Should I get new memory?

"Michael Brown" <see RemoveThis @signature.below> wrote in message
news:KGBkc.313$8J.19157@news.xtra.co.nz...
 > bioderm wrote:
  > > I just got my new Abit IC7 along with a P4 3.0c and I can overclock to
  > > 3.8Ghz with air cooling but it fails in Prime95. My memory is 2 512MB
  > > sticks of Corsair PC3200 XMS memory running with 5:4 divider. Do
  > > you think it's my memory holding me back and if so which memory would
  > > you recommend?
 >
 > You're running your memory at (3.8/3.0)/(5/4)*200 = 203MHz. I'd be
surprised
 > if PC3200 is failing at 203MHz. However, most P4 3.0c's don't make it
stable
 > over about 3.6GHz so if you've got it to close to 3.8 stable, then you're
 > doing very well.
 >

Yeah 3.6 is definately the sweet spot. Anything over that and I run into
stability problems but 3.6 isn't bad at all with just air cooling.<!-- ~MESSAGE_AFTER~ -->
 >> Stay informed about: Should I get new memory? 

bioderm wrote:
 > Yeah 3.6 is definately the sweet spot. Anything over that and I
 > run into stability problems but 3.6 isn't bad at all with just air cooling.

A lot of people out there would be very happy with that. What isn't
it doing fast enough for you? DDR500 at 1:1 probably buy you some,
but at what price? What board, voltage, and how are you cooling it?<!-- ~MESSAGE_AFTER~ -->
 >> Stay informed about: Should I get new memory? 

bioderm wrote:
 > I just got my new Abit IC7 along with a P4 3.0c and I can overclock to
 > 3.8Ghz with air cooling but it fails in Prime95. My memory is 2 512MB
 > sticks of Corsair PC3200 XMS memory running with 5:4 divider. Do
 > you think it's my memory holding me back and if so which memory would
 > you recommend?

Relax your RAM timings to 8-3-3-3 or even 9-3-3-3, while running Prime95 the
same speed, ~203MHz.<!-- ~MESSAGE_AFTER~ -->
 >> Stay informed about: Should I get new memory? 

"bioderm" <4xxc988.RemoveThis@fish.com> wrote in message
news:109549jss2rp384@corp.supernews.com...
 > I just got my new Abit IC7 along with a P4 3.0c and I can overclock to
 > 3.8Ghz with air cooling but it fails in Prime95. My memory is 2 512MB
 > sticks of Corsair PC3200 XMS memory running with 5:4 divider. Do you
think
 > it's my memory holding me back and if so which memory would you recommend?
 >
 >

You need to run memtest to see if the problem is your memory. If your memory
passes then chances are that your processor voltage is to low. I got mine up
to 3.9 at stock voltage. The question is how much voltage are you using?
Since you are running on air you need to be carefull because increasing the
voltage will increase your tempts particularly at load. Post your chip
voltage and load temps so we can see what options you might still have.

Obviously since you are not running 1:1 faster memory would be helpfull.
However before getting faster memory you need to get the system stable. With
extreem cooling the 3.0c has done as high as 4.5 gigs but on air chances are
you are not going to go much further.<!-- ~MESSAGE_AFTER~ -->
 >> Stay informed about: Should I get new memory?