G.SKILL 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400)

[Peter]

Hello:

I recently bought G.SKILL 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) from newegg. I am having some problems with it.

Originally, I had Corsair 2048MB [1024MB X2] DDR2-800 PC6400. When I received the Gskill RAM, I installed it in addition to my 2 GB I had. When I turned the PC on, I wasn't getting any display on my monitor. So, I took the Corsair 2GB out, and tried it with just the Gskill. It worked, but the PC shut down after a while. Later I tried to install the corsair and gskill again to have 6 GB total, and it worked but my PC kept freezing. So I took out my old RAM out, and left Gskill in. It worked all day with just the Gskill. But this morning when I turned my PC on, it would show no display again. So I took the Gskill out completely and left my old one in, and which works fine.

So I'm wondering what the problem is. When my PC was freezing with all 4 RAM slots used, I got a blue screen error saying something about BIOS, but I didn't get a chance to fully read because it restarted quickly. Am I supposed to configure settings? Is it possible for me to use my old RAM in addition to the Gskill so I can have 6GB instead of 4GB?

My PC Specs:

Operating System: Windows Vista 64 Bit
Processor: Intel Core 2 Quad CPU Q6600 2.4 GHZ
Video Card: Nvidia Geforce 8800 GTS 640 MB
Power Supply: Sunbeam 680 Watts
Motherboard: Asus P5N-E SLI nForce? 650i SLI Chipset w/6-channel CODEC, Gb LAN, S-ATA Raid, USB 2.0, IEEE-1394 Dual PCI-E MB

Thank you for your help.

[Tradesman]

Could you provide the actual models of the GSkill and the Corsair RAM....You will probably have to configure the RAM manually. You will want to pair up the GSkill in slots 1-3 and your Corsair in 2-4. With the two different types, right now the timings probably aren't meshing and the voltage may also be off

[Peter]

If you mean this... gskill Model: F2-6400CL5D-4GBPQ

This is the product I bought:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16820231122


As for the corsair RAM I have, I'm not too sure if its correct but googling the number on the RAM sticker I found: VS1GB800D2

This one: http://www0.shopping.com/xPO-Corsair...GB800D2-BULK-G


edit: How am I supposed to know which slot is 1, 2, 3, 4? I mean which direction do I go by? Originally, the ram was positioned like this: _ | _ |
Is that considered 2, 4? ( the _ represent free slots, | represent ram)

[GSKILL TECH]

The general rule of thumb is to not mix RAM, but in your case it seems that they might be able to cooperate. First, you have to have them installed properly. On this motherboard, slots 1 and 3 should be the yellow slots, and slots 2 and 4 are the black slots. If you look closely on your motherboard, it will also have markings for each slot number.

When you install the memory, make sure the G.Skill memory is in slots 1 and 3 (yellow). Then have the Corsair memory installed in slots 2 and 4 (black). Once this is complete, enter your BIOS to configure the memory for full slots.

By the way, good going on the _ | _ | slot display. I got a real kick out of it. =P But depending on which side of the motherboard you're looking from, it can be the complete opposite, so I still don't know which slots those are.

Once you enter BIOS, look for NB Voltage and raise that to 1.4V. This is necessary when using full slots. Save and exit and see if that works. If not, go back into BIOS and let me know what the default values for Advanced Timings are set at. You may need to loosen some of the timings to allow for the extra GB. Keep me posted on the results and we will be able to further assist you.

Thank you
GSKILL SUPPORT

[Peter]

Ok well, when I went to BIOS, I found "NB Core Voltage" with 5 options (Auto, 1.208V, 1.393V, 1.563V, 1.748V). I changed it from Auto to 1.393, did save and exit, but the PC got no display. I tried 1.563V and it didn't work either.

I didn't get to find the "Default values for advanced timing set" in BIOS. Is Advanced Timings supposed to be in a different menu than the voltage one?

Anyways, I took out my Corsair RAM and left Gskill in slot 1 and 3 with NB Core Voltage at 1.393V and it's working so far.

If making both of the RAM work is a hassle, I don't mind just keeping Gskill 4GB since that's more than enough, but if it's easy please let me know how I can do it.

I appreciate your help, Thank you.

[Tradesman]

Slot 1 is closest to to CPU. Would try RAM voltage at 1.9 and check your tRFC, will prob want around 68 (maybe higher with the mixed RAM

[Peter]

Update: I turned PC off for an hour, and when I turned it on I got no display again... (I had only Gskill in slot 1 and 3 with the NB core voltage at 1.393V)

I ended up taking Gskill out, and changed the NB core voltage to Auto again and put my corsair ram back in.

Please tell me what I have to do

[GSKILL TECH]

With 2 sticks, the max NB Core Voltage you need is 1.2V. Anything more may cause the system to be unstable.

Advanced Memory Timings are in the "Memory Timing Setting" page. The first half is basic timing, the second half is Advanced. We need to change those values to allow for the extra memory.

It isn't necessarily difficult, it simply takes some testing and trial and error to get them to match up correctly. Since you probably won't even use up to that much, you may want to simply use the G.Skill memory.

If that's the case, set the memory frequency, timings, and voltage and you'll be good to go.

Thank you
GSKILL SUPPORT

[Peter]

Ok so I installed Gskill ram only again. I set the NB core voltage to 1.2v like you said.

For the other options should I leave them as it is or do they need to be changed?

#1: under "system clocks" option - "NB PCIE Frequency (MHZ)" was set at "100"

#2: under "memory config" option -

"FSB Mem clock mode" was set at "auto" with options for "linked" and "unlinked" (note: the rest of the options were not editable with the auto mode)

"FSB mem ratio" was set at "auto" with options for 1:1, 5:4, 3:2, and sync mode

FSB (QDR), MHZ was at "auto"
Actual FSB (QDR) MHZ 1066.7

Mem DDR MHZ was set at "linked"
Actual mem ddr 800


So I'm wondering for option 2, do I change both to 800 and link them??

Sorry, I know this is a headache but I'm trying hard to get this worked out.

[GSKILL TECH]

#1 is fine at 100. #2 set it at UNLINKED. Then for FSB (QDR) MHZ, set that at 1600. For Mem DDR MHZ set that at 800.

You have a good setup here, so you should utilize your processor for that speed. Let me know how it goes.

Thank you
GSKILL SUPPORT

[Peter]

Well it worked fine all night, but when I turned PC on later this morning the PC screen froze at the startup where it asks me to press del key to enter Bios. I had to manually turn PC off like 5 times because it kept freezing at that screen, then finally it worked.

When it worked I got a screen telling me system boot failed, pres F1 to continue or restore bios defaults.

Edit: Ok here's the update, I just tried turning PC just now and I was getting a black screen with no display like before. I had to turn PC off, take unplug ram out then plug it back in and it worked.... so the PC pretty much stops working everytime I shut down and try to open it again unless I take it out and put it back in.

[GSKILL TECH]

Set CPU VCore at 1.3V. Forgot to include that with the FSB increase.

Thank you
GSKILL SUPPORT

[Peter]

I'm still getting problems when I start the computer where it will have no display on monitor. Sometimes it works sometimes it doesn't. If I don't get display I have to take the 2 ram sticks out and then put back in and it will work. This is what I have set so far from what I've been told to do:

NB Core Volt 1.2V
CPU Vcore 1.3V

FSB Mem clock mode: Unlinked
FSB (QDR) MHZ 1600
MEM DDR MHZ 800

I was able to find the Memory Timing Settings, but everything was set at Auto. These were the following options on that page:

Memory Timing Setting:
tCL
tRCD
tRAS
CMD

Advanced Memory Settings:
tRRD
tRC
tWR
tREF
tRD
tRFC
Sync

All of those options were set on Auto. There are a bunch of options so can you give me an idea what numbers I should pick? The numbers ranged from like 1-80 or something if I remember right...

Also, I was wondering what should my Memory Voltage be set at? The otpions range from 1.9 to 2.5V. Should v core offset be set on auto or +100 mv?

[genetix]

Drop it to:
tCL 5T
tRCD 5T
?tRP? well if there's this one 5T also
tRAS 15T
CMD 2T

tRRD 4T
tRC 28T
tWR 6-10T (Dunno what you got there aim to this)
tRFC 127.5ns (or if in ticks ~54T should do)

Drop voltage to 2.1v (if the stock is 1.8v it's +300mV "should work with anything between 200-300mV")

--

tREF (ask before change need values you got.)
tRD (ask before change need values you got.)
Sync (ask before change need values you got.)

[Peter]

Ok I looked up my values for those

tWTR - between 1 - 15
tREF - 1 or 2
tRD - between 1 - 15
async latency - between 1.00 ns to 2.50 ns (with increments of .25)

thanks