PC-133 running at 100Mhz

[icemakr]

I currently ran the CPU-Z detection program to look at some technical hardware specs. The SPD tab within the program shows all three sticks of RAM have a max frequency of 133 Mhz, but it says it is running at 100 Mhz.? This quote is from the manual:

The AK12 mainboard has three 168-pin DIMM sockets that allow you to install from 16MB up to 1.5GB of system memory with PC 100/133 SDRAM (Synchronous DRAM) and VCM (Virtual Channel Memory) SDRAM. Each DIMM (Dual In-line Memory Module) socket can accommodate 16MB, 32MB, 64MB, 128MB, 256MB and 512MB 3.3V single or double side 64 bit wide data path SDRAM and VCM SDRAM modules.

my configuration looks like this: slot 1/256Mb pc-133, slot 2/128Mb pc-133, slot 3/128Mb pc-133

Install memory in any or all of the banks and in any combination. Note: You do not need to set any jumper to configure memory since the BIOS utility can detect the system memory automatically. You can check the total system memory value in the BIOS Standard CMOS Setup menu.You can easily upgrade the system memory by inserting additional SDRAM and VCM SDRAM modules in available DIMM banks. The total system memory is calculated by simply adding up the memory in all DIMM banks. After upgrade, the new system memory value will automatically be computed and displayed by the BIOS Standard CMOS Setup menu.

I have it set in BIOS to run at 133 Mhz. When only one slot has RAM my system runs at 133 Mhz, when I run two sticks (in any combination) it won't even boot up, and when I run with all three (in any combination) it only runs at 100 Mhz. Any ideas why it will only run at 133 Mhz when only one stick of RAM is present?

 

[LoTeX]

maybe those 2 sticks can't handle as tight latencies as the first one? have you tried messing around with the latencies? (cas=3 etc.)

 

[icemakr]

When all 3 sticks (512) are in and I change the latency to 2 from 3, i'll save my bios settings and reboot, but the self test of ram only shows 256MB of RAM

 

[SHAWN]

Are all the sticks 133 or do you have 1 pc100 in there. If you do, the rest of the sticks will run at pc100. What kind of processor do you have? Set the FSB to 133 in the bios and that should fix the ram.

 

[icemakr]

The FSB is at max frequency of 100 Mhz. You know individualy though, they all run at 133 but together only 100, and the manual says: "Install memory in any or all of the banks and in any combination." My system ain't all that great, but I guess you get what you pay for and my friend gave it to me. So maybe i just need a new one.

This is the CPU-Z text report.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

CPU-Z version 1.28.6.


CPU(s)
Number of CPUs 1

Name AMD Athlon
Code Name Thunderbird
Specification AMD Athlon(tm) processor
Family / Model / Stepping 6 4 2
Extended Family / Model 7 4
Package Socket A
Core Stepping A4
Technology 0.18 µ
Supported Instructions Sets MMX, Extended MMX, 3DNow!, Extended 3DNow!
CPU Clock Speed 883.9 MHz
Clock multiplier x 8.5
Front Side Bus Frequency 104.0 MHz
Bus Speed 208.0 MHz
L1 Data Cache 64 KBytes, 2-way set associative, 64 Bytes line size
L1 Instruction Cache 64 KBytes, 2-way set associative, 64 Bytes line size
L2 Cache 256 KBytes, 16-way set associative, 64 Bytes line size
L2 Speed 883.9 MHz (Full)
L2 Location On Chip
L2 Data Prefetch Logic no
L2 Bus Width 64 bits



Mainboard and chipset
Motherboard manufacturer
Motherboard model 8363-686,
BIOS vendor Award Software International, Inc.
BIOS revision 6.00 PG
BIOS release date 06/21/2001
Chipset VIA KT133A rev. 3
Southbridge VIA VT82C686 rev. 40
Sensor chip VIA 686A/B

Graphic Interface AGP
AGP Status enabled, rev. 2.0
AGP Data Transfer Rate 4x
AGP Max Rate 4x
AGP Side Band Addressing supported, not enabled
AGP Aperture Size 64 MBytes



Memory
DRAM Type SDRAM
DRAM Size 512 MBytes
DRAM Frequency 104.0 MHz
FSBRAM 1:1
DRAM Interleave 4-way
CAS# Latency 3.0 clocks
RAS# to CAS# 3 clocks
RAS# Precharge 3 clocks
Cycle Time (TRAS) 6 clocks
# of memory modules 3
Module 0 SDRAM PC133 - 256 MBytes
Module 1 SDRAM PC133 - 128 MBytes
Module 2 SDRAM PC133 - 128 MBytes



Software
Windows version Microsoft Windows XP Professional (Build 2600)
DirectX version 9.0c

 

[SHAWN]

Check to see if there is a more recent bios at the manufacturor's website.

 

[icemakr]

tried it, it's the most recent

 

[LoTeX]

so it seems that either one of the 128 modules can't run at 133 speed, for some reason. try them both separately and if the other 128 ram really isn't capable of running at full speed, either ditch it or use all rams at 100mhz. also you could try this one problem stick in other mobo to ensure it's really the ram and not mobo, that causes the problem.

 

[icemakr]

I've booted up with all three sticks individually, and they all run at 133 when by themselves.

 

[LoTeX]

now that's weird. i would guess it's the mobo, then. if you can, try all the sticks together in some other similar mobo and see if they work as they should.

you could try updating the via 4in1 driver package, but i doubt it would do any help.