DP45SG w/ C2Q Q6700 - RAM question

[beve]

I recently purchased a bundle from TigerDirect.

DP45SG mobo w/C2Q Q6700 processor

It came with 2GB OCZ dual channel mem (PC10600 DDR3 1333)but I could not get the BIOS to recognize the mem correctly. I returned mem and ordered some Gskill ram after reading up in this forum (F3-10666CL9D-4GBNQ). Still am having same issues in BIOS. Apparently BIOS is still not recognizing RAM correctly as it shows up as the OCZ did, 8-8-8-20.

I have updated BIOS to 0106 released 12/10/08 but still same results. I am tempted to go ahead and load up VISTA 64 Ultimate and see what happens but I am afraid I am going to have issues.

Funny thing is BIOS update 0106 apparently fixed issues I was having with the original OCZ mem I now no longer have. Doh!

I tried manually tweaking the mem settings to 9-9-9-24 1.5V for the Gskill mem but BIOS registers error on reboot and reverts back to the automatic setting values.

Any ideas? SHould I go ahead and try installing VISTA 64 or can I expect crash-city? I am ready to return GSkill mem for some Intel tested mem at this point.

Thanks in advance.

[CrowdAds]

[ctal]

So you are saying that it runs ok at 8-8-8-20, which is what it defaults to, but it doesn't run ok at a slower (longer latency) setting of 9-9-9-24? I've seen occasional cases of memory working ok at one setting but not working at a slightly slower (longer latency) setting. Not sure what might cause that.

It could be that the built-in spd table is programmed for 8-8-8-20, despite what the sticker says, which would explain why it is defaulting to that value. I'd run Memtest86+ on it at those settings for a few hours, and if you don't get any errors I wouldn't worry about it any further. If you do see occasional errors, try raising the voltage slightly, to 1.6.

Regards,

-- Al

[beve]

Thanks ctal. I have been scratchin my head raw.

I will try that. If I get no errors than I should just go ahead and install Vista 64 and give it a go.

I should clarify that it posts without errors with the BIOS set to automatic. Problem is it just doesn't detect what the GSkill ram specs are.

It just occurred to me that my Q6700 processor has a bus speed of 1066Mhz. Perhaps that is altering the detected specs on my RAM. The GSkill ram is rated at 1333Mhz.

[ctal]

Originally Posted by beve

It just occurred to me that my Q6700 processor has a bus speed of 1066Mhz. Perhaps that is altering the detected specs on my RAM. The GSkill ram is rated at 1333Mhz.

Could be, but I would guess not. I looked at the mobo manual and unfortunately it doesn't say what memory-to-fsb clock ratios it is capable of running at. The Taiwanese (Gigabyte and Asus) boards that I'm more familiar with have ratio settings in the bios that can easily accommodate those two numbers.

Now that I think of it, though, I don't think you said what clock rate the memory is really running at, under auto. Memtest86+ will show you that, as well as (I assume) the bios. Of course, keep in mind that the cpu clock speed may be shown with non-quad pumped terminology (266 MHz, which is the actual frequency of each of the two-phase clocks), and the memory speed may be shown at half the DDR3 rate (667 MHz, which is the actual clock frequency since both clock edges are used).

Regards,
-- Al

[beve]

Ran Memtest86+.

8 full passes in 5 hours and no errors. Is that decent speed with 4 GB of ram?

Anywho, no errors in 8 passes. I guess I can be fairly confident to install Vista 64 Ultimate.

Thanks for the advice ctal.

Beve

[ctal]

Originally Posted by beve

8 full passes in 5 hours and no errors. Is that decent speed with 4 GB of ram?

That sounds roughly in the right ballpark, if I'm recalling correctly. But just check that the clock rates are correct, as I described above, and if so, the test time is what it is.

Glad it worked out well!

Regards,
-- Al

[beve]

According to Memtest:

FSB is 266Mhz
Ram is 533Mhz (DDR1066) CAS:8-8-8-20
CPU 2667 Mhz


Ram is supposed to be 1333Mhz but isnt registering as such.

[ctal]

Yes, the memory is being underclocked, as you realize. Look through the bios settings carefully to see if there is a setting for memory-to-fsb ratio, or something similar, that would allow you to change the 533 number to 667, without changing the 266 MHz fsb.

The Gigabyte and Asus boards that I am familiar with have such provisions. Perhaps someone else who is more familiar with Intel boards can provide more specific guidance.

If you are able to increase the memory clock rate, keep in mind of course that you will probably have to relax the latencies to the rated 9-9-9-24 for it to work. And if it doesn't work at DDR3-1333 and 9-9-9-24, try raising the memory voltage to 1.6.

Regards,
-- Al

[pcew]

Hi all first I bought OCZ memory Fatal1ty edition and I had system hang issues when windows is loaded, I went and exchange it with Patriot PDC34G1333ELK which now shows 1333MHz with 9-9-9-24 timings with default voltage but still have system hanging issues. What could it be? Should I increase the voltage or change timings.?
Patriot PDC34G1333ELK is verified and tested with Intel boards.**

[pcew]

I have solved the hanging issues. It was the INF chipset drivers that intel provides on it's website for this board.

[OldDeadOne]

pcew: what did you replace those drivers with?

[pcew]

I haven't solved the random freezing issues. First I thought it was the Chipset INF files, but thats not it. The problem is BIOS or Video Card..
I will have to check.....