Kingston RAM Overclock?

[Omlet]

I'm on my laptop. I did indeed do three passes without any errors.

 

[Nemix]

You still haven't answered the question if you've Memtest86+ for 3 passes without errors?



Edit: What are your default ram timings @ DDR2-800 as detected by your BIOS and Memetest86+?

 

[Omlet]

You still haven't answered the question if you've Memtest86+ for 3 passes without errors?

Yes, I did Memtest86+ for three passes without any errors. Am I missing something? :huh:

 

[Omlet]

You still haven't answered the question if you've Memtest86+ for 3 passes without errors?



Edit: What are your default ram timings @ DDR2-800 as detected by your BIOS and Memetest86+?

My timings were: 5-5-5-18.

 

[smarteyeball]

I'm on my laptop.

lappys - an overclockers friend

Yes, I did Memtest86+ for three passes without any errors. Am I missing something? :huh:

3 tests give a 'quick', but not definite, indication that there isn't a problem with your dimm slots or the modules itself.

 

[Nemix]

Alright, we'll proceed to overclocking your FSB so that your ram could run at close to DDR2-1066 speeds.

Please note: Overclocking your FSB will also overlock your CPU, North Bridge and South Bridge/Hyper Transport. But we'll use dividers to get your CPU, NB and SB as close to default speeds as possible, what we're trying to achieve here is just your ram speeds close to DDR2-1066. So please follow the instructions carefully and pay close attention to detail.

Questions: Do you know if you have the latest BIOS available and updated for your motherboard? The latest is BIOS 2201 from Asus (USA) downloads, it maybe different if your in Europe.

Is your ram dual channel (2 x 1GB) or single channel 1 x 2GB?

Which slot is the ram installed on your motherboard? e.g.: slot 1 is closest to your CPU and slot 4 being furthest away from your CPU.

Please answer all the above questions before we can proceed.

 

[Omlet]

I'm on my laptop.

lappys - an overclockers friend

Yes, I did Memtest86+ for three passes without any errors. Am I missing something? :huh:

3 tests give a 'quick', but not definite, indication that there isn't a problem with your dimm slots or the modules itself.

Alrighty, I thought I messed something up. Should I let Memtest86+ run for a bit longer?

 

[Nemix]

Really it's totally up to you, as smarteyeball has suggested 8 passes would be more definable telling us if the ram is faulty, but quick 3 passes will do for now.

After the ram overclock you can always run Memetest86+ for 8 passes then.

 

[Omlet]

Alright, we'll proceed to overclocking your FSB so that your ram could run at close to DDR2-1066 speeds.

Please note: Overclocking your FSB will also overlock your CPU, North Bridge and South Bridge/Hyper Transport. But we'll use dividers to get your CPU, NB and SB as close to default speeds as possible, what we're trying to achieve here is just your ram speeds close to DDR2-1066. So please follow the instruction carefully and pay close attention to detail.

Questions: Do you know if you have the latest BIOS available and updated for your motherboard? The latest is BIOS 2201 from Asus (USA) downloads, it maybe different if your in Europe.

Is your ram dual channel (2 x 1GB) or single channel 1 x 2GB?

Which slot is the ram installed on your motherboard? e.g.: slot 1 is closest to your CPU and slot 4 being furthest away from your CPU.

Please answer all the questions above before proceeding.

My BIOS version is 0704, 3/27/2009. I'm in the USA by the way.

My RAM is installed in slot one and is single channel (1x2GB). I plan on getting more RAM is the coming month.

 

[Nemix]

It's advised that you should upgrade to the latest BIOS 2201 for your motherboard as mentioned in the above post.

And for compatibility, a general rule of thumb is you should run your ram starting from slot 4 down to slot 1 if you're running ram speeds above DDR2-800. This also applies for people running and overclocking DDR3 ram above DDR3-1333 speeds who's reading this thread.

I do not know the procedure to flash/upgrade your BIOS but let us know once you have you're BIOS updated to the latest and ram installed on slot 4.

 

[smarteyeball]

I do not know the procedure to flash/upgrade your BIOS but let us know once you have you're BIOS updated to the latest and ram installed on slot 4.

Ditto. Even though it's an ASUS board, your options may be different from other ASUS boards.

However, presuming it has this option in the BIOS (possibly EZFlash) - use it.

It's better than a Windows based .exe BIOS flash.

Copy the .ROM onto a FAT32 formatted flash drive / burn to a blank CD or even a floppy disk if your machine has one, and follow the prompts in the BIOS.

Later BIOS'es (like mine for example) , the .ROM file can be directly accessed from the Hard Drive. Of course, the file has to be unzipped first.

Have a look through the options to see which suits you the easiest.

.EXE based Flashes do work, but have a higher element of risk.


Before Flashing, it's advisable to set all your settings back to stock.

 

[Nemix]

Yup, so true to your sig. I have nothing but mad respect for Mr. Brink.

 

[Omlet]

I have successfully updated the BIOS to the latest version and moved the RAM to slot 4.

Also, to smarteyeball, I reset all my BIOS settings to default, updated using the ROM placed on my drive, went back into the BIOS and set everything to default again, rebooted, and all is well.

 

[Nemix]

Sorry for the wait Omlet, just came back from a hot shower and meal.

We'll give the ram frequency set to [1067] or 5.33x in your BIOS under 'AI Tweaker' another try but this time with ram voltage at 2.3v. Maybe this time you will not get BSOD when stating Windows now that you have the BIOS updated to the latest and ram moved to slot 4 for over DDR2-800 compatibility. I did not advise you to update the BIOS and move the ram to slot 4 before running Memtest86+ first for one reason, I just wanted have a degree of certainty that your ram was not faulty. A popular term for this would be 'if it ain't broken, don't try and fix it' but in your case it's not broken just not working properly. I like to call this marketing but others may refer it as not having a girlfriend for too long.

All joking aside, try the ram frequency set to [1067] with ram voltage set to 2.3v and let us know your results.

Edit: If you still get BSOD, here are the instructions on how to overclock your ram using an increased FSB:

Under 'AI Tweaker' in your BIOS,

- First set your ram voltage to 2.3v exit and save and re-enter the BIOS.

- Change you "FSB Frequency" under 'AI Tweaker' in your BIOS to 250 FSB, this gives you an effective DDR2-1000; do not save and exit yet.

- Change back the "DRAM Frequency" under 'AI Tweaker' in your BIOS to 800 (4x), this is used as a multiplier for your changed FSB Frequency so your ram can run effect at DR2-1000 speeds; again do not save and exit yet.

- Change your "CPU Ratio" again under 'AI Tweaker' in your BIOS to 9.5x, this gives you 2.375Ghz which is very close to your real 2.4Ghz Phenom Quad; again do not save and exit yet.

- Change your "HT Link Speed" under 'AI Tweaker' in your BIOS to 1.4Ghz (7x), this gives you a 1750Mhz effective Hyper Transport which again is very close to your default 1800Mhz HT; again do not save and exit yet.

- Change your '"CPU/NB Frequency" under 'AI Tweaker' in your BIOS to 1600Mhz (8x), this gives you a 2000Mhz effective CPU/NB Frequency which is over your default 1800Mhz but helps with ram overclocking; do not save and exit yet.

- Increase the "CPU/NB Voltage" under 'AI Tweaker' in your BIOS by .1/.50 which ever you have in you BIOS that is smaller between the two, this voltage change helps with the increase 'CPU/NB Frequency' and also helps with overclocking the ram beyond DDR2-800 speeds.

Finally, double check all the above mentioned changes and save and exit. Start Windows and let us know your results again.

 

[Omlet]

I did as you said Nemix, but I still got a BSOD. I set the DRAM Voltage to 2.300V and the DRAM Frequency Control to 1066MHz. Do I perhaps have to change the DRAM Timing Configuration from auto to manual and change the settings from there? I've currently switched the frequency back to 800 with auto voltage.

 

[Nemix]

Please check and read the above edit post.

 

[Omlet]

Sorry for the wait Omlet, just came back from a hot shower and meal.

We'll give the ram frequency set to [1067] or 5.33x in your BIOS under 'AI Tweaker' another try but this time with ram voltage at 2.3v. Maybe this time you will not get BSOD when stating Windows now that you have the BIOS updated to the latest and ram moved to slot 4 for over DDR2-800 compatibility. I did not advise you to update the BIOS and move the ram to slot 4 before running Memtest86+ first for one reason, I just wanted have a degree of certainty that your ram was not faulty. A popular term for this would be 'if it ain't broken, don't try and fix it' but in your case it's not broken just not working properly. I like to call this marketing but others may refer it as not having a girlfriend for too long.

All joking aside, try the ram frequency set to [1067] with ram voltage set to 2.3v and let us know your results.

Edit: If you still get BSOD, here are the instructions on how to overclock your ram using an increased FSB:

Under 'AI Tweaker' in your BIOS,

- First set your ram voltage to 2.3v exit and save and re-enter the BIOS.

- Change you "FSB Frequency" under 'AI Tweaker' in your BIOS to 250 FSB, this gives you an effective DDR2-1000; do not save and exit yet.

- Change back the "DRAM Frequency" under 'AI Tweaker' in your BIOS to 800 (4x), this is used as a multiplier for your changed FSB Frequency so your ram can run effect at DR2-1000 speeds; again do not save and exit yet.

- Change your "CPU Ratio" again under 'AI Tweaker' in your BIOS to 9.5x, this gives you 2.375Ghz which is very close to your real 2.4Ghz Phenom Quad; again do not save and exit yet.

- Change your "HT Link Speed" under 'AI Tweaker' in your BIOS to 1.4Ghz (7x), this gives you a 1750Mhz effective Hyper Transport which again is very close to your default 1800Mhz HT; again do not save and exit yet.

- Change your '"CPU/NB Frequency" under 'AI Tweaker' in your BIOS to 1600Mhz (8x), this gives you a 2000Mhz effective CPU/NB Frequency which is over your default 1800Mhz but helps with ram overclocking; do not save and exit yet.

- Increase the "CPU/NB Voltage" under 'AI Tweaker' in your BIOS by .1/.50 which ever you have in you BIOS that is smaller between the two, this voltage change helps with the increase 'CPU/NB Frequency' and also helps with overclocking the ram beyond DDR2-800 speeds.

Finally, double check all the above mentioned changes and save and exit. Start Windows and let us know your results again.

Quick issue bro, I can't seem to select 1600MHz as my CPU/NB Frequency. The closet I get is 1500MHz and 1750MHz. Also, for my CPU/NB Voltage, I pressed the + key and it changed from Auto to 0.8000. Is this fine or should it be increased more?

 

[Nemix]

1500Mhz would be fine for the 'CPU/NB Frequency' and 0.8 is fine for the 'CPU/NB Voltage'. Double check the instructions and save and exit.

Edit: If you sucessfully get into Windows, download CPU-Z: http://www.cpuid.com/softwares/cpu-z.html choose 64-bit non-setup version, extract and run.

Post some sniping tools screenshot of CPU-Z for the CPU/Motherboard/Memory tabs.

 

[Omlet]

1500Mhz would be fine for the 'CPU/NB Frequency' and 0.8 is fine for the 'CPU/NB Voltage'. Double check the instructions and save and exit.

For some reason, my computer won't boot up to the POST screen. I followed everything posted.

EDIT: I restarted the computer and was told that the overclocked failed. I'm back in the BIOS, now what?

 

[Nemix]

No post with fans spinning?

If so, turn off the computer by holding the power button then wait for 5 seconds and turn on the computer gain.

I may have tried to push the ram too far.