Windows Score drop!

[Raelf]

Why would my Windows score drop from 5.8 to 5.3 when I swapped out 4G of Corsair Dominator (800 MHz) to 8G of G.Skill (800 MHz)?

Here's the rig:
Dell 720H2C, Dell MoBo (680i chipset)
Intel Core 2 Extreme 6850 OC'd at 3.667MHz
4G Corsair Dominator RAM @ 800 MHz
Dual NVidia 8800 GT's w/512 per card
Dell 2408 Widescreen Hi def monitor
Application drive: SATA 160G WD Raptor @ 10K RpM
Storage Drive: SATA 500G WD @7200 RpM
Windows Vista Home Premium 64 Bit

I purchased and installed this product: G.SKILL 8GB (4 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 1100 (PC2 8800) Quad Kit Desktop Memory Model F2-8800CL5Q-8GBPI .

Any adjustments that I need to make?

Thanks in advance for any info you can provide.

[Tradesman]

Did you load the proper settings for the RAM in your BIOS? PC2 8800 isn't a JEDEC standard, the default for 680i is ddr2 800.

[Raelf]

What settings are you referring to, Tradesman? I thought the product I bought ran natively at 800 MHz and EPP at 1066 MHz.

I am not all that familiar with OC'ing and changing the BIOS; please break it down for me, if you wouldn't mind.

I am running NTune, and that's about it other than meters like CPUZ and CoreTemp. If there's something else I need to do the job, please advise.

[Tradesman]

Most mobo default to the JEDEC standard of 800 MHz at 1.8v, JEDEC covers 667, 800, 1066. If you have 1100, check the BIOS at it's setting, I'm guessing yours is advertised at 5-5-5-15 1.8 or 1.9v. If you want to run at 1066 or 110 at the 5-5-5-15 settings make sure your voltage is at 1.9 or even 2.0. Depending on your BIOS date you may have to relax the timings to 5-6-6-15 or 17. (Dell's not all that good about BIOS updates and the original specs for the 680i boards topped at 800 RAM, which is the reason you may have to relax the timings

[G.SKILL]

thanks, Tradesman


and as for n680i chipset, we don't recommend you to install 4 sticks
it usually has problem with 4 sticks of memory on n680i platform
and please make sure your corsair memory is running the same timing with ours, since dell's machine usually don't allow users to change much in BIOS
thanks


G.S

[Tradesman]

You're welcome, but I'll have to say, I disagree with your statement on the 680i boards, I've built over 30 gaming systems on the 680i, both XP and Vista of different flavors (32 and 64 bit), and the only times I encountered a problem loading four sticks both involved a dead stick (once a Gskill, the other a patriot). I've done 2GB builds, but always encourage people to go a minimum of 4GB, and if using XP, Vista or Win7 in 64 bit, to use 8 or more.

Some people say also say 4GB in a 32 bit OS is a waste, but not really. Depending on what your XP/Vista OS 'sees', as an example 3.25GB of the 4GB, the other .75 GB can be used by your graphics card.

[Raelf]

Hello again,

First off, thank you, Tradesman, for your responses! I really appreciate the help.

I'm running the stock Dell BIOS (A06) and have very little "wiggle room" as far as the settings go. they basically have it locked down to a couple of toggles. I can choose stock (800 MHz) or EPP (1066MHz), and for the CMD timings T-auto (timing determined by the memory) T1 (run every clock edge) or T2 (run every 2nd clock edge). While I understand the speed profile, I admit I do not understand the CMD timing settings in the BIOS. (FYI: the Corsair Product this kit replaced was indeed 5-5-5-15.)

I have been running the above referenced memory for several months now at 800 MHz / T-auto, flawlessly. Other than the Windows score, I've had zero errors. I would like to be able to run at 1066MHz / T-auto. The minute I pop this up to the EPP setting, I throw massive numbers of errors (memtest86 recorded over 1K errors in the first 30 minutes).

Any advice? If I bought the wrong product, and there is another 8G product I should be using, please let me know. I'll contact GSkill asap! If this is the correct product, can anyone enlighten me on what settings I *should* be using?

I have seen other posts on other forums that indicate others are having great success with this kit [G.SKILL 8GB (4 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 1100 (PC2 8800) Quad Kit Desktop Memory Model F2-8800CL5Q-8GBPI] running at the 1066MHz / T-auto setting.

***EDIT: Note: I am doing some real world testing (read as: gaming) tonight with the memory at 1066/T1, as I have never used the BIOS CMD adjustment with any tests, and running every clock edge seems conducive... we will see.

Thanks in advance!

[Raelf]

thanks, Tradesman


and as for n680i chipset, we don't recommend you to install 4 sticks
it usually has problem with 4 sticks of memory on n680i platform
and please make sure your corsair memory is running the same timing with ours, since dell's machine usually don't allow users to change much in BIOS
thanks


G.S

Gskill Admin:

do you have any documentation on this that I may reference? I am battling with Dell over this very issue, and any documentation you may have would be of help to me.

[Tradesman]

Being a Dell system, think I'd suggest looking at the specs they advertise, and that would be the top they would consider supporting. If they say it will run 1066 though, and the board supports 8 or more GB, put the ball in their court and ask them HOW to run the 8GB at 1066. Dell can be a pain, I personally don't like their systems or support.

[G.SKILL]

Gskill Admin:

do you have any documentation on this that I may reference? I am battling with Dell over this very issue, and any documentation you may have would be of help to me.

sorry, but we don't have any official document you need
it's only our testing result
or you may paas the dell's mail to us, we may help to reply it
thanks


G.S

[Raelf]

Being a Dell system, think I'd suggest looking at the specs they advertise, and that would be the top they would consider supporting. If they say it will run 1066 though, and the board supports 8 or more GB, put the ball in their court and ask them HOW to run the 8GB at 1066. Dell can be a pain, I personally don't like their systems or support.

Yessir! that is exactly what I am trying to do. I've spent over a year, on and off, trying to get this machine to do what they advertised it to do, and nothing more. They advertised 4G of Corsair Dominator @ 1066... it never ran that way. Ever. They advertised it as upgradable to 8G, which I did. I am being very, very careful to remain within my (worthless) warranty.

I can't thank you enough for the guidance. It makes me feel good knowing that my logic is correct... deal with Dell long enough and you begin to question yourself. LOL!

They've shipped me a new system board. Though I think it's a flaw inherent to ALL 680i chipsets, I am going to go through the pain of changing it. If that doesn't do it, I am going to take this a step further and demand a new, tested, proven system. Or try to get them to take this as a return and pay the upgrade to a 730X system...

[Raelf]

sorry, but we don't have any official document you need
it's only our testing result
or you may paas the dell's mail to us, we may help to reply it
thanks


G.S

Thanks, Admin! If they specifically challenge me on the chipset issue, I will get in touch to forward a copy.

I have a specific question about the product:

G.SKILL 8GB (4 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 1100 (PC2 8800) Quad Kit Desktop Memory Model F2-8800CL5Q-8GBPI

When I use CPU-Z to "read" the profile on the memory, it DOES seem to have an EPP profile for the 1066 MHz JDEC standard. (There appears to be 3 profiles, for 800MHz, 1066MHz, and 1100MHz) Will this memory function correctly at 1.9v, 1066MHz? Or should I have chosen another 8G kit for this purpose?

As previously stated, it runs just fine at 800MHz... and fails horribly at 1066.

[Tradesman]

Raelf,
The 680i chipset gets the blame for problems from GSkill on almost a non-stop basis, I have explained it a few times, but they don't seem to take it in, that the 680i...in fact any chipset, is only as good as the integration that is used by a mobo manufacturer to mate the chipset to the rest of the board. Most all of the higher end 680i boards began running with the stock chipset settings and by tweaking the BIOS improved the integration to where it progressed well past the standard specs to 1066 RAM and 1333 FSBs, and even further, basically out of the box (with the updated BIOSs) and RAM. Most of these were even OCed well beyong the aforementioned 1066/1333 speeds.

If more high end builders and gamers frequented this forum you would hear even more outrage about the generalizations made here about the 680i.

How soon they forget (or never knew) about the ASUS 680i Striker mobos that ruled the gaming world for such a long time.

[G.SKILL]

actually, the problem is the chipset on your motherboard
nvidia chipet is picky to 4 sticks of memory
is your new platform still nvidia 680 chipset?


G.S

[Tradesman]

As I said before, if Dell advertises that it will run the 8GB hold them to it. They might address the matter a little more if you file complaints with say the BBB, RipOffReport or some of the other on-line consumer complaint sites.

As to the 680i, once again, I stand behind my earlier (and oft repeated) comments which come from long experience, in excess of 30 builds and numerous upgrades on this particular chipset alone, and it's no different than any other chipset. If the integration is done well (normally, higher end boards) you'll have a higher rate of success than on lower end and budget boards, both in running larger amounts of RAM , more sticks, and higher speeds, it's shown up here time after time. P45, P43, P35, X38, X48 etc.