dram ratio?

[3.0charlie]

I've been tinkering with the Gigabyte GA-P35C-DS3R mobo running an E6320.

FSB is 440MHz, Ram is OCZ Gold DDR2-800.

The BIOS options related to the FSB:dram ratio are odd, since the lowest ratio is 2:1, the highest being 4:1.

The CPU is running at 3.0Ghz (3.08 actually:440 x 7) and the ram is at 880MHz (440 x 2). Since I can't un-link the ram from the FSB, I'm stuck @ 3.0. Or am I missing something here?

Latest BIOS is installed, being F2.

John

 

[3oh6]

nope, your not missing a thing. like P965, the lowest FSB:memory ratio on P35 is 1:1 (on the gigabyte boards and some others they call it 2:1). this just means that when running 440FSB, like you are, the slowest your memory can run is 1:1 which equals 440MHz (DDR880).

so in order to run say 500FSB, you would need memory that runs 500MHz (DDR1000). because again, your memory has to run at 1:1 with the FSB frequency or higher like 4:5 (625MHz/DDR1250), 2:3(750MHz/DDR1500), etc... HTH

 

[3.0charlie]

Thanks. But it means that you need damn fast memory to follow the oc on the fsb.

You just can't buy dirt cheap ram and oc the hell out of it anymore with that board.

John

 

[sswilson]

Yeah, my DFI only has selections for the three dram speeds (533,667,800) with no dividers so it limits memory choices.

Not a big issue with the 2.4 chips as they have a cpu multi of 9, but the lower chips with 7 or 8 can drive the mem out of spec when trying for high OCs.

 

[3oh6]

guys, the board doesn't provide the limited memory ratios and lack of dividers, the chipset does. every P965 board only has 1:1, 4:5, 2:3, etc...

in the case of the 965-S that sswilson has, 533 = 1:1, 667 = 4:5, 800 = 2:3. this is pretty much the case with all P965 boards...although my P5B-Dlx does allow a couple higher ratios but i can't remember exactly what they are as i never use anything over 2:3, i know one is 1:2 though.

P35 is pretty much the same but there are a couple new ratios, 5:6 is one i know of for sure but i still haven't gotten a P35 board so my knowledge is limited there. either way, it doesn't allow any dividers either, just ratios so the lowest is 1:1.

generally speaking though...PC2-8500 is pretty much anyone with standard air/water cooling is going to need because that gives you a guaranteed FSB of 533 (DDR1066 = 533MHz 1:1) and there are not too many C2Ds out there that have FSB walls above 530~550...a few gems do but it is not the norm. on top of that, any PC2-8500 memory is D9GMH or D9GKX and should have no problem clocking to 550~575 without going over 2.2v~2.3v if not a lot faster.

its just those that buy PC2-6400 and a CPU with 7X or 8X multi that can run into the situation where memory is holding back their overclock.

 

[3.0charlie]

Great explanation 3oh6, it is just the case of this particular rig: E6320 + PC2-6400.

Anyway, the customer is still satisfied, since he wanted 3.0GHz... and Ram is running @ 880MHz.

I'm supposed to received my XFX 650i replacement board next week; if I recall well, that board allows for Ram to run un-linked. We'll see what that little E2140 has in store...