EastCoasthandle
New Member
- Joined
- Apr 21, 2005
- Messages
- 6,885 (0.99/day)
| System Name | MY PC |
|---|---|
| Processor | E8400 @ 3.80Ghz > Q9650 3.60Ghz |
| Motherboard | Maximus Formula |
| Cooling | D5, 7/16" ID Tubing, Maze4 with Fuzion CPU WB |
| Memory | XMS 8500C5D @ 1066MHz |
| Video Card(s) | HD 2900 XT 858/900 to 4870 to 5870 (Keep Vreg area clean) |
| Storage | 2 |
| Display(s) | 24" |
| Case | P180 |
| Audio Device(s) | X-fi Plantinum |
| Power Supply | Silencer 750 |
| Software | XP Pro SP3 to Windows 7 |
| Benchmark Scores | This varies from one driver to another. |
It looks like I may have found the problem as to why I was getting Det Dram hangs even though there was nothing wrong with my Corsair PC8500CDF Ram. Before I tell, I have tried several other methods that didn't work such as:
-Switching ram to white slots
-changing timing
-changing sub timing
-change dram volts (orginally set at 2.02V with no boot problems when MCH set to AUTO)
-changing FSB strap to NB settings
-changing AI Clock Twister
-changing transaction booster
-Disabled Memory Remap Feature
-checked the cmos batter with a multimeter and it read 3.0V
None of them worked to allow me to cold boot my PC with my ram at 1066MHz after it's been off for more then 3 hours (no power whatsoever). However, my PC6400 ram worked just fine and I would use that to boot up then switch to my PC8500 ram @ 1066MHz. It was as if from a cold boot the bios simply failed to recognize my Ram. When I switched to my PC6400 ram it would read my CPU at stock clock instead of its OC settings and my PC6400 ram @ 1066MHz. Which is based on my previous settings using my PC8500 Ram. When I reboot a second time it would read teh CPU correctly.
During these Det-Dram hangs I always had my northbridge voltage set to 1.43V instead of AUTO (when my ram was working before). I manually changed it because Everest reported my voltage at 1.64V which I thought was high for this chipset (suppose to be decades better then a 975 chipset). So I manually adjusted it to around 1.43V and within a week I started noticing the problem. I don't understand why it took so long but it is what it is. After a few days of switching ram back and forth I decided to change the northbridge voltage back to Auto (where I recall not having this problem). When I rebooted, BAM instant det-dram hang. When I booted with my PC6400 the north bridge voltage read 1.34V using Auto! What I did was set MCH voltage to 1.55V (1.60V using Everest) and I will see what happens in the next few days with my PC8500 ram.
Side note:
My P5W DH Deluxe required me to use MCH voltage at 1.65V in order to get my CPU over clocked at 400 FSB at 3.60GHz. Even though I could never get 1066MHz out of my ram I do recall needing 1.65V on the northbridge or else my PC wasn't stable with that motherboard. So it makes sense to have northbridge voltage that high trying to keep dram frequency at 1066MHz. I will see what happens.
Another oddity:
For some strange reason whenever I use my PC6400 it would boot normally. However, whenever I use my PC8500 ram it would double boot. It would start then shut off then start again then boot normally. I cannot explain this phenomenon as it will do this double boot when the PC8500 worked or not (det dram). This was not an indication that the I would get det dram hang.
----------------------------------------------------------
Morning #1
After a 8 hours I am happy to report that the computer does in fact properly cold boot with my PC8500 ram at 1066MHz. It appears that having the north bridge voltage at 1.55V instead of 1.43V is working so far. It still double boots from a cold boot using my Corsair PC8500 ram. However, if I hit the reset button or restart XP it will reboot once (IE like normal).
Maximus Formula
P5W DH Deluxe 100%, 24/7 stable with E6700 or E6850 (I forget which one) using PC8500 ram
-Switching ram to white slots
-changing timing
-changing sub timing
-change dram volts (orginally set at 2.02V with no boot problems when MCH set to AUTO)
-changing FSB strap to NB settings
-changing AI Clock Twister
-changing transaction booster
-Disabled Memory Remap Feature
-checked the cmos batter with a multimeter and it read 3.0V
None of them worked to allow me to cold boot my PC with my ram at 1066MHz after it's been off for more then 3 hours (no power whatsoever). However, my PC6400 ram worked just fine and I would use that to boot up then switch to my PC8500 ram @ 1066MHz. It was as if from a cold boot the bios simply failed to recognize my Ram. When I switched to my PC6400 ram it would read my CPU at stock clock instead of its OC settings and my PC6400 ram @ 1066MHz. Which is based on my previous settings using my PC8500 Ram. When I reboot a second time it would read teh CPU correctly.
During these Det-Dram hangs I always had my northbridge voltage set to 1.43V instead of AUTO (when my ram was working before). I manually changed it because Everest reported my voltage at 1.64V which I thought was high for this chipset (suppose to be decades better then a 975 chipset). So I manually adjusted it to around 1.43V and within a week I started noticing the problem. I don't understand why it took so long but it is what it is. After a few days of switching ram back and forth I decided to change the northbridge voltage back to Auto (where I recall not having this problem). When I rebooted, BAM instant det-dram hang. When I booted with my PC6400 the north bridge voltage read 1.34V using Auto! What I did was set MCH voltage to 1.55V (1.60V using Everest) and I will see what happens in the next few days with my PC8500 ram.
Side note:
My P5W DH Deluxe required me to use MCH voltage at 1.65V in order to get my CPU over clocked at 400 FSB at 3.60GHz. Even though I could never get 1066MHz out of my ram I do recall needing 1.65V on the northbridge or else my PC wasn't stable with that motherboard. So it makes sense to have northbridge voltage that high trying to keep dram frequency at 1066MHz. I will see what happens.
Another oddity:
For some strange reason whenever I use my PC6400 it would boot normally. However, whenever I use my PC8500 ram it would double boot. It would start then shut off then start again then boot normally. I cannot explain this phenomenon as it will do this double boot when the PC8500 worked or not (det dram). This was not an indication that the I would get det dram hang.
----------------------------------------------------------
Morning #1
After a 8 hours I am happy to report that the computer does in fact properly cold boot with my PC8500 ram at 1066MHz. It appears that having the north bridge voltage at 1.55V instead of 1.43V is working so far. It still double boots from a cold boot using my Corsair PC8500 ram. However, if I hit the reset button or restart XP it will reboot once (IE like normal).
Maximus Formula
P5W DH Deluxe 100%, 24/7 stable with E6700 or E6850 (I forget which one) using PC8500 ram
Last edited:
