Recommended RAM for Shuttle AN50R

[GreenBeret]

Just before I feed this piece of §§§§ to my dog, I thought I might ask here first...

This board is so picky on RAM although not sure if it's the mem controller of the A64 or just the board but other mobos don't seem to be this bad. My friends and I have tried KHX3500 (different revisions), XMS3500, XMS3200 (the old BH6 stuff) and none of them can run properly, eg can't even reach rated speed and timings even with 2.9Vdimm up their arses.

I only know one RAM that works well on this: the KHX3200 non-A BH5. However there's no more stock of this.

If you have any success with the AN50R and can reach high mem speed, please tell me what RAM you're using, plus timings, voltage, multiplier, CPU:DRAM divider etc. Many thanks :)

[Dexter]

Well here is my best. Corsair 512MB 3200LL revision 1.2 (CH-5, i checked under HS)

230MHz 2-2-3-6 @ 2.9v 1:1 using 10 multi. This is Prime stable for 1 hour, then i closed it)

http://www.endpixel.com/a64/A64-07.jpg

This stick would only do 215MHz in my NF7-S

[MrIcee]

Nico:)

2.9v isn't enough for this board to run ram, even BH-5, to high frequencies. Once it's volt modded and you can feed ram 3.2v and higher, the ram will take off. :)

Randi:D

[GreenBeret]

Originally posted by MrIcee
Nico:)

2.9v isn't enough for this board to run ram, even BH-5, to high frequencies. Once it's volt modded and you can feed ram 3.2v and higher, the ram will take off. :)

Randi:D

Well forget high frequencies for a moment, I can't even run over 205MHz aggressive at 2.9V while on other boards my sticks did 225 2.85V... :( I don't think Vmodding is worth it if it only gets me to 215MHz or so (likely in this case...) The board will be vmodded but I need some good RAM first :)

Dexter, that is very good :) I've seen another guy having similar luck with a LL stick. There are a few shops around here that still have LL 2-2-2-6 BH5's, might give that a try.

Keep the results coming guys :)

[TheDude]

1 x 512mb Corsair PC3500C2v1.1 at 2.9v and 1.7vcore unmodded Shuttle board will do 2700 3dmark stable and boot to windows unstable at 2800. I hope the volt mods will allow 2900 to 3000....cooled by Mach II.
;)

[eva2000]

Originally posted by TheDude
1 x 512mb Corsair PC3500C2v1.1 at 2.9v and 1.7vcore unmodded Shuttle board will do 2700 3dmark stable and boot to windows unstable at 2800. I hope the volt mods will allow 2900 to 3000....cooled by Mach II.
;) sounds promising as i have xms3500c2v1.1 :) which dimm slot did you use for the ram ?

[TheDude]

Originally posted by eva2000
sounds promising as i have xms3500c2v1.1 :) which dimm slot did you use for the ram ?

I believe it's called dimm1 closest to the cpu on the inside.

[doctorcod]

i ran a single stick of mushkin bh5 to 235 1:1 2-2-2-5 @ 2.9v but with both of the sticks in there i have to run 2.9v just for it to be stable at stock, and cant get passed 210 fsb. i guess its time to volt mod.

[GreenBeret]

Originally posted by TheDude
1 x 512mb Corsair PC3500C2v1.1 at 2.9v and 1.7vcore unmodded Shuttle board will do 2700 3dmark stable and boot to windows unstable at 2800. I hope the volt mods will allow 2900 to 3000....cooled by Mach II.
;)

That's your CPU OC, what about mem ?


i ran a single stick of mushkin bh5 to 235 1:1 2-2-2-5 @ 2.9v but with both of the sticks in there i have to run 2.9v just for it to be stable at stock, and cant get passed 210 fsb. i guess its time to volt mod.

So both sticks do 235 if used individually (just want to make sure that you don't have 1 bad and 1 good sticks :) ) but when both are in, they can only do 210 ? That's interesting, because I can't even do 205 if I use one stick (HyperX3500 A00 rev). I have to put both in to do 205 :p

[GreenBeret]

Btw one more Q: Will a single 512MB stick OC better and have better performance (since the sys doesn't have to switch between two sticks) as this is a SC DDR board ?

[doctorcod]

Originally posted by Niko
That's your CPU OC, what about mem ?



So both sticks do 235 if used individually (just want to make sure that you don't have 1 bad and 1 good sticks :) ) but when both are in, they can only do 210 ? That's interesting, because I can't even do 205 if I use one stick (HyperX3500 A00 rev). I have to put both in to do 205 :p
individually they are fine, but this board hates a GB of ram... and i hate it, lol, i just need to volt mod and then juice it up.

[CodeRed]

Originally posted by eva2000
sounds promising as i have xms3500c2v1.1 :) which dimm slot did you use for the ram ?

I tried 4 sticks of XMS3500C2 Rev 1.1 the best would only do 220 2-2-2-5 @ 3V. Didnt bother with higher volts as the kingston will happily prime @ 239 MHz, same timings and volts.

[TheDude]

That's odd because my 2 sticks of hyperX didn't do as well. I guess it depends a lot on the idividual stick for some reason?

[Saffire]

ugh, doctorcod you're having the same problems I'm having.

Anyone using 512x2 of ram on this board with decent results?

[blinky]

Dexter: you should try setting your timings to 2-3-2 instead of 2-2-3, because in general CH5 doesnt like a ras to cas of 2.

[CodeRed]

Originally posted by TheDude
That's odd because my 2 sticks of hyperX didn't do as well. I guess it depends a lot on the idividual stick for some reason?

The kingston was KHX3200/256 ... this stuff rocks in the shuttle

Unfortunately as Niko and eva200 have said, its near impossible to find in Oz. I was lucky to get this stick ... wish I had two.

[matt simis]

Ive got Corsair XMS TwinX 3200 1024MB REG (as in registered) v1.1. It doesnt even post in the AN50R, but works fine in the Abit KV8Max. :mad:

How can branded and expensive ram be such a hassle in this board?

Slightly OT, how fast (in mhz) can Corsair Registered 3200 ram usually go?



Matt



PS: I know the A64 doesnt *need* registered ram!

[`schr0et]

It's widely known that Registered dimms won't post in regular m/b's

Those reg sticks will only work on mb's that require registered modules.


EDIT: if im wrong don't mind me

[GreenBeret]

RTFM :p The Shuttle doesn't support registered DIMM.

[matt simis]

Originally posted by Niko
RTFM :p The Shuttle doesn't support registered DIMM.

Ive frequently used REG and ECC before on other boards, most recently Intel, never had any problems. Since the nForce3 is almost identical to the nForce3 150 platform that requires REG memory coupled with the fact that the memory controller on the Athlon64 supports REG memory, I dont see why the AN50R would not work barring shoddy BIOS work. I guess you guys are too damn thick to understand what should and shouldnt work or want better from your products. :rolleyes:

PRanganathan, if its so "widely known", why the hell are you doubting yourself? I hate when people purport to know things when they are just making answers up on the spot.


Matt

[Dexter]

Even if it is dodgy BIOS work, the shuttle doesn't support registered DIMMs. Maybe instead of saying what SHOULD work, you could do some research to find out that it DOESN'T, or continue bagging people for telling you what shuttle tells us, its up to you.

[Zeus]

Anyone tried Twinmos BH-5 in these AN50R boards?
I have 2 sticks of 256mb, hope i can use them with that board.

Planning to order my Shuttle this week.

[Nico]

Niko (GB) :) ,

I think it's a common issue with NF3's. My Gigabyte K8NNXP would only do 210 @ 2-2-2-6 1:1 with a single 512 XMS3500 V1.1.
The same ram and cpu on an Abit KV8 Max3 would do 227+ at 2-2-2-6 1:1. It may be a combination of the NF3 and a not so good memory controller in the A64 which super cooling really helps, but I've yet to freeze mine yet as it's just my daily machine.

Nico

[matt simis]

Originally posted by Zeus
Anyone tried Twinmos BH-5 in these AN50R boards?
I have 2 sticks of 256mb, hope i can use them with that board.

Planning to order my Shuttle this week.


It works quite well with my Twinmos BH5.


Matt

[GreenBeret]

Originally posted by Nico
Niko (GB) :) ,

I think it's a common issue with NF3's. My Gigabyte K8NNXP would only do 210 @ 2-2-2-6 1:1 with a single 512 XMS3500 V1.1.
The same ram and cpu on an Abit KV8 Max3 would do 227+ at 2-2-2-6 1:1. <snip>

Mjollnir/Ragnarok told me that he couldn't run CAS2 (not even fully stable at 200MHz) but when he used CAS 2.5, his XMS3500 v1.1 went up to 246 (2.5-2-2-6) so maybe you should give that a go :)

I think the mem controller on the current A64s is setting something that the NF3 doesn't like. Something like (just an example) 1T DRAM Command Rate. Which only certain memory can handle properly.

[GreenBeret]

OK I'm using Ragnarok's old XMS3500 (2x 256MB, v 1.1) now. Been stable at F@H for about 15 hours at 230MHz 2.5-2-2-6 (this ram doesn't like cas2 on this board as I mentioned earlier). I've done some testing at 240MHz (only 2.9V) and she seems alright.

[CodeRed]

Originally posted by Niko
OK I'm using Ragnarok's old XMS3500 (2x 256MB, v 1.1) now. Been stable at F@H for about 15 hours at 230MHz 2.5-2-2-6 (this ram doesn't like cas2 on this board as I mentioned earlier). I've done some testing at 240MHz (only 2.9V) and she seems alright.

can you get your nick changed to GreenBeret

nico, niko, its all too confusing :)

[GreenBeret]

Will do :p

I got a 512MB XMS3200LL rev 1.2 2-3-2-6 (*but is BH5 for some reason) and she's doing 230 2-2-2-6 2.9V no prob Folding@Home (been running for 5 hours).

[celemine1Gig]

Will there ever be a way to run even those sticks with SPD timings of Cas2.5 @Cas2 on nforce3 boards like the AN50r???:rolleyes:

[Zeus]

Do you mean my Twinmos BH-5 will run cas 2.5 in a Shuttle AN50R.
I thought one could set memtimings manually?

[celemine1Gig]

As far as I understood, one can set the timings to CL2, but it won't have any efect, i.e., the RAM will run at CL2.5 anyway.:stick:

[GreenBeret]

Originally posted by celemine1Gig
As far as I understood, one can set the timings to CL2, but it won't have any efect, i.e., the RAM will run at CL2.5 anyway.:stick:

I don't know where you got that info but that's wrong.



Do you mean my Twinmos BH-5 will run cas 2.5 in a Shuttle AN50R.

No. It means that you may not be able to use CAS 2 OR CAS 2.5 at all, ie you can only use one or the other. Example: My XMS3200LL would not post at CAS 2.5 at all, same as my KHX3500. My XMS3500 would post at both settings but would only run properly at CAS 2.5. Set the right timings and they'll fly. In other words, this board isn't flexible with RAM sticks when it comes to timings.

Talking about that XMS3200LL, she's doing 235 2-2-2-6 2.9V F@H no prob now (been doing that for 2.5 hours) :)

[Nico]

Was the 3200LL at 1:1?, I tried xms3500 and xms3200LL, both gave me the same results. It sounds like it's best to leave ram timings at SPD.

[GreenBeret]

Yeah it's at 1:1. XMS3500 was at 1:1 also. I never use SPD btw, on any board.

Hey my nick got changed to GreenBeret now, no more confusion with yours, Nico :p

[eva2000]

still waiting my my cpu for AN50R heh but seems strange how different NF3-150 boards are handling different memory when the memory controller is on the cpu

question, how many AN50R users have actually contacted Shuttle about this memory issue and has Shuttle replied at all ? could it be how each manufacturers board's bios handles the memory ?

[gooFly]

If the AN50R decides that my TwinMOS will only run at CAS 2.5 how much will it effect my "raw-power"? I ask this because I'm just thinking of buying an AN50R, but still want to use my TwinMOS BH-5 sticks.

//gooFly

[r3b0rN]

ive got XMS3200LL v1.1 in this nf2 board, it allows me to go up to 2.8v on the memory, what sort of timings and fsb could i go to with this? and, does this ram have CH5 chips or BH5?

[Nico]

You should go for two sticks of ram with that NF2 board to work it in dual channel. It should get 220 ish at 2-2-2-11 depending on how good the northbridge chip is. V1.1 is BH5 to the best of my knowledge. ;)

[r3b0rN]

thanks for the info, (bh5 chips basically the best i think?) :) well, im having some real problems with it, 3d'01 CTD's when i have ram 1:1 with cpu at 210 when i have the timings at 2,3,2,11 2.8v, however when i run it at 2.5,3,2,7 2.8v its stable and completes 3dmark... im not very impressed, i thought at 210 fsb i could keep the timings tight, but cas 2.5 :mad: oh well, any input/help would be appreciated.

[Nico]

Just checking this is the A7N8X-E we are talking about?. If so you might want to look at chipset voltage and good cooling on the North and South Bridges. If it has an option for 1.8 to 2.0 volts it will help with 3Dmark. If not a vmod will be necessary.

[wespwnzu]

im using 2x512 khx3200 bh-5 @ 1:1 2-2-2-6 with 2.9v, i havent tried lowering voltages. At 1.5v, i hit i think 125, i dont think i tried 135. Got about 3500 in sandra, which isnt too bad. I cant use my main psu right now, long story, so im stuck with an old antec 300w.... i think that is whats holding me back right now....