2x2GB F2-8500CL5D on Gigabyte GA-MA770-UD3

[Nerdrage]

CPU: AMD Athlon 64 x2 Black Edition Kuma (AM2+)
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-MA770-UD3 flashed to latest BIOS revision F5

I cannot get my 4GB of F2-8500CL5D G.Skill RAM to run stable at 1066MHz. I have tried setting the clock speeds, the timings and the voltage manually in my motherboard's BIOS, and Prime95 fails a blended test within seconds. Memtest86+ begins reporting a large number of errors around the 34% mark.

I have tried every voltage step between 2.0 and 2.1.

I have also tried increasing the CPU and NB voltages by .025 and .05 volts, to no avail.

My RAM sticks are installed in channels 3 and 4 (Red) due to the size of my CPU heatsink if that has any effect on the matter, however dual channel mode is still engaged.

I have NOT tried testing the sticks individually, that will be my next course of action.

I am hoping that someone here can help me with my problem as I would really like to be able to run this RAM at the advertised speed of 1066. I understand that people have problems when trying to run 8GB on an AMD processor, but this is only 4GB...

EDIT - Sorry, I forgot to mention that the RAM runs very well in 800MHz mode and passes Prime95 like a champ. It is only when I turn it up to 1066 that I begin to have problems. These problems included a few random BSOD's while I was setting up my new system, and the aforementioned complete lack of Prime95 stability.

[GSKILL TECH]

Try running the later timing settings on auto. Also, make sure your performance enhance setting is on "standard" or "auto". Please keep us posted on your individual testing and progress.


GSKILL SUPPORT

[Nerdrage]

Hi,

Thanks for the reply.

I've tried running the RAM @ 1066 a couple of different ways. One way included letting the BIOS automatically set the timings, which it selected more relaxed timings of 5-7-7-20, and manually selecting the correct timings myself. Neither method worked any better than the other.

[GSKILL TECH]

Did you get a chance to test them individually? You may have a defective memory stick.

GSKILL SUPPORT

[Nerdrage]

I did not get a chance to test the sticks individually.

However, I have got the memory running Prime95 stable @ 1068MHz by overclocking my reference clock. 267MHz x 4.00 RAM multiplier. 5-5-5-15 timings, 2.1 volts. I also had to throw an extra .05 volts at the VCore and the Northbridge.

Problem solved, sort of, I guess. I was planning on overclocking my black edition processor all along anyways, so dropping to a 4x RAM multi was inevitable, but it would have been nice to have had the RAM work properly out of the box on a stock system.

Since it's working now though, I suspect this is a motherboard issue and not a RAM issue.

[GSKILL TECH]

I agree, this combo is very picky with memory for some reason. It's great that you got it working at that speed though. Thank you for sharing your experience, I'm sure it will help many others with the same issue. Feel free to let us know if you encounter any further issues.

Thank you

GSKILL SUPPORT

[Tradesman]

If you currently have then both in the red slots (3-4) then both are in channel 2, and thus running in single channel mode. With this mobo if you can get them in slots 2 (yellow- 2nd from CPU) and 4 (red-outermost slot from CPU then you may have a better chance of hitting the advertised specs, also you will have enabled the dual channel feature, further increasing RAM performance.

[Nerdrage]

If you currently have then both in the red slots (3-4) then both are in channel 2, and thus running in single channel mode. With this mobo if you can get them in slots 2 (yellow- 2nd from CPU) and 4 (red-outermost slot from CPU then you may have a better chance of hitting the advertised specs, also you will have enabled the dual channel feature, further increasing RAM performance.

Hi Tradesman,

My RAM is definitely running in dual channel mode.

The 2 red sockets on my motherboard are not the same channel. One is channel 0, the other is channel 1. When installing only 2 sticks you are supposed to stick to the same color to ensure dual-channel operation.

Although the yellow pair is preferred since they are closer to the CPU and subsequently the memory controller (this will result in lower Trfc timings), that is not possible in my case due to the size of my aftermarket heatsink.

[Tradesman]

My fault...sorry about that...was thinking of a different board when I responded, was working two forums at once, won't do that again.