[Update 25/11] 2GB of DDR2 for overclocking what to buy

Reefa,
I didn't even consider that, good point! That is probably exaclty what it is. To answer your question my Ballistix were PC2-8000 (1000Mhz). With that said has anyone else with Ballistix ever pulled the spreaders off and taken a look? If so did you also have a number in the lower right-hand corner of the IC?

syne_24,
Thanks for your reply, you weren't kidding about removing the heatspreaders! I really had to take my time to remove them without messing them up. Plus the spreaders on these modules are different than the ones posted at newegg for any of their modules. The two clips on each modules are silver and are only about half as long, that probably makes these spreaders easier to remove than the older ones?

akajay,
That is a tough desicion to make, I was just going through the same thing before I decided on the GSKill modules. If I had to do it over I'd probalby go with the OCZ modules because of their great customer service and EVP (2.52v) and still covered under warrenty!

I finally installed my modules, before doing so I set all the memory settings to "Auto" except for votlage which I set to 2.2v. I was pretty happy because it booted up at 1000Mhz with timings of 4-4-4-5 2T, not bad! Later tonight I'll post back with more results on them.

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Originally Posted by akajay

I cant seem to decide what to buy the gskills look very tempting for the price so does the ocz.

which would be a better choice for my new build which will have P5B-Deluxe, E6600, overclocking in mind?

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I vote OCZ, I like them:D


@ Roger_D25 got my PM; you have to be prepared for anything

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Originally Posted by Roger_D25

NOTE: Pictures tempararily removed to edit, will post back ASAP.


I just barely finished completly removing the heatspreaders on my new GSKill F2-8000PHU2-2GBHZ's. By taking my time I was able to pull them without scratching the spreaders or ripping the stickers (that way I can easily put the spreaders back on with no problems)! Anyway here are a few pictures of the modules, IC's, and heatspreaders (enjoy)!

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Thanks, I am not going to bother ripping the Heat Spreaders off mine.

Spazilton,
I think it's safe to assume that your modules have the same IC's as mine do since they were both bought at about the same time from the same place?

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Originally Posted by Roger_D25

Spazilton,
I think it's safe to assume that your modules have the same IC's as mine do since they were both bought at about the same time from the same place?

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i'm assuming I have GMH as well as I ordered around the same time too.

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Originally Posted by kemo6600

I vote OCZ, I like them:D

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Titanium Alpha VX is on GMH or GKX ?

I'm almost positive their D9GMH Kas, can anyone confirm this?

I think most of the popular brand names that used to have GKX dont have it no more, like Gskill, OCZ, and Corsair. You have a better chance finding GKX on brands that not many people buy like Wintec, Buffalo, etc..But in all honesty I think a good batch of GMH still beat a lot of GKX so it's really not that important but just how good it overclocks. I know this because my Tracers are actually better than some GKX that I've tried. :)

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Originally Posted by syne_24

I think most of the popular brand names that used to have GKX dont have it no more, like Gskill, OCZ, and Corsair. You have a better chance finding GKX on brands that not many people buy like Wintec, Buffalo, etc..But in all honesty I think a good batch of GMH still beat a lot of GKX so it's really not that important but just how good it overclocks. I know this because my Tracers are actually better than some GKX that I've tried. :)

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yep...but statistically GKX is better than GMH and if I want sell memory probably I get better price selling ram on GKX :)

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Originally Posted by Kas

yep...but statistically GKX is better than GMH and if I want sell memory probably I get better price selling ram on GKX :)

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Titanium Alpha VX2 can be both. Either way, I don't think you're going to have much trouble selling it as people pay just as much for D9GMH.
In many cases D9GMH even overclocks better than D9GKX, so it's not really an issue.

Of course there is the possibility someone only goes by the fact it's D9GKX and is willing to pay more for it, but the same is true for D9GMH-based modules.

What are you guys running for Memest these days? I havn't run that program since I had my old DFI Expert motherboard along with my Mushkin Redline UTT RAM (its' been a while)! Well now that I'm running an Intel system and 680i chipset do I need to use a special verson of Memtest or do I just use the regular version (Memtest 68+)? Also I think I heard someone say they used a Windows based Memtest program, does anyone know anything about that and is it accurate and useful? Thanks for any help you can give!

With voltage set to 2.2v and running RAM at 1000Mhz with timings of 4-4-4-5 2T I'm having some stability problems (firefox keeps crashing on me along with other weird issues). I just bumped the voltage up one tick and the problems are gone but I wanted to test thoroughly with Memest. Thanks again.

crap, doubled posted by accident (firefox is continueing to act weird)?

http://hcidesign.com/memtest/ for windows memtest.

It's actually quite decent. Using that and memset in windows to adjust timings on the fly, it's quite quick to pick up errors it seems. I wouldn't use it as an end all be all but it definitely makes tuning timings a million times easier. When all is said and done, it still wouldn't hurt to use memtest86+. I think the newest version is 1.70 or something.

Just wanted to stop and thank all the folks involved with this thread for the continued work and support to keep it going. We are all indebted to you. :)

Thanks ziddey, much apprecaited! So I take it that Memtest 86+ (v1.70) is perfeclty compatable with Intel/680i hardware? I'll give that Windows based Memtest a run, thanks again.

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Just wanted to stop and thank all the folks involved with this thread for the continued work and support to keep it going. We are all indebted to you.

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I'll second that NIVO, great point!

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Originally Posted by Roger_D25

What are you guys running for Memest these days? I havn't run that program since I had my old DFI Expert motherboard along with my Mushkin Redline UTT RAM (its' been a while)! Well now that I'm running an Intel system and 680i chipset do I need to use a special verson of Memtest or do I just use the regular version (Memtest 68+)? Also I think I heard someone say they used a Windows based Memtest program, does anyone know anything about that and is it accurate and useful? Thanks for any help you can give!

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That's MemTest from HCiDesign. You can specify the amount of RAM to test in MBs, but it's limited to all memory that isn't used by any other programs (including Windows).

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With voltage set to 2.2v and running RAM at 1000Mhz with timings of 4-4-4-5 2T I'm having some stability problems (firefox keeps crashing on me along with other weird issues). I just bumped the voltage up one tick and the problems are gone but I wanted to test thoroughly with Memest. Thanks again.

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The more programs you use to test your memory, the more chance you have in bumping into errors.
So basicly, to get the best indication as to whether or not you memory is stable at a given configuration, use as many testing software as you can find (MemTest, Memtest86++, SP2004, GoldMemory, etc.)

I popped in my G.Skill PC2-6400 "HZ" today that looked identical to the Micron picture a guy posted in another thread "Can I know my IC without removing heatspreader"


I'm at 3400MHz; 425x8 with RAM voltage set at 2.1v and timings at 5-5-5-15. Do you think I'll be able to tighten the timings back to 4-4-4-12? I didn't even try to boot at 4-4-4-12, went straight for 425FSB and 5-5-5-15


Also my P5B-Deluxe has the following settings that I don't know what to set:

TRFC: 20, 25, 30, 35, 42
TRRD: 0-15
Rank Write to Read Delay: 0-31
Read to Precharge Delay: 0-15
Write to Precharge Delay: 0-31


I haven't messed with any of them, I've left them how ASUS set it default.

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Originally Posted by Roger_D25

Spazilton,
I think it's safe to assume that your modules have the same IC's as mine do since they were both bought at about the same time from the same place?

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That was my thought as well. Windows is loading on the new rig now, so we will see how they do.

I am still trying to learn Intel OCing all over again.

Been so used to AMD, my last Intel OC was on my IC7-MAX3

**Edit**

Having a hell of a time to get these sticks going. IN9-32X Max is NOT correctly decting SPD or Subtimings :(

I cant seem to find a list of subtimings on Gskills site.

Kenton, you should def be able to keep 4-4-4-12. My 6400HZ was running 451 4-4-4-12 at the same volts without a sweat.

Spaz,
Interesting, my board pulled all the SPD timings correctly (well the main timings anyway, 4-4-4-5). I'm not sure about the "Subtimings" as I just leave them all set to "Auto" and don't touch them. The truth is I don't know enough about them to start messing around yet? With that said I only have 5 different "Subtimings" anyway. Infact this is probably the first kit of RAM I've ever had that picked up correct SPD timings in BIOS, lol! Then again these modules aren't EPP so the SPD only has one set of timings to pull, lol!

I'm not very knowledgable with that new Abit board of yours (although I'd like to be), lol! You might have many more timing settings than I do? Now are you having a tough time getting the board stable or just getting BIOS to pick up the SPD timings?

Roger - Check the G.Skill subforum here for subtiming information. I just found it for my P5B Deluxe.

Halvie - Thanks! I'm currently 8hr Orthos stable at 3400MHz/850MHz DDR2 so when I'm 24 hours stable I'll screen shot and then I'll reboot, 4-4-4-12 and run memtest bootable iso 1.70+

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Originally Posted by Roger_D25

Spaz,
Interesting, my board pulled all the SPD timings correctly (well the main timings anyway, 4-4-4-5). I'm not sure about the "Subtimings" as I just leave them all set to "Auto" and don't touch them. The truth is I don't know enough about them to start messing around yet? With that said I only have 5 different "Subtimings" anyway. Infact this is probably the first kit of RAM I've ever had that picked up correct SPD timings in BIOS, lol! Then again these modules aren't EPP so the SPD only has one set of timings to pull, lol!

I'm not very knowledgable with that new Abit board of yours (although I'd like to be), lol! You might have many more timing settings than I do? Now are you having a tough time getting the board stable or just getting BIOS to pick up the SPD timings?

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I can get into the bios just fine at 667 1.85v with SPD timings.

Problem is as soon as I go to do the windows setup it resets.

I did manage to get it past the basic install, and when it goes to the second part, I get the repeating loop of resets... BIOS--> XP Splash Screen---> Bios etc..


The amount of settings available is no where near as indepth as the DFI.

Right now I would just settle for getting windows loaded.

I think I am going to make a Memtest ISO disk and see what happens.

You have to run much more voltage Spaz, this stuff if supposed to run at 2.2v-2.3v at stock timings and speed. What speed are you running the memory at right now? I've actually had to up the voltage a bit to get stable at this memories stock speed and timings (2.75v). My board also wouldn't boot at default voltage! Up the voltage and I bet you'll be good to go!

By the way I just actually checked out what my subtimgs were and although their set to "Auto" like my Ballistix were their much tighter than my Ballistiz were!

NOTE: Just reread and realized that your running at 667Mhz, I woudl still suggest upping the voltage to 2.2v.

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Originally Posted by Roger_D25

You have to run much more voltage Spaz, this stuff if supposed to run at 2.2v-2.3v at stock timings and speed. What speed are you running the memory at right now? I've actually had to up the voltage a bit to get stable at this memories stock speed and timings (2.75v). My board also wouldn't boot at default voltage! Up the voltage and I bet you'll be good to go!

By the way I just actually checked out what my subtimgs were and although their set to "Auto" like my Ballistix were their much tighter than my Ballistiz were!

NOTE: Just reread and realized that your running at 667Mhz, I woudl still suggest upping the voltage to 2.2v.

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Ive been running it at 2.2 Still didn't have any effect.

I am going to try to see if the memory is defective by running some passes of Memtest.

Oh, I thought you had the voltage set to 1.85v? I think testing it would be a good idea. I tested with Memtest earlier today at 1000Mhz with timings of 4-4-4-5 2T on 2.2v and got hundreds or errors very quickly. But with every every increase in voltage (.25v at a time) the errors went down until I got to 2.275v when the errors stopped altogether.