Live MB OC Report :: ASUS Rampage Extreme

[aln688]

Hi Aln688, the same goes for me as with 3oh6 above - i've left this H/S stock.

Alright, thanks. I'm going to remove that heatsink just to see what's under it. If I'm going to rip out the entire Asus heatsink assembly, everything goes. I'll try to use some of the Enzotech copper heatsinks on whatever is under the stock.

The Doms are the 3rd set of DIMS I have tried after having OCZ2000Mhz and G.Skill 1600Mhz. If you have not yet bought your memory then I would recommend 1800 or 2000 rated sticks so that the memory can keep up with your overclocks on the 1/2 divider.

You mentioned 1/2 divider, considering my RAM is 1625, if to start with I had a 406 FSB, then could I keep my memory linked to the FSB? This would mean 406 * 4 = 1624? Is this the same as 1:1 divider?

My aim is for a 425 FSB, which will give me a 3.6GHz on the CPU and 1700MHz on the RAM. From what I've read about my Kingston HyperX modules, the RAM can OC to around 1720MHz but still retaining CL7.

Is what I'm suggesting doable?

[rob2k]

You mentioned 1/2 divider, considering my RAM is 1625, if to start with I had a 406 FSB, then could I keep my memory linked to the FSB? This would mean 406 * 4 = 1624? Is this the same as 1:1 divider?

My aim is for a 425 FSB, which will give me a 3.6GHz on the CPU and 1700MHz on the RAM. From what I've read about my Kingston HyperX modules, the RAM can OC to around 1720MHz but still retaining CL7.

Is what I'm suggesting doable?

This is my first Intel and DDR3 system after many years of AMD and DDR2 so anyone please correct me if I'm wrong. The FSB freq is quad pumped so 4x the bus speed where the divider is the FSB to DRAM ratio so half of the effective FSB freq with the 1:2 divider. Then with DDR memory (DDR=Double Data Rate) the memory speed is multiplied by 2 for it's effective frequency which then equals the FSB freq (so yes 1:1 there). By using another divider the memory can be ran slower - and more recently faster (asynchronously). Usually running components synchronously yields better performance. Think of the divider as the fraction of the FSB frequency but then double that result for the memory frequency. Hope i've not made a hash of that and i'm not teaching you how to suck eggs (as the saying goes!). What you have in mind sounds fine and perfectly achievable after binning the HPA.

The 2x1Gb configuration in the white sockets seems to be the most clockable on this board.

[aln688]

This is my first Intel and DDR3 system after many years of AMD and DDR2 so anyone please correct me if I'm wrong. The FSB freq is quad pumped so 4x the bus speed where the divider is the FSB to DRAM ratio so half of the effective FSB freq with the 1:2 divider. Then with DDR memory (DDR=Double Data Rate) the memory speed is multiplied by 2 for it's effective frequency which then equals the FSB freq (so yes 1:1 there). By using another divider the memory can be ran slower - and more recently faster (asynchronously). Usually running components synchronously yields better performance. Think of the divider as the fraction of the FSB frequency but then double that result for the memory frequency. Hope i've not made a hash of that and i'm not teaching you how to suck eggs (as the saying goes!). What you have in mind sounds fine and perfectly achievable after binning the HPA.

The 2x1Gb configuration in the white sockets seems to be the most clockable on this board.

Sounds great, Rob2k. One thing I do know, DDR2 is 2 x the FSB (in otherwords DDR2 fetches data twice per clock cycle), where as DDR3 is 4 x the FSB (...or four fetches per clock cycle). I learned this after reading lots of reviews on RAM modules and the overclocking section of the articles.

I understand the FSB divider now, it's merely a way to disconnect the FSB from the speed of the RAM. I suspect using anything except a 1:1 divider will very slightly impact performance of the system as a whole. When you say "synchronously", I think you mean 1:1 ratio with the FSB to RAM.

Great, thanks for explaining! I'm glad my plan sounds alright, my Enzotech heatsinks arrived today, going to start removing the heatpipe assembly and install the Enzotech's one by one. I went with the Noctua NC-U6 Northbridge heatsink, very small but tough device. 3oh6 recommended a fan to install on this but I'm unsure I need one if I'm only running 425 FSB? Maybe I do, as I said, I'm unsure.

Well I may sell my HPA on eBay, but then again I may save it incase I have to send the board back to Asus for warranty claims. I'll get lots of photographs of replacing the HPA with Enzotech copper heatsinks, this is a great thread and I've learned a lot from it. I want to extend this thread by posting more pictures and potentially helping others in the path to lowering temperatures by replacing the HPA with alternatives.

Thanks again.

[rob2k]

Hello ci2kla and - I'm sure there is more reading to be done on the tRD (Performance Level) and my understanding on this is very limited. I have had mine always set to AUTO which sets it to 6. I tried 5 manually once and it did not boot past the bios post.

Well I may sell my HPA on eBay, but then again I may save it incase I have to send the board back to Asus for warranty claims.

We should all send our HPA's back to Asus so they realise what a cr@p job they have done but as you say its probably best to hold onto it for warranty or in case you sell the board in the future as all of the new replacement cooling can be taken off and used again.

What CPU and O/S will you be using ?.

I plan to fit SLF-1 at the w/e as from Expat Griz it sounds like the S/B will run at least 10 degrees cooler than with the CNB-S1L. To be honest stick with the parts you have so far, once the system is built if you are unhappy with the performance of any part then look to swap them out. Memory reviews are a useful guide but only if they are using a similar platform, CPU architecture and cooling as the restriction may lay elsewhere. To answer your question about running memory slower than its rated speed then see post #1471 - generally it can be ran with tighter timings and less voltage and then the extra headroom may be used later after a change elsewhere in the system eg, if you went to W/C.

[ci2kla]

Hello ci2kla and - I'm sure there is more reading to be done on the tRD (Performance Level) and my understanding on this is very limited. I have had mine always set to AUTO which sets it to 6. I tried 5 manually once and it did not boot past the bios post.

Try PL6 and pull in the channel A and see what you can get. If you can POST but BSOD in windows you may need a pump of vNB or so IMO.

BTW, does anyone have clue on my E8400? I can't pass ORTHOS still...small FFTs failed in the first loop. While using single core version go on 11 hrs without a problem (only stress one core). Please help...

[Maximusss2008]

[aln688]

We should all send our HPA's back to Asus so they realise what a cr@p job they have done but as you say its probably best to hold onto it for warranty or in case you sell the board in the future as all of the new replacement cooling can be taken off and used again.

What CPU and O/S will you be using ?.

I plan to fit SLF-1 at the w/e as from Expat Griz it sounds like the S/B will run at least 10 degrees cooler than with the CNB-S1L. To be honest stick with the parts you have so far, once the system is built if you are unhappy with the performance of any part then look to swap them out. Memory reviews are a useful guide but only if they are using a similar platform, CPU architecture and cooling as the restriction may lay elsewhere. To answer your question about running memory slower than its rated speed then see post #1471 - generally it can be ran with tighter timings and less voltage and then the extra headroom may be used later after a change elsewhere in the system eg, if you went to W/C.

I don't think Asus cares to be honest, I've never had to request support from them but don't rate them very highly either.

My operating system will be Windows XP Professional x64, the operating system that is based on Windows Server 2003, just the 64-bit version.

As for CPU, I have the Intel Q9550 2.83GHz, which I'm aiming to get up to 3.6GHz. Thanks, I'll stick to the RAM I have, it will go up to 1700MHz I'm sure, pointless to buy 1800 speed RAM and run it at 1700MHz, just an un-necessary expense.

[Ghostleader]

I don't think Asus cares to be honest, I've never had to request support from them but don't rate them very highly either.

My operating system will be Windows XP Professional x64, the operating system that is based on Windows Server 2003, just the 64-bit version.

As for CPU, I have the Intel Q9550 2.83GHz, which I'm aiming to get up to 3.6GHz. Thanks, I'll stick to the RAM I have, it will go up to 1700MHz I'm sure, pointless to buy 1800 speed RAM and run it at 1700MHz, just an un-necessary expense.

If you are aiming for 3,6 you should consider to run FSB 450 and RAM at 1800 (CAS 7, tRD6), it´s gonna be a pretty awesome 24/7 setup.

[aln688]

If you are aiming for 3,6 you should consider to run FSB 450 and RAM at 1800 (CAS 7, tRD6), it´s gonna be a pretty awesome 24/7 setup.

I can get by with 425 FSB, the multiplier on my Q9550 is 8.5, 425 * 8.5 = 3612, which means the RAM is 425 * 4 (for DDR3) = 1700. Also my Q9550 is the E0 stepping CPU, I don't know if that means it runs cooler or not.