Problem F3-17000 with Gigabyte Z77-UD5H

[stevec]

I have a new install of a Z77 Gigabyte motherboard, Z77-UD5H with G Skill, F3-1700011Q-16GBZL kit.

The ram works but it will only clock to 1600Mhz.
WHen I enable profile 1 to get it up to 2133 and reboot I get a series of post beeps and it kicks back to 1600.

The profile loads the correct timings listed on the kit, 1.6 DRAM voltage yet it still chokes at 2133.

This is SUPPOSED to be a 2133 kit. but it won't run faster than 1600, do I return this and get a kit that actually works or is there a fix?

I did update the MOBO BIOS as well to version F5.

[Tradesman]

Have you tried with profile 2, that should be the one for the 1155 mobos.....but also be prepared to have to set up manually, have had numerous Z77s already that the BIOS isn't ready for even 2133 let alone 16 or 32GB of it under XMP....anyway try profile 1 and if no joy get back to us....and we'll do it manually.

[stevec]

Tried profile 2 with same result. Bios upped multiplier to 2133 but on reboot it fails and reverts back to 16x.
I did try 1 stick, then 2 sticks just in case it was a bad stick but same result.
What now?

[Tradesman]

BIOS may not have good setup for XMP, can disable XMP and input base timings manually, check to see CR is at 2N or 2T and try DRAM voltage + .05 higher VCCIO or CPU/VTT - (memory controller) may need to be raised to about 1.14 for the 16GB

[diggiddi]

I'd Run Memtest 86 on each individual stick and see if they pass

[Tradesman]

Let us know how the test come out

[stevec]

CR was at 2.
Not used to GB Bios, found in the end all the locked out settings had to be changed via what they call "3D", just a 3D image of the MOBO that you mouse over to change chipset, DRAM, I/O values... WEIRD approach but I digress.

Changed the DRAM voltage up .05 as well as the VTT to 1.14 (this was quite a bit lower stock). TImings are 11-11-30.
Boots and runs without the post beep failure.

One question, When I enter the bios the advanced DRAM settings, voltages etc are shown on the setting tab but the BIOS still reports the ram running at 1600Mhz (16x).
In my bios the actual value is 16 but right beside that is they 21.3x I had entered.

Does the BIOS always fall back to a lower DRAM setting and then plug in the manual (or profile) settings when you exit?

Since I saw that in BIOS just wondering if it's actually booting to the OS at the higher DRAM speed. Is there a way to tell from within WIN7 if the DRAM is at 2133?

Thanks for the help.

[Tradesman]

The settings you are running at are shown on the right, correct....in Win7 can get and run CPU-Z or MaxxMem or something like that which will show your actual freq - both are free utility programs

[stevec]

Current speed/timings on left with my manual settings on right.

CPUZ memoru screen reports:
Dual Channel
16384 MBytes
DRAM freq: 802.4Mhz
FSBRAM : 1:6
CL: 11
tRCD: 11
tRP: 11
tRAS: 28
CR: 2T

Shouldn't the DRAM Freq be 1066 for dual channel 2133?

I notice that when I entered the Gigabyte '3D' BIOS util that it had tRAS @ 28. I manually upped that to 30 yet it shows in CPUZ that it's still 28. Leads me to think the manual BIOS settings didn't do squat :|

[Tradesman]

What OC do you have on the CPU and what CPU? An OC is required to run 2133, prob 4.4GHz would be good. If that isn't it, could you post your Bios settings, primarily voltages and DRAM timings, including the advanced timings

[stevec]

I have an i7-2700K standard (no O/C).

How come I must OC? Normally don't do OC, what about stability, don't want to sacrifice stability for 10% CPU boost??

Do I need to worry about cooling at 4.4 OC? Currently have the stock Intel fan installed (I know, not great but at stock speeds it stays cool enough).

[Tradesman]

If you look at the mobo specs where it lists DRAM capabilities, it will show like 1866 OC, 2133 OC, etc, which indicates that an OC is required to run at rated spec....a better more tangible explanation with numbers might be shown with the older socket 775 mobos where they might show they run DDR3 at 1333 OC, or 1600OC ..... to actually run it though with say a stock 2.4GHz Q6600 CPU, you would have to raise the FSB to 1333 for 1333 sticks (an OC from 2.4 to 3 GHz) for for 1600 DRAM would need a FSB of 1600 or an OC to 3.6GHz from the stock 2.4GHz (which by the way was common for that CPU)......at 4.4 I consider that the upper end of the stock fan, just watch temps, there are a number of very good aftermarket coolers for around $30, i.e. the 212 and Zalman has a few of them

[GSKILL TECH]

Post some pictures of BIOS and we can see what's going on. Timings and voltage I am especially interested in to see what is causing this problem.

Thank you
GSKILL TECH