LANPARTY UT NF4 SLI-DR & Corsair TWINX1024-3200C2

[RED STATE RAY]

Summary

 

What I need is the optimal BIOS configuration for the LANPARTY UT NF4 SLI-DR using Corsair TWINX1024-3200C2 RAM. For AMD systems, this RAM can operate at latency of 2.5-3-3-6. (I am asking because I am like a cat who sat on a hot stove ... and now I am a little wary of getting near the stove again.)

 

Brief Story

 

I have been living in this forum for a couple weeks researching the board and getting the confidence to build my first PC. I don't intend to do a lot of overclocking ... maybe just a little to get my feet wet.

 

I finally bought my dream system (see signature) and followed this thread for building it step-by-step: http://www.dfi-street.com/forum/showthread.php?t=6615

 

I built the system with 1 RAM DIMM ... ran MemTest ... installed Windows ... updated drivers ... installed 2nd RAM DIMM ... ran Memtest ...and then whammy ... when Windows tried to load I got put into a reboot loop.

 

I have plugged in all 4 power connectors, and I am running the most recent official 6/23/35 BIOS update. I see other are folks are having trouble with the Corsair RAM ... so now I'm a little nervous about what to do.

 

From this forum, I surmised that it was a DRAM configuration issue since Corsair's web site says this board doesn't recognize the RAM correctly. This is where I screwed up ... I tried to configure the DRAM settings to match my RAM by reading other suggestions and modifying them to match the Corsair TWINX1024-3200C2 ... and the next thing I knew the board wouldn't POST. (Insert panic, sobbing, and tranquilizers ... I wasn't sure what I'd done ... big thanks to forum member SHARP who restored order and helped me reset the CMOS.)

 

Then I tried the basic recommendation from another post to increase the voltage from 2.6 -> 2.8 only ... and sure enough ... now Windows boots correctly and the world is a happier place.

 

Of course, I'm not content yet because I know the RAM settings in the BIOS are not optimal. I'm running Prime95 on the system, and it has been running Test3 for 2 hours after completing test 1 & 2 in about 5 minutes. There have been no errors reported ... and since I'm new to Prime95, I'm not sure what to expect. I'm thinking something's not right.

 

Instead of trying to re-invent the wheel and over-extend my IQ by trying to figure out the DRAM BIOS settings, I'm hoping someone can share their experience and BIOS settings.

[Xeen]

Sorry can't help u with timings.

 

Don't know if it will help u, but i could not get my memory modules to work stable in the Orange slots like the manual suggest u use, i switched to the Yellow slots and they have been working stable ever since.

[Sharp]

Hello,

 

 

Download this

http://cpu.rightmark.org/download.shtml

 

Run the program and take a screenshot of the MEMORY TAB and SPD TAB sections.

- To take a screenshot you press the prtscn button on the keyboard.

- Open Paint and paste.

- Then save the pic as JPEG.

- Then upload them here, (go advanced >manage attachments)

 

Examples,

 

Memory TAB

 

SPD TAB

NOTE: the red box, you may need to change the module index to see the info.

 

These screenshots will help us to tweak your bios timings. (start to fill in the unknowns),

GENIE BIOS Setting

>DRAM Configuration..................Press Enter = New Menu

FSB BUS Frequency....................200

DRAM Voltage Control.................2.80 V

 

GENIE BIOS Setting >DRAM Configuration

DRAM Frequency Set (MHZ).............200 (DRAM/FSB:1/01)

Command per clock (CPC)..............Enabled

Cas latency (tCL)....................?

RAS to CAS delay (tRCD)..............?

Min RAS active time (tRAS)...........?

Row precharge time (tRP).............?

Row cycle time (tRC).................?

Row refresh cycle time(tRFC).........?

Row to Row delay (tRRD)..............?

Write recovery time (tWR)............?

Write to read delay (tWTR)...........?

Read to write delay (tRWT)...........?

Refresh period (tREF)................?

Write CAS latency (tWCL).............?

DRAM Bank Interleave.................Enabled

[RED STATE RAY]

Sharp,

 

First ... I disabled CPC like you suggested, and set DRAM Response to normal. After that, Windows worked well and I ran Prime95 for 5 hours with no problems.

 

I do have all four power connectors plugged into the board ... and I am aware that my 450 W PSU is 30-50 W under spec ... and I'll upgrade if I really need to.

 

I tried to run the RightMark Memory Analyzer, but I get the error message: "Failed to load RTCore.sys driver." That file, rtcore.sys, is not included in the .rar download. I am running Windows XP 64, and I'm not certain RightMark Memory Analyzer can run on XP 64.

 

If MemTest and Prime95 are both stable, I might just declare victory ... but I'll take optimal DRAM settings if we can find them.

[StephenC]

What are your ram timing set to in bios?

[Sharp]

Yes I dont think it works in XP64.

 

At least its stable? (I hope)

[RED STATE RAY]

So ... with CPC off, the RAM runs in 2T instead of 1T.

 

Q1: What's the difference in regards to performance ?

 

When I was researching this board, I don't know how I missed all the CORSAIR RAM issues ... now it seems like they're everywhere. If I ever want to upgrade RAM, I'll have to remember to research again, and buy all new RAM.

 

Q2: It's rumored the next BIOS Flash update will include better support for CORSAIR RAM. Any truth to that ??

[Angry_Games]

Q1: nothign you will notice...a benchmark will show a slight difference, but not enough to complain about (i run 2T on all my 2GB 4x512 systems and there's no performance difference, but the computer wont boot at 1T with 4x512)

 

Q2: http://www.dfi-street.com/forum/showpost.p...389&postcount=1