REQ: MEM voltage mod for Asrock Conroe865PE

[stealthbomber]

I've managed to clock my Intel E4300 on this board @2.7GHz running at default vcore with stock HS/fan, it passes ALL S&M CPU burn in tests, but the memory test gives the same 1 bit error regardless of the timings used.

Settings: 9x 300MHz FSB, MEM @200MHz using 3:2 divider.

The board only has a max memory voltage of 2.7v in the bios, the 3x Geil DDR1 PC3200 2-3-3-6 modules I have all needs 2.8v to run stable at 200MHz.

I've spent ages finding a volt mod for this board on the net, no one (as yet) has come up with a volt mod guide.

Can anyone here come up with the first vdimm volt mod for this board?

http://www.asrock.com/mb/overview.as...onRoe865PE&s=n

[jimmor]

I've managed to clock my Intel E4300 on this board @2.7GHz running at default vcore with stock HS/fan, it passes ALL S&M CPU burn in tests, but the memory test gives the same 1 bit error regardless of the timings used.

Settings: 9x 300MHz FSB, MEM @200MHz using 3:2 divider.

The board only has a max memory voltage of 2.7v in the bios, the 3x Geil DDR1 PC3200 2-3-3-6 modules I have all needs 2.8v to run stable at 200MHz.

I've spent ages finding a volt mod for this board on the net, no one (as yet) has come up with a volt mod guide.

Can anyone here come up with the first vdimm volt mod for this board?

http://www.asrock.com/mb/overview.as...onRoe865PE&s=n

VDIMM mod for Conroe865pe simply involves penciling over the Red Ringed Resistor in the attached image.

However, my personal choice was to solder a 2.2k resistor over the red ringed component ---> which achieved Vdimm of 2.82v


EDIT

To anyone interested: Penciling over the Yellow Ringed Resistor will increase Vagp/Vnb.

Once again however, I chose to solder a 5K resistor over this component to achieve Vagp/Vnb of 1.71v.

[stealthbomber]

Thanks for the info, done the 2.8v pencil mod but still couldn't get the memory to run error free, think the board chipset needs more juice too.

Any more info appreciated!

[jimmor]

Thanks for the info, done the 2.8v pencil mod but still couldn't get the memory to run error free, think the board chipset needs more juice too.

Which is why you should maybe also be trying the indicated Vagp/Vnb pencil mod ?

Although if you choose to do this mod, then I suggest you also fit a fan onto the north bridge heatsink and ram sinks onto the 2 mosfets ( located on pcb near lower end of AGP connector) which output the Vagp/Vnb voltage!

[stealthbomber]

Hi again, did the other volt mod same problem.

I have 3x Geil DDR400 512MB dimms and tried removing one of the dimms, strangely it doesn't even boot regardless of timings in dual channel mode (2 dimms) at anything over 240-250~ FSB.

I then tried swapping out the 2x Geil modules (matched pair) with 2x cheap Samsung 512MB DDR400 and kept the other Geil dimm in (same series/timings as the other Geil modules but newer batch with different HS).

It appears to work now @300FSB somehow, still running through the prime95 memtest (blend mode) for over 40 mins now, the other 2 Geil modules would fail with an error within minutes.

I tried running dual channel with the two samsung modules, same result no boot anything over 250~.

>Matched pair of Geil DDR1 + another Geil modules of the same series/timings (different batch/HS) = memory errors

>2 cheapo samsungs + the single newer batch Geil module = no errors

>board seems to only run at such high FSB in single channel mode

All 3 Geil modules was working 100% perfectly on my old nf2 board @200MHz @2-2-2-5 @2.9v

Dodgy mobo, or do I need more chipset/mem voltage, higher vcore, or all 3?

[jimmor]

Hi again, did the other volt mod same problem.

I have 3x Geil DDR400 512MB dimms and tried removing one of the dimms, strangely it doesn't even boot regardless of timings in dual channel mode (2 dimms) at anything over 240-250~ FSB.

I then tried swapping out the 2x Geil modules (matched pair) with 2x cheap Samsung 512MB DDR400 and kept the other Geil dimm in (same series/timings as the other Geil modules but newer batch with different HS).

It appears to work now @300FSB somehow, still running through the prime95 memtest (blend mode) for over 40 mins now, the other 2 Geil modules would fail with an error within minutes.

I tried running dual channel with the two samsung modules, same result no boot anything over 250~.

>Matched pair of Geil DDR1 + another Geil modules of the same series/timings (different batch/HS) = memory errors

>2 cheapo samsungs + the single newer batch Geil module = no errors

>board seems to only run at such high FSB in single channel mode

All 3 Geil modules was working 100% perfectly on my old nf2 board @200MHz @2-2-2-5 @2.9v

Dodgy mobo, or do I need more chipset/mem voltage, higher vcore, or all 3?

Maybe the chip type/structure of your Geil modules are not 100% compatible with this mobo ? Mind you I am currently using 2 512Mb Geil ultra X 550 modules that don't appear to cause your problem ?

Also, if your geil memory worked ok on another mobo at 2.9v. then maybe you should be setting this mobo to at least 2.9v?

Just for interest, does the mobo boot and work ok in dual channel with only the 2 Samsung modules properly fitted ?

When you fit 3 memory modules, or fit 2 to wrong sockets, or just fit different type modules, you are forcing the mobo to run "single" channel mode. Dual channel is usually only possible with this mobo when 2 or 4 EXACT same memory modules are fitted.

EDIT,

Also, which mobo bios are you using ?

I currently use 1.5 because it appears more stable for overclocking than latest 1.6 version !

[stealthbomber]

Yes I'm aware of the dual channel limits of either 2 or 4 modules =)

Dual channel mode does not work with just the two samsung modules either in any slot combo, I tried all 4 modules, no boot either at far lower FSB than 300MHz.

I've sinked the two mosfets with two tiny sinks using some arctic epoxy, popped off the NB HS, a pinkish POS TIM was on it barely melted on the chipset, I just pealed the junk off and applied some arctic ceramique paste on it.


Prime95 still running in mem blend test mode @300...

Edit: got my silver conductive paint today, maybe I'll do the C2D pin vcore mod tomorrow, gonna try 1.4v

I noticed your conroe is the 1066FSB version (with double cache ofc), might try find and perform a 1066FSB pin mod to while I'm at it, slim chance but it might loosen some chipset parameters.

[jimmor]

I noticed your conroe is the 1066FSB version (with double cache ofc), might try find and perform a 1066FSB pin mod to while I'm at it, slim chance but it might loosen some chipset parameters.

Maybe the two linked threads below could help you with 1066 fsb pin mod ?

http://www.ocforums.com/showthread.php?t=498167

http://www.forumdeluxx.de/forum/showthread.php?t=316416

[stealthbomber]

EDIT

Also, which mobo bios are you using ?

I currently use 1.5 because it appears more stable for overclocking than latest 1.6 version !

Currently using bios v1.6, ain't tried v1.5 as I just got the board last week and flashed it to the latest bios immediately, will try the v1.5 bios later.

I've searched for the Asrock Conroe865PE board on various sites and some had screen shots of the memory tab in CPU-Z, none of the screen caps seem to have "performance mode" ENABLED.

I assume the performance mod refers to 1T and 2T modes, but I can't seem to turn performance mod off, tried enabling the memory Flexibility option in the bios but that doesn't seem to change anything...

[jimmor]

Currently using bios v1.6, ain't tried v1.5 as I just got the board last week and flashed it to the latest bios immediately, will try the v1.5 bios later.

I've searched for the Asrock Conroe865PE board on various sites and some had screen shots of the memory tab in CPU-Z, none of the screen caps seem to have "performance mode" ENABLED.

I assume the performance mod refers to 1T and 2T modes, but I can't seem to turn performance mod off, tried enabling the memory Flexibility option in the bios but that doesn't seem to change anything...

The windows i865 Memory Tweaker (Tw865.exe) in the linked zipfile below will enable you to change various memory timings and enable/disable "performance" mode as required:-

http://www.cpuid.org/download/Tw865.zip

[stealthbomber]

The windows i865 Memory Tweaker (Tw865.exe) in the linked zipfile below will enable you to change various memory timings and enable/disable "performance" mode as required:-

http://www.cpuid.org/download/Tw865.zip

Thanks, the highest I could go with dual channel is 266FSB (1.5 bios), any higher and the mem caps out, maybe a have a dodgy board, or the chipset/mem needs more voltage, seems like I can't avoid proper volt mods with variable pots!

The Geil DDR550 modules you have certainly helps with higher clocks at low mem volts, my slower low latency Geils require 2.8v to run @2-3-3-6 and 2.9v to run at 2-2-2-5, compare that to a stock 2.6v for the cheapo Samsungs, all via a 3:2 divider of course.

In dual channel mode (FSB @266, 2.4GHz) I get around 47xx/47xx memory benchmark score in SI Sandra lite, compare that to single channel 300FSB 2.7GHz I only get 29xx/29xx memory score...

The 1066FSB pin mod didn't work for me using silver conductive paint (tried it 3 times now)

[jimmor]

Thanks, the highest I could go with dual channel is 266FSB (1.5 bios), any higher and the mem caps out, maybe a have a dodgy board, or the chipset/mem needs more voltage, seems like I can't avoid proper volt mods with variable pots!

The Geil DDR550 modules you have certainly helps with higher clocks at low mem volts, my slower low latency Geils require 2.8v to run @2-3-3-6 and 2.9v to run at 2-2-2-5, compare that to a stock 2.6v for the cheapo Samsungs, all via a 3:2 divider of course.

In dual channel mode (FSB @266, 2.4GHz) I get around 47xx/47xx memory benchmark score in SI Sandra lite, compare that to single channel 300FSB 2.7GHz I only get 29xx/29xx memory score...

The 1066FSB pin mod didn't work for me using silver conductive paint (tried it 3 times now)

With my setup, reliable booting at overclock of 300 requires voltmodding mobo at minimums of Vagc/Vnb at 1.7v and Vdimm at 2.8v. Including mobo bios's default memory timings of Auto,4,4,8,4; and obviously all bios volts settings at high, high, high.

Also, when booting into windows, I auto load the Tw865 program to force 2,3,3,6,70us,15.6us,00, and enable (performance mode).

I am also using a moded v1.5 bios set for 5:4 fsb to memory ratio instead of the normal 3:2. Which means with cpu at 300, memory is running 240 (or 480 since DDR) ---> Using Everest, gives memory read speeds of around 7k as opposed to around 6k when using 3:2 (memory at 200) and memory timings of 2,2,2,5.

Unfortunately the max limit of 300 is not allowing me to utilise the full 275 potential of my geil memory. And using a 1:1 bios is of no use since I would then be limiting the CPU overclock to 275ish ----> mind you with Vdimm at 3+ volts, who knows how far my geil memory could be pushed ----> maybe worthy of future consideration when all else has failed?


Have you tried changing the FSB shorting link on the mobo to 1066 rather than its default of 800?

I tried with it set for 800 just to see what happens? However unfortunately all that happened was my computer wouldn't boot.

[stealthbomber]

The 800/1066 jumper doesn't seem to make a difference to me, might be some sort of chipset strap change when the board boots up with a 1066fsb chip instead of a 800fsb one.

It would certainly help if someone could provide a full vdimm and chipset volt mod, I wouldn't hesitate in cracking the vdimm voltage past 3v and 1.8v on the NB and anything else that could be cracked up, I'll sink all the mosfets/vrm/ic's to keep the board alive a bit longer...

[jimmor]

It would certainly help if someone could provide a full vdimm and chipset volt mod, I wouldn't hesitate in cracking the vdimm voltage past 3v and 1.8v on the NB and anything else that could be cracked up, I'll sink all the mosfets/vrm/ic's to keep the board alive a bit longer...

That was the whole point of the two pencilling mods in my first post of this thread !

Although I currently have Vnb at 1.71v, theres no reason it couldn't have for example just as easily been set at 1.9v. However, before considering 1.9v or beyond levels, you have to keep in mind you will also be forcing Vagp to operate at the same high level?

And see no reason why Vdimm couldn't be pencilled to at least 3v?

So go to it, but remember for much better control of each voltage, you should use variable resistors rather than pencilling.

[Da_maniaC]

The 800/1066 jumper doesn't seem to make a difference to me, might be some sort of chipset strap change when the board boots up with a 1066fsb chip instead of a 800fsb one.

It would certainly help if someone could provide a full vdimm and chipset volt mod, I wouldn't hesitate in cracking the vdimm voltage past 3v and 1.8v on the NB and anything else that could be cracked up, I'll sink all the mosfets/vrm/ic's to keep the board alive a bit longer...

Do the newer revisions of this board still have this jumper?
I just got mine yesterday and it seems to be gone.

--
I ran into some problems though:
(I'm using a C2D E6600).

The board doesn't seem to boot when i use 4 memory modules in dual channel.
The ones i have are:
2x512 Corsair XMS Xpert 3200XLL (Samsung TCCD) 2-2-2-5 latency.
2x512 OCZ Platinum2K Extreme (Samsung TCC5) 2-3-2-5 latency.

I am now running on the pair of OCZ modules and this seems to be working.

Normally if i'd consult Corsair about this, they would start whining about the fact that the modules have to run on 2,85v!
But in my previous motherboard this was never the case except for the last 6 months or so. I even used to run them at stock voltage (2,5v) when i just got the modules which always worked fine...error free in MEMTEST etc.

Another thing i noticed in the BIOS though is that the board seems to discard my memory SPD by default and force very slow timings.
(2-4-4-8 according to CPU-z).
Also the CAS Latency isnt forced to a certain value, it is on Auto by default, could this be causing problems?

Could these timings be to slow for my memory to work properly?
Or are there any known issues with the Corsair modules such as the ones i own?

I am running on BIOS P1.30 btw.
I know thats not the latest but i am in windows perfectly fine now and didn't want to risk flashing too soon because if i was getting memory errors the flash might go horribly wrong.

Any help would be great!