F2-8500CL5D-4GBPK on GA-MA770-UD3 Runs at 800?

[rickb77904]

Specs are in signature.

Please excuse my ignorance. I haven't built a rig in a long time (i.e. PC133). I am not into overclocking (this is a budget build), just want memory to run at rated speed.

I can't get my memory to run at 1066. This is the info I have been able to gather about my memory. BIOS is set to "Load Optimized Defaults".

Listed in MIT in BIOS:
Set Memory Clock [AUTO]
Memory Clock DDR 800

POST Screen shows:
Memory Testing: 4192192K OK
Memory Information: DDR2 800 Dual Channel 128bit

CPU-Z "Memory" Tab shows:
Type (DDR2)
Channel # (Dual)
DC Mode (this is blank???)
NB Frequency (this is blank???)
Size (4096 MBytes)

How do I get it to run at 1066?
Also, the setting for EPP in my BIOS is set to "Disabled". Should I enable it?

Last Question
I have 4 gigs of memory but this is what it lists in msinfo32.exe (WinXP Pro SP3):
Total Physical Memory: 4,096.00 MB
Available Physical Memory: 2.64 GB

I understand that "Available Physical Memory" will be less than the installed 4GB, but 1.46 GB difference is huge. This OS is freshly installed. Why is there such a dramatic difference?

Thanks for your help. I had to make this a budget build and just want to get the most out of every component.

[Tradesman]

You'll want the sticks in slots 1-2, this is one of the few GB mobos that doesn't go 1-3, 2-4.

If you enable EPP (Enhanced Performance Profile) it might read the RAM and load the settings for you.

If not, you'll have to change the memory clock in the BIOS (MIT) to manual, set the speed to 1066, then go to the timings section and enter the default timings for this set of sticks, believe it is 5-5-5-15, set command rate to 2T (should be the default) and set voltage at 2.0 for the RAM.

THe default clock speed for RAM on your mobo is 800.

Generally with 32bit OS's regardless of how much you put in the system itself will only see between 2.5 (or so) to about 3.5GB of the physical RAM you install (it will vary based on how the mobo manufacturer has set up the chipsets on the mobo and also on how your OS is configured. A decent article on the subject is at

http://www.megaleecher.net/taxonomy/term/4727.

If you have any problems , get back to the forum, I'm not Gskill, but generally check in between 5-6 AM PST and off and on through the evening, don't think GSkill has a set schedule but they normally hit in the early AM my time, believe they are operating in China.

[rickb77904]

Thanks Tradesman.

I have the sticks in slots 1& 2. Thought that was weird too, but read in the MOBO instructions, and in one of your earlier posts, that was the way it's supposed to be.

If not, you'll have to change the memory clock in the BIOS (MIT) to manual, set the speed to 1066, then go to the timings section and enter the default timings for this set of sticks, believe it is 5-5-5-15, set command rate to 2T (should be the default) and set voltage at 2.0 for the RAM.

This sounds simple enough. Will give it a try. What will I need to watch out for after I make the changes, other than the obvious BSOD. Because this is a budget build, should I be worried about temps after making the changes? My video card is a Sapphire Radeon HD 3450 (fanless) and I won't be playing any intense games. Right now System is at 34C and CPU is at 22C. I have the side of my case off right now, so they may go higher when I close the case.

I was aware of the OS limitation of reporting memory, but I just thought if it recognized 4GB...why did it not tell me 4GB were available. Then again, my old build only had 1GB. I will read the article you suggested.

I will give the settings you listed a try and report back with the results. What is the best memory monitoring utility to use (i.e. Memtest, CPU-Z, etc.)?

Thanks again!

[Tradesman]

You can test with memtest or prime95, SiSandra also has a memory testing utility...there are a number of them out there, the first 2 I mentioned I use the most, I like to throw SiSandra on systems because it is free and provides a lot of info, at times I can have people run it to help diagnose problems from afar. (I have some customers I've had for years that have long since moved, so there's systems all over the country.

The OS itself, can see the hardware in your system, but will only list what it can actually use, based on the mobo and how the chipsets have been implemented by the mobo maker. (I've had better luck with more available memory using Intel CPUs than AMD).

From the sounds of it, I wouldn't really anticipate any temp problems, even in basic systems I do however like what I think of as a flow through system where I have 1-2 fans in the front of the case, pulling air in and an exhaust fan in the rear of the case. Also like a CPU cooler like the Zalman 95/97/9900 series with the fan pushing towards the rear of the case, this help pull the air being blown into the case from the front in and over the RAM, thus taking the rising heat from the RAM towards the back and out through the exhaust fan.

The RAM slot issue is unusual for GB, like most mobo makers they usually go 1-3 and 2-4, which I definitely like because with minimal RAM it provides better airflow, though this is becoming a moot issue as more and more people are going 64 bit and filling all the slots. I've been running 64 for a few years now due to some work I do for a particular company with simulation software that requires tons of RAM.

Good luck and definately let me know how things go. Will probably look in in the AM, but will be up in Phoenix most of the day Fri putting in a network so may not check back again till Fri evening,

[rickb77904]

Thanks Tradesman. I'll give it a shot this evening.

I will look into the Zalman. Right now I have 1 front fan (pulling air in), 1 rear fan, and a fan built into the underside of the power supply.

The OS itself, can see the hardware in your system, but will only list what it can actually use, based on the mobo and how the chipsets have been implemented by the mobo maker. (I've had better luck with more available memory using Intel CPUs than AMD).

So, did I basicly waste my money on the extra 2GB because I can't use it based on the mobo manufacturer's implementation on that model mobo? I will have to talk to GIGABYTE about that. Pitty.

I will post back this evening with the results. Travel safely.

[Tradesman]

Definitely check with GB, they may another BIOS upgrade coming up, also check on their site for driver and chipset updates. Also you never know when you might fall into a deal for a 64bit version of XP or Vista, they will use all 4GB. Keep your ears open with friends/coworkers etc for people that are buying a new system, they often end up giving away or selling cheap their old system, might fall into a 64bit copy there, seen it happen fairly often (primarily 32bit versions, but I've happened on to some 64s here and there.

[rickb77904]

Evening Tradesman! Just got started tinkering with memory settings in BIOS.

If you enable EPP (Enhanced Performance Profile) it might read the RAM and load the settings for you.

I enabled EPP in MIT and CPUz showed the clocks went from 5-5-5-15, to 4-4-4-15.

If not, you'll have to change the memory clock in the BIOS (MIT) to manual, set the speed to 1066, then go to the timings section and enter the default timings for this set of sticks, believe it is 5-5-5-15, set command rate to 2T (should be the default) and set voltage at 2.0 for the RAM.

With the memory clock set to auto, it shows 800. I changed from auto to manual but the highest setting available from the list was 800?

I looked the auto column for the ram and it showed the same as the SPD which is 5-5-5-15.

set voltage at 2.0 for the RAM.

Is that the setting in MIT listed as DDR2 Voltage Control?

[Tradesman]

Then you'll probably want to disable the EPP (it may not like the SPD) and enter the timings manually (SET MEMORY CLOCK to manual), speed 1066, timings 5-5-5-15, Command Rate at 2T, initially try the voltage at 2.0 (may have to go 2.1 (and yes that's the DDR2 voltage control.

Also, do you have the F5 BIOS? (02/25/09) which is here:

http://www.gigabyte-usa.com/Support/...2978#anchor_os

Also could you find out what your tRFC and tRC timing settings are

[rickb77904]

I flashed bios from F4 to F5 last night.

If I select to manually set the memory clock, my only choices are DDR 800, DDR 667, DDR 533, and DDR 400. There is no 1066. Do I need to set it to 533, so then it would be 1066 (2 stickksx533=1066)?

Trfc0 for DIMM1 is 127.5ns
Trfc2 for DIMM2 is 127.5ns
Trfc1 for DIMM3 is 75ns
Trfc3 for DIMM4 is 75ns

Command timing is at 2T.

I don't see a setting for tRC.

[Tradesman]

Think I blew it, when you listed the RAM options, went to check some notes and it came back to me (I don't normally work with AMD CPUs that much, but think that may be the bottleneck, generally with most all boards your CPU will only let RAM go at 800.

Sorry about that...might still check w/ GB and see if they have any input. Gskill might have one of these boards and could run some tests, I don't know.

It's times like this I wish I had something like Gskill has available with the samples of RAM, mobos and CPUs.

I apologize for wasting your time, I didn't think to check the specs on your CPU, I'm to used to working with Intel CPUs, once again sorry.

[rickb77904]

I am embarrassed Tradesman. I have done much reading tonight and discovered that my AMD CPU is socket AM2. There is another socket type of AM2+. I just read in one post on NewEgg, actually a customer review, that the AM2 only supports up to 800, but the AM2+ socket supports 1066.

Can you verify that is true?

[Tradesman]

That was my last post, about 10 minutes before yours, I was going through some notes on some AMD systems I worked on a few months back.

Once again, I'm sorry

[rickb77904]

Just think of the odds of us dicovering that information at the same time :-). I apologize for wasting your time, but you have been wonderful and most helpful to me.

So, in the hopes that someone may be Googling for the same information in the future and finds this thread:

An AMD socket A2 CPU will only run ram at a maximum clock speed of 800. On the other hand, an AMD socket A2+ CPU is capable of running ram at a clock speed of 1066. If you want your memory to run at 1066, it WILL NOT do it with a socket A2.

Thank you very much again Tradesman. Have a great night.

P.S.
Tradesman, I'll bet that the issue we have discovered will be relevant to the dozens and dozens of people I have read in posts wondering why their ram won't go to 1066. Perhaps the G.Skill Mod would like to make a sticky with this information.

[Tradesman]

I must have just been brain dead last night, like I said I found it in some notes from a past job and it hit me this morning that it's the same basic problem with the AMD CPUs that affected another poster last night, NOJ, he was trying to run 1066 (4 sticks) with an AM2+ CPU on a different board, which only allows for 1 DIMM per channel with the combo. His runs great w/ 8GB at 800, but BSOD with the 4 sticks at 1066 or above.

I apologize again (have attached a note to my wall, to always check this when I'm here with the AMD RAM limitations)

[Tradesman]

Rickb
Drafted up a real brief new thread on the limitations and posted it. Have requested moderator status, but haven't heard back yet, so at present it's up to Gskill. Also, suggested they list the more exact specifications that apply to the different CPUs as far as RAM speeds, I offered to put it together, but it will be a few days, my paying work comes first and am currently swamped.

Good luck to you and
Have a gud 1 !