Incorrect SPD Info

[paulo_57]

Hey There,

Yesterday I added another kit of G Skill F3-12800CL7D-8GBXH to the same existing 8 gigs I've had in my Asus p8p67 Deluxe since January of this year. I had noticed then CPUZ reported the max bandwidth speed of only PC3-10700 (667 MHz), but because the XMP profile showed up as dual channel 1600 MHz I assumed it must be a CPUZ error because everything worked great. Now with the newly installed ram in slots 1 and 3 CPUZ reports those sticks at PC3-12800 (800 MHz) but slots 2 and 4 are still PC3-10700 (667 MHz). Memtest 86 and Aida 64 both show the same kind of thing but they bench well (I think?) no errors anyway. I've googled this and found others have had the same issue but there doesn't seem to be an explanation for this. All I've read is to rma them as it might be just a programming error. Any ideas about this? Should I rma or leave well enough alone? Things are faster since the upgrade.

Thanks

[Tradesman]

The info that appears in the MAX BANDWIDTH section of CPU-Z is the default boot settings/timing for the DRAM. The earlier sets of of RipJaws X had a base default boot setting for 1333, that has been increased to 1600. This has no effect on the XMP settings which remain the same. The big problem here is that many people believe that the erroneously labeled 'MAX BANDWIDTH' label is actually getting information off the memory chips and are telling people that is what the chips are 'rated' for, which isn't true. DRAM needs a default that it can boot into on most any motherboard and that is the purpose of this setting in the SPD, otherwise since most all mobos boot to a default of 1333 or 1600 you'd never be able to get into the BIOS with 1866, 2000, 2133 or say 2400 sticks of DRAM

[paulo_57]

Thanks for the quick reply! It must be read off the ram chips if both Aida 64 and Memtest 86 have the same problem as CPUZ does... I guess. I believe both kits run at 1600 MHz and I think it must be a programming id error or something like that, but I don't know for sure. And that bugs me, you know what I mean? Everything seems stable and with no Memtest errors, I don't think I want to chance an incompatiable kit with an rma.

Thanks Again

[Tradesman]

It's not off the chips themselves, the default boot setting is part of the SPD, and as explained it's required, no motherboard made will auto read 1866, 2000, 2133, 2400 sticks to their full freq.

[paulo_57]

I understand what you are saying, but if I had installed only this new kit that correctly identifies the frequency at 1600 MHz I'm sure the pc would boot without the incorrect label of 1333 MHz. I'll give it a try tomorrow.

Thanks

[Tradesman]

Your mobo is suppose to default to 1600.

[paulo_57]

Thanks for you replies! I'm convinced that your explanation is correct and makes sense.

[Tradesman]

It is...possible a better way to explain it might be this. If you do much OCing w/ DRAM and want to believe the pundits that claim the CPU-Z tab MAX BANDWIDTH is the memory chips themselves, then let's say the tab appears as 1600.

Normally when OCing DRAM you raise the CAS (CL) + 1 for most levels i.e. if 1600 CL9 then you'd go CL10 for 1866 and on to CL11 for 2133 so if we were to reverse that a set like F3-17000CL7D-4GBXHD which is 2133 CL7 would go down to 1866 CL6 or 1600 at CL5 or 1333 at CL4. I don't remember ever seeing any 1333/CL4 and the lowest stock I've seen for 1600 is CL6