Best RAM For...

[dynamo86]

MSI NEO2-FR board with Q6600 and nVidia 8800GT.

I want FAST, but stock, 2GB 900MHz RAM compatible with the setup above..

Any suggestions guys?

Thank you as always!

[Lynx]

The patriot ram will do 900mhz under the right conditions, you would have to ask someone who owns some though, it has pretty nice timings too!

[wonderlust]

Patriot 2GB PC2-6400 C4 Extreme Performance #26802

800 4.4.4.12 @ 2.2V (running mine at 2.0)
1000 5.5.5.15@2.3V

[Mul.]

I second that. The Patriot kit is very well priced and an excellent overclocker.

[dynamo86]

my only concern is that 90% of incompatiblity issues with the MSI NEO2-FR, the person is using patriot RAM.. or maybe I've misread/intepreted..

I gather OCZ is pretty good RAM too, no? That's what i have in my sustem at the moment due to some good reviews I've seen through google..

[wonderlust]

I was one of the people, it turns out that MSI had an issue with bios 1.4, ever since the issue has not existed,

My spec:-
P35 Neo2-Fr Bios 1.7
q6600 @ 3Ghz on default voltage
Thermalright Ultra120 Extreme (its huge 16Cm tall)
Patriot Pc6400 2Gb llc kit (running 4.4.4.12 @ 2.0v)
6800GT (yes i know its old)
Hiper type R 570W PSU
200Gb+500Gb Seagate 7200.10
Liteon Sata DVD-RW
Gigabyte 3D Aurora

[dynamo86]

So patriot at stock performance is better than OCZ/GeIL/Corsair at stock performance? If you know?

[wonderlust]

I don't know much about the other brands but i will post a cpu-z of the SPD of the patriot in a mo

[wonderlust]

here you go:-
http://lh5.google.co.uk/jim.l.halsey/R8Xl_kkx2VI/AAAAAAAAAJw/gh3oF2TQ4rE/cpu-z.JPG?imgmax=800

[Mul.]

Wow, it's got an EPP column for DDR2-1000 as well. Good RAM.

As above, the no boot scenario was due to the board shipping with an older BIOS. It seems as though Aria's Neo2-Fr's are shipping with later BIOS' now.

[wonderlust]

yep its good stuff, mine was running fine with my q6600 running 449x8 ram 1:1 for a crack at the super PI, 450 seems to set all the voltages at max!
449x8 uses a lower cpu voltage for stablity than 400x9 :confused:

[dynamo86]

Awesome! I can't wait to be running more than 4 apps at a time lol!

I digress. So are those CPU-Z stats good? I have no idea what exactly those numbers mean.. though I have a slight idea from my research etc. From those numbers, what are the l"timings" and what are the "latencies"?

Did you have to alter the voltage to gain compatiblity with your MSI board?

[Mul.]

Initially you will need to manually assign memory timings and voltage of 4-4-4-12 and 2.2V respectively in BIOS, yes. It won't do that automatically.

Memory Timings are effectively the efficiency at which work is done to put it simply. The lower the better, although to be frank it doesn't make a huge difference with Core 2's where higher frequencies tend to help more.

[wonderlust]

with the newer bios it will boot at the standard jedec spd settings 5.5.5.16.21 @ 1.8v

for the performance settings you have to set them manually in the cell menu section of the bios.

There are also some advanced hidden settings that can be accessed by pressing F4 on the cell menu. I haven't changed any of these myself

[dynamo86]

Ok, that sounds rather complicated... Is that because of the mobo or would you have to alter the settings on most mid-ranges mobo's?

Same rules apply forthe OCZ Platinum Rev 2.0 sticks?

[wonderlust]

all boards from factory will use the Jedec spd settings, thats what they are there for.

For advanced feature you have to set them manually (at least with Intel boards)

[dynamo86]

So my question is, can I just stick in either the Pat or the OCZ RAM and let them work straight away, without tinkering with the BIOS? Albeit at stock performance.

basically, is changing stuff such as the voltage in the BIOS a neccessity when installing those types of performance RAM's?

[wonderlust]

yes

[dynamo86]

right then, any tutorials on such operations that you know of?

[wonderlust]

in terms of?

[GM8]

my patriot will do 900mhz @ 4,4,4,12 @ 2.2v , this is across 4 sticks ! so again another vote for that

[dynamo86]

in terms of?
a tutorial to assist me with altering the settings of the BIOS to accomodate such performance RAM.. You said that it is neccessary to do so, but I don't know how..

[wonderlust]

It is covered in the mobo manual, it is very easy.

best thing to do is get the system installed at default, then grab a copy of cpu-z and get the timings. write these down, or screen dump (this is the 21st century!) to printer.

enter bios and set timings to match don't forget the voltage or the board will fail to reboot three times then it will reboot in "safe mode" (bios not windows) and tell you that the overclock has failed

[wonderlust]

Just a thought, why not go to MSI's website and download a copy of the manual! you will be able to see what is required

[dynamo86]

It is covered in the mobo manual, it is very easy.

best thing to do is get the system installed at default, then grab a copy of cpu-z and get the timings. write these down, or screen dump (this is the 21st century!) to printer.

enter bios and set timings to match don't forget the voltage or the board will fail to reboot three times then it will reboot in "safe mode" (bios not windows) and tell you that the overclock has failed
Right, but I can't get the system installed at default as you said the RAM has to be configured in the BIOS..

Sorry if I'm not getting this quickly enough..

[tystar]

i got my Patriot running at 900mhz also with 4-4-4-11 @ 2.1v
This mem is awsome stuff.

http://i238.photobucket.com/albums/ff185/tystar75/memscreen.jpg

[dynamo86]

By manually changing the timings and voltage, am I "overclocking" the RAM? Is that what it is? just wondering - never overclcoked anything before lol :D.

[tystar]

yes you are.

before i built this pc i'd never done any overclocking before and was surprised at how easy it was :mrgreen:.

[dynamo86]

That's awesome, I can't wait!

Considering you guy's swear by the patriot RAM, I think I'll go for it :D.

[coiler]

i got my Patriot running at 900mhz also with 4-4-4-11 @ 2.1v
This mem is awsome stuff.

http://i238.photobucket.com/albums/ff185/tystar75/memscreen.jpg

sorry i can't seem to see the timings youve got there :redface:

[Aaron]

Are you being distracted by something else? :lol: :lol:

[coiler]

:redface:

[marsey99]

yep, i cant see any ram timings on that screen too :D