EP45-UD3P and Corsair TWIN2X4096-8500C5D stability

[BakaNeko]

I've been reading through these forums and have noticed a number of problems reported with Gigabyte boards and more than 2 sticks of RAM. I couldn't find anything that discussed my particular setup, however, so I'm asking for help.

I have been running a combination of the UD3P motherboard and two sets of Corsair TWIN2X4096-8500C5D RAM (total of 8 GB) since last December with no problems. I left everything set at Auto, including DDR voltage, and have installed the included DIMM cooling fan. I liked the combination so much I bought another set to use in a home server, and 10 more sets to use at work. In the past month or so, however, the stability of these systems has started fluctuating - blue screens, spontaneous reboots, memory failures in Event Viewer, etc. I have posted on Corsair's forums (where others have reported similar problems with the same MB and RAM combo, also after a few months of use). Their suggestion was to increase RAM voltage to 2.1, increase MCH to 1.3, and reduce the clock speed of the RAM to 667 (2.00B multiplier with my system). This has resulted in a more stable system, at least for my personal system, but has not done anything for my server and the systems at work. I still continue to have problems. I have subsequently increased the RAM voltage to 2.2 and the MCH to 1.4 and updated the BIOS's to F10e. This fixed a couple systems (at least as far as Memtest running for a few hours with no errors), but not all of them.

However, I'm not too happy with paying for high speed DDR 1066 RAM and having to run it at only 667 MHz. Corsair seems to think it's no big deal. I'm RMAing the two sets from my server just to see if it's been damaged by the default settings, but I'd rather be able to set things up properly so that I can use the RAM and MB at their advertised speeds. At home I'm running Win7-64 (RTM) and Server 2008 R2 64, and at work we're running XP64 Pro (we use 64 bit apps like AutoCAD, Solid Edge, etc. so the more RAM the better). We're populating all 4 DIMMs using two sets of matched DIMMs (1 and 3, 2 and 4).

Can anyone tell me (in as much detail as possible - I'm a RAM idiot) what I should be setting my BIOS to on the EP45-UD3P MB in order to get the best use of this RAM? Note that I'm not trying to overclock anything, I'm just trying to run it all at it's advertised speeds.

Specs for the RAM are at http://www.corsair.com/_datasheets/T...96-8500C5D.pdf.

Thanks.

[Lsdmeasap]

Re: EP45-UD3P and Corsair TWIN2X4096-8500C5D stability

1.4 MCH is way to much for only 8GB, especially if you downclocked it to 667. This could be the issue

I suggest 1.26-1.3 for 8GB

8GB of ram is not going to run at 1066 without some major tweaking and even then it may not. I suggest you run it at 800-1000 that should be much easier.

Since you say all machines are the same, and changes fixed some and not others you may have some faulty ram in some of the machines. Best way to find out is to memtest86+ each stick one by one at stock speeds/voltages manually set on the suspected machines.
Memtest86+ - Advanced Memory Diagnostic Tool

Vtt (CPU Termination) and tRD (Static tRead Value) also will need to be manually set to a stable setting

I can give you a full set of settings, but I need to know what CPU you are using and what it is running at. If you want grab a template from the link in my signature and give me your full settings you are using now that are causing issues and I will advise back suggested values.

[BakaNeko]

Re: EP45-UD3P and Corsair TWIN2X4096-8500C5D stability

So you're saying that even with tweaking it will be difficult to run 8GB at full speed? Wish I'd known that so I wouldn't have spent the extra cash. I assumed when a board says it works with 8-16 GB and 1066 clock speed that they weren't mutually exclusive...

It occurs to me that I'm using different processors in my home system, my home server, and the systems at work. I'll fill out the template for each of the three CPUs as time permits. I'm at work so that should be the first one...

[BakaNeko]

[trikat]

Re: EP45-UD3P and Corsair TWIN2X4096-8500C5D stability

Heh, I have a similar issue.
I put in 8GB of the same memory you have and it has ran quite happily for a while, but just a week ago I kept getting BSODs for random reasons.
Stability tests I did to make sure it was stable: 9 hours of memtest 86+, Intelburntest 10 passes using maximum, and a few hours of Prime95.
I did not have time until today to start testing to see what the problem is (I temporarily put everything on stock settings), but since you are pointing out memory as the culprit I bet that is also my problem.

[BakaNeko]

Re: EP45-UD3P and Corsair TWIN2X4096-8500C5D stability

Looks like the systems at work and my home system have the same CPU (Q9400). It's only my home server that's different. I'll have to dig out the info on that still, but I would appreciate any help you can give on the information I've provided so far.

[Lsdmeasap]

Re: EP45-UD3P and Corsair TWIN2X4096-8500C5D stability

Yes, even if you ask the memory manufacturer they will tell you the same. The specs for 1066Mhz only apply to one set/kit and when using more you will almost always have to slow them down (As they cannot recommend higher voltages, which can help)

See if these changes help any >>

MB Intelligent Tweaker(M.I.T.)
Robust Graphics Booster ...............: Auto
CPU Clock Ratio ..........................: 8x
Fine CPU Clock Ratio.....................:.0
CPU Frequency ...........................: 2.66 (333x8)


Clock Chip Control
Standard Clock Control
CPU Host Clock Control..................: [Disabled]
CPU Host Frequency (Mhz) ............: 333
PCI Express Frequency (Mhz) .........: 100

C.I.A.2 .................................:[Disabled]


Advanced Clock Control [Press Enter]
CPU Clock Drive...........................: <<< 800
PCI Express Clock Drive.................: <<< 900
CPU Clock Skew (ps)....................: <<< 0
MCH Clock Skew (ps)...................: <<< 0


DRAM Performance Control
Performance Enhance...................: [STANDARD]
Extreme Memory Profile (X.M.P.).....: [Auto] << Disabled
(G)MCH Frequency Latch...............: [Auto]
System Memory Multiplier ..............: 3.20B << Set 2.40B (800Mhz)
Memory Frequency (Mhz) ..............: 800
DRAM Timing Selectable ................: [Manual]

Standard Timing Control
CAS Latency Time........................5
tRCD .........................................5
tRP'...........................................5
tRAS..........................................15

Since we are going to run 800Mhz, you may be able to run 444-12 or 544-12, so I would test that out for sure as it could likely make them faster then if they were running 1066 anyway

Set all Suggested below to highest Values first. Then later you can lower, one at a time, testing as you go

Advanced Timing Control
tRRD...........................................4
tWTR..........................................4 << may need 5
tWR............................................8
tRFC...........................................68 << May need 72-74
tRTP...........................................4 << May need 5
Command Rate (CMD) ....................:0 << Set 2

Driving Strength Profiles
Driving Strength ............................Auto << Set this, often one above ram speed is best, so try 1066 first.

Channel A
Static tRead Value.........................:Auto 7 << Set 8, you can go back to 7 later
tRD Phase0 Adjustment...................:Auto 0
tRD Phase1 Adjustment...................:Auto 0
tRD Phase2 Adjustment .................:Auto 0
tRD Phase3 Adjustment..................:Auto 0
Trd2rd(Different Rank)....................:Auto 6
Twr2wr(Different Rank)...................:Auto 6
Twr2rd(Different Rank)...................:Auto 5
Trd2wr(Same/Diff Rank)..................:Auto 8
Dimm1 Clock Skew Control...............:Auto ps
Dimm2 Clock Skew Control...............:Auto ps

Channel B
Static tRead Value.........................:Auto 7 << Set 8, you can go back to 7 later
tRD Phase0 Adjustment...................:Auto 0
tRD Phase1 Adjustment...................:Auto 0
tRD Phase2 Adjustment .................:Auto 0
tRD Phase3 Adjustment..................:Auto 0
Trd2rd(Different Rank)....................:Auto 6
Twr2wr(Different Rank)...................:Auto 6
Twr2rd(Different Rank)...................:Auto 5
Trd2wr(Same/Diff Rank)..................:Auto 8
Dimm1 Clock Skew Control...............:Auto ps
Dimm2 Clock Skew Control...............:Auto ps

Motherboard Voltage Control

CPU
CPU Vcore….……….........................:Auto (1.16250)

CPU Termination…..... 1.200V*.......: Auto (1.2) <<< Set 1.225-1.25
CPU PLL…………………....1.500V*.......: Auto (1.5)
CPU Referen.…………....0.755V*.......: Auto (0.760)
CPU Reference2………,,0.800V*.......: n/a
MCH/ICH
MCH Core…………….....1.100V...........: 1.3 << Try 1.26-1.32 after all other changes, may not need the uper ranges after some other changes such as Vtt
MCH Reference….…….0.800V...........; Auto (0.760)
MCH/DRAM Ref.…......0.900V...........: Auto (0.900)
ICH I/O……………….....1.500V............: Auto (1.500)
ICH Core…………...……1.100V............: Auto (1.100) << Set 1.14-1.2

DRAM
DRAM Voltage ……....1.800V............: 2.200 << Set 2.12-2.18
DRAM Termination .…0.900V............: Auto (0.900)
Channel A Reference 0.900V............: Auto (0.900)
Channel B Reference 0.900V............: Auto (0.900)

Advanced Settings
Limit CPUID Max. to 3.....................: [Disabled]
No-Execute Memory Protect............: [Enabled]
CPU Enhanced Halt (C1E)................: [Disabled]
C2/C2E State Support....................: [Disabled]
x C4/C4E State Support..................: [Disabled]
CPU Thermal Monitor 2(TM2) ...........: [Enabled]
CPU EIST Function.........................: [Disabled]
Virtualization Technology................: [Disabled]

[BakaNeko]

Re: EP45-UD3P and Corsair TWIN2X4096-8500C5D stability

Thanks, I'll give them a try.

By the way, would any of this tweaking around cause other problems on the board? All of a sudden I'm having a lot of NIC disconnects on my system (getting disconnected from WoW, Live Messenger, etc). It generally reconnects within a second or two, but it's long enough to log me out of the online apps. (I also have one of the systems at work that is having problems connecting to our domain and dropping off line periodically). No one else on my home network is having such problems. I'm going to try the second NIC port, but was curious is these settings could have had any effect on this?

[Lsdmeasap]

Re: EP45-UD3P and Corsair TWIN2X4096-8500C5D stability

Let us know how you get along

I do not think these changes would affect your network as you are asking about, instability yes maybe if incorrect but they should not cause network drop outs at all.

Could be the latest BIOS you are using, maybe a big? Did it happen since you used that or was it fine until you started tinkering later on?