ASUS P5Q-E (P45) pre-view

[wongnog]

My mistake, i actually meant higher, sorry.

You say you keep getting errors in memtest 86 test 5?

That is for sure your mem that's instable, not your chipset or cpu.

Yes I ran a test overnight and found multiple errors in test 5 and 7, so now I just do a loop on test 5 because it seems to pick up the errors the quickest. So I set everything to auto except VCore I set to 1.30V (my chip's VID) VDimm to 2.1V (chip's rating) and brought my CPU back to stock speed (9x266). Memory is on a 3:5 divider and clocked at DDR2-890, but I STILL got memtest errors on test 5. I'm testing each stick individually now but getting a little impatient and deterred!!! I do have my dimms in the yellow slots as per mobo manual, maybe I'll try black slots next.

Already wrote a message on the OCZ support forum but likely won't hear back from them until Monday. Should I underclock my cpu to 9x250 so I can run my ram at 1:1 and DDR2-1000? Or maybe 9x333 on a 2:3 ratio and DDR2-1000? Ugggh this is so annoying.

Please keep your suggestions coming guys, I want to rule out all possibilities before I send these back for RMA.

Update: Got test 5 errors within 5 minutes with 9x250 (ram running DDR2-1000). Switched to black slots and got the same. Testing dimms individually now. Is it possible it is a problem with the motherboard memory controller?

[Seanie's Show]

Yes I ran a test overnight and found multiple errors in test 5 and 7, so now I just do a loop on test 5 because it seems to pick up the errors the quickest. So I set everything to auto except VCore I set to 1.30V (my chip's VID) VDimm to 2.1V (chip's rating) and brought my CPU back to stock speed (9x266). Memory is on a 3:5 divider and clocked at DDR2-890, but I STILL got memtest errors on test 5. I'm testing each stick individually now but getting a little impatient and deterred!!! I do have my dimms in the yellow slots as per mobo manual, maybe I'll try black slots next.

Already wrote a message on the OCZ support forum but likely won't hear back from them until Monday. Should I underclock my cpu to 9x250 so I can run my ram at 1:1 and DDR2-1000? Or maybe 9x333 on a 2:3 ratio and DDR2-1000? Ugggh this is so annoying.

Please keep your suggestions coming guys, I want to rule out all possibilities before I send these back for RMA.

Update: Got test 5 errors within 5 minutes with 9x250 (ram running DDR2-1000). Switched to black slots and got the same. Testing dimms individually now. Is it possible it is a problem with the motherboard memory controller?

If your chasing for 1000mhz on your RAM, try 1:1 but there is no need to underclock you CPU to achieve this, just drop the divider to x8 and raise the FSB, just look at it this way, anything upto 500fsb on this board and you dont have to touch the board voltages, auto set them all does just fine.

I am doing 500fsb on board stock voltages, well sorry they are set to auto in the bios, the only ones I have manually set is the MAIN memory timings 5-5-5-15, the MEM voltage and the CPU voltage, I am now playing and testing with the PL, just to see if I can tighten that up a couple of notches.

There are a couple of other basic options I have manually set like load-line=enabled, both spread spectrums set to disabled, I have also set MEM OC Charger, and Ai Clock Twister to moderate, middle of the road.

1 thing I do have to ask is have you tried testing your RAM at stocks ?
Maybe its time to think about if your RAM is knackered.

[wongnog]

1 thing I do have to ask is have you tried testing your RAM at stocks ?
Maybe its time to think about if your RAM is knackered, or if you just have a bad clocking set.

Well by underclocking my CPU (9x250), I am running my RAM at stock. I have PC2-8000 memory which is rated for DDR2-1000 at 2.1V. Here is what I own (link).

In dual channel mode, the RAM fails test 5 after 2 passes. In single channel, one stick fails test 5 after 5 passes, the other is going through 13 passes and counting. This is almost conclusively telling me one of my sticks is bad, right?

[Seanie's Show]

Well by underclocking my CPU (9x250), I am running my RAM at stock. I have PC2-8000 memory which is rated for DDR2-1000 at 2.1V. Here is what I own (link).

In dual channel mode, the RAM fails test 5 after 2 passes. In single channel, one stick fails test 5 after 5 passes, the other is going through 13 passes and counting. This is almost conclusively telling me one of my sticks is bad, right?

Yup, 1 of your sticks is dead, get in touch with OCZ and get them RMA'ed, your sticks should beable to do their rated speed at the rated voltage on any board divider, its not the board.

[wongnog]

Yup, 1 of your sticks is dead, get in touch with OCZ and get them RMA'ed, your sticks should beable to do their rated speed at the rated voltage on any board divider, its not the board.

And the fact that I'm running beta bios 1101 shouldn't matter? Should I try another one?

[Seanie's Show]

And the fact that I'm running beta bios 1101 shouldn't matter? Should I try another one?

You could try the offical bios, but I would be suprised if it made any difference, the fact that one of your sticks will go for 13+ passes and the other cant even manage 2, tells me that stick is knackered.

[MonsterMan]

And the fact that I'm running beta bios 1101 shouldn't matter? Should I try another one?

I had errors as well on memtest with bios 1101, went back to 0803 and memtest has no problems at all. So if I where you, I would go back to 0803 and test if that helps you.

[wongnog]

I had errors as well on memtest with bios 1101, went back to 0803 and memtest has no problems at all. So if I where you, I would go back to 0803 and test if that helps you.

Thanks I'll give that a try. HAve you noticed that your temps are inaccurate with 0803? I had read reports that temps are unusually low with 0803 but wasn't sure what to make of it...

[Cloud76]

CUT
I am doing 500fsb on board stock voltages, well sorry they are set to auto in the bios, the only ones I have manually set is the MAIN memory timings 5-5-5-15, the MEM voltage and the CPU voltage, I am now playing and testing with the PL, just to see if I can tighten that up a couple of notches.

CUT

Please, note that stock voltages are NOT stock voltages if you set it to AUTO or even if you set manually each parameter to the right stock voltage; the mobo overvolts it for you. This is what happen with the deluxe and i think it can be the same on the -E version.
Refer to the "ASUS P5Q Deluxe discussion" for info.

[wongnog]

Please, note that stock voltages are NOT stock voltages if you set it to AUTO or even if you set manually each parameter to the right stock voltage; the mobo overvolts it for you. This is what happen with the deluxe and i think it can be the same on the -E version.
Refer to the "ASUS P5Q Deluxe discussion" for info.

Thanks I think I did read that. The only voltage I seem to be able to monitor within windows is VCore though. Is there a way to detect VDimm?

[Cloud76]

Thanks I think I did read that. The only voltage I seem to be able to monitor within windows is VCore though. Is there a way to detect VDimm?

Mmmm... I think not. Asus board doesn't tell the voltages.
The auto-overvoltage has been noted by misuring each voltage with a multimeter directly on the board (deluxe). I don't know if the misuration points are identical on the -E version, but I think not.
There are some photoes on the deluxe topic about it.

EDIT: pics posted on deluxe discussion on post #472
http://www.xtremesystems.org/forums/...&postcount=472

[Seanie's Show]

Please, note that stock voltages are NOT stock voltages if you set it to AUTO or even if you set manually each parameter to the right stock voltage; the mobo overvolts it for you. This is what happen with the deluxe and i think it can be the same on the -E version.
Refer to the "ASUS P5Q Deluxe discussion" for info.

LOL, thanks for picking up on this but its kinda why I corrected myself in the same sentance "well sorry they are set to auto in the bios" however, as long as the board isnt bumping any of the voltages itself into the red, then im very happy with what the board is doing itself, I was going to get the Deluxe version myself, however the only differences I can physically see on the deluxe is the 16 phase power, and the SB linked the the NB with a pipe, to me, not worth the extra £25 GBP.

As for voltages and temp monitoring, ASUS dont support it on their lower end boards, the only boards that ASUS make that monitor all voltages and temps, like NB, SB, PLL etc is the ROG series like the Maximus Formula's.