GA-EP45-UD3P - looking for memory setting advice

[sunjet]

I've got 8gigs of Corsair Dominator installed.

Corsair TWIN2X4096-8500C5D Dominator 4GB 2 X 2GB PC2-8500 1066MHz 240-Pin DDR2 CL5 Dual Channel Desktop Memory

I've had consistent stability problems for a while now. It started with the system hard locking when playing Age of Conan my current game of choice. I've read through the memory setting section and made some adjustments. Things have gotten to the point I haven't had a hard lock up in a long while but my game seem to consistently crash when I'm shutting it down. I've attached screen shots with all the information I think will be needed. I'm hoping someone will look at the settings and tell me if anything seems off or could be adjusted.

Attachment 2984

[profJim]

Did you load Optimized Bios defaults before you made any bios changes?
If not, you first need to start with the optimized bios settings.

Running with 8GB of memory might not be possible at the full 1066MHz memory speed.
Have you performed any extended stress testing using Prime95 or OCCT?
Have you run IntelBurnTest or LinX for 10 passes using the maximum amount of available memory?

To best help you, you should provide the information in steps 1 - 4 in EP43-UD3L with Q9400 wont post, keeps rebooting, post #5.

Use the EP45 bios template to provide your current bios settings requested in step #3.

Note:
System Memory Multiplier = 2.40B will run your memory at 800MHz for initial stability testing.
Primary memory timings using 4-4-4-12 at 800MHz will provide similar performance to 5-5-5-15 timings at 1066MHz.
MCH Core = 1.24 - 1.28 should help with stability.
Dram Voltage = 2.12 might help, try this last.

Manually setting the suggested voltages in post #5 might help at stock system speeds.
Once your system passes stabiltiy testing at 800MHz speeds, we can help you run your memory at higher speeds.
Overclocking your cpu speed will provide significantly more system performance than merely running memory at higher speeds.

[sunjet]

Okay so far I've run most of the stress tests you have below. Ran Prime95 all day, and one run through with Intel burn and OCCTPT. Its not clear to me why OCCTPT only thought 6gigs of ram were available so I'll be checking that later.

I started my bios setting with optimized defaults although I've made a number of changes that include manually setting memory. i've included some screen shots. Attachment 2983

[sunjet]

Attachment 2985

[profJim]

The operating system reserves memory, so you won't be able to test with 8GB of "available" memory.
Without your posted bios settings, it's not possible to properly advise you.
There are some bios settings that often lead to instability.

Posting a detailed hardware list along with mobo version, bios version, operating system, etc will let us better help you.

[sunjet]

Motherboard - GA-EP45-UD3P - Rev.1.1 - Bios F10
QX6850 @ 3.0ghz
Memory - TWIN2X4096-8500C5D Dominator 4GB 2 X 2GB PC2-8500 1066MHz 5-5-5-15
Heatsink - Noctura - don't have the specific model
Harddrive - Seagate Barracuda 1.5TB 7200RPM
Video card - BFG Nvidia GTX285
Sound - Creative X-Fi
Keyboard/mouse - G15/G9
Powersupply - OCZ X Stream Pro 700W
OS - Vista 64bit

MB Intelligent Tweaker(M.I.T.)
Robust Graphics Booster -------------- : [Auto]
CPU Clock Ratio ---------------------- : [9x]
Fine CPU Clock Ratio ----------------- : [3.00(333x9)]
CPU Frequency ---------------------: 3007.78

Clock Chip Control
Standard Clock Control
CPU Host Clock Control --------------- : [Disabled]
CPU Host Frequency (Mhz) --------------: [333]
PCI Express Frequency (Mhz) ---------- : [100]

C.I.A.2 ------------------------------ : [Disabled]

Advanced Clock Control ------- [Press Enter]
CPU Clock Drive ---------------------- : [800mV]
PCI Express Clock Drive -------------- : [900mV]
CPU Clock Skew (ps) ------------------ : [0ps]
MCH Clock Skew (ps) ------------------ : [0ps]

DRAM Performance Control
Performance Enhance ------------------- : [Standard]
Extreme Memory Profile --- (X.M.P.) --- : [Disabled]
(G)MCH Frequency Latch ---------------- : [333]
System Memory Multiplier -------------- : [Auto]
Memory Frequency (Mhz) ---------------- : [Auto]
DRAM Timing Selectable ---------------- : [Auto] <-- set to MANUAL for overclocking

Standard Timing Control
CAS Latency Time ------------------ : [5]
tRCD ----------------------------- : [5]
tRP ------------------------------- : [5]
tRAS ----------------------------- : [15]

Advanced Timing Control
tRRD ------------------- 4 ---------- : [Auto]
tWTR ------------------- 4 ---------- : [Auto]
tWR --------------------- 8 ---------- : [Auto]
tRFC ------------------- 68 ---------- : [Auto]
tRTP ------------------- 4 ---------- : [Auto]
Command Rate (CMD) -------------------- : [Auto] 0

Driving Strength Profiles
Driving Strength --------- : Press Enter <--- press ENTER to modify memory sub-timings when overclocking

Channel A
Static tRead Value --------------------- : [Auto] 8
tRD Phase0 Adjustment ------------------ : [Auto] <-- leave this and below set to AUTO
tRD Phase1 Adjustment ------------------ : [Auto] 0
tRD Phase2 Adjustment ------------------ : [Auto] 0
tRD Phase3 Adjustment ------------------ : [Auto] 0
Trd2rd(Different Rank) ----------------- : [Auto] 8
Twr2wr(Different Rank) ----------------- : [Auto] 8
Twr2rd(Different Rank) ----------------- : [Auto] 7
Trd2wr(Same/Diff Rank) ----------------- : [Auto] 9
Dimm1 Clock Skew Control --------------- : [Auto] ps
Dimm2 Clock Skew Control --------------- : [Auto] ps

Channel B
Static tRead Value --------------------- : [Auto] 8
tRD Phase0 Adjustment ------------------ : [Auto] <-- leave this and below set to AUTO
tRD Phase1 Adjustment ------------------ : [Auto] 0
tRD Phase2 Adjustment ------------------ : [Auto] 0
tRD Phase3 Adjustment ------------------ : [Auto] 0
Trd2rd(Different Rank) ----------------- : [Auto] 8
Twr2wr(Different Rank) ----------------- : [Auto] 8
Twr2rd(Different Rank) ----------------- : [Auto] 7
Trd2wr(Same/Diff Rank) ----------------- : [Auto] 9
Dimm1 Clock Skew Control --------------- : [Auto] ps
Dimm2 Clock Skew Control --------------- : [Auto] ps

Motherboard Voltage Control
CPU
Voltage Types------------ Normal -------- Current -----
Load-Line Calibration ----------------- : [Disabled]
CPU Vcore --------------- 1.31250 V ---- : [Auto]

CPU Termination --------- 1.200V* ----- : [Auto]
CPU PLL ----------------- 1.500V* ----- : [Auto]

CPU Reference ----------- 0.760V* ----- : [Auto]
CPU Reference2 ---------- ?.???V* ----- : [Auto] - Don't have this line in my bios

MCH/ICH
MCH Core ---------------- 1.200V ------- : [Auto]
MCH Reference ----------- 0.760V ------- : [Auto]
MCH/DRAM Ref ------------ 0.900V ------ : [Auto]
ICH I/O ----------------- 1.500V ------- : [Auto]
ICH Core ---------------- 1.100V ------- : [Auto]
DRAM
DRAM Voltage ------------ 2.100V ------- : [Auto]
DRAM Termination -------- 0.900V ------- : [Auto]
Channel A Reference ----- 0.900V ------- : [Auto]
Channel B Reference ----- 0.900V ------- : [Auto]

Advanced Settings
Limit CPUID Max. to 3 ------------------ : [Disabled]
No-Execute Memory Protect -------------- : [Enabled]
CPU Enhanced Halt (C1E) ---------------- : [Disabled]
C2/C2E State Support ------------------- : [Disabled] Don't see this line in my bios
x C4/C4E State Support ----------------- : [Disabled] Don't see this line in my bios
CPU Thermal Monitor 2 (TM2) ------------ : [Enabled]
CPU EIST Function --------------------- : [Disabled]
Virtualization Technology -------------- : [Disabled]

Integrated Peripherals
Legacy USB Storage Detect ------------- : [Disabled]


Attachment 2986

[sunjet]

one more set of screen shots showing more bios settings.

Attachment 2987

[sunjet]

I will be testing additional MCH Core voltage to see if that helps. Going to try 1.24.

[Lsdmeasap]

I agree, 8GB of memory is going to need more MCH, try 1.26-1.32.

Also manually set your memory multiplier to 3.20B, and set your ram voltage to 2.1V

More CPU Vtt may be needed as well, try 1.225-1.25

[sunjet]

Okay changed setting based on advice. I went with the lower end of the setting range to start off with. I also set the memory multiplier to 3.20B.

I am only pretty sure that CPU Termination is Vtt? I changed it to 1.22 but the system started acting oddly. I was getting sound freezes during gaming and noticeable increases in time to do things like shut down the PC. So I backed that to original settings.

I ran stability tests successfully and didn't have my game shut down improperly for a while. Yesterday I got my first imporper game shut down so today I upped the MCH to 1.28 and I'll continue testing.