2x1gb kits and gaming instability.... post here

[Bar81]

It's possible. Would probably be helpful to see a breakdown of regular A64 top ocs and opty ocs on the memory.

[ozzimark]

It's possible. Would probably be helpful to see a breakdown of regular A64 top ocs and opty ocs on the memory.

not a64 -> opterons but E3/E4 -> E6 (single core)
and single core -> dual core

[mdzcpa]

Here guys....chew on this.

I was running into the same situation with my Ballsitix. They could prime 24 hours, pass SPI32, and loop memtest for 24 hours at 250 mhz but I would get intermittent freezing while gaming. This was with an FX 57 under phase.

Strangely enough, lowing the mhz on the RAM didn't really help. Whether I lowered the RAM at 1:1 (and upped the CPU multi) or used a divider it was a no go. The only way lowering the RAM mhz worked was to tighten the timings to 2-2-2-5 which only ran to about 210mhz. Anything at CAS 3 could not be run from 200 to 250 without random freeze (note the ballistix are rated at 3-4-4-8).

I tried ALL the BIOS settings...nothing worked. More voltage, less voltage, Vmem, Vcore, chipset voltage, HT bus...didn't matter.

Then, just for the hell of it, I raised my mhz. I lowered the mutliplier and upped the RAM to 280mhz 3-3-3-8 and lowered the voltage to 2.62v. BAM! Stable gaming. Been this way for 6 weeks now. Not a single freeze.

Now, I'm not saying this is the fix, but it has now worked on 2 of my rigs with DFI boards and 2 x 1G Ballistix kits (my gaming rig, and my mutlimedia rig that sees some gaming from time to time when friends visit). The situation reminds me a lot of my Gskill LE and FF that would not like to run at lower mhz (unless you changed to super tight timings (2-2-2-5).

What this tells me is that it is definitely a "tuning" issue. Something between the memory controller and RAM at various frequencies is causing the problem. I think with the right BIOS adjustments, this issue can be fixed. 3D gaming is still the most stressful on the CPU memory controller and RAM.....this is why we see it with 3D apps.

[shuRe]

Here guys....chew on this.

I was running into the same situation with my Ballsitix. They could prime 24 hours, pass SPI32, and loop memtest for 24 hours at 250 mhz but I would get intermittent freezing while gaming. This was with an FX 57 under phase.

Strangely enough, lowing the mhz on the RAM didn't really help. Whether I lowered the RAM at 1:1 (and upped the CPU multi) or used a divider it was a no go. The only way lowering the RAM mhz worked was to tighten the timings to 2-2-2-5 which only ran to about 210mhz. Anything at CAS 3 could not be run from 200 to 250 without random freeze (note the ballistix are rated at 3-4-4-8).

I tried ALL the BIOS settings...nothing worked. More voltage, less voltage, Vmem, Vcore, chipset voltage, HT bus...didn't matter.

Then, just for the hell of it, I raised my mhz. I lowered the mutliplier and upped the RAM to 280mhz 3-3-3-8 and lowered the voltage to 2.62v. BAM! Stable gaming. Been this way for 6 weeks now. Not a single freeze.

Now, I'm not saying this is the fix, but it has now worked on 2 of my rigs with DFI boards and 2 x 1G Ballistix kits (my gaming rig, and my mutlimedia rig that sees some gaming from time to time when friends visit). The situation reminds me a lot of my Gskill LE and FF that would not like to run at lower mhz (unless you changed to super tight timings (2-2-2-5).

thanks for the heads up. There seems to be a new batch of ballistix out now that will work high mhz at low voltage, living in the UK i think i have the old batch because i cant game ut2004 or cs:s at 280 3-3-3-8 2.8vdimm, but can prime and spi23mb all day

your results enforces my view that it is the ram IC, rather than the memory controller.

[mdzcpa]

There seems to be a new batch of ballistix out now that will work high mhz at low voltage

Yes....both sets of sticks are only 7 weeks old. I think they are a newer batch. The first pair of Ballistix I bought in August died in October. The RMA replacement RAM did so well, I gambled and bought a second set. Both sets are doing great....I just HAVE to run them at high mhz and low voltages. Strange.

I think it is the RAM ICs as well.

[ozzimark]

Yes....both sets of sticks are only 7 weeks old. I think they are a newer batch. The first pair of Ballistix I bought in August died in October. The RMA replacement RAM did so well, I gambled and bought a second set. Both sets are doing great....I just HAVE to run them at high mhz and low voltages. Strange.

I think it is the RAM ICs as well.

i've had similar issues with older 512mb ballistix, they refused to run stable at lower mhz unless i tightened up the secondary timings. it wouldn't have them slackened. it's definitly partly a tweaking issue, partly memory controller.

[MikalCarbine]

Here guys....chew on this.

I was running into the same situation with my Ballsitix. They could prime 24 hours, pass SPI32, and loop memtest for 24 hours at 250 mhz but I would get intermittent freezing while gaming. This was with an FX 57 under phase.

Strangely enough, lowing the mhz on the RAM didn't really help. Whether I lowered the RAM at 1:1 (and upped the CPU multi) or used a divider it was a no go. The only way lowering the RAM mhz worked was to tighten the timings to 2-2-2-5 which only ran to about 210mhz. Anything at CAS 3 could not be run from 200 to 250 without random freeze (note the ballistix are rated at 3-4-4-8).

I tried ALL the BIOS settings...nothing worked. More voltage, less voltage, Vmem, Vcore, chipset voltage, HT bus...didn't matter.

Then, just for the hell of it, I raised my mhz. I lowered the mutliplier and upped the RAM to 280mhz 3-3-3-8 and lowered the voltage to 2.62v. BAM! Stable gaming. Been this way for 6 weeks now. Not a single freeze.

Now, I'm not saying this is the fix, but it has now worked on 2 of my rigs with DFI boards and 2 x 1G Ballistix kits (my gaming rig, and my mutlimedia rig that sees some gaming from time to time when friends visit). The situation reminds me a lot of my Gskill LE and FF that would not like to run at lower mhz (unless you changed to super tight timings (2-2-2-5).

What this tells me is that it is definitely a "tuning" issue. Something between the memory controller and RAM at various frequencies is causing the problem. I think with the right BIOS adjustments, this issue can be fixed. 3D gaming is still the most stressful on the CPU memory controller and RAM.....this is why we see it with 3D apps.

So you had it at 280 with lets say a multiplier of 9, giving your proccy 2.52 and then your ram was stable? More details please

[mdzcpa]

So you had it at 280 with lets say a multiplier of 9, giving your proccy 2.52 and then your ram was stable?

Yes.

The only thing that really changed due to processor speed was the need to tweak my drive, and data drive strengths in the BIOS.

[Jaco]

G Skill 4000 HZ 280Mhz 3-4-4-8 no complaints whatsoever.
fully gaming stable , just played Cod2 for a few hours , went supersmooth

I think this 3D instability issue is an Infineon/Micron thing.

[Moto450]

It must be with the Newer Infineon because i have never had 1 problem with mine Never, I play COD2 all night as i run a server for a clan and it allways plays great for me, but i did buy these 2 months ago when they first came out. But so far so good.

[EnJoY]

A new Opteron memory controller allowed me to get my Ballistix stable at 300mhz the other day. Before, with my 3ghz 3200+, I couldn't get past 290.