RAM OC screwing with graphics

[ifander]

OK, I've posted about my graphics card acting up earlier, but I just can't seem to figure out how to fix this! Whenever I try overclocking my memory, I get artifacts! I used to get the same problems overclocking my CPU, but I'm guessing that was due to my RAM getting overclocked as well.. I tried setting my RAM to the same frequency as my CPU, 260MHz, but that didn't work out. At the moment I'm forced to use a divider, it's running at approx. 235 MHZ. Ordinarily this wouldn't have been a big deal, but I didn't buy a pair of OCZ Gold EL 3700 sticks just to be running them at stock speeds.
I ran memtest for three passes (at 260 MHZ), no errors found. My board is only capable to raise the vdimm to 2.8V, but that should be enough for these sticks at these speeds, right? I've tried every parameter imaginable in the bios, but to no avail.

[casecutter]

Re: RAM OC screwing with graphics

What do you mean you get artifacts when overclocking your system memory? Is this an AGP motherboard? Does it have a working AGP/PCI bus lock if it is? Something else is going on if overclocking the system messes with your video.

[Darthtanion]

Re: RAM OC screwing with graphics

I think casecutter may have hinted around your problem. Some motherboards support locking the AGP or PCI-E busses to their default levels even when you overclock the memory. I don't know offhand of your board supports this, but it is a good chance that it is the cause of your problems. On older systems and systems that don't support a locking of the bus handling the video, when you overclock the memory you also overclock the bus that runs the other peripherals. You need to see if you can lock the AGP or PCI-E bus (whichever applies to you) to its default speed. This will allow you to overclock the memory and system bus without causing any bus increases for the video bus.

Good luck.

[ifander]

Re: RAM OC screwing with graphics

My graphics card is on PCI-e. And yes, I've been told this before, and I have been trying to lock the PCI-e bus but either it's malfunctioning or the option is not there... the only setting I've seen is "PCI-E frequency", which is set at 100 MHz. I'm really starting to regret getting this mobo...
I could upload some picks of my BIOS, maybe you can find something I can't?

[casecutter]

Re: RAM OC screwing with graphics

try downloading ClockGen from CPUID. That will show you the system bus speed AND the PCI-E bus speed. If the PCI-E bus is not staying at 100MHz then that is most definitely your issue.

http://www.cpuid.com/

[ifander]

Re: RAM OC screwing with graphics



I'm really lost here... what could be causing this artifacting? When I lower the ram oc, everything is fine. Otherwise, I get these annoying glitches, especially when I play back video. I haven't even tried playing any games, I can guess at how that will turn out... Maybe I should try an older BIOS revision? I'm using the latest (F9).

I ran some tests with the artifact tester in ati tray tools, and got a constant 1-3 artifacts, but when I ran a test with ATI Tool, I got no artifacts at all for some reason. I had the detection sensitivity at max.

[Amd_Lover2004]

Re: RAM OC screwing with graphics

Some A64 CPUs dont like higher memory clocks, the internal memory controler was a little unstable on some steppings. That board is not exactly known for high overclocks either. Other than that I am not exactly sure whats up yet.

[ifander]

Re: RAM OC screwing with graphics

Well, I'm pretty sure it's not the cpu, it's a Venice E3 stepping core, so unless I'm really unlucky, the problem lies elsewhere... My mobo btw is weird in more ways than one, for example, neither my temps nor my voltages make any sense other than my cpu and harddrive temps.. It shows my BIOS version to be F4 when in fact it's F9, and for some strange reason the SPD on my memory reports the following timing table for my ram:


It's supposed to be 2,5-3-3-8.
Some more in case you're interested:

[casecutter]

Re: RAM OC screwing with graphics

As for the SPD values, OCZ does that often to help with boards that cannot set tight timings for default. Other than that, the memory overclock should not be effecting the video so I am beginning to believe that the mobo is just not meant for serious clocking.

[ifander]

Re: RAM OC screwing with graphics

...the memory overclock should not be effecting the video so I am beginning to believe that the mobo is just not meant for serious clocking.

Yeah I suspected as much...
Oh well, it was worth a shot. It's just that I've never seen any reviews where they have had such problems...
Thanks anyway

[casecutter]

Re: RAM OC screwing with graphics

The only "useful" suggestion I can come up with is to underclock the PCI-E bus if possible and see if that helps. Somehow, the system is overclocking that bus when you overclock and causing the video card to run higher clocks than it can deal with. Maybe even downclock the video card just to see if it helps. Good luck!