DDR Drive Strength

KennyT772 · Oct 17, 2007, 10:39 AM

I'm trying to get my tracers running 300mhz orthos stable and I'm curious what the drive strength option in the bios does. Anyone Know?

JC316 · Oct 17, 2007, 06:40 PM

Supposedly changes the input and output buffers or some crap like that, I messed with it on my Tforce 550 and never found any gains, or losses.

sneekypeet · Oct 17, 2007, 06:55 PM

Hey kenny...just confirmed with Athlon as well and we both think you should set the drive strength to 8

DRDNA · Oct 17, 2007, 06:59 PM

I am almost certain that option in the DFI bios was to help with Booting and the dreaded COLD BUG ...like phase and the likes ...

regan1985 · Oct 17, 2007, 07:01 PM

i think your right, ive never changed it on my dfi board

sneekypeet · Oct 17, 2007, 07:18 PM

I know if its set @ 4 or lower 3rd party apps read it as weak strength.

DRDNA · Oct 17, 2007, 07:23 PM

The only thing it may help with is booting if the PC is unable to boot to windows ...but again almost certain its in refrence to the COLD BUG...I leave that set to Auto.

sneekypeet · Oct 17, 2007, 07:43 PM

here Kenny this may help your quest....and sorry DRDNA...nowhere am I getting info on coldbugs, just that it will stabilize the ram and its voltages....

http://www.xtremesystems.org/forums/...ad.php?t=65168

DRDNA · Oct 17, 2007, 08:41 PM

I remember readin on the old DFI forum but I just added a post over to the new DFI forum and it reads>>>> exactly what would we use the DRAM Drive Strength for ????? whay run anything other than auto? I thought I read some where it was suppose to help with cold bug issues? <<<is that correct? Is there a guid line for the DRAM Drive Strength settings?Any help would be appreciated.
http://www.diy-street.com/forum/showthread.php?t=79364
hopefully an update will be had

mandelore · Oct 17, 2007, 08:45 PM

on my board, for high ram overclocks a low drive strength must be used, so possibly try a lower than default setting

sneekypeet · Oct 17, 2007, 08:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DRDNA

I remember readin on the old DFI forum but I just added a post over to the new DFI forum and it reads>>>> exactly what would we use the DRAM Drive Strength for ????? whay run anything other than auto? I thought I read some where it was suppose to help with cold bug issues? <<<is that correct? Is there a guid line for the DRAM Drive Strength settings?Any help would be appreciated.
http://www.diy-street.com/forum/showthread.php?t=79364
hopefully an update will be had

good work...hopefully they get to you on this issue!!!!

largon · Oct 17, 2007, 10:48 PM

Drive strength is a sort of a vDIMM.
The "vDIMM" we all know is the operating voltage of the memory cells themselves located in the core of a RAM IC but vDIMM is not the only voltage influencing the RAM chip... Remember the structure of a DDR RAM IC... There's two clock frequencies inside the chip: one in the memory cells (½ of the rated I/O freq = 200MHz for DDR800, etc.) and one in the I/O buffers (400MHz for DDR800). Drive strength dictates the strength of the signal the memory controller uses to access (read/write) the I/O buffers.

It is speculated that the IMC on AMD Hammer arch CPUs goes haywire when the core is under extreme cooling such as phase or liquid nitrogen. Increasing the drive strengths can help to keep the mem ctrl stable...
To some extent.

It is worth a notice that different DIMM slots on a motherboard are usually factory configured to use diff. drive strengths to compensate interference/differences in DIMM signal trace routings. This means manually setting strong drive strength may result in dangerous signaling voltages, consequently damaging the RAM/MC.

DRDNA · Oct 18, 2007, 12:51 AM

Very nice description largon! You the man

KennyT772 · Oct 18, 2007, 02:18 AM

From what it seems the drive strength is the carrier voltage, or the change in voltage for signaling 0's and 1's. All digital devices use a high/low current for carrying the signal, the higher the drive strength the large the difference in voltages between 0 state and 1 state. From the looks of things the A64 imc has an issue with interpreting the stock voltage differential at very low temps, so this setting allows for correction.

I'm still interested in what the various options actually set though.

regan1985 · Oct 18, 2007, 03:11 PM

just what i thought it was

Oct 17, 2007, 10:39 AM	#1
KennyT772 Join Date: Dec 2005 Posts: 2,933 (1.08/day) Thanks: 19 Thanked 103 Times in 98 Posts System Specs	DDR Drive Strength I'm trying to get my tracers running 300mhz orthos stable and I'm curious what the drive strength option in the bios does. Anyone Know? __________________ Xfire Heatware

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Oct 17, 2007, 06:40 PM	#2
JC316 Knows what makes you tick Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: DFW/ Texas Posts: 6,047 (2.26/day) Thanks: 714 Thanked 912 Times in 696 Posts System Specs	Supposedly changes the input and output buffers or some crap like that, I messed with it on my Tforce 550 and never found any gains, or losses. __________________ Core 2 Duo Overclocking guide Athlon 64 overclocking guide “If I were to do this, it'd be my luck that the door would rip off the hinges, burst into flames, and rape my face with fiery hot death.” -El Fiendo

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Oct 17, 2007, 06:55 PM	#3
sneekypeet Unpaid Babysitter Join Date: Apr 2006 Posts: 19,009 (7.31/day) Thanks: 3,037 Thanked 5,487 Times in 3,950 Posts System Specs	Hey kenny...just confirmed with Athlon as well and we both think you should set the drive strength to 8

Oct 17, 2007, 06:59 PM	#4
DRDNA Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: New York Posts: 4,122 (1.56/day) Thanks: 612 Thanked 494 Times in 424 Posts System Specs	I am almost certain that option in the DFI bios was to help with Booting and the dreaded COLD BUG ...like phase and the likes ... __________________ Asus P6T Deluxe Intel X58/ i7-920CO@4.2GHZ 24/7 <> CORSAIR DOMINATOR 6GB (3 x 2GB) DDR3 1600.<> ThermalTake ToughPower 1200 WATT PSU 2X ATI Radeon HD 4870 X2 2GB DDR5 <> Asetek Liquid CPU Cooling System 320GBx4 Perpendicular RAID-0/BLU-RAY/HD-DVD Reader / DVD±R/±RW Writer LG 50" 50PK550 1080p 600Hz Plasma/WestingHouse 37 inch @1920X1080/Windows 7 Pro/64

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Oct 17, 2007, 07:01 PM	#5
regan1985 Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Coventry UNI England Posts: 1,416 (0.56/day) Thanks: 22 Thanked 23 Times in 23 Posts System Specs	i think your right, ive never changed it on my dfi board

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Oct 17, 2007, 07:18 PM	#6
sneekypeet Unpaid Babysitter Join Date: Apr 2006 Posts: 19,009 (7.31/day) Thanks: 3,037 Thanked 5,487 Times in 3,950 Posts System Specs	I know if its set @ 4 or lower 3rd party apps read it as weak strength.

Oct 17, 2007, 07:23 PM	#7
DRDNA Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: New York Posts: 4,122 (1.56/day) Thanks: 612 Thanked 494 Times in 424 Posts System Specs	The only thing it may help with is booting if the PC is unable to boot to windows ...but again almost certain its in refrence to the COLD BUG...I leave that set to Auto. __________________ Asus P6T Deluxe Intel X58/ i7-920CO@4.2GHZ 24/7 <> CORSAIR DOMINATOR 6GB (3 x 2GB) DDR3 1600.<> ThermalTake ToughPower 1200 WATT PSU 2X ATI Radeon HD 4870 X2 2GB DDR5 <> Asetek Liquid CPU Cooling System 320GBx4 Perpendicular RAID-0/BLU-RAY/HD-DVD Reader / DVD±R/±RW Writer LG 50" 50PK550 1080p 600Hz Plasma/WestingHouse 37 inch @1920X1080/Windows 7 Pro/64

Oct 17, 2007, 07:43 PM	#8
sneekypeet Unpaid Babysitter Join Date: Apr 2006 Posts: 19,009 (7.31/day) Thanks: 3,037 Thanked 5,487 Times in 3,950 Posts System Specs	here Kenny this may help your quest....and sorry DRDNA...nowhere am I getting info on coldbugs, just that it will stabilize the ram and its voltages.... http://www.xtremesystems.org/forums/...ad.php?t=65168

Oct 17, 2007, 08:41 PM	#9
DRDNA Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: New York Posts: 4,122 (1.56/day) Thanks: 612 Thanked 494 Times in 424 Posts System Specs	I remember readin on the old DFI forum but I just added a post over to the new DFI forum and it reads>>>> exactly what would we use the DRAM Drive Strength for ????? whay run anything other than auto? I thought I read some where it was suppose to help with cold bug issues? <<<is that correct? Is there a guid line for the DRAM Drive Strength settings?Any help would be appreciated. http://www.diy-street.com/forum/showthread.php?t=79364 hopefully an update will be had __________________ Asus P6T Deluxe Intel X58/ i7-920CO@4.2GHZ 24/7 <> CORSAIR DOMINATOR 6GB (3 x 2GB) DDR3 1600.<> ThermalTake ToughPower 1200 WATT PSU 2X ATI Radeon HD 4870 X2 2GB DDR5 <> Asetek Liquid CPU Cooling System 320GBx4 Perpendicular RAID-0/BLU-RAY/HD-DVD Reader / DVD±R/±RW Writer LG 50" 50PK550 1080p 600Hz Plasma/WestingHouse 37 inch @1920X1080/Windows 7 Pro/64

Oct 17, 2007, 08:45 PM	#10
mandelore Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: UK-small Village in a Valley Near Newcastle Posts: 2,917 (1.18/day) Thanks: 33 Thanked 152 Times in 127 Posts System Specs	on my board, for high ram overclocks a low drive strength must be used, so possibly try a lower than default setting __________________ [img disabled]http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b312/eve_images/hiqsig.jpg[/IMG] “looks like an extremely mouldy donut with veins and arteries” -hat “OCZ has exploded their inventory, and new DDR3 offerings seem to be dropping like bombs over baghdad . . .” -imperialreign

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Oct 17, 2007, 10:48 PM	#12
largon Join Date: May 2005 Location: Tre, Suomi Finland Posts: 2,696 (0.92/day) Thanks: 1 Thanked 437 Times in 335 Posts System Specs	Drive strength is a sort of a vDIMM. The "vDIMM" we all know is the operating voltage of the memory cells themselves located in the core of a RAM IC but vDIMM is not the only voltage influencing the RAM chip... Remember the structure of a DDR RAM IC... There's two clock frequencies inside the chip: one in the memory cells (½ of the rated I/O freq = 200MHz for DDR800, etc.) and one in the I/O buffers (400MHz for DDR800). Drive strength dictates the strength of the signal the memory controller uses to access (read/write) the I/O buffers. It is speculated that the IMC on AMD Hammer arch CPUs goes haywire when the core is under extreme cooling such as phase or liquid nitrogen. Increasing the drive strengths can help to keep the mem ctrl stable... To some extent. It is worth a notice that different DIMM slots on a motherboard are usually factory configured to use diff. drive strengths to compensate interference/differences in DIMM signal trace routings. This means manually setting strong drive strength may result in dangerous signaling voltages, consequently damaging the RAM/MC. __________________ You were not supposed to see this. ¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯ Suum cuique pulchrum est.

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Oct 18, 2007, 12:51 AM	#13
DRDNA Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: New York Posts: 4,122 (1.56/day) Thanks: 612 Thanked 494 Times in 424 Posts System Specs	Very nice description largon! You the man __________________ Asus P6T Deluxe Intel X58/ i7-920CO@4.2GHZ 24/7 <> CORSAIR DOMINATOR 6GB (3 x 2GB) DDR3 1600.<> ThermalTake ToughPower 1200 WATT PSU 2X ATI Radeon HD 4870 X2 2GB DDR5 <> Asetek Liquid CPU Cooling System 320GBx4 Perpendicular RAID-0/BLU-RAY/HD-DVD Reader / DVD±R/±RW Writer LG 50" 50PK550 1080p 600Hz Plasma/WestingHouse 37 inch @1920X1080/Windows 7 Pro/64

Oct 18, 2007, 02:18 AM	#14
KennyT772 Join Date: Dec 2005 Posts: 2,933 (1.08/day) Thanks: 19 Thanked 103 Times in 98 Posts System Specs	From what it seems the drive strength is the carrier voltage, or the change in voltage for signaling 0's and 1's. All digital devices use a high/low current for carrying the signal, the higher the drive strength the large the difference in voltages between 0 state and 1 state. From the looks of things the A64 imc has an issue with interpreting the stock voltage differential at very low temps, so this setting allows for correction. I'm still interested in what the various options actually set though. __________________ Xfire Heatware

Oct 18, 2007, 03:11 PM	#15
regan1985 Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Coventry UNI England Posts: 1,416 (0.56/day) Thanks: 22 Thanked 23 Times in 23 Posts System Specs	just what i thought it was

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