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Stabilizing 8GB of F2-8500CL5D-4GBPI-B @ 1066 with GA-P35-DS3L Rev2.0 Mobo

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  • Stabilizing 8GB of F2-8500CL5D-4GBPI-B @ 1066 with GA-P35-DS3L Rev2.0 Mobo

    I need help stabilizing my system. Ever since I put it together about 5 years ago, it's been running smoothly. That has changed with a few component upgrades/changes.

    The first major change was upgrading to 8GB of G.Skill F2-8500CL5D-4GBPI-B DDR2 1066 RAM @ my GIGABYTE GA-P35-DS3L Rev2.0 motherboard about 9 months ago. After doing a lot of online research & setting the correct timings, it had been running pretty smoothly during that time. Last month, I upgraded my mechanical HDD to an SSD. Everything was fine for the 1st few weeks, now though, I'm getting consistant BSODs. My system turns on fine, I can use it for just about anything, but it'll crash if I try to game [Crysis & similar games @ Steam] or stream video = when it's stressed.

    As soon as I suspected it could be the memory, I ran multiple tests. Ran a host of Anti-Virus, Malware & Spyware programs both in normal & Safe Mode. Then came Windows Memory Diagnostics Tool, Memtest86 & Memtest86+ on all 4 sticks, 1 stick @ a time & with 2, 4, 6 & 8GB. It turns out now that when all 4 sticks are in, all 3 memory tests show errors. They didn't before when I 1st bought the RAM & set things up. Maybe memory corruption?? So as I have it now, 3 sticks/6GB pass all 3 tests. I also inspected & tested the 4 available memory slots on my mobo. No problems there. Also stress tested the system with the latest versions of Sandra Lite & EVEREST Home Edition. Sandra Lite failed the 1st time with my GPU slightly overclocked & 8GB of RAM. Once I brought the overclocked GPU back to it's default settings & 6GB of RAM, it passed. EVEREST Home Edition passed both times. The Virtual Memory/Paging File was changed, too. I've tried every setting, from Automatic to System Managed to None. The BSOD's keep coming when the system is under stress.

    What's complicating it is that the BSOD's could be caused by a variety of different factors:

    - Not the correct RAM settings/timings?
    - Is my overclocked CPU [Q6600 2.4GHz to 3.0GHz] settings [vCore, etc.] to blame?
    - Is it my new SDD?
    - Is my GPU underpowered, even with a modest overclock [using "EVGA Precision"]?
    - Another setting @ my BIOS, etc.?
    - A combination of a few components?

    My goal here is to, at least, get the correct RAM/Mobo settings & through the process of elimination, not to have to worry about that area of my setup.

    System Specs:

    - Cooler Master Stacker 830 Case
    - Cooler Master Real Power Pro 1000 Watt PSU
    - GIGABYTE GA-P35-DS3L Rev.2.0 Motherboard
    - Intel Q6600 2.4GHz CPU OC'ed to 3.0GHz [air cooled]
    - 8GB G.SKILL DDR2 1066MHz RAM
    - Plextor PX-128M3 128GB SSD [OS]
    - EVGA GeForce 9800GT 512MB GPU
    - Windows 7 Ultimate 64-bit + SP1

    I would really like to keep the settings @ 1066, but I've read that 800 is just as fast with lower timings [4-4-4-12 vs. 5-5-5-15 I have now] & voltage required. So, if push comes to shove & this 8GB kit won't run @ 1066 or is just not achievable/stable with my mobo, I'm ok with it @ 800.

    Also, all my components are up to date as far as software, BIOS, firmware, etc., is concerned.


    BIOS settings:




















    GPU settings, slightly overclocked:






    GPU settings, back to default:




    Any & all help will be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.

    MZ?dotcom
    Win 7 Ultimate 64-bit SP1 | Intel Quad Core Q6600 2.4GHz CPU OC'ed to 3.0GHz | GIGABYTE GA-P35-DS3L Ver2.0 MB | SAMSUNG EVO 840 250GB SSD [OS] | 8GB G.SKILL DDR2 1066MHz RAM | EVGA GeForce GTX 560 Ti 1280MB GPU | ASUS XONAR DG Sound Card | CM Real Power Pro 1000W PSU | CM Stacker 830 SE Case

  • #2
    Might try things without the OC on the GPU, see if that eliminates the problem....then I think I'd add + .04 to the MCH overvoltage to give the Memory Controller a boost and see what that does....try setting the DRAM voltage at 2.15 since running two sets....give those a try and see if any help and let us know


    Pls offer comments on support I provide, HERE, in order to help me do a better job here:

    Tman

    Comment


    • #3
      Thanks for the quick reply, Tradesman. I had a few things come up, but have been working on isolating the problem whenever I get a chance.

      "Might try things without the OC on the GPU, see if that eliminates the problem"

      As soon as I got repeated BSOD's, took the settings back to their defaults yet still got BSOD's afterwards.

      "....then I think I'd add + .04 to the MCH overvoltage to give the Memory Controller a boost and see what that does"

      @ my BIOS, you can increase the MCH OverVoltage by increments of +0.1V up to a maximum of +0.3V. Have upped it by +0.1V, as recommended.

      "....try setting the DRAM voltage at 2.15 since running two sets"

      As with the MCH OverVoltage, can only up things by increments of +0.1V, up to a maximum of +0.3V, for the DRAM OverVoltage. It was @ +0.3V/2.1V for the DDR2 1066 memory I have, but still got BSOD's.

      What this entire experience is forcing me to do is look into totally stabilizing my system, mainly with the FSB/DRAM Ratio, something I've put off for a while. In the research process, I've come across a lot of options for my CPU/RAM [Q6600/DDR2 1066].

      What I've gathered is that for the most stable OC, a 1/1 ratio should be achieved between the FSB/DRAM. Long story short, tried multiple setting & have finally achieved a 1/1 FSB/DRAM Ratio:
      • CPU @ 3.2GHz @ 9x356 @ ???vCore
      • RAM @ 712 @ 4-4-4-12 @ 1.8V






      Not sure if I should be concerned about this, but my RAM is 1066 [fastest speed my mobo can run] but by default is set to run @ 800. So now with the 1/1 FSB/DRAM Ratio, it's actually running slower [712] than it's defaults. What I kept coming across is others saying that the CPU speed should be boosted vs. RAM speed. Meaning you can sacrifice a bit of RAM speed in favor of a higher CPU GHz.

      Also, have ran Prime95 twice under the new settings & both times the PC has frozen mid-test. So, I still have my work cut out for me. As soon as possible, I'll put up some screenshots of the new BIOS settings.
      Win 7 Ultimate 64-bit SP1 | Intel Quad Core Q6600 2.4GHz CPU OC'ed to 3.0GHz | GIGABYTE GA-P35-DS3L Ver2.0 MB | SAMSUNG EVO 840 250GB SSD [OS] | 8GB G.SKILL DDR2 1066MHz RAM | EVGA GeForce GTX 560 Ti 1280MB GPU | ASUS XONAR DG Sound Card | CM Real Power Pro 1000W PSU | CM Stacker 830 SE Case

      Comment


      • #4
        I'd try setting the DRAM to 1066 at stock timings or even 6-5-5-16, leave the voltages as is, with the FSB at 1333 the CPU will be at 3.0 GHz and may want the vCore for that about 1.32 and see if stable...in the meantime I'll wait for the new BIOS settings


        Pls offer comments on support I provide, HERE, in order to help me do a better job here:

        Tman

        Comment


        • #5
          Ok, I played with a bunch of different settings, in the hope of maximizing the output of each component. But, it seems the goal of achieving a 1/1 FSB/DRAM Ratio is not necessary in my case.

          Scenario #1:
          CPU: 3.2GHz @ 9x356
          RAM: 712MHz @ 2x356, 4-4-4-12 @ 1.8V
          FSB/DRAM Ratio: 1/1
          RESULTS: Booted just fine, was stable enough, even though it failed Prime95. But, the RAM wasn't being optimized. It's 800 RAM ready to be OC'ed to 1066, the fasted my mobo can handle. At 712, it was running slower than even the default numbers. This setup would have been a no-go for me in the long run.

          Scenario #2:
          CPU: 3.2GHz @ 8x400
          RAM: 800MHz @ 2x400, 4-4-4-12 @ 1.8V
          RESULTS: FAILS TO BOOT.

          Scenario #3:
          CPU: 3.2GHz @ 9x356
          RAM: 1066MHz @ 2x533, 5-5-5-15-2T @ 2.0-2.1V
          RESULTS: FAILS TO BOOT.

          Scenario #4:
          CPU: 3.2GHz @ 8x400
          RAM: 1066MHz @ 2x533, 5-5-5-15-2T @ 2.0-2.1V
          RESULTS: FAILS TO BOOT.

          Scenario #5:
          CPU: 3.0GHz @ 9x333
          RAM: 800MHz @ 2x400, 4-4-4-12 @ 1.8V
          RESULTS: FAILS TO BOOT.

          And finally...

          Scenario #6:
          CPU: 3.0GHz @ 9x333
          RAM: 1066MHz @ 2x533, 5-5-5-12-2T @ 2.0V
          FSB/DRAM Ratio: 5/8
          RESULTS: Stable & the settings I've used for years.





          The "old" settings...





          The new settings. The things I've changed are indicated by RED & YELLOW arrows next to them. Everything else is identical to the 1st group of screenshots in my previous reply.







          CONCLUSION: I'm glad I finally did all this, just to see what works & what doesn't, but in a sense, I almost feel like I'm back to square one. At the moment, my system is stable & everything's zipping along again. No BSOD's to report of *knock on wood*. The only problem is I've run Prime95 3 times with these settings so far & after about 15-20 minutes, one to two cores fail. So, my system doesn't even last an hour & you're suppose to run things for @ least 6, 12, 24 hours. I've upped the vCore to 1.28125V from the previous 1.27500V, but you're suggesting I take it up to 1.32. I can give that a shot next.

          Running EVEREST Home Edition & Sandra Lite gives me a lot of info, but they're not easy to decipher & don't seem conclusive. The problem still remains why I got the random BSOD's & figuring out the root cause. As I've mentioned, all my component drivers have been updated.

          In the hopes of understanding Crash Dumps/Dump Files/etc., I've installed WhoCrashed & Debugging Tools for Windows. WhoCrashed is pretty useful, but I'm learning my way around things @ Debugging Tools for Windows. I also looked into Windows Error Codes, with 0x124 showing up repeatedly in WhoCrashed reports. Figuring all of that out with Debugging Tools for Windows will probably take some time.

          From all the testing, the only thing that's sticking out in my mind is the very modest OC I did to the GPU with EVGA Precision. If that was the major culprit, if not the root cause, of the BSOD's, then I'll be surprised. I'm thinking that along with other factors, like the CPU vCore being too low, same with the PCI-E & MCH OverVoltages, these things could have combined to cause the problems.

          Anyways, I guess we're fine as far as the RAM is concerned for now. I see that you're all over this board, so thanks for your suggestions & help. I think I'm going to be sticking with G.SKILL for a long time. Keep up the great work.
          Win 7 Ultimate 64-bit SP1 | Intel Quad Core Q6600 2.4GHz CPU OC'ed to 3.0GHz | GIGABYTE GA-P35-DS3L Ver2.0 MB | SAMSUNG EVO 840 250GB SSD [OS] | 8GB G.SKILL DDR2 1066MHz RAM | EVGA GeForce GTX 560 Ti 1280MB GPU | ASUS XONAR DG Sound Card | CM Real Power Pro 1000W PSU | CM Stacker 830 SE Case

          Comment


          • #6
            Thanks and keep us updated on your progress


            Pls offer comments on support I provide, HERE, in order to help me do a better job here:

            Tman

            Comment


            • #7
              Exact BIOS setting for F2-8500CL5D-4GBPI-B @ 800 v. 1066

              This is an update to my last post a few years ago.

              I've been using my 8GB F2-8500CL5D-4GBPI-B kit [4 X 2GB] @ 1066 for a couple of years. For the majority of that time, all's been well. But now, it's giving me problems again. If I play any semi-intensive game, open too many browser tabs, open 2 browsers @ once [say, Chrome, then Firefox], etc., it results in a CRASH. The frequency of BSOD's is increasing to the point where my PC is almost unusable for anything intensive. The other night it crashed around 20 times in a span of a couple of hours.

              This has been happening on/off for over 6 months. Have done a good amount of trouble-shooting and, to make a long story short, this RAM seems to be the culprit. A few days ago, after getting tired of the constant BSOD's and trouble-shooting that never fixed the problem, I clocked it down to 800. So far, the random crashes have stopped. I'm planning on keeping these settings until I put together another PC in a couple of months. At this point, stability is king for me.

              What I need to know now is the exact BIOS/advanced timing settings for this RAM @ 800. My goal is to get the advance timings set to be as tight as possible [4-4-4-12-etc = ???].

              I searched this forum and online for this info, but came across nothing exact.

              NOTE: The RAM settings in the pics are NOT what I'm using right now. What's displayed there are old numbers; I didn't have time to take new pics. The RAM is set to 800 and everything's @ "Auto".

              I don't see a need to start an RMA. At least not yet. I would like to make this work, if possible. Thanks in advance.

              System Specs:

              - Win 7 Ultimate 64-bit SP1
              - Intel Quad Core Q6600 2.4GHz CPU OC'ed to 3.0GHz
              - GIGABYTE GA-P35-DS3L Ver2.0 MB
              - SAMSUNG EVO 840 250GB SSD [OS]
              - 8GB G.SKILL DDR2 800MHz RAM
              - EVGA GeForce GTX 560 Ti 1280MB GPU
              - ASUS XONAR DG Sound Card
              - CM Real Power Pro 1000W PSU
              - CM Stacker 830 SE Case
              Attached Files
              Last edited by MZAdotcom; 05-16-2016, 12:44 AM.
              Win 7 Ultimate 64-bit SP1 | Intel Quad Core Q6600 2.4GHz CPU OC'ed to 3.0GHz | GIGABYTE GA-P35-DS3L Ver2.0 MB | SAMSUNG EVO 840 250GB SSD [OS] | 8GB G.SKILL DDR2 1066MHz RAM | EVGA GeForce GTX 560 Ti 1280MB GPU | ASUS XONAR DG Sound Card | CM Real Power Pro 1000W PSU | CM Stacker 830 SE Case

              Comment


              • #8
                Input DDR2-800 tCL 4 - tRCD 4 - tRP 4 - tRAS 12 DRAM Voltage 2.0V and see how that works.

                If you have a problem, test one at a time to see if each is capable of those specs

                Comment


                • #9
                  While I thank you for the reply, GSKILL TECH, I still need to know all of the advanced settings, not just the 4-4-4-12 @ 2.0V part.

                  That's why I tried to be as specific as possible in asking the question.

                  Running this RAM @ 1066MHz, the advanced settings are: 2.1V/+0.3V; Manual Settings @ 5-5-5-15-3-3-13-48-3-6-0. I need this 11-digit info for 800MHz.

                  Created this chart displaying my BIOS info to help things along. Thanks again.
                  Attached Files
                  Win 7 Ultimate 64-bit SP1 | Intel Quad Core Q6600 2.4GHz CPU OC'ed to 3.0GHz | GIGABYTE GA-P35-DS3L Ver2.0 MB | SAMSUNG EVO 840 250GB SSD [OS] | 8GB G.SKILL DDR2 1066MHz RAM | EVGA GeForce GTX 560 Ti 1280MB GPU | ASUS XONAR DG Sound Card | CM Real Power Pro 1000W PSU | CM Stacker 830 SE Case

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    5-5-5-15-4-4-14-68-4-6-0

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Great, thank you.

                      I will try these settings later this evening and then update here.

                      Would like to make it as tight as possible in the future, so hopefully 4-4-4-12 @ 2.0V, if these sticks can handle it.

                      Cheers.
                      Win 7 Ultimate 64-bit SP1 | Intel Quad Core Q6600 2.4GHz CPU OC'ed to 3.0GHz | GIGABYTE GA-P35-DS3L Ver2.0 MB | SAMSUNG EVO 840 250GB SSD [OS] | 8GB G.SKILL DDR2 1066MHz RAM | EVGA GeForce GTX 560 Ti 1280MB GPU | ASUS XONAR DG Sound Card | CM Real Power Pro 1000W PSU | CM Stacker 830 SE Case

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