Attn OCZ Customers - Need Help? Post Here

*RyderOCZ* · Mar 14, 2006, 09:11 PM

Hi Judas,

I am confused....are you saying your problem is the SATA controller...or not the SATA controller?

Judas · Mar 14, 2006, 09:44 PM

it's the sata controller...

Nvidia's chipsets are apparently plagued with some pretty serious faults... soon as you try to use a Sata2 3gb/s drive, the system start messing up..... it's completely unpredictable.

It just seemed at first like it wasn't hardrive/controller related and more like a memory problem... but now it's fairly apparent..

the problem is, that it's intermitting... so at one point i fired it up with OCZ ram, and it would fail to work.... next i'd fire it up with generic ram and it would work... ironically the cercumstances just seemed to be something strange.

But i've got it narrowed down... it's nvidia's sata controller...

*RyderOCZ* · Mar 14, 2006, 09:52 PM

Thanks for clearing that up.

I have not used Sata II in raid yet...but my Sata II works fine on the Expert board and the Ultra-D I have here. Might want to look into Asus' implementation of it.

Earlier NF4 chipset's had to be modded before they accepted SATA II IIRC??

Judas · Mar 14, 2006, 09:55 PM

well the thing is... it's effecting even the latest Nforce 4 chipsets... my Asus A8N32-SLI (using the 2x(x16 pci-ex)) doesn't except any one of the Sata2 Drives i've got here..

Seagate
Maxtor
and i just played with a WD that doesn't work either...
just tried the 1 maxtor 160gb sata2 drive on a MSI Nforce 4 board as well with no luck..

Just check that thread out i posted.... it's effecting DFI/Gigabyte boards as well.....

BWX · Mar 15, 2006, 12:18 AM

I figured out the deal with this HTT..

-now is that the best way to configure these modules or what??

BWX · Mar 15, 2006, 08:53 AM

Judas do you OC that A8N-E at all? I need to know if you can use 1t command... when the FSB set to over default..

Judas · Mar 15, 2006, 05:14 PM

1T command and was solid @ 215fsb with the previous and current sticks...

BWX · Mar 15, 2006, 06:50 PM

Did you ever take the HTT down to 4x to OC the CPU?

If I select 1T I am lucky to boot into windows, if I leave it at 2T it is completely stable no matter what- In my old NF7 it was ALWAYS run at 1T, so it isn't the memory that can't do it.. it's the mobo or chipset or something.

Right now I am running it like this... (experimenting with the limits to see whats up)

Maybe it is a compatibility thing, or a bug with this board, or just the weird configuration I have, I dunno. Even if I relax the timing to 2.5-3-3-8 it still won't run 1T even at a much lower frequency, or with much more voltage.. Pretty much no matter what.

On my old socket-A I never ran it at 2T once... ever.

Judas · Mar 15, 2006, 06:55 PM

i'm guessing you have the identical Asus board i have? (rev 2?)...

i'll go play around with it... i haven't tried much of any OCing with it.. i haven't completely figured out how to use the HTT and fsb and all those little things

all i've done is increased the fsb from 200 to 215mhz..... that's it.... (currently running stock yet again cause i'm doing diagnostics on some SATA2 drives that apparently do not work at all with nvidia chipsets.... my gaud.... theres still no news of this anywhere on any site.... how is that possible? )..

Got any suggestions on perhaps say ocing my x2 4400+ from 2.2ghz to 2.4 (what i should attempt to set the fsb and HTT and all those other things at)

i just wanna understand how all the different things work together to make up the HTT bus speed and fsb and pci-ex bus and cpu speed..... what effects what in what way.

i know i can sustain 2.7ghz on this cpu..... @ 2.4ghz i had it stable and running a little over 31*C (stock it runs 29

)

BWX · Mar 15, 2006, 08:40 PM

Yeah same board... rev 2.

I took the HTT down from "auto" to "4x"
Then put the memory at 333 instead of 400.. (loose timings at first and 2T)
Then set the "CPU" which is at 200mhz default up to 250..

http://forums.anandtech.com/messagev...&enterthread=y

here is what one guy said....

.

Quote:

when OCing set PCI clock to fixed 33mhz 2. PCI-E clock to 100mhz 3. leave DDR and CPU voltage AUTO 4. RAM to manual, DDR333, begin @ 2.5-3-3-8 2T (when OC CPU runs stable you may try fine-tune to 2-3-3-6 1T but try that later!) 5. CPU multiplier to 11 6. HT frequency to 4X now set CPU frequency to 250, maybe machine will not boot or run stable without raising CPU voltage. in that case try lower CPU frequency or higher CPU voltage (watch cpu temperatures. with the abouve settings (& 250mhz HTT) you would get 11*250=2750mhz, 1000mhz HT and 196mhz RAM (=392DDR) to get RAM running at 200mhz, CPU frequency would be 255*11=2805 bt that gives you HT 1020 instead of max 1000mhz, but should work too... i prefer fixed CPU multi to max since i can use CnQ feature; other CPU multis may give you more (other) OC'ing options but using CnQ would let freeze your machine. sorry for bad english

I pretty much did that, then tightened up timings, I raised the vcore a little, but could never get 2T command to work.

I got one hell of an OC though.. and I think I could hit 2.9ghz on air no problem with this CPU. It would be much faster if it was 1T though. I have been just playing the FEAR demo and HL2 to test it.. solid as a rock. Does Prime95 no problem max 44C.. All 3dmarks no problem, etc..

I found a few other things that apply.
Gogar's Athlon 64 OC Optimizer
http://math.gogar.com/athlon64.cgi

HTT CPU Memory Hypertransport (lower is better)
254 11 x 254 = 2794 5:6, 166, DDR333 = 199.57 (DDR399) 3 x 254 = 762 0.0463
254 11 x 254 = 2794 3:4, 150, DDR300 = 186.26 (DDR373) 3 x 254 = 762 0.5174
250 11 x 250 = 2750 5:6, 166, DDR333 = 196.42 (DDR393) 4 x 250 = 1000 3.2206
250 11 x 250 = 2750 3:4, 150, DDR300 = 183.33 (DDR367) 4 x 250 = 1000 3.8832
255 10.5 x 255 = 2677.5 3:4, 150, DDR300 = 191.25 (DDR382) 3 x 255 = 765 19.332
255 10.5 x 255 = 2677.5 17:24,141,DDR283 = 178.5 (DDR357) 3 x 255 = 765 20.2962
250 10.5 x 250 = 2625 3:4, 150, DDR300 = 187.5 (DDR375) 4 x 250 = 1000 39.4531
236 11 x 236 = 2596 11:12,183,DDR366 = 199.69 (DDR399) 4 x 236 = 944 53.0818
247 10.5 x 247 = 2593.5 5:6, 166, DDR333 = 199.5 (DDR399) 4 x 247 = 988 54.3912
255 10 x 255 = 2550 3:4, 150, DDR300 = 182.14 (DDR364) 3 x 255 = 765 80.5165
255 10 x 255 = 2550 17:24,141,DDR283 = 182.14 (DDR364) 3 x 255 = 765 80.5165
228 10.5 x 228 = 2394 11:12,183,DDR366 = 199.5 (DDR399) 4 x 228 = 912 210.2506
200 11 x 200 = 2200 1:1, 200, DDR400 = 200 (DDR400) 5 x 200 = 1000 459.1836
200 11 x 200 = 2200 13:12,216,DDR433 = 200 (DDR400) 5 x 200 = 1000 459.1836
200 10.5 x 200 = 2100 1:1, 200, DDR400 = 190.9 (DDR382) 5 x 200 = 1000 625.2066
190 10.5 x 190 = 1995 13:12,216,DDR433 = 199.5 (DDR399) 5 x 190 = 950 826.5631
181 11 x 181 = 1991 7:6, 233, DDR466 = 199.1 (DDR398) 5 x 181 = 905 834.7992
171 10.5 x 171 = 1795.5 7:6, 233, DDR466 = 199.5 (DDR399) 5 x 171 = 855 1287.0162
163 11 x 163 = 1793 4:3, 266, DDR533 = 199.22 (DDR398) 5 x 163 = 815 1293.4313
163 11 x 163 = 1793 5:4, 250, DDR500 = 199.22 (DDR398) 5 x 163 = 815 1293.4313

*RyderOCZ* · Mar 15, 2006, 08:47 PM

@BWX,

You are in the wrong slots....you are running single channel, you need to have the ram in the blue slots...that is why you can't run 1T

BWX · Mar 15, 2006, 08:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Judas

i know i can sustain 2.7ghz on this cpu..... @ 2.4ghz i had it stable and running a little over 31*C (stock it runs 29

)

I forgot- yeah these run cool too... That is a stock aluminum sink- dinky fan, no copper. Amazing.

BWX · Mar 15, 2006, 08:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RyderOCZ

@BWX,

You are in the wrong slots....you are running single channel, you need to have the ram in the blue slots...that is why you can't run 1T

Oh really? Do you mean "only" the blue slots?

I need all three sticks right now to make 1 gig..

Edit- here is a pic- the one one the right is the 512mb stick

The other two on the left are a matched pair 2 x 256mb..

In the mobo manual it said to put the first one (the 512mb stick) in that slot I believe. It definitely works, but I don't know if I can get 3 sticks to run in dual mode. I did on my NF7 though, it worked pretty good actaully... somehow. :-)

It would make sense if it doesn't work though, I mean it probably shouldn't work as good as it does.

*RyderOCZ* · Mar 15, 2006, 09:00 PM

What modules are you running again please?

BWX · Mar 15, 2006, 09:05 PM

I have 2x 256 PC3200 Platinum EL limited edition (2-2-2-7)

Then I have 1x 512mb PC3200 Platinum EL

(as reported in everest home edition)
the numbers on the sticks say 2-2-2-7 on the 2 x 256mb pair
DIMM1: OCZ OCZ400512ELPE 512 MB PC3200 DDR SDRAM (2.0-3-2-5 @ 200 MHz default)

DIMM2: OCZ OCZ400512DCPELE-K 256 MB PC3200 DDR SDRAM (2.0-3-3-6 @ 200 MHz default)

DIMM4: OCZ OCZ400512DCPELE-K 256 MB PC3200 DDR SDRAM (2.0-3-3-6 @ 200 MHz default)

EDIT- also I will need to buy a 2x 1gig pair sometime.. Maybe you could recommend a set?

*RyderOCZ* · Mar 15, 2006, 09:14 PM

Right click the "My Computer" icon, choose properties....what does it say there for available ram at the bottom? Does it say 1GB?

Thanks

BWX · Mar 15, 2006, 09:23 PM

yup 1.00GB ram

It's an oddball configuration, just what I have right now.

*RyderOCZ* · Mar 15, 2006, 09:32 PM

Well that is really weird that CPU-z is reporting Single channel. By everything I am looking at, you should be Dual.

Try putting the 512 stick in the closest slot to the CPU and the 2 sticks into the 2 "B" slots where the 512 is now. Then open CPU-z and see if it says Dual or Single.

BWX · Mar 15, 2006, 09:35 PM

Oh ok, sounds logical.. that would have been my next try.

I have to take my big fat video card out to do that, LOL.

*RyderOCZ* · Mar 15, 2006, 09:41 PM

ooo, hmmm well its up to you.

I think I read something about 3 sticks in the Asus board being this way actually....will have to see if I can find it.

BWX · Mar 15, 2006, 09:44 PM

Oh I am definitely going to do it... it's just going to take a few minutes. Hopefully that will do the trick.

Judas · Mar 15, 2006, 10:03 PM

gotta hand it to you bwx, you explained it way better in the most basic and easiest understandable words..

it was like reading my own mind....clear..

go it all figured out.. running test right now..

first result on my first load... running 34*C

Judas · Mar 15, 2006, 10:16 PM

Well i set the fsb to 250mhz.... set the ram to 333 mode... voltage is 2.8 for the ram to... set the same settings i've been running for timing as i was at default clocks.... and voltages are same as well..
Ram is T1... no problems at all.. and omg, it's fast as hell to

I must mention though that i tried a multiplier of 10.5, posted without a problem, and even with loose memory timings, windows would not startup...

I beleive this is a CPU Voltage problem, i need to feed it more (still stock and even at 2.5ghz it's running 29*C still, sorry the 34*C was refering to my motherboard temperature)

I should really try to see how far i can get this x2 4400+ to go.... 3ghz would be nice

(.8ghz increase

)

*RyderOCZ* · Mar 15, 2006, 10:37 PM

Yes, when you overclock (raise the FSB) you should set the HTT (or LDT as its called too) multiplier to 4x when your FSB is between 200 and 250, then down to 3x when your 250 - 300 and then 2x below that. Your aim is to keep the HTT bus at 100 or lower.

You guys can check this out if you haven't already: http://i4memory.com/showthread.php?t=327

Judas · Mar 15, 2006, 11:43 PM

thanks for the link

got my x2 4400+ up to 250fsbx11=2750mhz @ 1.4625 volts stable... with a temp of roughly 45*C at total full load (and i find it amusing that it takes roughly 20 instances of cpuburn all running at once before the system appears to start slowing down in responding)

anyways, i'm setting it back down to 2.5ghz with stock voltage... with a low cpu temp... it's just not worth getting high temps and lowering my cpu life just for an extra 250mhz (had to bump it to 1.4 volts to get 2.625ghz stable and loaded)

all the time i was using the same ram settings.

*RyderOCZ* · Mar 15, 2006, 11:46 PM

BWX · Mar 15, 2006, 11:47 PM

Yeah Judas, nice OC.. that guy that explained it to me was the one who made it simple, I had no idea what was going on before that

- now run 3dmark 01, it's amazing how well that benchmark scales to CPU speed.

Anyway I put the ram in 512mb stick first slot, second slot open, then the two slots on the left each with a 256mb stick. Still Single channel! That's weird, I thought it would do the same thing as a socket A board..

Maybe it has something to do with the configuration of the chips on the memory boards? I think the 256mb sticks have BH6 chips, and the 512mb stick has CH5 chips. (or CH6)... Hmm, I'm stumped.

Judas · Mar 15, 2006, 11:54 PM

i'm guessing its a combination of having 3 sticks of ram.. and that they aren't all the same size that would possibly effect your ability to run 1T.... but don't ask me.. i'm no genious when it comes to ram really..

Rayder, you figure i could manage a better ram setting then what i've posted above?

BWX · Mar 16, 2006, 12:02 AM

Yeah I actually always though it was weird that I could run it in dual channel on that socket A.. but it always did no problem. The thing is I couldn't run it in single channel even if I wanted to.. it was always dual channel. Now same ram is always single channel.

See- ram is in different slots...

Still single channel.. (I can still tighten timings way up though no problem)

Oh well, I put the back of my case on finally and my temps dropped through the floor.

I got that temp sensor stuck to my 7900- the fan in the door speeds way up when it gets hot.. pretty cool.

I can try to lower the voltage on my CPU now too- no need to be that high.

Judas · Mar 16, 2006, 12:39 AM

question... bwx.. you running xp 64 sp1?

Mar 15, 2006, 12:18 AM	#395
BWX unplugged Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: USNY Posts: 19,665 Rep Power: 109 System Specs	I figured out the deal with this HTT.. -now is that the best way to configure these modules or what?? __________________

Mar 15, 2006, 08:53 AM	#396
BWX unplugged Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: USNY Posts: 19,665 Rep Power: 109 System Specs	Judas do you OC that A8N-E at all? I need to know if you can use 1t command... when the FSB set to over default.. __________________

Mar 15, 2006, 06:50 PM	#398
BWX unplugged Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: USNY Posts: 19,665 Rep Power: 109 System Specs	Did you ever take the HTT down to 4x to OC the CPU? If I select 1T I am lucky to boot into windows, if I leave it at 2T it is completely stable no matter what- In my old NF7 it was ALWAYS run at 1T, so it isn't the memory that can't do it.. it's the mobo or chipset or something. Right now I am running it like this... (experimenting with the limits to see whats up) Maybe it is a compatibility thing, or a bug with this board, or just the weird configuration I have, I dunno. Even if I relax the timing to 2.5-3-3-8 it still won't run 1T even at a much lower frequency, or with much more voltage.. Pretty much no matter what. On my old socket-A I never ran it at 2T once... ever. __________________

Mar 15, 2006, 09:05 PM	#405
BWX unplugged Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: USNY Posts: 19,665 Rep Power: 109 System Specs	I have 2x 256 PC3200 Platinum EL limited edition (2-2-2-7) Then I have 1x 512mb PC3200 Platinum EL (as reported in everest home edition) the numbers on the sticks say 2-2-2-7 on the 2 x 256mb pair DIMM1: OCZ OCZ400512ELPE 512 MB PC3200 DDR SDRAM (2.0-3-2-5 @ 200 MHz default) DIMM2: OCZ OCZ400512DCPELE-K 256 MB PC3200 DDR SDRAM (2.0-3-3-6 @ 200 MHz default) DIMM4: OCZ OCZ400512DCPELE-K 256 MB PC3200 DDR SDRAM (2.0-3-3-6 @ 200 MHz default) EDIT- also I will need to buy a 2x 1gig pair sometime.. Maybe you could recommend a set? __________________

Mar 15, 2006, 09:23 PM	#407
BWX unplugged Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: USNY Posts: 19,665 Rep Power: 109 System Specs	yup 1.00GB ram It's an oddball configuration, just what I have right now. __________________

Mar 14, 2006, 09:11 PM	Thread Starter #391
RyderOCZ OCZ Staff Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Kalamazoo, MI Posts: 205 Rep Power: 0	Hi Judas, I am confused....are you saying your problem is the SATA controller...or not the SATA controller?

Mar 14, 2006, 09:52 PM	Thread Starter #393
RyderOCZ OCZ Staff Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Kalamazoo, MI Posts: 205 Rep Power: 0	Thanks for clearing that up. I have not used Sata II in raid yet...but my Sata II works fine on the Expert board and the Ultra-D I have here. Might want to look into Asus' implementation of it. Earlier NF4 chipset's had to be modded before they accepted SATA II IIRC??

Mar 15, 2006, 08:47 PM	Thread Starter #401
RyderOCZ OCZ Staff Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Kalamazoo, MI Posts: 205 Rep Power: 0	@BWX, You are in the wrong slots....you are running single channel, you need to have the ram in the blue slots...that is why you can't run 1T

Mar 15, 2006, 09:00 PM	Thread Starter #404
RyderOCZ OCZ Staff Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Kalamazoo, MI Posts: 205 Rep Power: 0	What modules are you running again please?

Mar 15, 2006, 09:14 PM	Thread Starter #406
RyderOCZ OCZ Staff Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Kalamazoo, MI Posts: 205 Rep Power: 0	Right click the "My Computer" icon, choose properties....what does it say there for available ram at the bottom? Does it say 1GB? Thanks

Mar 15, 2006, 09:32 PM	Thread Starter #408
RyderOCZ OCZ Staff Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Kalamazoo, MI Posts: 205 Rep Power: 0	Well that is really weird that CPU-z is reporting Single channel. By everything I am looking at, you should be Dual. Try putting the 512 stick in the closest slot to the CPU and the 2 sticks into the 2 "B" slots where the 512 is now. Then open CPU-z and see if it says Dual or Single.

Mar 15, 2006, 09:35 PM	#409
BWX unplugged Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: USNY Posts: 19,665 Rep Power: 109 System Specs	Oh ok, sounds logical.. that would have been my next try. I have to take my big fat video card out to do that, LOL. __________________

Mar 15, 2006, 09:41 PM	Thread Starter #410
RyderOCZ OCZ Staff Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Kalamazoo, MI Posts: 205 Rep Power: 0	ooo, hmmm well its up to you. I think I read something about 3 sticks in the Asus board being this way actually....will have to see if I can find it.

Mar 15, 2006, 09:44 PM	#411
BWX unplugged Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: USNY Posts: 19,665 Rep Power: 109 System Specs	Oh I am definitely going to do it... it's just going to take a few minutes. Hopefully that will do the trick. __________________

Mar 15, 2006, 10:37 PM	Thread Starter #414
RyderOCZ OCZ Staff Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Kalamazoo, MI Posts: 205 Rep Power: 0	Yes, when you overclock (raise the FSB) you should set the HTT (or LDT as its called too) multiplier to 4x when your FSB is between 200 and 250, then down to 3x when your 250 - 300 and then 2x below that. Your aim is to keep the HTT bus at 100 or lower. You guys can check this out if you haven't already: http://i4memory.com/showthread.php?t=327

Mar 15, 2006, 11:46 PM	Thread Starter #416
RyderOCZ OCZ Staff Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Kalamazoo, MI Posts: 205 Rep Power: 0

Mar 15, 2006, 11:47 PM	#417
BWX unplugged Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: USNY Posts: 19,665 Rep Power: 109 System Specs	Yeah Judas, nice OC.. that guy that explained it to me was the one who made it simple, I had no idea what was going on before that - now run 3dmark 01, it's amazing how well that benchmark scales to CPU speed. Anyway I put the ram in 512mb stick first slot, second slot open, then the two slots on the left each with a 256mb stick. Still Single channel! That's weird, I thought it would do the same thing as a socket A board.. Maybe it has something to do with the configuration of the chips on the memory boards? I think the 256mb sticks have BH6 chips, and the 512mb stick has CH5 chips. (or CH6)... Hmm, I'm stumped. __________________

Mar 16, 2006, 12:02 AM	#419
BWX unplugged Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: USNY Posts: 19,665 Rep Power: 109 System Specs	Yeah I actually always though it was weird that I could run it in dual channel on that socket A.. but it always did no problem. The thing is I couldn't run it in single channel even if I wanted to.. it was always dual channel. Now same ram is always single channel. See- ram is in different slots... Still single channel.. (I can still tighten timings way up though no problem) Oh well, I put the back of my case on finally and my temps dropped through the floor. I got that temp sensor stuck to my 7900- the fan in the door speeds way up when it gets hot.. pretty cool. I can try to lower the voltage on my CPU now too- no need to be that high. __________________