DDR3 Memory / 1333Mhz Read Error

[Pezzy]

Hi all.

My motherboard is a Gigabyte, model #EP35C-DS3R. It can support DDR2 and DDR3 memory. I've been using DDR2 memory, 800Mhz, but just picked up some DDR3. I removed the DDR2 memory and inserted the DDR3 only; here's the specs on the DDR3 memory:

Corsair XMS3
4GB: 2 x 2GB Modules DDR3
TW3X4G1333C9
CL - 9 -9 -9- 24, DHX Cooling
1333Mhz

After installing the memory, I booted up and went into the BIOS. My System memory multiplier (SPD) is set to "Auto". Then next to memory frequency it says this:

(SPD) Auto
Memory Frequency (Mhz) 1066 - 1203

The memory is not reading 1333Mhz like it's labeled. I did some random searching on the 'Net and found a posting where someone was experiencing something similar. One reply to the post said that some companies will take memory that's really rated at 1066Mhz speed and "tune" it to 1333Mhz; they said the company OCZ is known to do this. They asked the original poster what brand they have, and it turned out to be Corsair, the same as mine.

A suggestion was to "up" the voltage to the memory to fix this problem.

Any ideas anyone?

On the package this Corsair Memory is listed as 1333Mhz, and:
9 - 9 - 9 - 24
My BIOS reads it as:
7 - 7 - 7 - 20
And CPU-Z reads it as:
8 - 8 - 8 - 23

As a matter of fact, here's a couple of screen shots from CPU-Z:

http://i289.photobucket.com/albums/ll217/PezzyDude/CPU-Z-Mem.jpg

http://i289.photobucket.com/albums/ll217/PezzyDude/CPU-Z-Mem2-1.jpg

Please let me know what you think so I can get this RAM to run at its specified speed and proper timings of 9 - 9 - 9 - 24.

Thanks fort any help/ info!!
Pez

 

[Slaymate]

Your 1st picture is showing the speed your memory is presently running, which is 601.6Mhz. But it's actually double that so your running at 1203.2

The second picture is showing the settings that your memory will support at various speeds.

You need to adjust the multiplier/ratio to run at 1333 or you can adjust the fsb which will increase the memory speed, but it will also increase the cpu speed.

 

[Pezzy]

Hey Slaymate; thanks for the reply.

I adjusted the timings manually to get 9 - 9 - 9 - 24; also the multiplier/ ratio, but it won't get me "exactly" 1333Mhz, but close.

Just to see and test out what you said, I started to bump up the FSB, and yes, this was getting the memory speed at just about 1333Mhz, but of course, this was also raising the CPU speed and thus overclocking it. So, I put the FSB back for now.

I've done overclocks before with some success......sometimes not. So now I'm thinking....

Do you think since I've got the "better" RAM (DDR3 and not DDR2), with 1333Mhz as opposed to the 800Mhz I had before....would this itself lend itself towards a better overclock on the CPU? My Q9450 processor itself is 1333Mhz. Would my current DDR3 RAM work better with my processor than my previous DDR2? Get better performance from it? A more "stable" overclock?

Perhaps I should be asking this in the Overclocking forum....

Pez

 

[Slaymate]

DDR3 is faster than DDR2 so even at the same "speed" (for lack of a better term) your memory will be running faster. As for the overclocking, yes, the DDR3 should be better or more helpful. It's giving you more "headroom" for your overclock