Memory Problem

[pakigang]

I am a noob at DDR memory so i need some info & help.

I have a P4 3.06Ghz 533FSB with MSI 865PE Neo2 Series Motherboard. This motherboard has performance option i.e. slow, fast, turbo & Ultra-Turbo. I already had a 512MB memory Kingmax PC400 DDR, running at Ultra-Turbo without any stability probs. Here is some info on the memory from this prog cpuz (http://www.cpuid.org/cpuz.php).

First It tells me my ram is PC3200

At Slow Setting
Frequency 166.7Mhz
FSB : DRAM 4:5
CAS# Lantency 2.5 clocks
RAS# to CAS# Delay 3 clocks
RAS% Precharge 3 clocks
Cycle Time (Tras) 7 clocks

At Ultra-Turbo Setting
Frequency 168.2Mhz
FSB : DRAM 4:5
CAS# Lantency 2.0 clocks
RAS# to CAS# Delay 2 clocks
RAS% Precharge 2 clocks
Cycle Time (Tras) 5 clocks

Now here is the problem. I just bought a new ram which is also DDR 400 not same company. It doesn't work paired with my old ram, the windows starts and suddenly restarts as in power off and on. So i put it alone and tried both setting & this is what i got.

It showed this ram as PC400
At Slow Setting
Frequency 166.7Mhz
FSB : DRAM 4:5
CAS# Lantency 2.5 clocks
RAS# to CAS# Delay 4 clocks
RAS% Precharge 4 clocks
Cycle Time (Tras) 7 clocks

At Ultra-Turbo Setting
I just keeps on restarting

Question, will both ram ever work together or i have to return my new ram. Other question is which is better & faster, my old ram or the one i bought. Any info will be very helpful.


Edit

OK i check this ram in friends pc with updated cpuz prog and it tells me
IT is PC3200(200Mhz)
Frequency 200Mhz
FSB : DRAM 4:5
CAS# Lantency 3.0 clocks
RAS# to CAS# Delay 4 clocks
RAS% Precharge 4 clocks
Cycle Time (Tras) 8 clocks

Now i am even more confused :Q

 

[CrispyFried]

The old ram seems better. Instead of using Slow or Ultra setting (it usually just adjust ram timeing to preset values) do it yourself. Put both sticks in and set to Slow (it will set initial mem timings to slow values known to work). Then tweak each mem parameter individually. Make a memtest boot cd and start playing.

Can you up the volts to the ram?

 

[DaveSimmons]

It isn't clear from your post, did you try them together at any of the other 3 settings (slow, fast, turbo) ?

Aggressive memory timings don't make much real-world difference, and for games that can use more than 512 MB having 1 GB at 2.5-4-4-7 is much better than just 512 MB at 2-2-2-5.

Also if they do run together (especially if you use fast or turbo), you should run memtest to make sure they are running without any errors.

 

[pakigang]

well right now i am at friends home typing this message. I can change my voltage setting for the memory but the prob. is that if i put both memory together the system boots automatically, not even being able to get into explorer (not ie).

 

[cubby1223]

The BIOS should have some option to read the settings from the RAM and set it as that. Slow, fast, turbo, & ultra-turbo don't really say much and seem like it's running lower timings than the ram is defined as. Is there an "auto detect" or "spd" option somewhere to use instead?

 

[CrispyFried]

Put the old stick in and set to Slow (and/or "By SPD") . Save and exit, put the other ram stick in (so both are in) and see if it boots.

 

[pakigang]

Originally posted by: DaveSimmons
Aggressive memory timings don't make much real-world difference, and for games that can use more than 512 MB having 1 GB at 2.5-4-4-7 is much better than just 512 MB at 2-2-2-5.

Also if they do run together (especially if you use fast or turbo), you should run memtest to make sure they are running without any errors.

Setting it to 2.5-4-4-7, now both rams are working, although the performance mode is still set to Ultra-Turbo. Thanks for the advice.
Sorry for being noob but what does those timings mean and how it affects my system and memory and what would be the best value i can get using both memory?

 

[DaveSimmons]

Sorry for being noob but what does those timings mean and how it affects my system and memory and what would be the best value i can get using both memory?

Not a n00b question at all, many people never bother to learn the finer points of memory timing, including myself. I'm lazy, and don't care about an extra 1% performance, so I just run my memory at stock timings.

Check the memory tab at the top of this page, there have been a few articles comparing memory timing over the last couple of years.

Be sure to run memtest86 -- "not crashing" is not the same as "running without memory errors"! Memory errors can cause weird reboots and crashes, and can corrupt the data written to your hard drive.