Need some help with timings on a GA X48-DQ6

[najaboy]

I've built a few machines before, but as this is my first Gigabyte mobo, I'm not quite used to having so much control. Essentially, I need a bit of help with some of the finer points of tweaking the BIOS. I'm not really looking to overclock, but am not adverse to doing so, either. I've read the stickies, but it seems like I'm missing something because when I try tightening my memory timings, the system becomes unstable. I'm thinking it's probably something simple that I just overlooked.

I'm trying to tweak a GA X48-DQ6 with a QX6700, 2 x 2 GB Mushkin XP2-6400, and a GeForce 8800GTX.

Here's what I currently have everything set at:

Robust Graphics Booster [Auto]
CPU Clock Ratio [10]
CPU Frequency 2.66 (266 x 10)
CPU Host Clock Control [Disabled]
CPU Host Frequency [266]
PCI Express Frequency [Auto]
C.I.A.2 [Disabled]
Performance Enhance [Standard]
Extreme Memory Profiles [Disabled]
System Memory Multiplier [Auto]
Memory Frequency [800]
Dram Timing [Auto]
Standard Timing Control
CAS [5] 4
Dram RAS to CAS# [5] 4
DRAM RAS Precharge [5] 4
Precharge Delay [18] 12

Advanced Timing Control
ACT to ACT [3] Auto
Rank Write to Read [3] Auto
Write to Precharge [6] Auto
Refresh to ACT [52] Auto
Read to Precharge [3] Auto
Static tRead [5] Auto
Static tRead Phase [1] Auto
Command Rate [2] Auto

Clock Driving and Skew Control
CPU/PCIEX Clock Driving Control [800mV]
CPU Clock Skew Control [Normal]
GMCH Clock Skew Control [Normal]

System Voltage Control
DDR2 OverVoltage Control [+0.30V]
PCI-E OverVoltage Control [Normal]
(G)MCH OverVoltage Control [+0.150]
CPU Voltage Control [Normal]

[BongWizard]

Re: Need some help with timings on a GA X48-DQ6

try these advanced timings out

ACT to ACT [3] Auto -> 3-6
Rank Write to Read [3] Auto ->4-7
Write to Precharge [6] Auto ->3-7
Refresh to ACT [52] Auto -> 54-62
Read to Precharge [3] Auto -> 4-7
Static tRead [5] Auto ->7-11
Static tRead Phase [1] Auto -> 0
Command Rate [2] Auto -> 2

start with your timings loose to get stable and then tighten them up later to increase performance... when tightening them, go one at a time and do a round or 2 of MemTest86+ (Memtest86+ - Advanced Memory Diagnostic Tool) between each change and keep going until you start getting errors... also, your MCH Skew could go up to 50 or 100ps

[Lsdmeasap]

Re: Need some help with timings on a GA X48-DQ6

Try these ranges, and what Model # of Mushkins do you have? >>>>

Robust Graphics Booster [Fast]
CPU Clock Ratio [10]
CPU Frequency 2.66 (266 x 10)
CPU Host Clock Control [Disabled]
CPU Host Frequency [266]
[B]PCI Express Frequency [100][/B]
C.I.A.2 [Disabled]
Performance Enhance [Standard]
Extreme Memory Profiles [Disabled]
System Memory Multiplier [3.00A]
Memory Frequency [800]

Dram Timing [Manual]
Standard Timing Control
CAS [5] 4
Dram RAS to CAS# [5] 4
DRAM RAS Precharge [5] 4
Precharge Delay [18] 12

Advanced Timing Control
ACT to ACT 3-4
Rank Write to Read 3-6 (May need to use 9-11, some boards it is better, some just have to have it set that way)

Write to Precharge 4-6
Refresh to ACT 52-62
Read to Precharge 3-6
Static tRead [5] 6-7 at stock, 5 may work but you should attempt that later
Static tRead Phase [1] Auto << always leave on Auto
Command Rate [2] << Set to 2

Clock Driving and Skew Control
CPU/PCIEX Clock Driving Control [800mV]
CPU Clock Skew Control [Normal]
GMCH Clock Skew Control [Normal]

System Voltage Control
DDR2 OverVoltage Control [+0.30V]
PCI-E OverVoltage Control [Normal]  I always add +0.1 for stability, but without a overclock you are likely fine here
(G)MCH OverVoltage Control [+0.150] << May need +0.2 - +0.25V
CPU Voltage Control [Normal]

[najaboy]

Re: Need some help with timings on a GA X48-DQ6

Try these ranges, and what Model # of Mushkins do you have? >>>>

Thank you both!

My Mushkins are 996850 (2 x2 GB XP2-6400). I got them to replace some Corsair DIMMs that prevented this mobo from posting and based on reading your advice in other threads.

[Lsdmeasap]

Re: Need some help with timings on a GA X48-DQ6

Ahh, Nice! I just got my set of those. Mine will post at 800Mhz 4-4-3-10 trd of 5 for me, but I do not use 800 and have not tested how high they will go. I did run them at 555-12 1066 and could see they would go much futher.

They will get way up there easy. Here is some of my initial tweaking with them, and another users testing as well >>>

http://forums.tweaktown.com/f69/mushkin-pc6400-x-line-extreme-memory-28002/

The above is a good range for you to start working at for sure then

[najaboy]

Re: Need some help with timings on a GA X48-DQ6

I'm really happy with them. Now that I've got the timings somewhat tightened and very stable, I'm half considering doing an OC on this thing. I don't want to push it too much, since I'm already idling at ~40 degrees on my CPU and ~45 degrees on the NB.

The only stability problem that I had, and I should've foreseen it, was minor graphics instability after setting RGB to Fast. Setting it back to Auto corrected that, though.

[Lsdmeasap]

Re: Need some help with timings on a GA X48-DQ6

Do you have a good fan? Maybe you should get one before you start overclocking.