!!!!!!!!!!!! WHY?
I Can't Understand Why Corsair has put ONE CH-5 Chip in my DDR MODULE.

Previous I think that ALL CORSAIR PC3500 V1.1 STICK IS BASED ONLY ON BH-5 Winbond IC'S, NOT CH-5.
JUST FOR HELP SOMEONE WHO FIND USED PC3500 v1.1 XMS MEMORY THE NUMBER LABELED ON MY STICK IS XMS3502v1.1 0348053-1.
I THINK I CAN'T RUN AT HIGHER VOLTAGE 3,3/3,5V THIS STICK BECAUSE THE CH-5 CHIP DOESN'T LIKE THAT HIGHER VOLTAGE. My Other Stick has no problem to run at 3,55V because it use only BH-5 IC'S

However my Corsair RAM is not a Bad RAM, can run 2-2-2 timings at 217MHz even at lower voltage 2.8V, and can Run up to 257MHz 2-2-2-6 with 3,25V.

What IS THE MAX VOLTAGE FOR Winbond CH-5 IC's?? Can I try to use 3,8V on this Chip or not??

Thanks!

[alexio]

However my Corsair RAM is not a Bad RAM, can run 2-2-2 timings at 217MHz
Thanks!

I think that IC is relabled or something. CH-5 can never do 217mhz 2-2-2-5 with 2.8v, it's really impossible.

[enzoR]

corsair messed up. See if you can get a rma, although i doubt they still have xms3500 v1.1's stored somewhere. Id raise all hell though as ALL 3500 is ment to be BH5 only, and clearly they made a mistake. It can happen...

[bachus_anonym]

Finally, I Pull OUT the HeatSPREADER of my Corsair PC3500 XMS v1.1 TO LOOK TO THE IC'S. Well, My Corsair HAS a total of 16 CHIP, 15 is Winbond BH-5 AND ONE IS CH-5 !!!!!!!!!!!!!!! WHY?
I Can't Understand Why Corsair has put ONE CH-5 Chip in my DDR MODULE.Can you post a good, sharp pic of that stick? Both sides? That's pretty interesting, hehe :)

Kind of hard to assume that with one CH-5 IC this stick would go all the way to 257MHz 5-2-2-2.0 at 3.25v... Maybe some IC labeling error :shrug:

[enzoR]

I think that IC is relabled or something. CH-5 can never do 217mhz 2-2-2-5 with 2.8v, it's really impossible.

when i mixed 1 stick of BH5 together with 1 stick of CH5 i lost the i875 255mhz wall, and i could run 2-2-2 timings at low voltages without errors.

[nn_step]

Wow they screwed up big time.. that is funny as hell.. I would love to see a few pics

[alexio]

when i mixed 1 stick of BH5 together with 1 stick of CH5 i lost the i875 255mhz wall, and i could run 2-2-2 timings at low voltages without errors.

That's interesting. I will test that. I have some good CH-UTT and some BH-UTT that is bad with low volts.

EDIT: so this means that the CH5 wall at low volts is in the tighter timings rather than in the chips themselves.

[GOLDEN FLAMER]

Hi People, LOOK !!! here is the PIC!!

http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f305/Rocky7781/CH-5QUESTA.jpg

Look at the top Right chip, It seems Ch-5! All other seven chip on this side is BH-5 "312WE". On the other side of the RAM all the chip is BH-5 labeled "313WE".

And here is the RAM Performance at 2,8V
http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f305/Rocky7781/XMS3500C2PT-217.jpg

And THIS IS NEAR TO THE MAX FOR THIS RAM AT 3,25V. (I Think 3,30V will give an Extra MHz or TWO, but more than 3,30V give only Poor Stability!)

http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f305/Rocky7781/XMS3500C2PT-257MAX.jpg

In Fact this RAM perform very well but Nothing can get it stable if I give more than 3,3V.
I try to change all timings with A64 Tweaker, there's nothing to do.
Another strange thing is this RAM need tRfc = 15 or more. System doesn't boot if set tRfc 14 or lower.
I see people with BH-5 RAM use tRfc=13, and I can't boot at 13
I'm Very confused:confused:

May be a very lucky and selected "CH-5" chip or not? Is it possible that Corsair use his very best CH-5 chip in this modules to Save some discontinued BH-5 and to create more PC3500/PC3200LL 1.1 RAM??

[nn_step]

umm I can't see the pics.. please upload them to photobucket or imageshack

[GOLDEN FLAMER]

You can try to look again on the picture. I've uploaded the three picture on photobucket. You should see without problem.

The label on the chip of the right says W942508CH-5 - 035251 - 433820600

Another strange thing is the SPD Programming table. It's programmed for 2,5-3-3-8@ 200MHz, why is not programmed for 2-2-2 like the PC3200LL v1.1??