8gb (4x2gb DDR2) on GA-MA78GPM-DS2H, HELP with Bios Voltage

[Wotan]

Hi, I'm not sure if this has been addressed already here, as far as I could see there wasn't any info about it.

I have a new system (budget 64-bit workstation) and I'm having trouble getting 8gb (4x2gb sticks) of Patriot ram to run with my Gigabyte motherboard.

I was able to get 3 sticks (6gb) to work by turning the DDR Voltage
Control in the BIOS up the maximum +0.3V setting, but 8gb won't work.

When I have the 4th stick in there, the BIOS can see 8gb, so can XP, but when I try loading anything that will genuinely suck up all that memory (like 64-bit Photoshop or MAX
2009), XP will immediately bluescreen. This blue screen occurred at 6gb as well before I increased the voltage.

I have tried increasing the NorthBridge
Volt Control to the maximum +0.3V with 8gb in there, and that actually
loads Photoshop CS4 x64 completely, but after about 3 seconds running...
blue screen (the blue screen is always the same, mentions "disk.sys").
This same problem occurred when I first tried using Vista on this machine
(which is all new components, all tested and all non-faulty)... Vista
blue screened constantly, but was impossible to figure out 'why' at the
time, but now makes alot of sense because of how Vista uses RAM for
application caching.

Basically, I need to know what BIOS voltage requirements/tinkering is
required to run a full 8gb of ram.

I only know enough about the BIOS to get me out of trouble, and I haven't hit a wall like this before. so you can understand that I'd be reluctant to run off and tinker with the DDR2 Timings without having a clue what those numbers actually do to the system. And I am even more reluctant to resort to flashing the bios without trying every other possible option first.

Everything is patched and up to date in XP, latest drivers for
everything. I have tried it with the my GeForce card removed, running the machine with the onboard ATI graphics, as well as disabling onboard graphics (via BIOS) while running the GeForce... same problem everytime.

I haven't diddled with any other power settings in the BIOS, and right now I'm running everything very smoothly with the 3x2gb setup (did some stress testing in Photoshop and Max and nothing crashed, nothing stalled)


Here are some hardware specs:

Patriot RAM model numbers: PSD22GH8002H
4 x 2gb PC2-6400 800mhz CL5

Gigabyte: GA-MA78GPM-DS2H(rev. 1.0)
AMD Athlon X2 5200+
Nvidia 9500GT 512mb
Win XP x64 SP2
Power Supply : 430 W

Bios at startup says it is F1

Any help would be muchly appreciated

[Lsdmeasap]

Re: 8gb (4x2gb DDR2) on GA-MA78GPM-DS2H, HELP with Bios Voltage

Since you have already set your ram to it spec voltage (it is 2.1 right?) and added NB voltage the only thing I can suggest you do is increase your trfc(Refresh to Act Delay).

I don't know anything about AMD boards, but I you should be able to find it after hearing these numbers >>>> 195 or 327ns is what you may need to use.

Or you may need to loosen the main CAS timing by one since that is alot of ram. Like if you ram is 444-12, try 544-12. That in conjunction with getting the higher trfc set should get you going.

[Wotan]

Re: 8gb (4x2gb DDR2) on GA-MA78GPM-DS2H, HELP with Bios Voltage

Right, DDR Voltage maxed at 2.1v
Northbridge maxed at 1.4v

auto CAS was 555-15 and trfc was at 127ns

I tried:
655-15 | 127ns ... blue screen
655-15 | 195ns ... blue screen
655-15 | 327ns ... mixed results, but ultimately blue screens

The first boot with 327 was very promising. I had photoshop open, opened a new empty canvas, loaded a 3D object into it, no crash. Left that open and loaded up Crysis, that seemed play fine with photoshop in the background (same performance I saw with just crysis running with 6gb ram and nothing else open in the background). That went on for about 10 minutes

Then when I quit Crysis, the actual Crysis code failed, looked vague but made me wonder if it was memory related. And then about 2 minutes later it blue screened.

Then subsequent reboots would just blue screen within a few seconds of hitting the desktop.

I'm back in with the DDR Time settings back on auto (default 555-15 | 127ns) with 6gb, and everything is stable again (I have left the Northbridge at 1.4v, but before trying your suggestion I had it set at 1.2v for the 6gb, that was enough for it to stablise).

[Lsdmeasap]

Re: 8gb (4x2gb DDR2) on GA-MA78GPM-DS2H, HELP with Bios Voltage

You can try less NB as well if you have not, maybe 1.3-1.35

You are sure all 4 sticks are 100% good right?

Try 666-18 and 327Ns. What do you have above 327, anything? I ask because I suggest sometimes 327 for 4GB.

Did you also try 195? What are you choices there?

[Wotan]

Re: 8gb (4x2gb DDR2) on GA-MA78GPM-DS2H, HELP with Bios Voltage

Yep, I'm certain all sticks are fine. They passed a double memtest (I did 4gb slots per test to make sure) I've swapped the 4th stick into the mix of 6gb before throwing this post up, not a single problem.

with 666-18, all settings in the Timing are maxed out with the exception of the tRC (which default had it set on 24)

Here's a link to the manual, since it lists the max values for each setting (327 ns was the max value)

GIGABYTE - Support - Motherboard - Manual - GA-MA78GPM-DS2H (rev. 1.0)

Here are the numbers MemTest gives me with 6gb right now, some of these settings are not actually available in the BIOS

Timings
CAS = 5
tRTC = 5
tRP = 5
tRAS = 15
Command Rate = 2T

Other Timings
tRC = 24
Refresh Mode Select = 7,8
tRRD = 3
tWR = 6
tWTR = 3
tRTP = 5

SubTimings
DIMM 0 = 127 ns
DIMM 1 = 127 ns
DIMM 2 = 127 ns
DIMM 3 = 75 ns (which is empty right now)
tWRRD = 1
tWRWR = 2
tRDRD = 2
tRW-TO = 4
Read/Write Queue Bypass = 8x
Queue Bypass Max = 4
Max. Asnchrone Latencyh = 6 ns
Dynamic Idle Cycle Counter = Enab
Idle Cycle Limit = 16
Four Bank Activate Window = 14

I did do the first tests with 195 as well, but this time with the 666-18 setting, I only did 327 ns. Is it all likely that testing with 195 would work if 327 failed? I like to avoid tempting microsoft gremilns when possible.

oh, and the results. Similar to the first 327 tests... first boot crashed at Photoshop loading flash screen, following 3 boots varied in how close they were to hitting the desktop immediately after boot

[Lsdmeasap]

Re: 8gb (4x2gb DDR2) on GA-MA78GPM-DS2H, HELP with Bios Voltage

Ya, no need to try 195 just yet. I think you will likely need to use 327, and possibly some other looser timings Try this >>>>

Timings
CAS = 5/6
tRTC = 5/6
tRP = 5/6
tRAS = 15/18/20

tRRD = 3-5
tWR = 6-12
tWTR = 3-8
tRTP = 5-8

SubTimings
DIMM 0 = 327 ns
DIMM 1 = 327 ns
DIMM 2 = 327 ns
DIMM 3 = 327 ns (which is empty right now)
tWRRD = 1(Auto if you have it)
tWRWR = 2(Auto if you have it)
tRDRD = 2(Auto if you have it)
tRW-TO = 8 or (Auto if you have it)


Ram voltage set to stock or a little above, MCH try max and about 1.26-1.35

I assume that board specs allow 8GB right?

[Wotan]

Re: 8gb (4x2gb DDR2) on GA-MA78GPM-DS2H, HELP with Bios Voltage

The propaganda says this board can handle up to 16gb of 1.8v ram.

I don't recall seeing any MCH settings in the bios.

... powering down to give it a try.

[Wotan]

Re: 8gb (4x2gb DDR2) on GA-MA78GPM-DS2H, HELP with Bios Voltage

I realised when I hit the BIOS, most of the settings you suggested are beyond the scope of this board. Like, there is no 20 for tRAS

I did some fiddling anyway, tried 666-18 with 127ns.. it did blue screen with photoshop, but no until it was fully loaded.


I've had enough of blue screens for today (and the last 7 days), got to get some work done rather badly... I'll try whatever you suggest next on my tomorrow.

[Lsdmeasap]

Re: 8gb (4x2gb DDR2) on GA-MA78GPM-DS2H, HELP with Bios Voltage

Ahh, well try the highest tras you can set, and for sure use 327ns on all those.

MCH is Memory Controller voltage in your board I believe

Well good luck with your continued trials! I know how you feel!

[Wotan]

Re: 8gb (4x2gb DDR2) on GA-MA78GPM-DS2H, HELP with Bios Voltage

I just got my 8gb working in an utterly nonsensical way.

I just put in a 3rd hard drive (1TB), and from past experience, I know magical things can happen when you add new hardware, so I thought I'd throw in that last stick of ram to see what happens.

Timings on Auto (555-15 127ns), Ram and Northbridge voltages set to maximum voltage. This thing has been running for about 4 to 5 hours now and not a single crash, stall or freeze.

The only thing I can see that is different now is that, with the new hard drive, all the IDE power connectors from the power supply are now occupied.

MAGIC

[Lsdmeasap]

Re: 8gb (4x2gb DDR2) on GA-MA78GPM-DS2H, HELP with Bios Voltage

Hmm, very odd! Glad to see you got it going though!

For sure when you hit issues, raise that 127Ns, as it likely should be 195 or 327 anyway for that much ram