Tracer PC2-8500

[eva2000]

Does the chip in the middle of the PCB for those LEDs only?
as all of my ballistix's are empty on that particular part.
but same on your -18F GMH chips!

beats me - but probably is for the LEDs... the hardest area of the module to remove the heatspreader from was that middle chip!

[stephen23]

beats me - but probably is for the LEDs... the hardest area of the module to remove the heatspreader from was that middle chip!

ORLY, as I dun own a pair of tracer, got ballistix only!

[Brother Esau]

Hey, guy's wheres that Voltage chart I saw for the Ballistix just yesterday in one of these threads? I have been looking but damned if I can find it!

[Severance]

Just picked up a pair yesterday and after testing i think i got unlucky this time. No where near as good as my Ocz apha1000vx2 chips. Need 2.3 for 600mhz stable. My alpha chips stable at 2.25vdimm 650mhz. I needed to pull spreaders off and chill them with my flex xlc water blocks to work at 2.3vdimm\600mhz. With normal spreaders the sticks got very hot and needed 2.4 vdimm at 600. I think its got something to do with those damn led's but what do i know?. Was fun testing them anyways.

[ozzimark]

Hey, guy's wheres that Voltage chart I saw for the Ballistix just yesterday in one of these threads? I have been looking but damned if I can find it!

you mean the one from my review?
http://eclipseoc.com/index.php?id=1,99,0,0,1,0

[Brother Esau]

Tanks bro

[Ryanz]

Will be getting my Tracers this Tuesday (should have gotten them last Thursday, but the package came in empty), and this thread has got me pretty psyched. Was kinda skeptical about the LED's...but judging from the picture they look pretty nice. Nice OC's as well. Hope to get similar results as all of you.


--reserved--

[stephen23]

Just picked up a pair yesterday and after testing i think i got unlucky this time. No where near as good as my Ocz apha1000vx2 chips. Need 2.3 for 600mhz stable. My alpha chips stable at 2.25vdimm 650mhz. I needed to pull spreaders off and chill them with my flex xlc water blocks to work at 2.3vdimm\600mhz. With normal spreaders the sticks got very hot and needed 2.4 vdimm at 600. I think its got something to do with those damn led's but what do i know?. Was fun testing them anyways.

Mine can 2.25V stable!

[eva2000]

When i started testing this second kit in a pair for dual channel I noticed another QA issue with the other module.. one side of the heatspreader's TIM wasn't making much contact with the ICs.

Tested the heatspreader module at default DDR2-1066Mhz 5-5-5-15 at 2.1v first to make sure it worked. And you guessed it, stripped it bare naked as well

As you can see the TIM is partially lifted off the ICs.. I tried holding it together to see if it will stick but it lifts off again by itself. So bye bye heatspreader :wavey:



In the flesh Micron D9GMH based 2x1GB Crucial Ballistix Tracer PC2-8500 dual channel kit



So talk about bad QA, one module hs off center to left can't install in dimm slot, and second module hs TIM not making full contact!

[Severance]

When i started testing this second kit in a pair for dual channel I noticed another QA issue with the other module.. one side of the heatspreader's TIM wasn't making much contact with the ICs.

Tested the heatspreader module at default DDR2-1066Mhz 5-5-5-15 at 2.1v first to make sure it worked. And you guessed it, stripped it bare naked as well

As you can see the TIM is partially lifted off the ICs.. I tried holding it together to see if it will stick but it lifts off again by itself. So bye bye heatspreader :wavey:



In the flesh Micron D9GMH based 2x1GB Crucial Ballistix Tracer PC2-8500 dual channel kit



So talk about bad QA, one module hs off center to left can't install in dimm slot, and second module hs TIM not making full contact!

I had same problem with heatspreader as you Eva. Prolly why cooling them with my flex blocks helped alot.

[eva2000]

so did flex blocks oc the modules better than bare modules with a fan ?

System

• Intel Core 2 Duo E6750 ES - L710A438 G0
• Corsair Nautilus 500 3/8" ID
• Asus P5K Deluxe 0311 bios
• 128MB Gainward FX5200 PCI
• 2x 1GB Crucial PC2-8500 Ballistix Tracer naked modules - dual channel kit #2 in black dimm slot
• 74GB WD Raptor 8MB on SATA 2 port
• Pioneer DVR-08 Burner
• Sony FDD
• 1KW PCP&C SLI psu
• WinXP Pro SP2

Looks like bare naked Micron D9GMH from Crucial Ballistix Tracer PC2-8500 are running more than fine @625mhz 5-5-5-15 3-30-3-3-8 at 2.1v vdimm!





PC2-10000 5-5-5-15 at 2.1v vdimm

Temp probe reading off ICs for Super Pi 32M run read idle = 28-32C and load = 32-35C with 92x38mm Sunon 120cfm fan on medium speed rheobus.

[Johnny Bravo]

When i started testing this second kit in a pair for dual channel I noticed another QA issue with the other module.. one side of the heatspreader's TIM wasn't making much contact with the ICs.

Tested the heatspreader module at default DDR2-1066Mhz 5-5-5-15 at 2.1v first to make sure it worked. And you guessed it, stripped it bare naked as well

As you can see the TIM is partially lifted off the ICs.. I tried holding it together to see if it will stick but it lifts off again by itself. So bye bye heatspreader :wavey:

So talk about bad QA, one module hs off center to left can't install in dimm slot, and second module hs TIM not making full contact!

Ha I had the exact same problem too, it seemed that one single IC was about 0.2-0.5mm closer to the PCB than all the rest. Having taken off the heatspreader and used a straight edge there is a fair bit of variance between them all!

[eva2000]

Really so the IC itself was shorter than the rest ? Might take a closer look to see if that was my case but i think mine was just the heatspreader was crooked

[XtremeTiramisu]

Looks like it's stable, maybe raised TRFC to 30 was the key? Given 2.2v is good enough for them to run at DDR2 1175

Will confirm the result once again with Orthos by tomo, now I want to let it rest.

JumperFree Configuration Settings
AI Overclocking: Manual
CPU Ratio Control: Manual
- Ratio CMOS Setting: 8
FSB Strap to Northbridge: 266
FSB Frequency: 470
PCI-E Frequency: 105
DRAM Frequency: DDR2-1175
DRAM Command Rate: 2T
DRAM Timing Control: Manual
CAS# Latency: 5
RAS# to CAS# Delay: 5
RAS# Precharge: 4
RAS# Activate to Precharge: 7
TWR: 3
TRFC: 30
TWTR: 3
TRRD: 3
TRTP: 5
DRAM Static Read Control: Enable (Lower latency and greater Mem BW)

Transaction Booster: AUTO
Boost Level: (only displays when Transaction Booster is set to Disable or Enabled)
Clock Over-Charging Mode: AUTO

CPU Spread Spectrum: Disabled
PCIE Spread Spectrum: Disabled

CPU Voltage: 1.4650
CPU Voltage Reference: x0.63
CPU Voltage Damper: Enabled
CPU PLL Voltage: 1.7
DRAM Voltage: 2.2
FSB Termination Voltage: 1.40
North Bridge Voltage: 1.55
North Bridge Voltage Reference: x0.67
South Bridge Voltage: 1.2

Advance CPU Settings
CPU Ratio Control: Manual
- Ratio CMOS Setting: 8
C1E Suppport: Disabaled
Max CPUID Value Limit: Disabaled
Vanderpool Technology: Disabaled
CPU TM Function: Disabaled
Execute Disable Bit: Enabled
PECI: Enabled

USB Configuration
USB Functions: Enabled
Legacy USB Support: Enabled (need to enable it to detect USB flash drives & Keyboard as well!)

[Severance]

so did flex blocks oc the modules better than bare modules with a fan ?

System

• Intel Core 2 Duo E6750 ES - L710A438 G0
• Corsair Nautilus 500 3/8" ID
• Asus P5K Deluxe 0311 bios
• 128MB Gainward FX5200 PCI
• 2x 1GB Crucial PC2-8500 Ballistix Tracer naked modules - dual channel kit #2 in black dimm slot
• 74GB WD Raptor 8MB on SATA 2 port
• Pioneer DVR-08 Burner
• Sony FDD
• 1KW PCP&C SLI psu
• WinXP Pro SP2

Looks like bare naked Micron D9GMH from Crucial Ballistix Tracer PC2-8500 are running more than fine @625mhz 5-5-5-15 3-30-3-3-8 at 2.1v vdimm!





PC2-10000 5-5-5-15 at 2.1v vdimm

Temp probe reading off ICs for Super Pi 32M run read idle = 28-32C and load = 32-35C with 92x38mm Sunon 120cfm fan on medium speed rheobus.

Those sticks are much better then mine Eva. Funny thing is that it did not help the overclock much but let me run with much less vdimm at 600 but not much more stable any higher with more volts.

[eva2000]

Looks like it's stable, maybe raised TRFC to 30 was the key? Given 2.2v is good enough for them to run at DDR2 1175

Will confirm the result once again with Orthos by tomo, now I want to let it rest.

yeah you may need substantially more vdimm for orthos stable with tRFC = 25 than 30 or 35 so loosening them has the same benefit for stability

Those sticks are much better then mine Eva. Funny thing is that it did not help the overclock much but let me run with much less vdimm at 600 but not much more stable any higher with more volts.

Yeah this is the best pair i tested so far... others needed 2.15v for 625mhz 5-5-5-15 3-30-3-3-8 so better by 0.05v vdimm - maybe being naked with adequate cfm cooling helped ?

Still testing this 2nd kit which bare naked now, but I inspected the 3rd and final kit I have here and again another module in the pair isn't making full TIM contact with ICs but no where as bad as this 2nd kit's one module pictured here.

It seems one side of the module's LED controller (middle square chip) is slightly taller in height than the other side's middle square chip meaning the HS lifts slightly off the ICs in the middle on either side of the LED controller chip. The heatspreader on that side is clearly at a slight angle like the picture here but not as bad.

Solution: No stripping of heatspreader necessary ?

Instead of stripping this module's heatspreader going to try another method, grab one of those strong paper clips, 2 pieces of cardboard and trusty hair dryer.

Place one piece of cardboard on either side of heatspreader, use the paper clip to clamp both sides of the heatspreader using the cardboard as protective layer to prevent scratching on the heatspreader. Now using hair dryer to heat up the heatspreader while leaving the heatspreader clamped down to making contact with ICs.

I'm hoping this heat and clamp method will allow the heatspreader to bend back inward towards the ICs to allow better contact

End Verdict:
The clamp and heat method seems to have worked, the heatspreader's TIM has made firm and full contact on the ICs and seems to have stayed for now. Guess have to wait until I get around to testing the 3rd and final kit

[Severance]

Eva... On my P5k deluxe would booting at 500fsb and clocking up help the overclock of these sticks? In the past i have booted at 499 and clocked up in windows. This is my stable overclock with these sticks and a pic of my ghetto rig lol

[eva2000]

if the strap change exists @500FSB with your P5K DX bios then yes it might help get higher mem frequency clock.. same reason why you can clock mem higher on 5:6 and 5:8 dividers as that is on 1333FSB strap compared with 4:5 and 2:3 on 1067FSB strap IIRC

But you'd loose performance so would be better at <499FSB

[Severance]

Thanx Eva I will try.

[Baleful]

Here's my Tracer 8500's. Set at 2.1v they seem to be rock solid. Still playing around with them, I havn't had time to max them out or play with timeings any more. Will post more later.

[PanteraGSTK]

those seem to be consistent results with these dimms. I personally like this memory better than any I've ever purchased. They are voltage friendly and they take numerous timings very well. I've found that mine like cas5 better than anything else. When I get my p5k I'll be able to finally see what these can do.

Later

[I34z1k]

I got 668.5mhz on a suicide run. Can't get anything over 595 stable though

[Baleful]

eva2000, do you suggest running these things naked with a nice fan blowing on them? Also, any way to monitor their temps in windows?

[Viss]

Unfortunately there's nothing to read out mem temp in windows afaik.

[MADMAX22]

If you mobo has a sensor input or you have a fan controller with a sensor hookup then you could put a sensor on the ram module and get your temp readins that way.