ASUS Maximus Formula SE

[Majoram]

I'm still having stability problems with 4 sticks of RAM.

Other than raising the DRAM volts to 2.3v (is that high?), what else is there I can do?

Sorry I'm a newb at this, I have some knowledge but no experience.

My RAM is 4x1GB Crucial Ballistix PC2-8500.

I do a very simple test of playing the Crysis single player demo and it's always crashing.

I just changed over to 2x1GB OCZ Platinum XTC PC2-8500 and I just finished the whole demo with it only "freezing" (but not crashing) once. The game continued to play like normal.

Suggestions?

PS I'm tempted to just return the RAM and switch to G Skill 2x2GB PC2-8000 or buy another set of OCZ Platinum XTC (Platinum better than Ballistx?)

[sdumper]

I'm still having stability problems with 4 sticks of RAM.

Other than raising the DRAM volts to 2.3v (is that high?), what else is there I can do?

Sorry I'm a newb at this, I have some knowledge but no experience.

My RAM is 4x1GB Crucial Ballistix PC2-8500.

I do a very simple test of playing the Crysis single player demo and it's always crashing.

I just changed over to 2x1GB OCZ Platinum XTC PC2-8500 and I just finished the whole demo with it only "freezing" (but not crashing) once. The game continued to play like normal.

Suggestions?

PS I'm tempted to just return the RAM and switch to G Skill 2x2GB PC2-8000 or buy another set of OCZ Platinum XTC (Platinum better than Ballistx?)

More info please

Strap
Frequency
Dram timing settings
Other bios settings

Op sys ?? Vista x64 or XP x64?

[safan80]

have you checked to see if your ram is running hot? make sure you have a fan over them.

[Viss]

What are your settings with 4 dimms? This is what im running for games now, mem not that high but 100% stable so far. 4x1024 PC8500:

[Majoram]

have you checked to see if your ram is running hot? make sure you have a fan over them.

Yes I checked and it's all outside the case and I put a fan sitting directly on top of them.

More info please

Strap
Frequency
Dram timing settings
Other bios settings

Op sys ?? Vista x64 or XP x64?

What are your settings with 4 dimms? This is what im running for games now, mem not that high but 100% stable so far. 4x1024 PC8500:

OS: XP 32 bit
(yes I know it won't recognise all the RAM but plan to move to 64bit Vista later)

CPU: Q6600 -> Not overclocked atm.

All settings are default unless listed below:
Strap: AUTO
Frequency: DDR2-1066
Dram timing settings: 5-5-5-15 (Subtimings not changed)
DRAM Static Read Control: DISABLED
Transaction Booster: DISABLED
FSB Frequency: 266
DRAM Volts: 2.30

With the OCZ RAM, I changed 2 things:
DRAM Static Read Control: ENABLED
DRAM Volts: 2.00

EDIT: Forgot BIOS ver 0602

[cadaveca]

is there no way to turn the switching off?

Nope. No way currently without hardmodding the board. Although, load-line calibration may be enabling 8-phase(hence no droop), but when quad's draw high current, it seems it falls back into 4-phase sometimes.

[kup]

Nope. No way currently without hardmodding the board. Although, load-line calibration may be enabling 8-phase(hence no droop), but when quad's draw high current, it seems it falls back into 4-phase sometimes.

Has anyone tested whether we get the same LOAD issue without Loadline Calibration enabled? Just increasing the vCore to compensate for the droop?

Oh, and 0702...not as good as 0701...just lost a 80% complete WU straight off the bat in F@H because it wasn't stable at the same settings!

[cadaveca]

doesn't work the same. at high speed, for me to get 1.55v, I would have to select 1.675v in bios, with droop figued in. do not want my cpu idling @ 1.675v!!!!

[kup]

doesn't work the same. at high speed, for me to get 1.55v, I would have to select 1.675v in bios, with droop figued in. do not want my cpu idling @ 1.675v!!!!

Yeah, I just tried it, exactly the same results. It did however stop the "System" resource hogging the CPU load...it only stole between 7-10% instead of a solid 25%! So maybe this is what is meant by the vDroop mod helping? Disable Load Line, vDroop mod so we don't have to set crazy idle volts and then it get better? No idea here, just throwing out thoughts?

[cadaveca]

Yes, it works that way. I am unsure of the current limit built into circuit, but the closer you get to that limit, the larger the "drop" in utilization. Likewise, the farther away from the limit, the less drop in utilization, and hence my comment about droop mod being better, as the circuit would be partially unaware of the actual current drawn by cpu. It's like the driver tries to "latch" the extra 8-phases, but it cuases a loop that does not ocmplete due to utilization of the cpu by prime. If we triggered this change when idle, i think there would not be a problem...the process jsut is not getting enough cpu time.

But that in itself causes issues...

[kup]

I think I'll just stick with 3.825GHz for now, as that is OCCT/Prime/Folding/3D2K6 stable and has no issues at all.

Idealy I'd like it with the 8x mulitplier but 9x425 is ok for now...

Out of interest, what volts and settings are people using for 475MHz+ on the FSB/NB? I seem to need about 1.9v to get it anywhere near remotely stable...

[Sly Fox]

So what's the final verdict on the black rubber caps on the Fusion block?

If you use air cooling only, should you take them off or leave them? Or perhaps it simply makes no difference either way.

[kup]

So what's the final verdict on the black rubber caps on the Fusion block?

If you use air cooling only, should you take them off or leave them? Or perhaps it simply makes no difference either way.

I took them off, I didn't like the idea of hot air building up inside and being trapped there... Northbridge temps dropped maybe 1 or 2 max! Nothing major... TBH, I think reseating with AS5 would do more good but I've run it so much that I'll probably have no chance of removing the heatsink now!

[cadaveca]

Leave them on. If they are off, dust will build up inside.

[GAR]

OK, so now i am having a hard time getting OCCT ram test stable, i have ran prime for hours with no problem, small and blend, but occt fails after 30 mins, memtest passes as well, and voltages fluctuate when running occt, not prime, could someone with the same set of ram run OCCT 1.1.1B on custom and run the ram test for 1 hour, would really appreciate it, also windows vista x64 is my OS

[cadaveca]

I have no issues with OCCt being stable. maybe up chipset volts a bit, if ram is known stable on other board, otherwise, look at upping ram .05v.

Running 4GB pc D9GMH @ 1120mhz 5-5-5-18. TRAS of 15 WAS NOT STABLE AT ANY SPEED FOR ME, over 1040mhz.

[GAR]

I have no issues with OCCt being stable. maybe up chipset volts a bit, if ram is known stable on other board, otherwise, look at upping ram .05v.

Running 4GB pc D9GMH @ 1120mhz 5-5-5-18. TRAS of 15 WAS NOT STABLE AT ANY SPEED FOR ME, over 1040mhz.

are you running vista x64?

[cadaveca]

nope, vista32 and XP32. Might be an issue with X64, but i am not aware of such an issue with OCCT. Try TRAS change as well...I realized a bit back that TRAS on DDR3 is much higher than DDR2, and this chipset was intended for DDR3, right?....

[thelawns]

Why did you have to RMA? How on earth did you change the multiplier in the first place? LAWL

Just by clicking on the Apply button... They make it too easy to make mistakes!

Well, I have RMA'd my processor because its now causing the BSOD everytime I try to do anything other than standard? Surely I must have done something to it? Or have I just corrupted my XP install??

[sdumper]

nope, vista32 and XP32. Might be an issue with X64, but i am not aware of such an issue with OCCT. Try TRAS change as well...I realized a bit back that TRAS on DDR3 is much higher than DDR2, and this chipset was intended for DDR3, right?....

Are you really running 4gigs on a 32 bit os? Why? You cant address all of the ram unless your running a 64 bit os so its sort of a waste of hard earned money.

[sdumper]

Just by clicking on the Apply button... They make it too easy to make mistakes!

Well, I have RMA'd my processor because its now causing the BSOD everytime I try to do anything other than standard? Surely I must have done something to it? Or have I just corrupted my XP install??

Your CPU is fine...

If I were you id reset your CMOS and start again from scratch

[thelawns]

Your CPU is fine...

If I were you id reset your CMOS and start again from scratch

Ok, thanks. But why does the AI software cause a BSOD now, when it ran fine before I set it to 8x?

[egandt]

I'm having a lot of issues where USB hubs (such as those on a monitor or a card reader) are losing devices (well actually just not finding devices), when this happens I need to reboot to get it to be detected. I'm not sure the cause, as these same devices were never lost on my old MB using the same layout. This leads me to believe that this is a MB issue, but I wanted to ask it anyone else has had a similar issue.
Also while the USB devices will work if detected on resume from hibernate, most often one or more are not detected.

ERIC

[GAR]

OK guys, i have to say, in the beginning i loved this board, but as of late, im beginning to hate it, it might be specifically mine, but im having bunch of problems that are very annoying, mainly my specific to my ram, just wont be stable, even at rated speeds, anyway i have packaged my board and am going to return it while i still can to my local fry's..........guess my participation from this thread will probably be gone but good luck to everyone else, im going to wait it out for the 780i to SLi my 8800GT.....

[Majoram]

What are your settings with 4 dimms? This is what im running for games now, mem not that high but 100% stable so far. 4x1024 PC8500:

Just wondering, what are your BIOS settings?