OCZ PC3200 Gold new BH5 die

[eva2000]

Are they worth to try now when price is around 125$ ?

sure go for it

[TEDY]

now that's REDLINE are OOS on newegg

altho my OCZ VX 3200 works just fine 260 at 3.4v

[***Deimos***]

eva2000,

I'm hoping for some of your magic.
I've been trying to push this little old pair of OCZ 2x 512MB PC3200 Gold for the longest time.

Venice 3000+ and K8NSC-939 (NF3).

I've taken these sticks as high as ~242, BUT this is with 3.54V!!! I need just over 3.4V for 240Mhz alone. And similarly, barely get over 220Mhz stable with 3.0V. I'm usin gOCZ DDR Booster BTW.
timings (A64teak format)
2-8-12-2-2-7-2-2-1-1
200 15.6us
max async = 7
read preamble = 5.5

I've tried adjusting each setting individually in hopes its just one thing holding me back, to no avail.

I've read about a dozen "guides" and tried various suggestions (like yours to increase trc to 12, and trfc to 14), but nothing seems to help. Its very frustrating, because when I boot up Memtest 1.65, test #5 will pass a few times.. even as high as 5 or 6 times, but then the errors start accumulating. I've tried "BURN-IN" this way in several 5-7hr sessions, but error count doesnt go away. Even, when running just 3.0V and two big badass fans blowing on the DIMMs.

any suggestions?

[eva2000]

probably partly your board holding you back ? when did you get these PC3200 Gold, cause it could be higher binned ones later when to OCZ PC3500 Gold GX part instead now ?

i'd try max async 8 and/or premable 6ns/6.5ns as well

try swapping modules in same dimm slot too

[***Deimos***]

Due to the size of the ddr booster, and slots being close together, I pretty much have to use the back two. So I only swaped between those two.
I tried raising max async and preammble to 8/6 but no higher.

Weak drive strength reduces oc by about 1Mhz. 2T increases oc by about 3Mhz!! Also, using 2.5-3-3-7 timings, I gain about 2Mhz. Hooray! (-_-)

I did individual DIMM tests, but they were only at low voltage (2.75V that mobo supports). Now trying to use in conjunction with DDR Booster and try each DIMM in each slot.

So far DIMM#1 in first slot is giving me a whopping 230Mhz+ with only 3.0V (thats up from about 219Mhz using 2 DIMMs)

I bought them July 2005.

[STEvil]

check to see that the ddr booster isnt overheating or drooping under load.

[***Deimos***]

check to see that the ddr booster isnt overheating or drooping under load.

BINGO

Lets backtrack a bit first. I did a PSU + 3.3V cap mod on this board beforehand, and had about 238-240 with some intermitent errors (probably heat or noise introduced by mod related). With 3.3V cap mod, you dont actually get 3.3V on the DIMM... more like 3.0V or 3.1V. Obviously removed both before using OCZ DDR Booster.

Now, I did extensive testing with the OCZ DDR Booster at various voltage settings and seem to always need about 0.2V more than most peoply typically do.

Although I should have mentioned earlier, I also had some intermitent problems with the OCZ DDR Booster. Sometimes, during a run, or while switching applications, the voltage would just drop to BIOS set value, and typically the computer would hang at blank screen or restart. This started happening about the same time I started moving DIMMs around to test which slot is best for what...

hence, I removed the OCZ DDR Booster to to individual DIMM tests in each of the four slots (DDR = 2.75V in bios):

2-12-14-2-2-7-2-2-2-1 200mhz 15.6us 7ns 5.5ns					
	m	219.93	219.93	219.93	219.07
	o	216.49	216.49	217.35	217.35

And also to test DIMM combinations (pairs):

both dimms	1	2	3	4
64	218.21	m			o
	no boot	m		o	
	no boot		m		o
128	216.49	o	m		
128	214.77	m	o		
128	214.77			m	o
128	215.63			o	m

As you may imagine this took considerably long time. Test of stability was "only" 100% of Windows memtest... this might seem puny, but when I had PSU mod, and typically 1 error in 100%, superpi, prime95, memtestx86, 3dmark, etc all worked fine, so I consider it to be quite sensitive.

If OCZ staff is reading, I am just shocked by the results... this RAM is just incredible. I am running 215Mhz with 2-2-7 timings WITHOUT the OCZ DDR Booster. I think I have excellent RAM, and the problem is elsewhere.

As stated earlier, using around 3.01V (idle), I got 1 stick up to 230Mhz, and another to 227Mhz. But combined only around 218-219Mhz... this, combined with "black outs" leads me to believe my OCZ DDR Booster may be damaged and have a poor contact somewhere.

*Note the voltage drop I refer to black out is not small. Lets say I have booster set to 3.3V, it would drop to BIOS setting, let say 2.5V... obviously computer stops working, because of too high Mhz/voltage. My OCZ DDR Booster also drops under load, but typically no more than 0.1V... so the 3.01V (idle) usually goes maybe 2.94 or 2.92 under load.

[***Deimos***]

1, 2, 3, 4 - refer to DIMM slots starting from one closest to CPU
m, o - are nicknames for the two DIMMS. m for macho or max, since it performs better.

[Sailindawg]

I think I have excellent RAM, and the problem is elsewhere.

It's more than likely the NF3 single channel mem controller holding you back.

[***Deimos***]

look in my sig
K8NSC-939

K8NSC-939

I posted results for 64bit, and 128bit. I dont think I could get 128bit results with Socket754 NF3

In conclusion: yes, I am suing socket939 venice 3000+, and a socket939 motherboard, and thus when using both DIMMs, running 128bit, by using both channels. I hope we are all clear now.

--------------

Does OCZ RMA OCZ DDR Booster? I obviously voided my memory warranty when I went 3.3, and even 3.4V. But is the booster still covered?

[STEvil]

With 3.3V cap mod, you dont actually get 3.3V on the DIMM... more like 3.0V or 3.1V

Those are pretty big drops for a direct vdimm supply.. should have no more than 0.05v droop at most really.

My best guess is either the booster is overheating or the PSU is drooping. Could also be that the trace on it which carries VDIMM from(?) the mosfets is causing resistance. FUGGER had a booster do the same thing iirc, the burned trace looked pretty neat

[***Deimos***]

Those are pretty big drops for a direct vdimm supply.. should have no more than 0.05v droop at most really.

My best guess is either the booster is overheating or the PSU is drooping. Could also be that the trace on it which carries VDIMM from(?) the mosfets is causing resistance. FUGGER had a booster do the same thing iirc, the burned trace looked pretty neat

Upon your suggestion, I examined it, and didnt find anything that looked like burned traces (yeah, I know what to look for

I still think that something is loose. On OCZ support forum another guy had similar problem. When he pressed against the booster, voltage shot back up to the right value (in his case 3.2V). Similarly, after pulling and pushing (gently) the cables to it, and moving it around, and such, it would sometimes go back on. I would then delicately reposition the 120mm fan above it, and continue gaming, benchmarking or whatever, as if nothing happened.

The big hole in my hypothesis of poor connection is how opening apps, starting benchmark, etc.. would cause the voltage to drop. And we're not talking like "it just happned once in a thousand hours of use". I witnessed the voltage on the LED drop as I started windows memtest at least half-dozen times. Perhaps thermal expansion?

When I'm a bit more brave, and a little less sober, perhaps I will try again.. probably try different PSU too.

BTW: I tried OC with 1 small fan, 1 large fan or 2 large fans. Very small results difference. However, no fan = very hot memory, and many errors. All previous results I posted and 99.99% of all my use with booster has been with fan, regardless of how low voltage I used

[***Deimos***]

can someone explain this:
http://www.hexus.net/content/item.php?item=1322&page=7

are we talking about the same OCZ PC3200 Gold edition here... this Hexus crew surely didnt get BH5 if they are getting 276 with 2.5-3-3-7...

Im quite sure I have BH5 because of the "hates CAS3" and low-voltage 2-2-2-5 tests.

[cadaveca]

Easy. TCCD does 2-2-2-5 too. Noone said that it HAD to be TCCD under those heatspreaders. IT's the whole point of heatspreaders in the first place. If it does the advertised timings, all's well, at least in memoryland.

The test is to see how OCZ's low-latency memory compares with Corsair's XL RAM. Further, we'll see just what kind of performance benefit running 2-2-2-5 1T confers over, say, 2.5-3-3-7 2T. Is premium, low-latency memory worth the extra expense over regular PC3200 RAM? We'll find out.

Don't forget, BH-5 has what SPD timings? That's why they pulled the 2.5-3-3-7 in for comparison. The review is a crock.

and the dual-channel kit was overclocked with the default 2-2-2-5 1T timings. Further, the latencies were relaxed to 2.5-3-3-7, to see just how high the modules would run at.

PLease read the top of the last graph on this page:
http://www.hexus.net/content/item.php?item=1322&page=7

what does it say?

[eva2000]

can someone explain this:
http://www.hexus.net/content/item.php?item=1322&page=7

are we talking about the same OCZ PC3200 Gold edition here... this Hexus crew surely didnt get BH5 if they are getting 276 with 2.5-3-3-7...

Im quite sure I have BH5 because of the "hates CAS3" and low-voltage 2-2-2-5 tests.

interesting first i've seen of OCZ PC3200 Gold TCCD and the review was 8 months old too! IIRC there was OCZ PC3200 Gold C2 which was TCCD http://www.ocztechnology.com/product...c_3200_gold_c2 ???

[eva2000]

Now swapping back over to 2x 512MB OCZ PC3200 Gold UTT BH-5 and seems it does better with this Opteron 146 cpu instead of 260mhz 2-2-2-5 at 3.56v it's handling same speeds at 3.48v so far

Pretty fast too

[***Deimos***]

eva2000, you're my no1 - you are the wind beneath my wings!

[eva2000]

hehe

my 146 cpu max is 3150mhz so thought i'd go after my 32M personal best time which was done with 2x 512MB XMS3500C2v1.1 BH-5 but this time with 2x 512MB OCZ PC3200 Gold UTT BH-5

--------------------------------------------------------------
:: 2x 512MB Corsair XMS3500C2v1.1 BH-5 ::
10x315HTT = 3150Mhz
166 divider
262mhz 2-2-2-5 7-14 2223 at 3.48v vdimm in bios
:: Super Pi v1.4 mod
32M = 22m 56.875s old/current personal best
32M = 22m 57.859s

vs


--------------------------------------------------------------
:: 2x 512MB OCZ PC3200 Gold UTT BH-5 ::
10x315HTT = 3150Mhz
166 divider
262mhz 2-2-2-5 7-14/16 2223 at 3.54v vdimm in bios
:: Super Pi v1.4 mod
8M = 4m 48.765s
32M = 22m 57.984s

:: Super Pi v1.5 XS
262mhz 2-2-2-5 7-16 2223 at 3.54v vdimm in bios
8M = 4m 48.516s new personal best 8M time
32M = 22m 56.890s 0.015s behind my old 32M PB soooo close hehe






--------------------------------------------------------------

[cab123]

Hi can i use OCZ 2x512 3200 gold with MSI K8N Neo2 Platinum?
I know this mobo can put until 2,85 Vdram. For this reason i can use a DDR booster to keep my OCZ until 3,4volt and arrive to 260 Mhz?
Thanks bye

[eva2000]

IIRC K8N Neo2 has issues with 2x 512MB modules and high clocking so you'd probably be limited around 220-245mhz regardless of ram if it's 2x 512MB modules