Ram Speed Help

[Hammy2000]

Ok, so i just got some new ram. I replaced my old pc-2700 256x2 with soem PC-3200 512x2. I checked everything out and my motherboard supports it and all. Well i installed it, and it reads fine and everything, but it's only running at pc-2700(333mhz). Is this because my processor only has an fsb of 533, or 133 real fsb. I have a P4 2.8ghz 533 fsb. Can i not run the ram at 400 mhz (pc-3200) because of my processor fsb. Do i need an fsb of 800 to run it at 3200?

Thanks

 

[diabloII]

what motherboard are you using?

if your motherboard supports up to ddr333, then it will only run at ddr333

 

[GrimReaper23]

that is what it sounds like to me but he says no

 

[Hammy2000]

my mobo supports both 333mhz and 400 mhz

 

[diabloII]

change bios settings i guess

 

[Hammy2000]

but won't i have to change my fsb to do that, and it will overclock my system? plus, im confused with the bios. I have a crappy pre-made dell and i've messed around with the menus on the boot screen, and on what i thought was the bios does't let me change my fsb, ram speed, or any of that.

 

[Nubius]

It's running in coorelation with your CPU. You might as well leave the RAM underclocked and it should default to tighter timings. It's best to have the RAM running a 1:1 ratio with the CPU. CPU-Z will tell you if it's running that ratio or not.

There's no point in running 200MHz (DDR400)if your CPU is only running 133 (266FSB) that's just creating a bottleneck. So as it is you should have invested in a CPU not necessarily more RAM because if your CPU is only running 133 your PC2700 was already running faster

 

[Hammy2000]

yea, but this is a premade dell that i got 2003 x-mas. I'm planning on building one come 05 x-mas. I just needed something to tide me over until then. It was my birthday, so i didn't pay for anything.

 

[Hammy2000]

my fsb:ram ration is 4:5, came like that.

 

[Nubius]

Aright well basically you can't do anything. Dells dont allow you to customize anything in the BIOS.

Your RAM is running faster than your CPU as it is....you'd think it would still run at PC3200 though, so check CPU-Z's "By SPD" tab and see if it even has a table at the bottom listed for a 200MHz frequency and its timings.

But yeah as it is, your RAM is running faster than your CPU and you can't change anything in the BIOS of a dell machine so there's nothing you can do, of course you could double check in the BIOS and make sure theres no RAM timing options, but as far as I know dells don't give you that kind of options