One last item you need to keep in mind Noel and I know I mentioned this in the thread.. Your motherboard may not automatically drop tRD where it should be based on the chart which is why we have the register available in MEMESETThe two settings newer systems have in their BIOS areMCH READ DELAY (tRD)MCH VOLTAGE (tRD)Now, you may be able to manipulate tRD via MEMSET, but without a newer motherboard, or, a mod on the motherboard you are running, you don

The P5E BIOS most directly affects tRD with this control:Transaction Booster:Ranges here are from 0-7 (0-3 are stated as usable in BIOS), with either the "Enabled" or "Disabled" setting. The 0 setting with either "Enabled" or "Disabled" selects the default tRD level for the NB strap and memory divider combination. The Enabled function lowers tRD (tRD -1) and/or tRD phases with each additional digit over 0, meaning an upward scale increase or boost is more aggressive with Transaction Booster set to Enabled. If using the 333 NB strap, set Transaction Booster to Disabled and use either 0 or 1 as the "Relax level" setting. When using the Relax setting range (Disabled Transaction Booster), using higher numbers will increase tRD (tRD +1) and tRD Phase adjust for lower overall performance, allowing access to higher FSB speeds. For quad-core overclocking the 400 NB strap performs best with Transaction Booster set to Enabled and 0 as the Boost Level setting - unless you're chasing higher FSB speeds at the expense of overall performance. Dual-core CPUs capable of high FSB speeds may use the "Relaxed" setting of 3 if outright FSB speed is the goal. The rest of the BIOS memory controls:http://forums.avsim.net/user_files/187326.jpghttp://forums.avsim.net/user_files/187327.jpgI did verify if I change Transaction booster from 0 to 1, tRD goes down 1. If I go to 2, tRD goes down again (to 7). It does not post with a transaction booster of 3. So, this setting does appear to directly set tRD. I think there are "unseen things" happening to other variables, but in the end, you can try for tRD of 6 in this BIOS, but the modules just won't go there. So, I'll try some DDR2-1000 or 1066 or 1200. Right now the 2GB modules (yes I know!) are all backordered, except for OCZ DDR2-1000's 5-5-5-15, which are about $100 for a 2 x 2gb modules. I bet they will do tRD of 6 no problem, but they may get iffy for 5. 5 at 400 maybe.

My blood pressure shot up when I saw those screens... LOLI thought you had gone off the deep end there for a second till I saw the DDR3 3200MHz which is quite impossible without LN2 and some real blessings from the universePCI 150???LOL!Suggestions.. If you have not already done so:DISABLE both SPREAD SPECTRUM controls.. those retard performanceCPU VOLTAGE DAMPER: ENABLEDGet RID of any AI booster settings such as the clock twister and shut the TRANSACTION BOOSTER down, set it to ZERO and DISABLE itDRAM STATIC READ CONTROL: ENABLEDManually imput the primary 4 DRAM TIMING numbers, do not run them on AUTO Set the COMMAND RATE manually... 2T or 1TLet the system work the formula without ANY AI or other BIOS booster enabled. Use MEMSET in Windows to test for lowest ability, not the BIOS. That will mean some lockups but its no big deal, just a reboot by holding the power button on the tower till it shuts down when it locks up.tRD5 is a very hard number to hit -without- MCH VOLTAGE available in the BIOS. I would say close to impossible on most motherboards without very, very expensive low latency memory -or- a volt mod.make sure in the CPU settings to DISABLE everything such as CE1 Support, etc

I'm curiousI don't know if the RAM timings etc are the only thing that helps clear up blurry textures.What I'm saying is, if I were to have my CPU, and add DDR3 RAM (which I can't do really, but let's just say I could), I don't think it would help.I think it's the fact that your system, in combination with the faster RAM, allows your textures to be crisp on the fly.Maybe what you say is accurate for faster systems, like high end quads, but with my older AMD6000 (I can't believe I said older), where my CPU struggles in busy locations like SEA, I just don't think fasterRAM would do anything...

I think you are confusing things a bitThis demonstration was not about showing faster memory clears up blurries.. it shows that DDR2 memory speed and timing will not allow the FSX settings which run smooth and sharp with the scenery detail that DDR3 memory speed and timing, will.Anyone can achieve sharp and smooth FSX performance.. but one must pull back and accept lower scenery/traffic/settings to accomplish it, or, increase your hardware ability, one of the two.And if I were to purchase the right memory and tune your system with that faster RAM, I bet it would make a difference. This is not a 'plug-n-go' situation. You accept the default BIOS setup for the fast RAM you wont see much of any difference. Its not about the speed of the memory, although I have shown that does in fact play into the result, its about how well/optimal you use that memory speed.

I don't think so....You're saying that if one takes two identical systems, one using DDR2 RAM, and one using DDR3 RAM, you will be able to achieve good results with IQ and crisp textures using faster memory(clock and timings etc). I understand that. What I'm saying is that I don't think it really matters until you get up there with a more powerful system. I have messed around with my timings in BIOS, and with my RAM, basic PC6400, it didn't make much of a difference. So I set it back to SPD. What you have discovered may hold true for very new systems but I don't think the timings will make that much of a difference with 1-2yr old systems like mine...

I ran FSX on a Gainward 7800GS+ 512 (AGP version of 7900GTX), AMD 4800+ and high performance, low latency OCZ DDR2 memory.. All clocked correctly.If I can get FSX running nice on that, I can make yours run better too.

>Get RID of any AI booster settings such as the clock twister>and shut the TRANSACTION BOOSTER down, set it to ZERO and>DISABLE itOK, we shut TRANS BOOSTER down to zero and disabled itUsing MemSet: tRD went from 7, to 10. Using Everest after this maneuver, latency went from 58.7ns, to 70ns. I think I had it set to the best possible performance. TRANS BOOST is this BIOS' way to directly affect tRD. Please explain your recommendation.>DRAM STATIC READ CONTROL: ENABLEDDid this, didn't change EVEREST readings.Nick, do you understand what Ai Clock Twister does? It is an automated fine tuning control to allow you to influence Static Read Delay (if I recall what I read correctly), when incremental adjustments are not feasiable (ie, won't boot with an incremental change). I am able to run at STRONG."Of course we couldn

I probably should have clarified... I was making those suggestions for the new memory you may testI completely understand what the AI clocking features do. When setting up and testing new hardware it is best to leave those features disabled and work the timings alone.AI clocking features are designed for the cheaper memory products that can not be pushed via CAS, etc and can be applied to see if they remain stable after the best timing and speed of the product have been discovered and tested

>AI clocking features are designed for the cheaper memory>products that can not be pushed via CAS, etc and can be>applied to see if they remain stable after the best timing and>speed of the product have been discovered and testedThat is another way of saying it. My cheaper memory was "pushed" from stock timings of 5-5-5-18 to 4-4-4-10. Not as pushed as one might desire, but a little pushable was it, as Yoda might say . . . AI clock twister gives the user some control when "working the timings alone" won't fly. Hey Nick, when would I need to increase Northbridge voltage? If I am running at 400 to 500, I guess I could just leave at auto? What do you think?QX9650 w/ Retail HSF|8GB Muskin PC-6400|ASUS P5E|EVGA 8800GT @700|Seagate SATA 2 x 4|Seagate Cheetah 15K.x|XP Pro|Vista 64--soon to be installed

You may want to bump up the NB voltage a tad for lower tRD and higher FSB stability however I would hold off on that until one of the last items to try should you find a clock semi-stable in Windows

Nick, can you explain (that would be . . . so I can truly understand) what the heck the FSB Strap to NB is and how to experiment with it? Very confusing . . .QX9650 w/ Retail HSF|8GB Muskin PC-6400|ASUS P5E|EVGA 8800GT @700|Seagate SATA 2 x 4|Seagate Cheetah 15K.x|XP Pro|Vista 64--soon to be installed

The STRAP provides 1 primary function in which the BIOS math behind it selects the memory divider and chipset latency based on FSB..This BIOS feature allows you to circumvent the CPU/MEMORY ratio limitation in the newer Intel chipsets. Here is a old, but great write-up by Tony, one of the engineers at OCZ, that puts it into perspective Noel:====================================From this post: http://www.bleedinedge.com/forum/showthread.php?t=29757875 Chipset:Think of the NB chipset as a CPU, it has an internal clock speed and a multiplier. If we use the 800 strap as a base and for the sake of this article say the NB has a clock speed of 400MHZ. The applied FSB to the actual CPU is 200fsb and the applied FSB to the NB is 100FSB with a multiplier of 4.If we change the strap now to 533 the chipset FSB moves proportionally to the CPU FSB. So 200CPU FSB now moves to 133FSB and 100NB FSB moves to 67FSB. This drops the internal clock on the NB to 268MHZ with the 4 multi, so to compensate the chipset would alter its multiplier to 6 which again would put the internal clock at 400MHZ.Now Asus forced a 533 strap on the 865 chipset at 200fsb CPU which would force the NB to run at 100MHZ FSB , if the NB applied a 6 multi at this speed its internal clock would be 600MHZ which is way above what it normally runs at. Many users did see that the NB with Turbo mode at 200fsb on the 865PE Asus motherboards get real hot

Hi Nick,This is a great thread, goes along with others that you have written. I built my own rig recently but have yet to play around with overclocking and memory settings.I have 2* CT12864BA1067 1GB, 240-pin DDR3 DIMM (Crucial). I have yet to manually set RAM setting on the mobo, so the RAM is defaulting to 7-7-7-20 (FSB:DRAM 1.2, Freq. 536.0 MHz). The mobo is a Gigabyte X38T-DQ6, running a Q6600, not overclocked (I only have stahdard cooling for the CPU, but am contempleting overclocking and/or changing out the stock cooler for a better one).Can you recommend, or show me where to find, any better RAM settings to use, with or without overclocking?Thanks, keep up the incredible work that you do in keeping us up to date with techology and FSX!Bruce.

You only have on stick in the system? You are not getting any advanatges at all for dual channel operation.. A CAS7 memory at 1066 is very poor. That needs to come down to a minimum of 5 and 4 optimal. I doubt that cheap crucial product will do it.. it also has no heatsink on it so clocking for you is out of the question I thinkYour not getting any DDR3 advantages a all. On single stick, high CAS and low mem-speed for DDR3, that system is running worse than most decent DDR2 systems right nowat minimum, for those on DDR3 they need to be running CAS6 @ 1400 and above, CAS7 @ DDR3 1600 or above, or, the purchase is not worth the DDR3 cost.you need a memory upgrade, and not another stick of the memory you currently run. You need real performance memory product