Can someone explain a CPU-Z question?

[CrazeD]

I just downloaded CPU-Z to try to find the max operating frequency for my RAM.

I have four 512mb sticks in, two are identical Kingston sticks, one is a non-indentical Kingston stick, and one is a odd stick, all pc3200.

Here's some screenshots, but what do the 2 - 3 different frequencies mean? I'm trying to figure out how high I can get my FSB speed before I have to start messing with RAM dividers.

This is what my Kingston dualchannel runs at:

My Kingston non-dual:

And the odd brand:

Basically I want to how high, overall, I can OC before that will give me problems.

 

[Nitestick]

forget the #spd tables. trial and error is the only way. unless you take things ridiculously far at once you're not going to do any damage. take the plunge and start overclockind and stability testing.

 

[Nubius]

spd tables are only there to tell you what the RAM will run at when put at manufacturer based speeds. At 200MHz it can run at 3-3-3-8 timings, but at 166Mhz it can run at tigher timings of 2.5-3-3-7 in the case of that odd brand. The difference in timings there is NONE, you'd neve notice a performance difference between those two.

But to answer your question, you wont go very far at all. You've got normal RAM meant for normal use. You dont have overclocking kind of RAM. You need to pay high dollar for that.

OC'ing RAM = RAM that has 2-2-2-5 timings at 200MHz basically. Even then, there are different kinds of RAM chips. Some like a lot of voltage, some dont.

If you thought CPU-Z would give you an insight as to how far you could OC your RAM, then you obviously haven't read up very much on OC'ing and you seriously need to go back and reread a lot of stuff before you go and mess up a part of your machine and come back and ask a question that coulda been avoided in the first place.

overclocking is NOT an exact science, so you can't ask "how far will this go" that's for you to find out through trial and error like nitestick said. Make sure you know what you're doing, take baby steps, and test test test. That's the only way to OC'ing.

 

[CrazeD]

I was just hoping someone would know how far it would go. I am new to CPU-Z and know nothing about it, but was again hoping it would tell me a max frequency for my RAM. But I guess that's not possible to know unless I try.

What would by symptoms of having the RAM at too high a frequency?

 

[Nubius]

Blue screens and random restarts are primarily signs of RAM being unstable.

I can tell you though, that you probably won't go very far. Especially with mixed and matched RAM like that. You've got multiple things working against you.

1. It's not OC'ing RAM, it's valueRAM
2. You're using 2gb, which is harder to OC than 1gb, which coincidentally is harder to OC than 512mb
3. You're using 3 different kinds of memory

Those are going to be major hinderances in trying to OC the RAM. You really can't loosen the timings as they are already loose as it is. All you can really do is raise the voltage, and ValueRAM really isn't meant to handle that kind of stuff. I'm not saying you'll 100% break it or anything like that, but at this point, you'd probably have to consider yourself lucky if you even got it to 205-210MHz. Maybe you'll get ridiculously lucky and go further beyond that, I don't know, I can only speculate.

But dont worry, it's not like I learned this stuff over night. I had plenty of screw ups, dead RAM, fried board, and many many many CMOS resets throughout the learning process.

Fried board was REALLY my fault, and it's not something that happens often so dont worry about it. The RAM was kingston valueRAM stock 3-3-3-8 timings like your odd stick. It fried trying to hit 208Mhz.

 

[CrazeD]

My FSB is at 204MHz stock and I have no problems.

I am now only running two different kinds now, the two different Kingston ones. I took out the odd "nanya" brand stick because it was giving me problems.

I'll be fine if I set up a RAM divider though right? I can't afford to fry this RAM, because it's my dad's for one.

I know it's always a risk to OC, but I would prefer to minimise the risk as much as possible.

Thanks.

 

[Nitestick]

if you set a divider so that the ram will stay at around 200mhz then it would be fine

 

[Nubius]

There is always the RMA process. They are no fun, but atleast you can get your stuff replaced. Both my fried board and RAM were replaced by RMA, buuuuuuuuuuut you just neglect the part about it being your fault and OC'ing and all that dirty warrenty voiding stuff.

 

[CrazeD]

RMA what? There isn't anything wrong with anything. Do you mean if I fry it OC'ing?

 

[Nubius]

Do you mean if I fry it OC'ing?

I'm just saying........IF in the unfortunate event something were to happen, you could probably RMA it, but you'd have to check with that companies return policy and see how long their warrenty is. Some RAM is lifetime I think, not sure if kingston does that.