Please help me with my RAM

[MaxRabbit]

There are a few things about my RAM I'd like to understand.
First, it's OCZ Platinum Revision 2. The specs are there on NewEgg's product page.
Also my motherboard is the Gigabyte GA-P35-DS3L

Okay, so:

1) What should I do about the voltage? The voltage for the RAM shows 1.9-2.1V; but I don't think by default my Gigabyte motherboard goes that high (without setting overvoltage). How can I figure out what voltage for RAM is default for my motherboard (I can't seem to find it in the manual), and if it is lower than 1.9V, would overvolting it cause it to last longer or become more stable? I don't know the dangers of "undervolting RAM".

2) Also on my motherboard it has multipliers for the RAM that are 3.00~, 3.00`, 3.00# or something, and each one deals with "strapping". For example "3.00~" is 3xFSB at DDR2 800 strapping. What is this "strapping"?

3) Just a simple question-is "TRAS" that important? I notice on my RAM the "TRAS" is higher than that on other RAM-however my "CAS" is lower than most-does the lower "CAS" make it good RAM or is that effect negated by the high "TRAS"?

4) I don't get my "tRD"-sometimes it is 3, sometimes it is 6, sometimes 7-I don't get it; what should I do? Here is a picture of it at 7, however it is often other numbers, too:

 

[Silverion77]

I dont know the other stuff, but for voltages, Jedec standard is 1.8v and that should be where your board runs. So up it from there

 

[MaxRabbit]

Okay-so assuming it is 1.8v, then I should up it .1v, or I can go up .1v? I'm running stable on default-is that where I should leave it, or is there a danger from "undervolting"?

 

[mahoumatic]

1. If you are not going to overclock, just leave it run at the voltage your motherboard supply, which is often 1.8V...
2. That is the ratio of "frequency" of your memory and processor.
That is, if you are using FSB1066 Core 2 Duo processor, the memory will be running as: 266MHz x 3.00 (the ratio) = 800, which means DDR2-800 (DDR2-800 actually operates as 200MHz clock frequency and 400MHz data transfer frequency...)
3. The lower CAS Latency Time and tRAS time, the better performance you will have. However, tRAS should be no less than the sum of CAS + RAS to CAS Delay + RAS Precharge, otherwise the data in the memory can be wrongly handled and it will cause data error and system instability. You better stay at 4 or 5 for CAS. You may set tRAS according to the setting of other three settings...
4. Leave it as the default value 7. It is typical read delay, which is related to read performance of your memory, however the significance of this value is not very high...

 

[MaxRabbit]

Okay-I understand 4 and 1 now-however, I am overclocking; I have my e2180 overclocked to 2.8 Ghz (but can't seem to get higher )
In response to your replies:
2. I'm sorry-I'm not following what you are saying?
3. Therefore when my CAS + RAS=8 (right?), then my tRAS can be as low as 8?

 

[mahoumatic]

Okay-I understand 4 and 1 now-however, I am overclocking; I have my e2180 overclocked to 2.8 Ghz (but can't seem to get higher )
In response to your replies:
2. I'm sorry-I'm not following what you are saying?
3. Therefore when my CAS + RAS=8 (right?), then my tRAS can be as low as 8?

Q1.
If you are going to operate your memory at stock speed, then 1.8V will be okay even if you overclock your CPU.
If you are going to overclock your memory at the same time, then you better select a "a bit higher" voltage
such as 1.9V to 2.0V, to "bump" your memory to a higher frequency...
2.1V, can be, if you are going to be aggressive...
Caution: operate at a higher voltage than the specification for memory may damage your memory...

Q2.
For E2180, it is a FSB800 CPU with 200MHz bus speed, and with 200MHz bus speed and 10x multiplier,
you will be able to calculate the original frequency, 2,000MHz. So if you are not going to overclock,
you should set the multiplier of RAM to 4x (if you are using DDR2-800) or 3.3x (if you are using DDR2-667)
in order to use the standard RAM speed.
("200MHz CPU bus speed" x4 RAM multiplier = 800 -> DDR2-800)
("200MHz CPU bus speed" x3.3 RAM multiplier = 666 -> DDR2-667)

If you are going to overclock, let say if you are overclocking to 3,000MHz:
CPU bus frequency -> 3,000MHz / 10 (CPU multiplier) = 300MHz, that is
"The CPU frequency you are going to use" / "CPU Multiplier" = "CPU Bus Speed" , then

- using DDR2-800/PC2-6400 RAM and operates as stock frequency, or using DDR2-667/PC2-5300 as DDR2-800:
RAM multiplier -> 800 (DDR2-800 stock speed) / 300MHz (CPU bus frequency) = 2.66x

- using DDR2-800/PC2-6400 RAM and operates as DDR2-1066, or using DDR2-1066 RAM at stock frequency:
RAM multiplier -> 1,066 (DDR2-1066 speed) / 300MHz (CPU bus frequency) = 3.33x

The calculation should be:
"RAM operation speed" / "CPU bus frequency" = "RAM Multiplier"

For E2180, you may opt to use a lower-than-10 "CPU Multiplier", such as 6x to 9x, but not higher.

Q3. tRAS should be >=
"CAS" + "RAS to CAS Delay" + "RAS Precharge" , that is
15 or above as shown with your photo,
if "CAS" = 5, "RAS to CAS Delay" = 5 and "RAS Precharge" = 5...

 

[MaxRabbit]

Oh I see-thank you for your help!