Can't get ram to run at 400

[dawg]

Hey all,
I upgraded to an A64 2800+ with a Chaintech
VNF3-250 motherboard. Already had the ram. It's Buffalotech PC3700 using
Winbond chips. So, I've got the CPU overclocked to 1980mhz but the ram speed
is not 219 as it should be, it's 179.
It will run at CAS2 at 179 as well.The original BIOS could set the DDR to
200 but it was not a good bios. The 3 or 4 later BIOS versions replaced the
200 setting with AUTO and now it boots using the SPD I suppose. I've tried
diffent memory timings including CAS 2.5,CAS 3 etc. but I can't get 200+. In
CPU-Z under "memory" it reads:
Frequency 179.2mhz
FSBRAM-CPU/11(is this 1 to 1?)not right?
CAS#Latency-2.5
RAS# to CAS# delay-3 clocks
RAS# Precharge-3 clocks
Cycle Time(Tras)-7 clocks
Bank Cycle time(Trc)-10 clocks
DRAM Idle Timer- 16 clocks
And HTT reads 219.
If I can't get 200+mhz.what memory settings(besides CAS) would help
performace the most. Also,is anyone aware of a modded bios or good forum for
this motherboard?Thanks,Pete

 

[Wes Newell]

Hey all,
I upgraded to an A64 2800+ with a Chaintech VNF3-250 motherboard.
Already had the ram. It's Buffalotech PC3700 using Winbond chips. So,
I've got the CPU overclocked to 1980mhz but the ram speed is not 219 as
it should be, it's 179.

Lower HT, raise fsb to 233, then your ram will be at 200MHz (DDR400) and
CPU 2100MHz. While the ram is very low latency, it's been reported it
won't run at much above 215MHz. I haven't tested it above 215 either.

It will run at CAS2 at 179 as well.The original BIOS could set the DDR
to 200 but it was not a good bios. The 3 or 4 later BIOS versions
replaced the 200 setting with AUTO and now it boots using the SPD I
suppose. I've tried diffent memory timings including CAS 2.5,CAS 3 etc.
but I can't get 200+. In CPU-Z under "memory" it reads: Frequency
179.2mhz FSBRAM-CPU/11(is this 1 to 1?)not right?

So the board doesn't have a 200MHz manual setting. Doesn't leave you many
choices.

CAS#Latency-2.5 RAS# to CAS# delay-3 clocks RAS# Precharge-3 clocks
Cycle Time(Tras)-7 clocks
Bank Cycle time(Trc)-10 clocks
DRAM Idle Timer- 16 clocks
And HTT reads 219.
If I can't get 200+mhz.what memory settings(besides CAS) would help
performace the most. Also,is anyone aware of a modded bios or good forum
for this motherboard?Thanks,Pete

Best bet wuold be to just overclock the fsb to 233 to get 200 for the ram.
Actually, I'd set the ram to 133Mhz and then overclock the FSB to 266MHz.
That would also put the ram at 200Mhz and the cpu at 2400MHz from the
default 1800MHz. You would need to lower the Ht link at least 1 notch to
do this as it overclocks with the FSB too.

 

[dawg]

Thanks Wes. I'll be trying these ideas out later today. I don't know if the
2800+ is capable of running 2400mhz without much better cooling and higher
vcore than the board has.But,I'll let you know.