cl 2.5 clock down to cl 2 in bios? is it okay?

[leepalao]

I'm using a 512mb pc2700 ddr crucial ram with CL 2.5 on an Asus A7N8X Deluxe, and I have had problems with crashing, restarting, UNTIL I set the memory frequency down to 133. But that's not what I wanted, I mean I paid for a ddr333. Anyway, I thought I'd tried something different. I set the frequency back to 166 (which is unstable), but then I decide to set the CL 2.5 to CL 2. My computer has been running for over an hour with no problem. I'd like to keep it that way... But... Is it safe to set a memory that is CL 2.5 down to CL 2 in the bios?? I read somewhere that it isn't cause it'll break in the long run or something, but I wasn't sure. Can someone clear this out for me? thanks.

[mike breck]

Shouldn't be a problem. Most of the benchtests I've seen use the Crucial PC2700 at CAS 2.

The only problem would be if you are overclocking and tried to push the Memory Frequency beyond 166MHz at CAS 2. To do that, you would probably have to increase the voltage.

What Athlon XP CPU do you have - 133fsb or 166fsb?

The recommended setting for best performance with the nforce2 mobos is synchronous mode i.e. CPU and Ram running at the same speed.

Also, as I've mentioned in two other posts now, I have heard "rumours" of problems with 512MB sticks on this mobo.

http://forum.pcmech.com/showthread.php?s=&postid=400437#post400437

http://forum.pcmech.com/showthread.php?s=&postid=407487#post407487

However, if you can get the system to run stabily at CAS 2 /166MHz settings, then you may have found a useful workaround.


HTH

[Spyda]

what does the CAS level do?

[mike breck]

CAS Latency is the amount of time it takes for your memory to respond to a command. It's measured in clock cycles. CAS 2 takes 2 clock cycles and CAS 2.5 takes 2.5 clock cycles.

The lower the latency Ram has the better and good Ram will often be able to run at a lower latency than it's official specs.

:)

[Spyda]

good ram as in good for overclocking like corsair or good ram as in crucial etc

[mike breck]

Good as in Crucial. Specialist overclocking Ram like Corsair, Mushkin, or OCZ generally have lower latencys to begin with.

[Markoman01027]

Hmm..just lowered mine from 2.5 to 2 and I do not see any difference :-P Wouldn't see a difference anyways :)

[leepalao]

hmm... my computer crash again..although it took a little bit longer to do so!!! I guess cl 2.5 to cl 2 doesn't work. If I return my crucial ram pc2700 back to newegg.com, then i'll have a 15% fee. Anyone who has a solution to this problem, help ??? I read those 2 links, and it seems that 2 pc3200 crucial ram would work, but what about 2 stick of pc2700 512mb?

[leepalao]

also, someone also said a solution is:

to up the voltage and to relax the timing...

what's that and how to do it?

thanks..

[glc]

I'd contact Crucial - if the ram is defective you won't get a restocking fee if you exchange it through them.

I'd recommend that you run the ram synchronous with the FSB, not at 166. You will never notice the speed difference.

[leepalao]

Actually, I did notice a speed difference. computer start faster, things open faster... really amazing. I contact crucial, they will only replace the ram (with the same one) after 30 days of purchase. However, I don't think I would like to take the risk of getting another one, cause too many people have problem especially with that stick and nforce2. So I'll get samsung ddr400.

is it okay to run samsung pc3200 at stock speed on an athlon xp2400 with 266 fsb?

[M. A. Dockter]

Originally posted by leepalao
Actually, I did notice a speed difference. computer start faster, things open faster... really amazing. I contact crucial, they will only replace the ram (with the same one) after 30 days of purchase. However, I don't think I would like to take the risk of getting another one, cause too many people have problem especially with that stick and nforce2. So I'll get samsung ddr400.

is it okay to run samsung pc3200 at stock speed on an athlon xp2400 with 266 fsb?

It's perfectly okay to run PC3200 at any speed FSB at or lower than 400Mhz (200Mhz DDR...or 800Mhz Quad Pumped on the Intel boxes...whatever you wanna call it).

I can't really say that anyone around here would recomend samsung...glc just griped at me a couple nights ago about the stuff :o I haven't had any experience with it but I guess it's pretty bad.

[Floppyman]

I've never thought of Samsung ram as necessarily bad ram. However, if someone can convince me otherwise , please do so.

My current take on pc3200 is that if you're gonna get it, get a good brand that is rated at CL 2.5 or better.

[glc]

I'm only griping about the Crucial PC3200, it's CL3 and uses Samsung chips. This is budget ram, not Crucial's usual quality stuff.

[drewK7VT2]

Samsung ram is excellent, especially if you buy actual Samsung brand high-end stuff. it's less costly than Corsair but almost as good when it comes to overclocking. for example, I can get my Samsung PC2100 to run at PC2700 speeds(333mhz), all while being set at the lowest possible latency timings.

also I didn't realize Crucial used Samsung chips? that's cool, definitely means crucial is good stuff.

[glc]

That's the only one they use Samsung chips on, the rest of their ram uses Micron - Crucial is a division of Micron.

Not *all* Samsung ram chips are good.

[drewK7VT2]

not saying they all are, but the high-end is.