DRAM BIOS Setup Issues: XMP?

[BBorges]

Hi guys,

I had to replace an ASUS motherboard and I picked the Gigabyte GA-P45T-ES3G LGA 775 - very compact and so far so good!

But the new mobo required new DRAM (dont they always?! he he he) and I had to purchase some new DDR3 memory. For that, I got the Kingston HyperX 8GB (2 x 4GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800).

The system boosts up and runs fine, but I noticed my Photoshop benchmark was worse than before, with the Asus board and DDR2 PC2 8500, which made no sense to me!


So I started investigating and I realized that currently my DDR3 is running as this:




If I tried at BIOS to force XMP or 9-9-9-27 the system won't boot.

So then I tried the second fastest config @ 685Mhz, here are the results, which still shows memory at 534 mHz:



Two questions I would like to ask:

1- should I be able or not to run the DRAM at XMP mode/frequency? Processor is a Intel E7500.
2- What should be the best performance for the DRAM and which settings?


Thanks in advance, and sorry for any naive question. I can build these systems very comfortably, but I have not been up to speed with DRAM settings and configurations, and in the past I would basically leave the BIOS in AUTO mode... but I am intrigued to upgrade to DDR3 and have worse performance than before.

BB

[Dark Mantis]

Hi

Well it could be a case of the memory modules not being compatible with the motherboard. Did you check for this before you purchased them ?

It could also be that one or m,ore of the modules is faulty. I would advise you to  check the memory. Please follow these instructions exactly.

I would suggest that you download and run the latest version of  Memtest86+ to check your RAM first.

Memtest86+        http://www.memtest.org/

Insert one stick of memory in slot 1 and run Memtest on it for at least 10 complete loops/cycles and if there are no errors then swap it over with the next one and continue untill you have checked all  modules.
 
If you have any errors the module is faulty.

If you have any faulty modules you will have to return the whole kit as they are matched.

Post back when you have done that with the results.

[BBorges]

Hi Dark,

Thanks for the reply.

Few things:

1- The exact memory is not listed, but the list was terrible, not including ANY 2x4Gb PC3 12800 sticks, but similar sticks from Kingston HyperX.
2- I've used Memtest before but with both sticks installed. I will do it as you suggested, but I am not clear on one thing: do you want me to swap the memory sticks to the same slot #1 or test stick1 @ slot 1 and then test stick2 @ slot 2?

It seems important to follow your method, so I want to understand it before testing the system. Please clarify how to proceed with testing.

Thanks,

BB

[Dark Mantis]

Yes the testing although time consuming is important to be done right. One stick in slot one and then swap it out for the next stick in slot one.

I take it from your comment that the QVL you used was the Gigabyte one. I wouldn't recommend that one as it is very limited in scope. Better to use hte manufacturer's website and see what they recommend for the motherboard.

[BBorges]

This is incredible! The QVL sucks and manufacturers don't list this board, I think because it is too recent.

I've tried Kingston and G.Skill and nothing.

I am not sure how to proceed here in order to find compatible memory.

[Dark Mantis]

Well this is one reason I am not keen on Kingston etc. I normally stick with Corsair, Crucial or Mushkin. All quality manufacturers and not normally a problem with keeping their QVLs up to date. Try looking on Corsairs memory finder on their website, I am sure you will find your board there.

http://www.corsair.com/learn_n_explore/

[BBorges]

Well this is one reason I am not keen on Kingston etc. I normally stick with Corsair, Crucial or Mushkin. All quality manufacturers and not normally a problem with keeping their QVLs up to date. Try looking on Corsairs memory finder on their website, I am sure you will find your board there.

http://www.corsair.com/learn_n_explore/

Dark, believe it or not, but Corsair does not have the GA-P45T-ES3G listed in there.

Now before I even think about replacing the memory, do you think the BIOS could be set wrongly for the memory or if the memory is not 100% compatible will result is slower speeds?

Here is the mobo page and its limited QVL:

http://www.gigabyte.us/products/product-page.aspx?pid=3857#ov


Thanks again for all the help.

[Dark Mantis]

You have got the sticks in the white slots, yes ?

If the memory is incompatible it either wont work at all or keep throwing up BSODs or just about any other thing you can think of.

Very surprised at Corsair not listing the board. I know it's not exactly state of the art but it isn't that old either. I double checked and couldn't find it listed at all. So I tried Crucial. They did have it:

http://www.crucial.com/uk/store/listparts.aspx?model=GA-P45T-ES3G&Cat=RAM

You can try clearing the CMOS and then loading the Optimised BIOS Defaults. Please follow these instruction exactly.

Remove the power cable from the mains supply and then press the power switch on the case for a few seconds just to drain any residual energy in the PSU capacitors.

Once done remove the motherboard battery for at least one hour before replacing it.
 
Next plug back into the mains supply and boot.
 
You will now need to enter the BIOS by pressing DEL and load Optimised BIOS Defaults.

Make any other changes to the BIOS settings to suit your self like disabling the floppy drive, disabling the full screen logo and making the HDD the primary boot device and then press F10 to save and exit.

[BBorges]

You have got the sticks in the white slots, yes ?

If the memory is incompatible it either wont work at all or keep throwing up BSODs or just about any other thing you can think of.

Yes, they are in the white slots. Other than the speed discrepancy, everything runs fine. It has passed the MemTest (but with both installed, not with the method you described) and it is currently loaded with the "Optimised BIOS Defaults", since I was trying to tweak the BIOS to get it at rated speed, but if I tweak it a lot, BIOS wont post it.


With that in mind, do you think is worth the trouble of returning it and getting the Crucial memory or not?

My only concern is really the speed, as I am paying for faster memory and apparently it is running at lower frequency.

I am not sure if I am lacking knowledge to config the BIOS or if the sitck is not 100% compatible.

Other than the single-stick tests that I plan on doing overnight (I need to desktop to work during the day), I am not sure what else to do. If the single memory sticks passes the test, I have left two options: figure out if the BIOS setting is correct or replace with the Crucial memory.


What would you do in this situation?

Thanks

BB

[BBorges]

So I tried Crucial. They did have it:

http://www.crucial.com/uk/store/listparts.aspx?model=GA-P45T-ES3G&Cat=RAM

Thanks for the link, Crucial does list approved memory for the board. If you tell me you think this could help, I'll contact NewEgg and return the Kingston and get the Crucial. They are the same exact price, though Crucial is PC3 10600 whereas Kingston is XMP 1600.

[Dark Mantis]

AS I said , do the Memtest properly and if that pans out we can look at your memory settings in the BIOS and see if everything looks alright.

Regarding the memories that you have just posted, the speed difference is negligable and wouldn't be noticed in real world usage.

[BBorges]

AS I said , do the Memtest properly and if that pans out we can look at your memory settings in the BIOS and see if everything looks alright.

Regarding the memories that you have just posted, the speed difference is negligable and wouldn't be noticed in real world usage.

Cool, I'll run one of the sticks tonight (overnight) and the other the following (night).


Regarding the XMP, is it CPU dependent or should I be able to run at that mode?

[Dark Mantis]

It isn't CPU dependant in the way that you mean but it obvoiusly depends on the speeds of the FSB etc which is linked into the CPU. You should be able to run at the correct speed.

[Aussie Allan]

 Before you memtest it..... we saw SPD and mem tab...... I'd love to see the CPU tab if you have the time before you commit to mem testing?

  Just a hunch 

 Mantis ..... Did the CMOS Box come yet?

 Aussie Allan

[BBorges]

You should be able to run at the correct speed.

You are absolutely right! I searched for XMP, and came to one of your older posts explaining about XMP. I then went to my BIOS and altered the following:

- Extreme Memory Profile (X.M.P.) = Profile1  (before was set to AUTO)
- DRAM Timing Selectable (SPD) = MANUAL
- Set memory to 9-9-9-27
- DRAM Voltage = 1.700V


The system boots up, it goes to windows. I went to CPUz and confirmed: DRAM Frequency = 800 MHz

YES!!!!!


But, as soon as I tried to run my benchmark system would freeze up.

Two things come to mind:

1- Memory stick could be problematic, hence the need to run MemTest on single sticks tonight.
2- The nominal voltage should be 1.65V, but the BIOS only gives me 1V increments. Could this cause the instability and freeze up?

I tested three times running at XMP mode, and the systems boots up and after 3 or 4 minutes, it freezes up.

Thanks again, finally I feel like I will be able to sort this out.