Crucial Ballistix 2x1GB PC4000 kit gone bad (merged)

[ProSpec]

Hi, I have 2 x 512 of PC4000 Ballistix CL2.5 (BL6464Z505) and my problem is that on first boot from cold I can run 265 x 9.0 (2.385 Ghz) and it will MemTest with no errors for about 4 passes.

Then the errors start to appear, 2 or so per pass. If I leave it running overnight I then get over 1000 errors per pass. To get the setup stable I then have to drop down to 200 x 9.0 and still get the occasional error.

 

But if I switch off and leave it, when I switch back on, I can then boot it up again at 265 with no errors.

 

To get a continual run of MemTest with no errors overnight I have to use the "Optimal Settings" in the Bios.

 

Have tried lots of different settings and any thing above 200 x 9.0 will eventually start to give errors.

 

I now feel from other posts that there is some incompatability issues with this Ram and the nF4 boards?

 

Regards, ProSpec

[RGone]

Hi, I have 2 x 512 of PC4000 Ballistix CL2.5 (BL6464Z505) and my problem is that on first boot from cold I can run 265 x 9.0 (2.385 Ghz) and it will MemTest with no errors for about 4 passes.

Then the errors start to appear, 2 or so per pass. If I leave it running overnight I then get over 1000 errors per pass. To get the setup stable I then have to drop down to 200 x 9.0 and still get the occasional error.

 

But if I switch off and leave it, when I switch back on, I can then boot it up again at 265 with no errors.

 

To get a continual run of MemTest with no errors overnight I have to use the "Optimal Settings" in the Bios.

 

Have tried lots of different settings and any thing above 200 x 9.0 will eventually start to give errors.

 

I now feel from other posts that there is some incompatability issues with this Ram and the nF4 boards?

 

Regards, ProSpec

 

on first boot from cold I can run 265 x 9.0 (2.385 Ghz) and it will MemTest with no errors for about 4 passes.

That is not at all uncommon for memory to warm and 'begin' to error and is why most of us know that a couple of passes of memtest is NOT enough. I seldom accept any findings of Memtest86 V1.51> until after 15 passes or so and then I take a look at the results being given.

 

@ "large" users. I see a number saying that trying my settings has had little results for them with Ballistix and I am not infallible. When writing up my "a little help to get going" post I had run the Ballistix and thought that the settigngs I was using were alright on it TOO, but perhaps I was wrong. NOW hear THIS, I do not consider overclocking until I reach about 250FSB or have a 1800mhz processor running at 2450mhz. That leaves out me testing much of a whole lot of territory some of you guys overclock IN. So for 'me' and most ANY type of memory> one should have the Cas Lantecy at 2.5 anyway by the time they reach 240FSB or so. I am quite sure that even PC4000 Ballistix is at Cas2.5 by 250FSB and loosening the other timings at that speed are just about a given. Anyway I did run some more tests using my 3200 Ballistix and MaxAsynchLatency can be left to AUTO and ReadPreamble can be set to AUTO as well and it seems fine on my board *depending* on which *processor of 3 that I run. Ballistix is extremely finicky about which processor I use. That leads dumb@ss me to believe that the Ballistix is dependent and highly so on the memory controller built into the processor. So far that is all I have seen that because I have "actually" seen it with my eyes and not someone else's, I feel is correct to report.

 

RGone...

 

EDIT: I may have better results to some extent because I know the stuff runs hot at the 3.0Volts I have to run it at and I have a FAN blowing on my Ballistix when in use. END EDIT.

[Aldersix]

I also have had some limited sucess with the Ballistix. If this helps anyone of you. Ram Memtest86+ v1.51 for 7+ hours 19 cycles with 2.5-2-2-7 @3.0v. But then out popped a test 4 error. Tried to up vcore with no sucess. Also tried other timinigs still getting memtest errors.

 

Also tried to retest with those settings and could not reporduce the results.

 

Other timings I have tried with no sucess:

2-2-2-6 @ 2.8, 3.0, 3.1

2-3-2-8 (default) @2.6 & 2.8

2-3-2-6 @ 2.8, 3.0, 3.1

2.5-2-2-7 @ 2.8, 2.9, 3.0, 3.1

[RGone]

Ok for the Ballistix users as I said previously; in testing so many types of ram, well I could have been off a little on the Ballistix. But here is what I have just done over the last 5 hours on Sunday the 27th of February.

 

NF4 Ultra-D R-A02 Bios 02/01> 3500+ Winchester Processor> Fortron Blue Storm W/modded 3.3V rail.

 

XP-90 Heat Sink W/80mm Smart Fan set to 4500RPM.

 

2x512 Crucial Ballistix Memory. Orange Slots #2 and #4.

 

2x80gig Hitachi in raid 0. 1x200gig Maxtor back up drive. UsB pen drive. Plextor CD/RW.

 

1.44 Floppy drive.

 

All four possible voltage "inputs" to the board are utilized from the Fortron Blue Storm.

 

Sitting out on the desk with a single 80mm/19cfm fan blowing on memory. Meaning no case

 

fans for good air flow or cooling.

 

FSB= 262

LTD/FSB Ratio= x 3.0

16up-16down

Cpu/Fsb Freq Ratio= x 9.0

PCi-Ex Freq= 105mhz

Cool & Quiet= Disable

Cpu Vid Startup= 1.475V

Cpu Vid Control= 1.450V

Cpu Vid "special"= 113%

LDT Voltage= 1.4V

Chipset Voltage= 1.6V

Dram Voltage Control= 3.10V

 

Dram Configuration Page:

 

Dram Freq= 200 1:1

CPC= Enable

Tcl= 2.5

Trcd= 03

Tras= 07

Trp= 03

Trc= 07

Trfc= 14

Trrd= 05

Twr= 03

Twtr= 02

Trwt= 02

Tref= 4708

Twcl=AUTO

Dram Bank Interleave= Enabled

 

DQS Skew Control= AUTO

DQS Skew Value = 0

Dram Drive Strength= Level 6

Dram Data Drive Strength= Level 4

Max Asynch Latency= AUTO

Read Preamble= AUTO

Idle Cycle Limit= 256 cycles

Dynamic Counter= Disable

R/W Queue ByPass= 16x

ByPass Max= 07x

32 Byte Granularity= Disable 8 Bursts

 

Memtest86+ V1.51 test #5= 16 passes NO errors.

Memtest86+ V1.51 test #8= 15 passes NO errors.

Memtest86+ V1.51 Three (3) Full Test passes NO errors.

 

Prime95 2 hours 36 mins and 12 seconds NO errors.

 

Again, 2x512 Crucial Ballistix set as above.

 

Making this post from that computer set just as above.

 

RGone...

[rhiridflaidd]

Thanks.

 

I was hitting 225mhz max with my ballistix -and using "your" setings in the sticky was the only way I could get over 200.

 

Looking forward to giving these settings a try.

 

p.s. Is there anywhere that gives an indepth explenation of what all the settings are. I've seen the sticky, that gives an overview and recommended settings, but I'd love to know what they all mean in detail.

 

P.S.

I thought that bank interleave made memory less stable, but it's enabled in this situation.

 

Interesting.

[nut_shot]

Thanks alot rgone for those settings i hope they help me with ballistix and dfi ultra-d

[jhbodle]

RGone, I really appreciate the fact that you took the time to look in to the best settings for Crucial Ballistix RAM. As I also have a 3500+ Winnie I tried the settings and hoped for the best.

 

Unfortunately they did not work out for me (37 errors at 50% of first pass). Since I couldn't get my Ballistix to run at 262MHz even on my old Asus board, I lowered the FSB down to 250 - still no joy (in fact it got worse - how does that work?!). I then tried running with CPC disabled, then with Bank Interleave disabled, then with different LDT up/down values, different timings - all the same result.

 

Out of desperation, I tried what I thought would be absolute 'fail-safe' settings for even mediocre RAM: DDR333 (166MHz), 3-4-4-11 @ 2.9v, max DRAM drive strength (8), 3500+ @1.8GHz at 1.45v - I STILL got errors!

 

I have yet to have an error-free memtest run - is it just me who can't get any settings stable or is this something that a future BIOS will resolve?

[RGone]

@ jhbodle, did you use the bios I am using? There are very very subtle differences in each bios. Roughshod running thru the settings may not show it up as I "first" saw no difference in any > BUT there are.

 

RGone...

[jhbodle]

No I didn't RGone, but I am going to do that right now and report back tomorrow.

[jhbodle]

OK I couldn't wait until tomorrow!

 

I flashed the BIOS to the 201 version and ran your suggested settings again - still got errors. Lowered the FSB to 245MHz (which was fine on the Asus) and still got errors. Errors (as always) were reported on both sticks of RAM. The most troublesome tests seem to be 4, 5 and 6.

[Xtro]

I'm going to flash bios 201 now, I think is the only one having not tried. As your settings with 218 bios it "works" for me, but gives errors in test 4, 6 and also sometimes in test 3. What I noticed is even when running 250x9, sometimes the board reboots after IRQ checking, maybe 1 of 10 times. With 250x10 always reboots.

 

I hope a new bios is Ballistix friendly

[jhbodle]

Me too!

 

The plot thickens. BIOS 201 seems to give slightly more errors than 218 but the memtest screen I have attached shows a strange phenomenon. Note how the screen shows that memtest is on test number 4. Now here's the weird part: the red line showing errors in test 2 is still incrementing upwards even thorough tests 3 and 4. This didn't happen on BIOS 218 (and this is the first time its happened on 201 too).

 

Maybe it's because I had to put a copy of Memtest 1.51 on a floppy and boot from that with the 201 BIOS as 218 had it built in. Either way, I don't have a clue how I can get memtest and my DFI board to like my Ballistix RAM.