Did I Buy the Wrong RAM? F3-12800CL9D-4GBRL and ASUS M4A77TD

[Peter Principle]

THE COMPUTER

So I got my brand new computer componets a few weeks ago.

Here's my motherboard:

ASUS M4A77TD AM3 AMD 770 ATX AMD Motherboard

RAM
G.SKILL Ripjaws Series 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Desktop Memory Model F3-12800CL9D-4GBRL

Processor
AMD Phenom II X4 945 Deneb 3.0GHz 4 x 512KB L2 Cache 6MB L3 Cache Socket AM3 95W Quad-Core Processor

Power Supply
Rosewill Stallion Series RD400-2-SB 400W ATX V2.2 Power Supply

THE PROBLEM

I get errors when I run Memtest86+. With a RAM chip in the A1 and B1 channel and everything on auto detect, I get an average of 1 error every pass. Yikes. When I manually set the speed and timing of the RAM (DDR3-1600, timings to tCL 9, tRCD 9, tRP 9, tRAS 24, Command Rate 2T and voltage set to 1.5V) the errors reduce (1 error per 12 passes), but they're still there. This happens even when the BIOS is updated to the most current version.

SOMETHING ODD

There seems to be something weird going on with the B channel. When I was testing individual RAM sticks, I noticed that when I put the RAM in the A channel, Memtest86+ lists the RAM speed correctly (PC1600). When I put the RAM in the B channel, Memtest86+ lists the RAM speed as 200 MHz, PC400. If I run in single channel mode, in A channel I get no errors, but if I run single channel in B channel I get errors.

I RMA'd the board, and I haven't completed my testing but it looks like the same thing happens with the replacement board as well. Is this normal? Did I just happen to get the same problem with my replacement board? I'm confused.

WHEN ALL ELSE FAILS, RTFM

For PC1600 G.Skill RAM, I see that Asus recommends CL9D-2GBNQ, CL8T-6GBHK, and CL9T-6GBNQ. My RAM that I'm using right now is 4GBRL. Did I totally buy the wrong RAM and really screw up? What do the various letters in the part number mean, anyway? I was expecting to find a sticky in the forums that would decode the various fields of the G.Skill part numbering system.

A DESPERATE MOVE

I went to Fry's today and spend $142 (ugh) on two sticks of Crucial 1333 that I'm running right now. 5 memtest passes so far with no errors, but I'd rather not have to keep that RAM. I went to Fry's because it would be very easy to return if I can get it back in 15 days.

HOPE

I would really like to make this G.Skill RAM work. I think there might be some way to manually set the timing to make this combo operate with no errors. But I'm worried I bought the wrong RAM or that the Asus M4A77TD is just prone to errors. What should I do?

[Peter Principle]

UPDATE

I ran the Corsair RAM for 7 passes, all timings on [auto] with no errors.

I thought I might be able to get the GSkill to run without errors at that speed. I then put the G.Skill RAM in, designated the clock speed at 1333, voltage at 1.5, 2T, 9-9-9-24 and ran it over night. Six memtest passes and it generated an error.

[qetuop]

Peter,
I got the same board though not the same ram.
The ram wasn't on the boards vendor list but I am hoping it works.
I had issues as well, here was my post.
http://gskill.us/forum/showthread.php?t=5060

I tested one stick each morning after leaving the machine off at night. When they failed it was always ~3min consistently.

No official response on if it should work but I rma'd the memory and the replacements they sent me seem to be working. If you read the posts here it has been a common issue. No official response from Gskill. But they have been good about replacing with working ram. Just make sure to ask them to test it before sending back.

Good luck.

[Nuttydave]

can i just ask what your graphics card is because 400watt power supply aint alot for what your using and im suprised it even turns on.

[Nuttydave]

Try this out.
http://support.asus.com/PowerSupplyC...Language=en-us

[Peter Principle]

getuop,

Thanks for the link, but I don't think cold boot is my problem. I'm getting errors even after the computer has been running for 8 hours, 12 hours, 16 hours, 19 hours...

Dave,

Are you sure you're running the calculator correctly? I entered my system specs into the Asus calculator and it recommended a 300W power supply.

The Thermaltake calculator (http://thermaltake.outervision.com/Power) says essentially the same thing (302 W), and I am probably overestimating my power draw on the Thermaltake site.

[Peter Principle]

So, does anyone have any recommendations on anything I can do to make this RAM work? Or do I need to RMA it?

Oh, and what do the suffixes on the RAM catalog numbers mean, anyway? NQ, RL, etc.

[GSKILL TECH]

You can test each module individually to determine whether the error may be coming from one single stick.

The NQ, RL, etc. is the specific model of memory.

Thank you
GSKILL TECH

[Peter Principle]

You can test each module individually to determine whether the error may be coming from one single stick.

The NQ, RL, etc. is the specific model of memory.

Thank you
GSKILL TECH

Thanks for getting back to me Gskill Tech. I tried individual sticks. I also tried individual sticks of the Corsair RAM. I get errors with one stick or two sticks in the B channel, no errors with any combination of sticks in the A channel. This happened with my original board and also happens with the new board that Newegg just sent me. I know that really makes it sound like a mobo problem, but it just seems so unlikely that I'd get a replacement board that had the same problem as the one I had to send back. Doesn't it?

[Peter Principle]

Oh, another update, I turned the speed all the way down to 1066 (533 MHz), and it ran for 24 hours with no errors. So I installed windows 7 and ran Prime95 for an hour and half (blended mode) with no errors. So...success of a sort. I'd still like to be able to run this RAM at the right speed, if possible. Or is there some way I could tighten the timings and get more speed that way?

[GSKILL TECH]

Not all motherboards can operate in ANY channel. What I mean is that for some motherboards, you must use Channel A first before you can use Channel B.

You should not have to run the memory at DDR3-1066. Try setting CPU-NB Frequency to 2200MHz, CPU-NB Voltage +0.1V, and this should help. Of course this is in addition to the basic memory settings.

Thank you
GSKILL TECH

[Peter Principle]

Thanks for the additional help! So it shouldn't be a problem that I bought a model of g.skill RAM that wasn't on the mobo approved list?

[GSKILL TECH]

Nope, many will be like this because some memory weren't released/tested before the motherboard, vice versa. Even if they are afterwards, approved lists aren't updated often at all, if ever..

Thank you
GSKILL TECH

[Peter Principle]

OK, cool. Unfortunately, I can't enter those settings. My CPU-NB frequency only goes up to 2000 MHz, and my mobo doesn't seem to have an entry for CPU-NB voltage, although it's probably that I just don't know what CPU-NB voltage is called in this interface.

Here are few screens of my BIOS. The first two show the "advanced" screen, and the 2nd two shots show the "DRAM Timing/Driving Configuration" screens:

[GSKILL TECH]

Attempt DDR3-1600 or 1333 with...

Increase VDDNB Over Voltage +0.1V

HT Over Voltage +0.3V

Thank you
GSKILL TECH