AMD 8320+GA 990FX-UD3+Sniper 1866

[horusrogue]

Hey guys!
My friend bought a really high end i7 rig a couple monthes ago and for a change went with Gskill memory. He has had nothing but good words to say of it, so I matched the black heatspreaders of the Snipers to my black PCB on the 990FXA.

Booting up pre-OS install my ram was read as 1600. The profiles in the GA-990FXA-UD3 don't seem to allow the board to boot in 1866 mode. Is the fastest way to read the XMP profiles off the 2X4@1866kit CPU-Z through windows, or is there an online account of the timings I need to set for 1866?
I guess I also need the appropriate voltage adjustments to the ram and to the CPU-NB (from what I read this is to ensure stability).

The more specific the replies the better! I've tried two forums I am currently on and I have just gotten generics about setting these timings manually, and the latest being the use of CPU-Z.
AFAIK the AM3+ boards might be able to read 1866 natively, so is it possible I threw the ram into the wrong slots? Is this technical error or common occurence?

Best regards,
Horus

[Tradesman]

First make sure you have the latest BIOS...next would be to start with the sticks in slots 1-3 and if the mobo has XMP or DOCP try enabling that - if no joy, then try the sticks in 2-4......with both check what the BIOS sets the base and Advanced/secondary timings to, if further problems let us know what the timings are at under either XMP/DOCP as well as what the system voltages are at.

[horusrogue]

First make sure you have the latest BIOS...next would be to start with the sticks in slots 1-3 and if the mobo has XMP or DOCP try enabling that - if no joy, then try the sticks in 2-4......with both check what the BIOS sets the base and Advanced/secondary timings to, if further problems let us know what the timings are at under either XMP/DOCP as well as what the system voltages are at.

1. I am one version behind. GB box obviously claimed that the version shipped supported the Piledriver core, but I fear they have mis-stated the truth as usual. Nothing a flash can't fix.
2. DOCP failed to boot with its prebuilt 1866 setting. Reset to defaults of 1600.
3. Will post the current timings DOCP is trying to impose, but will move the ram around and flash the board.

Thanks for a prompt and eloquent reply

[Tradesman]

Will be looking for your update, been hectic the last couple of days, hopefully Sun will free up some time

[brian86t]

Similar problem, almost same set-up

I actually am experiencing a similar problem, same set-up (GA-990FXA-UD3 Mobo, FX 8320 Black edition processor), only my RAM is the Aries series. I have a 32GB set, and when I put sticks in either 1 & 3, or 2 & 4, my computer will boot up with 1866 just fine. However, when all four slots are filled, the motherboard defaults the RAM settings to 1333. Playing with it a little bit (processor speed, ram ratio) I can get it up to right around 1700 mhz. I know I can get it clocked pretty close to the rated speed with all of my RAM, or at rated speed with half my RAM, but I would like to be able to run it at 1866 as rated with all of my RAM. My BIOS is fully up to date (F9 10-22-2012). Any suggestions?

[Tradesman]

The FX CPUs are native to 1333 and are advertised as being RATED UP TO 1866 --- AT 1 DIMM PER CHANNEL, which

A) means it is only rated to run up to 2 sticks of 1866
B) mean they did they 'testing' using 4 GB sticks

While the mobos advertise even higher speeds for DRAM than 1866 (and they don't tell you that you might be able to hit 2133 with 1 or 2 1GB sticks), the FX CPUs still have the same basic problem that all AMD CPUs have and have had - that being a weak MC (memory controller).

If you go digging through AMDs site, they have this hidden away, their Mem Frequency guide:

http://support.amd.com/us/kbarticles...encyguide.aspx

[brian86t]

Aaaah...

Well THAT explains why my system is so unstable when the RAM is clocked that "high". The RAM and the motherboard handle it fine... it's my processor. Now I'm wondering if I should have gone Intel with this most recent build lol. Oh well, live and learn, I thought I had researched the heck outta my build before doing it, but little things like that kinda change a lot. I'll just stick with 16GB of RAM... 32GB really was excessive. Thank you for your insight and help, I tried to find something like that on AMD's website, and all I could find was basically advertising for the FX processor series.
Thanks again! You really cleared things up (and saved me from potentially killing my computer by messing with voltages...)

[Tradesman]

well, for 32GB, 1700 is pretty darn good on AMD. I haven't built on the AMD platform in a few years now, but am toying with putting together an 8350 rig, but 'toying' is the right word I think, I bought AMDs hype on BullDozer and got a 8150 shortly before they were released and was extremely disappointing, then spent about 2 months going back and forth with them on their advertising of those CPUs being 'Native' for 1866 DRAM, which is when they finally started showing the disclaimer that they could 'RUN UP TO 1866 AT 1 DIMM PER CHANNEL' . To me they basically are false advertising the CPUs.