Interesting Observation of OCZ VX4000, and DFI NF4.

**Kunaak** · 06-20-2005, 11:36 AM

ok, heres whats happening. I have 4 sticks of VX4000 here, 2 to keep, 2 on loan. I have a DFI NF4 here that I use, the Ultra D. I been testing each stick individually, to find out where each one maxs out... then I decieded to try a simple test, took one stick, and moved it from slot 1 to slot 3, then the max OC from that ram, went up by 2 mhz, from a max of 266 bootable into windows, to 268.

so when I tried every stick, I found that they all did better in slot 3, then they do in slot 1. so I tried 2 stick, 1 in slot 1, and 1 in slot 3. at first I was only able to boot into windows at 265, then I swapped the sticks around, so they were in the opposite slots, and then I was able to boot at 268 into windows.

it seems, if I put the best stick of ram, into slot 3, then the ram OC's go up alittle, then if I had the best stick in slot 1.

by slots, I mean, the closest slot to the CPU is slot 1, and going upwards.

now, I was talking to Tony from OCZ about this, cause basically, I can't think of anyone more knowlegable about ram then him. the amount of stuff that guy knows about ram, is leagues above what I know... so I wanted to know what he would have to say about it, and heres what he says...

there is a strong slot and a weak one.

there will be 1 dimm stronger than the other

you put the strong dimm in the weak slot

and balance the overclock

apparantly, this is common advice that they give.
if you want to get the best from your ram it might be best to try your ram, individually, in each slot, for both ram stick, the make sure to put your best ram in the best slot.
for me, it made the difference, between being bootable into windows at 265, to 268. stable, and all.
while this maybe common advice they give, it's the first time this has worked for me, if I ever heard it in the past, I am sure it went in one ear, and out the other, or I was in my nasty habit of skimming over posts, and reading only what I thought was relevant and missed this bit of advice.

now my test for this was VERY simple.

I just set the ram at 10x265 to 270, and saw if it would make it into windows, boot up fully, without errors, and complete 1 run of super pi, then reboot, move the ram up one slot and try again.
no clockgen, just finding, how far, each stick would go, and actually boot into windows, without error, then complete a simple 1M test.

not the most thorough, but it helped me find the best of the ram, and learn a interesting lesson, in the meantime

**justwOo** · 06-20-2005, 11:42 AM

Yeah I remember the the thread about the "fast slot" discussion
Nice to see it in action

**Aleman** · 06-20-2005, 12:34 PM

So slot 3 is the good one?

**HiJon89** · 06-20-2005, 12:47 PM

Originally Posted by Aleman

So slot 3 is the good one?

Slot closer to CPU is better.

**Kunaak** · 06-20-2005, 01:01 PM

I would really think, this is a individual board thing, not all boards will have the same good dimm slot.
but honestly, this is the first time I ever tried this.
call it dumb, but I never assumed a dim slot had much effect on anything...

**bachus_anonym** · 06-20-2005, 01:02 PM

EMC2 had a good explanation for it .... Let me find it... He posted it few days ago in a similar thread... I'll go look

GOT IT!

- http://www.xtremesystems.org/forums/...ad.php?t=65636

**dippyskoodlez** · 06-20-2005, 01:25 PM

Originally Posted by Kunaak

I would really think, this is a individual board thing, not all boards will have the same good dimm slot.
but honestly, this is the first time I ever tried this.
call it dumb, but I never assumed a dim slot had much effect on anything...

I dont think slot has ever mattered-- because of the speeds.

We were never pushing 290+mhz with nf2's and uber tight timings, nor do p4's.. we were always at mercy of the north bridge's memory controller rather than the memory itself.

along with the memory controller right with the CPU, capable of tweaking so many timings, and running the way it does...