Rather annoying RAM problem with NF7-S

~~DriveEuro~~ · Mar 15, 2003, 04:34 AM

I have a dilly of a pickle of a problem.

Abit NF7-S 1.2
Corsair PC3200 Low Latency RAM 2x256

My problem is that I cannot run aggressie timings with both sticks in the board at once. DIMM 3 and 1, 3 and 2 cannot run faster than 6-3-3-2 at 200mhz with ANY voltage. Each stick WILL run 5-2-2-2 by itself in any of the three slots by itself. The sticks with run in DIMM 1 and 2 (but defeats the purpose of dual channel).

I don't know if it's the mobo or the RAM. Don't tell me, "try some other RAM" cuz I don't have any other RAM nor do I have the money to try other RAM.

Why the hell won't the two sticks run together? If I run them faster than 6-3-3-2 I get a blue screen with RAM corruption errors. Anyone got a clue? This really sucks.

shuki · Mar 15, 2003, 08:16 AM

I've read that the nf7 has some problems with the corsair ram. Are you using the latest official 1.6 BIOS?

Quote:

originally posted by Abit NF7-S 1.6 BIOS readme
1. Update on chip VGA BIOS to v4.1F.00.07.13 (for NF7-M only).
2. Fix share memory allocation issue for NF7-M when AGP card installed.
3. Fix fail to create DMI Pool data when CPUID=064X CPU installed.
4. Fix booting failure issue for Corsair TwinX-3200LL and CMX256A-3200LL
memory modules.
5. Revise the DDR frequency reading during POST.
6. Update on board Serial ATA BIOS to v4.2.12 (for NF7-S only). Please also
update Serial ATA driver to 1.0.0.28.
7. Disable power button temporarily when update BIOS. This is to protect
BIOS data from corrupt if pushing power button during BIOS flashing.
8. Fix the problem that CPU core voltage reading is a little lower in PC
Health page; meanwhile, the Hardware Monitoring tool needs to be updated
to "HWM_NF7V16.EXE" together with BIOS update.
9. Correct the "Battery Voltage" wording to "3.3V Dual Voltage" in PC Health;
meanwhile, the Hardware Monitoring tool needs to be updated to
"HWM_NF7V16.EXE" together with BIOS update.
10. Change the maximum CPU FSB from 200 to 250 MHz in SoftMenu.
11. BIOS Compile Date: 2/27/2003.

mentions a few RAM issue fixes in there specifically number 4 may be of interest.....

***Zardon*** · Mar 15, 2003, 08:29 AM

are you running 1T or 2T?

~~DriveEuro~~ · Mar 15, 2003, 12:03 PM

NNONONONONOOOOOOOO Shuki. That problem is fixed. The problem is that it is not stable faster than 6-3-3-2.
Zardon: you cannot change that on the NF7-S ...... it is defaulted to 1T

shuki · Mar 15, 2003, 12:18 PM

what slots you using?

~~DriveEuro~~ · Mar 15, 2003, 12:32 PM

I typed it all up there... I used every single slot and stick combination. Just when two sticks are run they are unstable (no matter what voltage). I think this board is bad..... shit.

shuki · Mar 15, 2003, 12:51 PM

I would try running 2.5 2-6-2 if that don't float, try 2.5 3-6-3 From 2 to 2.5 on that initial setting is NOT that much of a performance difference.... almost nill.

Necrosis · Mar 15, 2003, 05:50 PM

Dude because your running them in the dual memory setup. You will not be able to run the board with very aggressive timings because of this. Dom had this same problem if you remember and it's not your motherboard or your ram it's a limitation of the chipset.

I would advise you to bench them running the sticks in Slot 1 & 2...this AFAIK does not let them run together. Once you have done that run them in 1 & 3 with the timings guarnteed for your memory and benchmark that and compare.

~~DriveEuro~~ · Mar 16, 2003, 02:25 AM

NONONONOOOOOOOOOOOOOO AGAIN! I ran this sticks in my Abit NF7 (non S) in dual channel.... 4-2-2-2 timings at 212FSB..... They can run... I've done it. This NF7-S is just a bitch I guess.

Necrosis · Mar 16, 2003, 02:38 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by DriveEuro
NONONONOOOOOOOOOOOOOO AGAIN! I ran this sticks in my Abit NF7 (non S) in dual channel.... 4-2-2-2 timings at 212FSB..... They can run... I've done it. This NF7-S is just a bitch I guess.

Your ram was burnt in for that particular motherboard. Just because something works one way in a configuration doesn't mean it will work the same way in another. It's just something you have to dual with OC'ing and especially electronics. You might be able to nudge the ram back to those timings by slowly turning them up over time.

shuki · Mar 16, 2003, 04:42 AM

and maybe a bit more like your old mobo was burnt in..... I think people are expecting way too much out of these boards from the box! give her a bit of time to warm up to your other hardware man! burn her in a bit and try again in a week or so. Just because you read of others running well it doesn't make it "easy" as some may tend to post or think..... remember your xp2100 b that "hits 2600 on air 'easy'"?? You up there at 2600 yet??

~~DriveEuro~~ · Mar 16, 2003, 11:20 AM

But this is ram that is supposed to run at 6-2-2-2 out of the box..... And has run like that for me on another board....

~~DriveEuro~~ · Mar 16, 2003, 11:22 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by shuki
remember your xp2100 b that "hits 2600 on air 'easy'"?? You up there at 2600 yet??

Yeah, it can hit that (not with a V9 though

). I haven't had time to get a new heat sink yet. Many online stores were out of the SLK-800 a month ago. I haven't gotten around to getting a new heatsink yet.