New system - GA 790FXTA-UD5 - memory underclocked by default??

[thx1138]

I built a system from the following components, but when I look in the BIOS for the memory settings, the multiplier is set to auto = 5.33 giving 1066 instead of 1600. Further, the timings is set to AUTO and gives two columns with the headers 'SPD' and 'AUTO'. SPD gives lower values than are indicated in the AUTO column (e.g. 7 compared to 11). Should I change these to MANUAL and make them reflect the SPD column? I don't really understand why this isn't automatic - that's the purpose of SPD, right? I wonder what other wacky bottlenecks I'll find in here..!

Mainboard: Gigabyte GA 790FXTA-UD5
CPU: AMD Phenom II 965 X4
RAM: OCZ Black Ed Ready Dual Channel 2x2GB DDR3-1600
Graphics: Sapphire HD 5770 1GB GDDR5
PSU: Thermaltake 705w 700W

Edit: The SPD and AUTO columns contain '30T' for 'minimum RAS active time', but the specification of the memory, given in the eBay listing and on the manufacturer's website is 7-7-7-24. Should I set it to 24? According to CPU-Z, JEDEC #4 tRAS = 16 when the previous three items are at '7', but I don't know if it's telling me something about my system or just about JEDEC specifications.

Oh, and the memory is currently unganged. If I understand correctly, that's probably already optimal, given that my processor is a multicore.

[oggmonster]

Yeah you will have to manually set RAM timings, SPD + Volts.

And yes from what i've heard unganged mode offers a slight performance increase on Quads

[pierrox]

Hello THX1138 !
Sorry !   my english is not very good    I have buy this same motherboard and I think the same memory like you ! i hope that is a good memory for this mb ? and I like to stay in contact with you for giving me some hints ! Later I buy a Phenom II 965 BE because i have no enough money for my new pc now !
thank you ! bye bye !

[thx1138]

Yeah you will have to manually set RAM timings, SPD + Volts.

And yes from what i've heard unganged mode offers a slight performance increase on Quads

Okay, thanks a lot. It's kind of a weird issue that the motherboard doesn't use the settings that it reads via SPD.

Hello THX1138 !
Sorry !   my english is not very good    I have buy this same motherboard and I think the same memory like you ! i hope that is a good memory for this mb ? and I like to stay in contact with you for giving me some hints ! Later I buy a Phenom II 965 BE because i have no enough money for my new pc now !
thank you ! bye bye !

Hey Pierrox. Sure, I'll advise you when I can - right now though, I'm having stability issues. I think it's at least partly to do with one of my sticks of RAM (there's another topic in this forum about it). I was probably just unlucky and will need to exchange the RAM. We'll see how it pans out over the next couple of weeks.

[pierrox]

Hello thx1138 !
Yesterday I have build my new PC ! my RAM seems to be good ! my problem is the sata hdd ! I see the wdc 500 go in the bios but I can't installing windows 7 on it !i have put the driver on usb key and nothing ! I don't understand the sata technology !  my configuration is the same like you except the psu is a TX650w corsair and certainly the hdd, my hdd is a western digital caviar black 500go sata II buffer 32mo .
Thanks to give me some help !

[absic]

Hi there,
Some steps to check out:
1. Is the SATA controller in bios set to Native IDE (if you are not using RAID or Hot swap HDD's)
2. Is Legacy USB Storage Detect enabled in bios. (it should be by default but it is always worth checking)
3. Have you made sure that the USB stick is first boot priority (you can do this on start-up by pressing the F12 key on your keyboard, it won't change the boot order in bios but allows you to change the order for that start-up)

Just a little note:
It seems as there is a problem with installing windows 7 from USB stick or copied discs for some people. Some users have encountered this but so far, no one has solution other than installing from original Microsoft Disc. Usually Windows 7 install will start but, after initial loading it will say that you need to install CD/DVD drivers. It could be that errors are creeping into the copy process when transferring files and or the speed with which people are burning to DVD's or they not setting up the USB Stick properly.

[thx1138]

Hey,

@absic: I think that Pierrox is only using the USB stick to hold the drivers to enable installation on the SATA drive, rather than the Windows installation files. If I recall correctly, I need to copy drivers from the CD that came with the motherboard to a USB drive and then the Windows instalation software, which I ran from a DVD, used the drivers on the USB.

@Pierrox: I created a separate thread for your problem, 'cause I'm not done with this one yet, and you may get better answers that way. The thread is here: http://forum.giga-byte.co.uk/index.php/topic,1480.0.html and I've tried to help but may not have understood your problem correctly.


Now, back to my own issue:

I returned the faulty memory modules and have received identical modules which appear to be error-free, according to my tests. When I try to set the memory to its proper specification however (1600 MHz - by changing the multiplier from 5.33 to 8.00 and 8-8-8-24 etc - changing all timings to what it says in the SPD column), I get the following error at system boot:

The system has experienced boot failures because of overclocking or changes in voltage. Latest settings in BIOS my not coincide with current H/W states

The memory works properly underlocked, but obviously the system is then running more slowly than it should.

I should point out that my memory part-number is: OCZ3BE1600C8LV4GK and this is NOT listed as one of the compatible module types in the file available here: http://www.gigabyte.com.tw/FileList/MemorySupport/mb_memory_ga-790fxta-ud5.pdf - what strikes me is that the compatible OCZ 1600 modules listed are actually designed for Intel processors, whereas mine were designed for AMD.

Should I send these back again and get the listed-as-compatible Intel ones? I only have a couple of weeks to make that decision but I would be pretty upset if, having spent extra time and money (the Intel ones are more expensive), I suffered the same error at system boot. :/