Help me understand timing tables

[Moto]

I have two memory modules in my computer. They are supposed to be the same, though I see different numbers in the timing tables.

Here is DIMM1:


And DIMM3:


I thought the timing table was just data stored in a bit of ROM, and would be the same for each module in a pair.

My computer works, though there are some odd things. The OC Genie, for example, underclocks my cpu significantly when it is enabled.

[Tradesman]

What mobo are you using and do you have the current BIOS?

[Moto]

I have an MSI P55-CD53 mobo with BIOS rev 1.5.

[jdirty]

My computer works, though there are some odd things. The OC Genie, for example, underclocks my cpu significantly when it is enabled.

Use CPU-Z to view what timings and speed your memory is actually running. Those SPD values are not too important, even if they are slightly different, because those are not the values the computer will be using if you have properly manually set the timings in the bios.

That does not necessarily mean anything is wrong. OC utilities (especially OEM) underclock your cpu to save power and reduce heat when not using cpu intensive applications. They are also supposed to (depending on configuration) automatically overclock the system to spec or higher when the need arises, but usually are not trusted by the general OC community. Best way to OC is from the BIOS.

[Moto]

This is what I see in CPU-Z:



It seems ok, though I don't understand it all. I have the BIOS memory settings on "auto" -- I haven't set the timings there manually. Would I get any benefit from doing so?

About OC Genie underclocking, I do really mean that it underclocks my computer. It jacks up the voltages but changes the base clock and multiplier to yield a lower clock rate. Could the mismatched timing tables be confusing it somehow?

[jdirty]

You've got something else going on.

Your northbridge frequency is way too high, 2800 MHz is uneccessary. That component usually runs at 1800-2000 MHz. That component really does not benifit from being overclocked. It just gets really hot.

Look at your mem divider, 2:6. Thats also an incorrect value. Your overclocking program just seems to be screwing with things. You need to default ALL settings and start over, preferrably not using the software based overclocking utility.

[jdirty]

You need to set any value that is going to be a constant, in your bios.

Definetely set your mem timings manually, if you let the OC utility do it, you never know what your gonna get.

Your mem is running at crippled speeds, and your northbridge is way too fast. Might be other settings misconfigured elsewhere, take a screenshot of the CPU tab in CPU-Z and post it.

[Moto]

Some more information. I have my cpu (Core i5-750) overclocked, with a base block of 180 and ratio of 20 to give 3600 MHz. I increased the base clock manually; not using the OC Genie. This is what CPU-Z shows with the system under load:



If I reset everything back to the defaults, this is what I get:


Again, this is with the cpu under load. Note that the cpu has increased it's ratio from 20 (the default) to 21. Core i5 does things like that.

My computer doesn't have a separate northbridge; it's built in to the cpu.

[Moto]

Yet more info. With all settings back to the defaults, the BIOS chooses:

base clock: 133

cpu ratio: 20
cpu speed: 2666 MHz

qpi ratio: 18
qpi speed: 4800 MHz

dram ratio: 5
dram speed: 1333
dram timings: 9-9-9-24

[GSKILL TECH]

One of the modules was programmed incorrectly, which is why it is reading different SPD values. This does not affect functionality. Simply set CPU Host Clock to 160. DRAM Frequency to DDR3-1600. Timings to 9-9-9-24. Everything should run just fine. You can then simply overclock the CPU by raising the CPU Ratio.

NB Frequency is not too high, this is an Intel platform not AMD.

Thank you
GSKILL SUPPORT

[Moto]

Thank you for your help! I have set the timings as you recommended and my computer is working fine.