Weird RAM problem on P4B533

  • Thread starter Thread starter Muntz
  • Start date Start date
M

Muntz

Hi,

my setup is as follows

Asus P4B533
P4 [email protected] (actually hits 3.5 stable with stock air, yoohoooh, but don't
wanna push
it without better cooling)
256MB of garbage no name DDR400 ram running at 414MHZ (3:4 divider thru
dipswitch #6 trick)
ATI Radeon 9800Pro
2 hard drives
DVD writer
DVD reader
Sound Blaster Live
350W PSU

Now for the weirdness.
I had added another stick of 256MB DDR400 ram, and no go (long beep on boot
up,
not even getting to Win splash screen). All the ram tweakings on least
aggressive settings.
I figured it was a case of two dimms being tricky to run past 400MHZ, so I
bought a single stick of 512MB Corsair XMS3200 (cas2, 2, 2, 5). Should have
done 400MHz in
its sleep. No go. Same effect as two dimms, even with relaxing all the
timings and bumping ddr voltage to max.

I ran the Corsair in a friend's PC (Asus P4P800) and no problemo. So I tried
a 512MB dimm of his Kingston Value PC3200 ram and same thing: no go.

It seems that when I install more than 256MB I can't get the FSB past
350MHZ.
Ain't it a little odd?
Could it be a power supply issue?
I'm befuddled. The Corsair is just too good looking a piece of ram not to
let it stretch its legs ;)

All suggestions welcome,
TIA
 
Muntz said:
Hi,

my setup is as follows

Asus P4B533
P4 [email protected] (actually hits 3.5 stable with stock air, yoohoooh, but don't
wanna push
it without better cooling)
256MB of garbage no name DDR400 ram running at 414MHZ (3:4 divider thru
dipswitch #6 trick)
ATI Radeon 9800Pro
2 hard drives
DVD writer
DVD reader
Sound Blaster Live
350W PSU

Now for the weirdness.
I had added another stick of 256MB DDR400 ram, and no go (long beep on boot
up,
not even getting to Win splash screen). All the ram tweakings on least
aggressive settings.
I figured it was a case of two dimms being tricky to run past 400MHZ, so I
bought a single stick of 512MB Corsair XMS3200 (cas2, 2, 2, 5). Should have
done 400MHz in
its sleep. No go. Same effect as two dimms, even with relaxing all the
timings and bumping ddr voltage to max.

I ran the Corsair in a friend's PC (Asus P4P800) and no problemo. So I tried
a 512MB dimm of his Kingston Value PC3200 ram and same thing: no go.

It seems that when I install more than 256MB I can't get the FSB past
350MHZ.
Ain't it a little odd?
Could it be a power supply issue?
I'm befuddled. The Corsair is just too good looking a piece of ram not to
let it stretch its legs ;)

All suggestions welcome,
TIA
Click to expand...
http://www.overclockers.com/tips1013/
 
That's an old review. The reason the ram overclocking works for him is
because he "accidentally" sets dipswitch #6 to ON. He didn't have to bother
with all the other settings (I tried it, it makes no diff). And that's all
you need to do to enable the 3:4 divider above 132Mhz FSB. All this works
peachy but, in the case of my board, ONLY with 256MB of ram. As soon as I
try 512MB, no go :(

Thanx anyhooh
 
Muntz said:
That's an old review.
Thanx anyhooh
Click to expand...

I´s wondering about if you´d go back to your manuf settings (no dipswitch #6
workarround) and then put the add. ram onto your MB?
 
Tried that. No help. I even tried disconnecting a hard drive and the
dvd rom and writer and put back my old trusty geforce 2 ultra
(thinking maybe the radeon 9800pro is an emf hog), in trying to figure
out if the psu was the culprit. No go. Sigh.
 
Muntz said:
Tried that. No help. I even tried disconnecting a hard drive and the
dvd rom and writer and put back my old trusty geforce 2 ultra
(thinking maybe the radeon 9800pro is an emf hog), in trying to figure
out if the psu was the culprit. No go. Sigh.
Click to expand...

..

Change Bios : CAS# in the SPD to 2.5 or 2 and try again.
G.
 
Muntz said:
You mean revert to an older bios?
Click to expand...

There´s an "in your" missing. Sorry. "change IN YOUR bios".
Put in the working 256mb, change in your bios settings to Cas 2 or 2,5.
Save&exit.
After you entered XP ( you got XP, right ? ) shut down your system, put in
the singel 512mb one and pray...
G.
 
That's what I had done the VERY first time. No go. When you reboot it sends
you back into the bios, and when you accept the new settings (ie: 512MB at
whatever settings) it won't let you get back into winxp. I think I'm gonna
wait just a little while and swap the p4b for a p4p800 so I can go to 1GB.
Recently tried the FarCry demo and it plods along like a slug with ONLY
512MB.

I hate admitting defeat from a dedicated overclocker's standpoint tho ;)
 
Muntz said:
That's what I had done the VERY first time. No go. When you reboot it sends
you back into the bios, and when you accept the new settings (ie: 512MB at
whatever settings) it won't let you get back into winxp. I think I'm gonna
wait just a little while and swap the p4b for a p4p800 so I can go to 1GB.
Recently tried the FarCry demo and it plods along like a slug with ONLY
512MB.
Click to expand...
Might be your graka as well....
I hate admitting defeat from a dedicated overclocker's standpoint tho ;)
Click to expand...
;-)
Not good.
I still think, it´s a bios setting issue. Vmem mayby ? Try a Google search
now, fx. " P4B533 512mb ". Search the google groups as well.
Pls. let me know, if you found the key here...
G.
 
Clock´n Roll said:
Might be your graka as well....
Click to expand...
9800PRO ... I don't think so. Besides, runs smooth as silk with 768MB. It
could be that I have the most recent catalysts, whereas FarCry suggests to
use the 3.9.
;-)
Not good.
I still think, it´s a bios setting issue. Vmem mayby ? Try a Google search
now, fx. " P4B533 512mb ". Search the google groups as well.
Pls. let me know, if you found the key here...
G.
Click to expand...
I think you're probably right about it being a bios issue, but I've tried
every damn variation of Vmem, Vcore, even VAgp and all the different timings
in SPD. No go.
I've scoured Google, and even the ngs at Anandtech and TomsH.
I'll let you know if I find something, but I've pretty much thrown in the
towel. |~(
Muchas gracias anyhooh.
 
"Muntz" said:
9800PRO ... I don't think so. Besides, runs smooth as silk with 768MB. It
could be that I have the most recent catalysts, whereas FarCry suggests to
use the 3.9.
I think you're probably right about it being a bios issue, but I've tried
every damn variation of Vmem, Vcore, even VAgp and all the different timings
in SPD. No go.
I've scoured Google, and even the ngs at Anandtech and TomsH.
I'll let you know if I find something, but I've pretty much thrown in the
towel. |~(
Muchas gracias anyhooh.
Click to expand...

There is a P4B533 thread on Abxzone.com:

http://www.abxzone.com/forums/showthread.php?threadid=21029

I take it you are following the population rules for a "4 bank/3 slot"
board. Fill slot 1 first (it can take a DS or SS stick). Slot 2 and
slot 3 share control signals, so slot 2 = DS and slot 3 = N/A or
slot 2 = SS and slot 3 = SS are possible. These are the same
restrictions as a P4PE. With only enough control signals for
four banks, you can use two double sided (DS) sticks or one
double sided and two single sided (SS) sticks.

Due to these control signals restrictions, the "normal" advice
about slot population doesn't apply (i.e. 6 bank motherboards,
put a stick in slot 1 and the other stick in slot 3, for best
two DIMM configuration).

Good luck,
Paul
 
There is a P4B533 thread on Abxzone.com:
http://www.abxzone.com/forums/showthread.php?threadid=21029

I take it you are following the population rules for a "4 bank/3 slot"
board. Fill slot 1 first (it can take a DS or SS stick). Slot 2 and
slot 3 share control signals, so slot 2 = DS and slot 3 = N/A or
slot 2 = SS and slot 3 = SS are possible. These are the same
restrictions as a P4PE. With only enough control signals for
four banks, you can use two double sided (DS) sticks or one
double sided and two single sided (SS) sticks.

Due to these control signals restrictions, the "normal" advice
about slot population doesn't apply (i.e. 6 bank motherboards,
put a stick in slot 1 and the other stick in slot 3, for best
two DIMM configuration).

Good luck,
Paul
Click to expand...

I tried just getting the ONE 512MB dimm (in slot 1) to work, and no go. I
had also tried what they suggest on the thread at abxzone, and no go. It
seems the board won't allow anything more than 256MB (even if it's ONE 512MB
dimm) to be pushed past 700MHz. But a 256MB dimm can be pushe easily passed
800MHz. Weird.
 
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