756 MB Great--1 Gig No Good

[Grumper]

I`m having a hard time getting 1 gig of DDR memory to be stable in my system. See the attached explanation-- Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks Paul


Motherboard ASUS A7N8X-Deluxe Bios 1003 03/19/03
CPU AMD Atholon XP 2500+ Barton core
Speed 1.83 Ghz
Memory 768 Corsair XMS 3200 LPT 1 CMX 256 stick [ in blue slot #2 ] and 1 CMX 512 stick [ in blue slot #3] When I go and install an additional 256 MB in slot #1 [ black] it shows as 1 gig hardware, but that’s when the trouble starts [ some games wont play “Doom3” and Windows Media player “has to close” I have exchanged the 256 stick, same problem]

Video Card ATI Radeon AIW 9800 128 mb

Advanced Bios settings

CPU External Frequency [ Mhz] [ 166 Mhz]
CPU Frequency Multiple settings [ AUTO ]
X CPU Frequency Multiple [ 11.0X ]
System Performance [ Aggressive]
X CPU Interface Aggressive
X Memory Frequency 100%
X Memory Timings Aggressive
X SDRAM Active Pre Charge Delay 5
X SDRAM Ras to Cas Delay 3
X SDRAM Ras Precharge 2
X SDRAM Cas Latency 2T
FSB Spread Spectrum [ 0.50%]
AGP Spread [ Disabled]
CPU V Core Setting [ AUTO]
X CPU V Core 1,650 V
Graphics Adapter Size [ 64mb] & AGP Frequency [AUTO]
System Bios Casheable [ Disabled]
Video Ram [ Disabled]
DDR Frequency Voltage [ 2.6 Volts]
AGP ADDQ Voltage [ 1.5 Volts]
AGP 8X Support [ Disabled]
AGP Fast Write Capability [ Disabled]

[saphalline]

What brand is this third stick you got? Same Corsair XMS as the other two?

I would try giving the RAM some more breathing room when you have all 3 sticks installed. Bring the timings down to 3-3-3-6 and go from there. If all 3 work with these looser timings, then either the new stick can't handle them, or the combination of all of them can't handle them.

[Deagle]

I agreed with Sap. Alhough I saw that you're running at 166 and have fsb spread spectrum to .50%. This mean that you're ram and system is running asynchronized. A little suggestion is to disable fsb spread sprectrum, put cpu fsb at 200 and drop multiplier to 9.5. This will give you better performance since ram and fsb is running 1:1 or in sync. Also why do you have AGP 8x support disable? Turning it on will give slight performance boost.

[saphalline]

Not a good idea to toy with the CPU settings until this RAM issue is solved. Also, there's nothing in Grumper's post indicating the speed of the RAM, so don't assume it's PC3200 and able to run 1:1 with a 200 FSB. The AGP voltage is 1.5V, meaning that vid card is only AGP 4x capable. AGP 8x is 0.8V. Although turning on Fast Writes wouldn't be a bad idea.

[Deagle]

Hmm I guess the OCing thing can be put away till later. About the AGP 1.5V, I have an 8X card and it's still said in the BIOS screen AGP 1.5V, there's no option for 0.8V?

[saphalline]

I guess it depends on the card. Vid cards that are AGP 8x only will run at 0.8V. Vid cards that are AGP 4x only will run at 1.5V. Vid cards that are AGP 8x/4x are hard to pin down. Some use 1.5V, some use 0.8V, it really depends on the manufacturer and what vid chip it uses. There's an easy way to tell: check the BIOS. If Grumper's BIOS will let him enable AGP 8x Support, then that's a good thing. If not, the vid card won't do it, so the BIOS won't do it. It's a simple check, but 8x doesn't always get turned on when it can be. Computers are so complex sometimes.

[Grumper]

saphalline & Deagle thanks for your interest, I`m ready to solve this problem.

Let me clear up a few of your questions

Saphlline-- 1]the questionable stick is the same type as the other 2, this is a new stick as I thought it was the stick in the first place and I had Corsair send me a new one
2] I changed the timings to 3 3 3 6 we will see NOTE when I did that the AGP 8X Support went to [Enabled] on its own as did AGP Fast Write Capability
3] the FSB Spread Spectrum is at 0.05% and it refuses to let me disable it
4] My ram speed is PC 3200 LPT


Deagle 1] I will let these settings set for a while and see how it goes. I know what to look for if it starts to mess up-- then we can get into the OC thing.

Thanks Guys

The Window Media Player just gave me an error message and had to close, this is the same this that happened with the tighter settings and 1 gig installed--when I take out the 3rd peice [ 256mb] that goes away. note this took about 30 minutes to happen ?????

I will go to the bios and put it back where it was [ my original post]

[Grumper]

I removed the 3rd stick and used Deagle`s suggestion

I agreed with Sap. Alhough I saw that you're running at 166 and have fsb spread spectrum to .50%. This mean that you're ram and system is running asynchronized. A little suggestion is to disable fsb spread sprectrum, put cpu fsb at 200 and drop multiplier to 9.5. This will give you better performance since ram and fsb is running 1:1 or in sync. Also why do you have AGP 8x support disable? Turning it on will give slight performance boost.

Lets see what this brings us---hang in there with me guys

Thanks grumper

[Mr Red]

Did anyone aske what the OS is? XP and 2K should cope well, but with an ATI card you can never tell. I have had three AiW and their functionality has not improved over the years. Teletext has degraded and the Rx has never been as good as WinTV.

If you are on Win98 there is a limit of 512Mb after which you are gambling. I ran 768 with no trouble but 1Mb is guarranteed to give problems because Win 98 puts the Graphics arena (whatever they mean by that) in the top end and the cards need appertures. ATI being cited as the more problematical ones.

I am currenbtly running the 9800 pro on Win98 Se (with unofficial SP2 - look for it) but have a dual boot to Win 2k (512Mb)

I take the precaustion of putting a MaxPhysPage = <2C00> in the system.ini file for 768 and 1E00 for 512. The unofficial SP2 (all the updates are M$ but the putting together is not) sorts out the 512 limit - allegedly. For the right place to put it surf or ask again here I will go and look what I did.

So which OS?

[Grumper]

MR Red------------Thanks for the reply Im running XP Pro ----SP 1---- build 2600

[Grumper]

FYI since I changed the bios settings ala "Deagle" my system settings read

AMD Athlon
1.9 GHz
786 MB Ram

My original settings read like

AMD Barton 2500+
2.0 GHz
768 MB Ram

[Grumper]

Well it looks like I might be good as far as using the full 1 gig of PC 3200 LPT Corsair----Windows Media Player has been on for 3 hours no problem [ before 20 min max] and Games seem better then everThis is what I did

1] Bios---SDRAM settings went from 5-3-2-2t---to--- 6-3-2-2t not much of a change.
2] CPU External Freq from 166 MHz to 200 MHz CPU Freq [ Deagle] from 11.0X ---to---09.5X ------resulting frequency 200MHz, this actually changed the SDRAM settings.
AGP 8X Support was Enabled [ saphalline] [ I can see the difference in games, really]
FSB Spread Spectrum refuses to be Disabled and stays at 0.50%

Now the Biggie--originally it went like dimm 3 [ blue color] held the 512 stick
dimm 2 [ blue color] held the 256 stick
That was for 768 MB and to get to 1 Gig dimm 1 [ black color] held the new [ never compatiable before] 256 stick.

Now I had input from another site where the contribuor has an Epox with similar settings he gave me a sequence where to place the Ram and I tried it and before I rebotted I realized I did a 180 from what he told me to do, I rebooted anyway [ what the hey] and everything is great [ fingers crossed] this a what I did.

dimm 3 original 256 MB [ blue color]

dimm 2 new 256 MB [ blue color]

dimm 1 original 512 MB [ black color]

Now as I see it the 2 256 MB sticks are in the DDR Mode right ???
the 1 512 MB stick is straight memory right ???

On Bootup I have DDR activated, I know the Computer is running just fine, but could I get an explanation as to how and why this did happen, and how and why cant I get the FSB Spread Spectrum DISABLED.

Thanks Guys, please respond if you have any ideas.

[saphalline]

Hmmm... interesting story. But now I can't tell if moving the large 512MB stick fixed the problem, or if it was the RAM timings. Or both! Oh well, it works, so why worry, right? ;)

Still confused about the CPU settings, though. What is your current CPU speed? It started out at stock settings, right? That means 11 x 166 = 1833MHz. If you did what Deagle suggested, you should now be at 9.5 x 200 = 1900MHz. A slight overclock but very good settings if you want more CPU-to-RAM speed (always a good thing). So is that your CPU speed now? 1.9GHz?

For your dual-channel settings, it should be working now. What you have is the 512MB stick on one channel, and the two 256MB sticks on the other channel. So, your system will use dual-channel when using the 512MB stick and one of the 256MB sticks. I should also ammend that by saying that the "lower half" of the 512MB stick is elligible for dual-channel, while the "upper half" is not. This is still a good arrangement as otherwise you would have a 256MB stick in there and you'd get the same 512MB of dual-channel goodness at once, so either way. That's the beauty of the NForce2's dual-channel memory controller, tremendous flexibility. If you had a P4 right now, dual-channel would NOT be working!!

[Grumper]

My CPU speed at present is 1.9 HGz--my dual channels are working now [ they always were working] my only issue left is the "FSB Spread Spectrum" it will not come off the 0.50% setting [ the options are enable or 1% ] real pain. Might there be a reason to lock this setting, if there were why have the setting active ??

If I want to continue the Over Clocking do I just bump up the CPU Frequency Multiple & the SDRAM settings ?? or just the CPU Multiple.
I know this opens up another entire learning cycle, cant leave well enough alone. What do I have to be careful of, rather where can you really mess up and do damage with over clocking??

Thanks ,I really appreciate your interest

[saphalline]

I just looked up "FSB Spread Spectrum" and it's quite interesting. It appears to be a frequency modulation setting for the FSB intended to reduce internal system EMI. I don't understand why yours is stuck at the 0.50% setting, but I wouldn't worry too much about it. It doesn't seem to be causing any problems yet, so leave it be for now.

As for the OC'ing, I suggest we move that over to the Performance SIF section of the forums for further discussion. It's an entirely new topic and OC'ing is best done in that forum, anyway.

[Grumper]

As always thanks for the quick reply---I also did a look around about FSB F/Spread and I seems rather an vague area of computing. What I did was send the BIOS back to default setting [ Disabled is Default for FSB F/Spread] and it still came up 0.05% so I tried to set it to Disable "before" I hopped up the other settings and it will not move--proberly a mobo issue. I will try to get a responce from ASUS and let you know what they say--In the meantime everything is running great and Im not going to be concerned about it.

Thanks for everything

[Grumper]

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Well guys here is the answer from ASUS in regard to the FSB S/Spectrum, is this an answer or a cop-out ??

Many users complained they can not adjust "FSB Spread Spectrum" setting in BIOS ver. 1002. They said it will be locked at [.50%] value. Is it true or not? If yes, is it a bug and is there any solution for it?




It's a known issue. Our H/W R&D has tuned and fixed this item as a default to allow A7N8X has the best performance. We don't want users to change this item because once this is changed, it might risk unstable system and some EMI issues

[saphalline]

My first response is, "WTF???" :confused: Since when does Asus lock out BIOS options because changes to it might risk unstable system and some EMI issues?? Is this Asus or Intel!?

While I'm sure Asus has their reasons, I'm not really sure what this is about. Asus has always had a reputation for being "balls-to-the-wall" in terms of performance, especially at the risk of stability!! Seeing your system go from POST to crash in 0.45 seconds because you were fiddling with the BIOS is actually really fun! :p Why should Asus take that away from us? It doesn't make much sense...