F3-17000CL9D and GA-X58A-UD7

[Lance147]

Hi All,

I am trying to work through getting my system satble. This is the first time I have needed to look at changing BIOS settings to get a system to work. In the past, rather than overclock, I have simply upgraded my machine. I niavely thought I was just upgrading this time given that Gigabyte specs for this board support the Gskill 2133 RAM. The system is as follows:

Gigabyte GA-X58A-UD7 motherboard
Intel i7 960 CPU - with standard as supplied cooling fan.
12GB F3-17000CLD9D RAM - 6X2GB strips

BIOS version FC

OS - Win 7 64 bit

I have tried various BIOS settings but I keep getting BSOD on windows startup. I can get in to the OS after 3 or 4 goes and everything seems fine until I shut down/power down. Next time I strat from cold, same deal. When I try enabling XMP profile in BIOS the system simply won't POST. After reading some of the threads here, I have tried changing BIOS settings manually.

Here is where I am at:

CPU Multiplier [x16]
QPI Clock Control [AUTO]
Uncore Clock [AUTO]
Base Clock Control [200]
System Memory Multiplier [10]
Memory Timings 9-11-9-28

CPU Core = 1.30v
QPI/VTT = 1.215
PCIE = 1.60v
QPI PLL = 1.20v
IOH Core = 1.20v
ICH I/O = 1.60v
ICH Core = 1.20v
DRAM Voltage = 1.60v

Isyncronous Support [ENABLED]
Virtualisation Technology [DISABLED]

After saving these settings, when I go back into BIOS and open the M.I.T page, I see a red window saying 'The system has experienced bootfailures because of overclocking or changes of voltages. Last settings in this page may not coincide with current H/W states.'

THEY DON'T.

It's hard to say what speeds I am getting as the figures in BIOS, Computer Properties and CPU ID CPU-Z all conflict.

I have run MEMTEST86+ v4.20 and it reports no errors. However, the details it displays are:

Chipset: Core IMV (ECC : Disabled) / BCLK : 134 MHz / QPI : 4.8 GT/s
Settings: RAM : 539 MHz (DDR3 - 1079) / CAS : 6-6-6-19 / Triple Channel

A bit confusing as these don't appear to reflect what I have set in BIOS. I am not sure if I should be changing settings in MEMTEST before I run it??

I am not into overclocking for the sake of it, I just want to get my system stable without cooking anything. If I end up with the RAM running at 1066 when I have paid extra for the 2133, then so be it.

Any suggestions??

As a newbie to this level of tweeking, I am a bit nervous that I may cook something or drastically shorten it's life.

Can anyone see any problems with my settings??

I guess the moral of the story is: If all else fails, read the instructions!!

Thanks,

Lance.

[GSKILL TECH]

Based on your results so far, I don't think you will be able to get them to work properly. I would suggest sending them in for a triple or hex channel kit that is already guaranteed to work properly together.

If you really want DDR3-2000+, you can purchase a DDR3-2000 kit and overclock it. There isn't a striaght DDR3-2133 kit because it is very difficult on this hardware and requires extensive overclocking.

Thank you
GSKILL TECH

[Lance147]

Lance147

Thanks for the reply.

Who should I send them in to?? Gskill??

The vendor I bought them through (Techbuy, an online store) doesn't have the kits you suggested.

Lance.

[GSKILL TECH]

We can exchange them for you. Apply for RMA:

http://www.gskill.com/rma.php

Then ask the RMA dept. to swap for this DDR3-1600 kit: F3-12800CL8T-12GBRM

or this DDR3-2000 kit: F3-16000CL9T-12GBRM, but this one will be $20 more.

Thank you
GSKILL TECH

[Lance147]

Thankyou,

Your assistance is very much appreciated.

Have submitted the RMA form and await the reply.

Thanks again,

Lance

[DC_Ultra]

don't trade it in. just set it and go!

Lance,

don't trade those in for lower stuff unless you get a partial refund or they
trade you CAS6 ram or CAS7 with straight timing ram.

here should be really close to your 1600 settings for stability.
im stable at this ... Intelburntest at 5 passes on MAX.

6-8-6-21
tRFC 62
backend timings
12-6-5-6-20-0

you can try this first in case you want to test first (i ran these for quite a while before
i found the above trying for a 6-7 ...):
6-8-7-22
tRFC 64 or 65
backend timings
12-6-5-6-20-0

just crank up your base clock to match your ram speed and your comp will run much better than stock with no harm to nothing.

you should need no more than 1.60v ... i run mine at 1.58v with overclock on my cpu speed.

i have a long thread going on the MSi forum on this as well.

Now... if gskill would just pay me for this test info . . . .
i would love a set of 24GB of 1866 RAM ... low voltage of course.
or ... heck ... i'll take a set of ECO's 1600 1.35v - 6 sticks please. hah.

[Lance147]

Hi DC_Ultra,

Thanks for the post but it came a little too late.

I returned the RAM yesterday to be replaced with a DDR3-2000 kit: F3-16000CL9T-12GBRM.

Only a minor loss in RAM speed from 2133 to 2000 but if this means my system will be stable with a minimum of effort, I can quite comfortably live with that.

Thanks again,

Lance.

[Lance147]

RMA'ed the RAM.

Received F3-16000CL9T-12GBRM today.

Fitted it. Enabled XMP. All voltages and frequencies set automatically.

Computer now working great.

Thanks for the help and support.

Good on ya Gskill.

Lance.

[Tradesman]

Glad to hear it, Enjoy!