[HOW TO] Update SPD

[Megamilchmann]

Hi,
here is a short tutorial on how to change the timings of your RAM using Thaiphoon Burner to get better overclocking-results.

CAUTION:
USE THIS ON YOUR OWN RISK! YOU MAY DAMAGE YOUR RAM/NOTEBOOK!!

I Use Thaiphoon Burner 7.X on my Windows 7 64 bit.
(you need the "full Version" to be able to write the modified data to RAM!)

1.) Start Windows with "deactivated Driver signature force"
(F8 before windows starts)

2.) Read Data from Ram
Press on" Read" and choose your RAM to want to read from.


3.) Press "Editor" to open the timing editor

4.)Choose the frequenz where you want to change the timings
The ratio FSB to RAM is 1:3.
The default FSB is 133mhz so the RAM is running @ 400 Mhz (you can not change this!) so i change the value (Min SDRAM cycle time) so the Clock frequenz is showing 400Mhz.


5.) Choose the latency you want to use at 400Mhz
Change the value "Min CAS latency Time" so that the "DEF CAS" is showing the Latency you want to use. ( in my case: CL7)


6.) change the timings
Of course you have to change all the other timings.
Well - i use 7-7-7-20 and i changed the other values a little bit - maybe someone know how to calculate the other timings - i just raise them up a little bit......


7.) Press next to choose what you want to do with your new config.
I always update the Hex editor.

After that i check the checksum (EEPROM - correct Checksum).


Now you can write the timings to RAM and make a reebot.



IMPORTANT:
- After the first "READ" save your config in a file to have a backup!
- DON'T ever change the CL over CL8! The Bios is not able to work with the RAM using CL9 or higher!
- I don't know whether my timings are perfekt - but they work fine ;-)
- When you "killed" a ram and the notebook will not come up anymore: use a working RAM, start your notebook and plugin the not working RAM while the System is running (ON YOUR OWN RISK!) it works fine - Thaiphoon Burner is able to work with this RAM an you can restore the timings from your backup.


Why to change the timings?
The Bios is using the RAM @400Mhz with the specific timings (6-6-6-18 in my case.)
Whe I use an overclocked FSB from 166 Mhz, the RAM is working at 500Mhz (you overclocked your RAM very much!!!)
So you have to slow down the timings to get a stable work of the RAM.

My results:
With the 6-6-6-18 timings, i could go to 164Mhz FSB

with 7-7-7-20 timings, i could go to 172 FSB stable (175Mhz is "intel-burntest-stable but crash when starbing 3dmark)

with 8-8-8-23 timings, i could go to 180Mhz "intel-burntest-stable but crash when starbing 3dmark

at the end I could use this at stable settings:
(running intel burn test @ maximum for over 1 hour and run 5 turns of 3dmark06 in loop.)

Core i7 @ FSB: 172 Mhz and ThrottleStop
GPU: 0,95Volt with 535Mhz Core - 1284Mhz Shader - 948Mhz Memory
3dMark 06 scores:
8660
8649
8657




Have fun ;-)

[unclewebb]

Excellent Thaiphoon guide. I'm usually cheap with the rep but this guide is definitely worth it.

[some guy]

nice guide.

i wish this mattered on the R1...

[MasivB]

+Rep. You are amazing.

[asdad123]

Awesome guide. Thanks!

Increased my OC from 170 to 191 (I was able to do 10 wprime runs. I'll test out intel burn over the weekend) when I changed my latency to cas 8.

[M11x ftw]

Noob question: does changing your ram latency slow down your ram? (noticeably)

[MasivB]

Originally Posted by M11x ftw

Noob question: does changing your ram latency slow down your ram? (noticeably)

Overtime probably as you are stressing it more but no... I am assuming CAS latency is interpolation which the smaller the value the faster however I am unknowledgable in the overclocking field. Someone like DavyGT would know this...

[mardon]

Amazing! I'll have a go at this when I get home!
Thanks for the guide. Can't rep+ you as I need to spread the love apparently
Fingers crossed for 180 !

The ram is still running at a faster speed than stock so it will compensate for the slower timings.

[Megamilchmann]

Hi...

Thanks for your rep !!

Originally Posted by M11x ftw

Noob question: does changing your ram latency slow down your ram? (noticeably)

Well.....
let me try to explain it with some facts:
(remember.... fsb:RAM = 1:3 )
CL6 @ 400Mhz: (6/400 = 0,015) 0,015 access per seconds
CL6 @ 500Mhz: (6/500 = 0,012) 0,012 access per seconds
CL7 @ 500Mhz: (7/500 = 0,014) 0,014 access per seconds

So we slow down the RAM to stay in the "normal" range!

So as you can see: we slow down the timings, but the "acces per seconds" stay the same..... the "ram performance" is nearly the same but the more MHZ on CPU will be great!

(well.. i dont know whether my calculation is correct - but i hope you know what i mean!!)

Originally Posted by asdad123

Awesome guide. Thanks!

Increased my OC from 170 to 191 (I was able to do 10 wprime runs. I'll test out intel burn over the weekend) when I changed my latency to cas 8.

WOW... nice result!!!!
i was able to work with this clocks too, but when i start a game or a (graphic-) benchmark, I get a crash...

Does everything works fine with games?!

[Xtrophy]

+rep for the long and thought out post, great guide. Depending on if my Ram is what is holding me back (Planning on testing when I have time) I might be doing this to see if I can break the 9k mark.