OK, I'm really confused now

[Rik]

That's part of my concern, Steve, was the original memory being over stressed? TBH, I haven't yet noticed any huge difference in performance, so I would prefer stability and longevity against marginal boost. Best of all, I'd like Scan to tell me what settings they put in place.

[Ray]

May not be the problem, Rik, but could be worth checking, has he installed the modules correctly so that you are running in dual channel mode. normally if you have 4 slots and 2 memory sticks you populate slot 1 and slot 3, if he has put them in slot 1 and 2 you will be operating in single channel mode which will affect the system performance.

[Rik]

They are in slots 1 & 2, Ray, but I don't think that can be changed easily as the cooler sits across them.

[Steve]

This is the unit they've supplied, Alan:

Memory Type
DDR2-1066 (Dominator-8500C5*4GB*SLI)

Size
4GB Kit (2 x 2GB)

Latency
5-5-5-15

Voltage
2.1v

Format
240-pin DIMM

Heat Spreader
Dominator

Which is on the list. I can set the DRAM frequency and voltage, but I can't see any setting to change the clock ratios, so I end up with the same values as Ray. The mobo manual doesn't seem to cover this area at all.

The voltage quoted is 2.1 to give DDR2 1066, your image from CPUID gives a setting of 1.8 from auto.

[Rik]

May not be the problem, Rik, but could be worth checking, has he installed the modules correctly so that you are running in dual channel mode. normally if you have 4 slots and 2 memory sticks you populate slot 1 and slot 3, if he has put them in slot 1 and 2 you will be operating in single channel mode which will affect the system performance.

They are in slots 1 & 2, Ray, but I don't think that can be changed easily as the cooler sits across them.

But the POST screen reports dual channel interleaved.

[Rik]

The voltage quoted is 2.1 to give DDR2 1066, your image from CPUID gives a setting of 1.8 from auto.

So will changing the voltage be enough Steve? The timing options on the RAM spec are 5-5-5-15, but the BIOS also has a further two settings, DRAM write recovery time and read delay.

[Steve]

Read delay auto hopefully , write recovery 3-5 or auto if available.

[Rik]

Read delay does indeed have an auto setting, write recovery is 2-6, defaulting to 4.

Question. When I first tried to change the DRAM frequency, the machine just locked up as it was doing when the fault occurred, ie no boot, POST, beep etc. I power cycled it and it came back up so I could reset things. Am I likely, by playing with these settings, to get myself to the point where I can't boot the machine or get into the BIOS?

[Steve]

If its a crash free bios it should allow you to reset things . Sounds like you managed it before without resorting to clearing the CMOS.

[Rik]

 

[quandam]

Do you know what Rik, all the above is as clear as mud to me. I just bought a new PC from Aldi and, hey presto! all my problems disappeared with just one swipe of the credit card.

Aldi's last PC deal was exceptional and I can't fault it. I do wonder if too much tech info can be a danger and at times distracting. My Medion desktop is top class and working perfectly and without problem, in fact, a joy to use.

[pctech]

What brand and how much?

[Rik]

Me or Q?

[Rik]

May not be the problem, Rik, but could be worth checking, has he installed the modules correctly so that you are running in dual channel mode. normally if you have 4 slots and 2 memory sticks you populate slot 1 and slot 3, if he has put them in slot 1 and 2 you will be operating in single channel mode which will affect the system performance.

Just done a physical check, Ray. Despite the report, they are correctly located in adjacent banks. The slot numbering must be logical, not physical.

[Ray]

Just done a physical check, Ray. Despite the report, they are correctly located in adjacent banks. The slot numbering must be logical, not physical.

That board must be laid out differently then, Rik, the MSI board in my main PC and the Asus one in my other PC have to have the memory sticks  installed with an empty slot between the 2 sticks if you're only using 2.

[Glenn]

This is the unit they've supplied, Alan:

Memory Type
DDR2-1066 (Dominator-8500C5*4GB*SLI)

Size
4GB Kit (2 x 2GB)

Latency
5-5-5-15

Voltage
2.1v

Format
240-pin DIMM

Heat Spreader
Dominator

Which is on the list. I can set the DRAM frequency and voltage, but I can't see any setting to change the clock ratios, so I end up with the same values as Ray. The mobo manual doesn't seem to cover this area at all.

The supplied RAM is expecting 2.1v, hence why when it fails to boot at it's expected speed of 1066

[Rik]

So it's that simple, Glenn? Oh for some proper repairman. 

[Glenn]

Change the BIOS to 2.1v for the ram, and the speed to 1066 and it should work.

[Rik]

Plus the timings to 5-5-5-15, or is it likely to auto-detect that? My big concern is that if I screw up anything, I can't physically reset the CMOS because of my hands.

[Glenn]

It should detect the timings fine.

[Rik]

Thanks. I think I might leave this till Friday morning, as I don't want to screw up my ECG trace tomorrow.

[Steve]

What a cliff hanger

[pctech]

Me or Q?

Sorry Rik I meant Q

[Rik]

What a cliff hanger

I get really stressed out when I don't feel I know what I'm doing, Steve, and when I can't do the obvious physical thing of clearing the CMOS if it all goes wrong. It might be interesting to see an ECG of that, but I'm not sure I want my treatment to be based on it.

I suppose I could leave it to just before Tuesday's echo-cardiogram, but I have a feeling they'd take one look at the pulse rate and re-admit me.

Alan's right, of course, I shouldn't have been left to sort this out.

[Rik]

Sorry Rik I meant Q

I thought you probably did, but I didn't want you to think I was ignoring you.