GA-MA770T-UD3P reports wrong vdimm

[DrStrange]

Hi there,
I just put together a computer including an MA770T-UD3P, a pair of Crucial 2GB DDR3-1333 sticks (part no CT2KIT25664BA1339) and a Phenom II X2 550 Black Edition. When I look at the PC Health Status page the vdimm is 1.616v. Everest is saying that the vdimm is 1.62v. I am using the latest F3 bios and all values are on auto. The DRAM voltage control in the BIOS starts only from 1.600v, but the manual says it should start from 1.500v.
Can somebody please tell me how do I get the vdimm back down to 1.500v as I want to run at stock?

[Pottypete]

Hi,
Tech support may be your best option
http://www.gigabyte.com/support-downloads/technical-support.aspx
regards

[mark rumsey]

Also check with Crucial on the memory's requirements. Some DIMMs are designed to run at higher voltages (my own Corsair 1600MHz sticks need 1.8V at that speed or 1.6V at 1333MHz). I think some sticks talk back to the board and set the minimum voltage to suit their requirements. It is quite possible your sticks want  a minimum of 1.6V and the BIOS is ensuring it gets the voltage it wants.

[bytheway_r]

I'll add to this thread as I have a similiar problem.

Same motherboard, bios F2, unlocked Phenom II x3 720BE, 2x2GB OCZ Intel XMP 1600 cl8 ( funny, I know ). Now, my problem, even with previous RAM ( 2GB A-Data 1066 cl7 ), is that bios and all monitoring programs report dimm voltage ~0.1v higher than set in bios. I have no idea why as other voltages are about accurate. I THINK that the reported voltage is wrong as RAM didn't boot with supposedly accurate voltage ( set to like 1.520-1.540, reported ~1.650 ). Any ideas why it's showing values this much higher? Right now it's set to 1.660 and reported as 1.780 Faulty voltage sensor?

edit:
Right, forgot to mention, it's the first version of the board ( just in case ).

[absic]

Hi there,

Sometimes these kind of issues are dealt with by an update to BIOS.
The latest version for your Mobo is F11C so it might be that the voltage reporting issues has been addressed in one of the updates released since the F2. Check here: http://www.gigabyte.com/products/product-page.aspx?pid=3096&dl=1#bios

I would suggest that you try flashing BIOS with a newer version. If you are not sure how to do that check out the FAQ here: http://forum.giga-byte.co.uk/index.php/topic,2441.0.html
As you are only at F2 I would not recommend jumping straight to the F11C BIOS but would advise that you update your BIOS in several small steps F2 - F5 then F5 - F8 then F8 - F10 this is not essential but is a safer method.

[bytheway_r]

Ok, I've updated bios to F10 but except for getting a few additional options and losing quite a few ( like about half of voltage settings ) there's no improvement.

I'm like 99% sure now that the reported values are wrong, tho. I've been playing with oc'ing a bit and seems like RAM isn't fully stable below 1.680v ( technically, it should work with 1.65v ). That's 1.790v reported which, if it were real, would probably actually decrease stability in this case. Any further ideas?

[Dark Mantis]

Did you clear the CMOS as well as updating the BIOS? If so then I would think it's  a reporting error as you are running a new BIOS now. Maybe the sender is faulty.

[bytheway_r]

Ok, I'm officially lost here. I haven't cleared CMOS, I may try that tomorrow. Anyway, turned out that RAM at 1.680v wasn't stable either. Rather, I couldn't get it stable with "stock" timings and speed at all trying everything from 1.520 to 1.700. Now, with set 1.660v ( so pretty much stock for these sticks ) and with multiplier one lower I'm running them at 1533Mhz 7-7-6-22, tRC-29, rest is the same as bios values were for 1600Mhz. I'm not 100% positive they're stable, but quick test runs through IntelBurn Test and MemTest didn't show any problems.

As much as I would love to believe that it's running these values with that voltage it seems kinda far fetched. But then, that would mean they're running at 1.780v ( once again, reported voltage )? I have no idea why it didn't want to work at 1600Mhz at all, either.

For the record, it should have worked at 1600Mhz 8-8-8-24, tRC-36 at 1.650v. That's the XMP profile for Intel processors so manually setting it to these values should work . My main problem seems to be figuring out the REAL voltage my DDR3 sticks are getting.

[Dark Mantis]

I have no idea why it didn't want to work at 1600Mhz at all, either.

For the record, it should have worked at 1600Mhz 8-8-8-24, tRC-36 at 1.650v. That's the XMP profile for Intel processors so manually setting it to these values should work . My main problem seems to be figuring out the REAL voltage my DDR3 sticks are getting.

Well AMD doesn't recommend running the memory at anything over 1333 because of risk of damage to the memory controllers that are now incorporated into the CPU. Not only that but 1600 isn't a supported speed anyway.
The XMP profile for Intel chips wouldn't help on an AMD platform anyway.
Please see this thread for information: http://forum.giga-byte.co.uk/index.php/topic,2515.0.html

[bytheway_r]

Huh, I've skimmed over that article and read a bit around the net earlier but it's more ominous than I thought. One mystery solved then. Funny thing it's running at 1533Mhz without problems ( so far ). Maybe I should drop it down to ~1333Mhz though.

Anyway, I think I'll check if it'll work at 1333Mhz with adjusted timings with correct "reported" voltage. Who knows, maybe the board's really running my memory at ~0.1v higher than set.

Yeah, I know that XMP profiles won't work with AMD platforms but if you set everything as it is in the profile it, generally, should work.

[Dark Mantis]

Huh, I've skimmed over that article and read a bit around the net earlier but it's more ominous than I thought. One mystery solved then. Funny thing it's running at 1533Mhz without problems ( so far ). Maybe I should drop it down to ~1333Mhz though.

Yes, sorry I should have noticed earlier but as absic would be quick to point out old age is creeping up(well maybe not creeping). If you read absics report on the memory problem you will understand that even if you suceed in getting the memory to run at a faster speed you run the risk of burning out the CPU somewhere down the line. It even happened to one of AMDs engineers!

Yeah, I know that XMP profiles won't work with AMD platforms but if you set everything as it is in the profile it, generally, should work.

You would think so wouldn't you but often it doesn't work like that. In the same way that memory designed for Intel chips often doesn't work on AMD platforms and vice versa.

[absic]

Hi there,
one of the main reason AMD do not recommend running RAM above 1333 Mhz is for this very reason, they cannot guarantee system stability. There is also the increased risk of damaging the Memory controller that is now built into the CPU. It is also a known issue with AMD, of systems seemingly running OK at with RAM at 1600MHz only for them to fall over for no apparent reason. This doesn't mean that you can't get your RAM running at 1600 MHz only that doing so increases the risk of system instability and/or killing the CPU.

Lecture over.

I had all kinds of challenges in getting my RAM to run at 1600 MHz before I learnt of the CPU limitations but I did get it to run. My RAM is Corsair Dominator CMD4GX3M2B1600C8 which has specified ratings of 1.65V and timings of 8,8,8,24. Setting these figures in BIOS didn't work and the system was falling over whenever I opened a web browser or any application. I backed the timings off a little to 11,11,11,29 and the system is stable. However, after learning of the problems with the Memory controller on the CPU I have reverted to 1333MHz @ 1.5V.

Still looking into the voltage reading issue and will post back regarding that when I've done a bit more digging.

[bytheway_r]

Ok, I've cleared CMOS and it didn't help but I've figured the situation out ( or so it seems ). The problem is more serious than I thought as the voltage reported likely is the real one. In other words, min. voltage I can set is 1.612v. Also, good thing I didn't leave it with previous settings as I was cooking the ddr3 sticks. I'm sure OCZ didn't mean for them to run at 1.780v .

Anyway, why do I think it's like this? I'm running these sticks at 1333Mhz 7-7-7-22 right now @ reported 1.648v. Haven't testem them yet but I don't think they'd even boot at 1.540v.

Seems like a hardware issue somewhere . I'm not sure I want to try and RMA it as I've basically just finished putting this computer properly together. Well, I still have about 2 years of warranty on it so it's not like it can't wait. On the other hand, CPUID HWMonitor once showed a slight drop in voltage from 1.780 to 1.760 for a moment. Not sure if that kind of info is reliable, tho.

Right, as this may not be all that clear, I don't have the same problem as DrStrange. I can "set" voltage to 1.500 but in reality it's, if I remember right, 1.612. Generally, it gives it ~0.1v more than it should.

[absic]

Hi,

I'm not running your board but I have now checked with my own, the GA-790XTA-UD4 and also with a GA-770TA-UD3 and both of these boards are reporting the voltages accurately. Of course, there is a slight variation in the voltage draw depending on what the PC is doing, with it dropping the voltage below the 1.65 I have set or going above that when I increase the load, according to EasyTune6,  AMD overdrive and HW Monitor, which is normal.

The problem with getting the RAM to run properly though, could be due more to the Memory controller on the CPU rather than the voltages.

[bytheway_r]

The RAM IS running properly, just the voltages are different than set. Unless you mean that this may be caused by the memory controller on the CPU?

I'm now certain that the reported voltages are, if not 100% correct, at least more like the real thing. At 1333Mhz I could get these sticks to run @ reported 1.7v as 6-6-5-18 and I'm still tweaking them a bit more. I'm quite happy with these values though . Pretty much in the range of the early Reaper and ReaperX sticks at comparable voltage levels.