DDR3200 Slowdown? 1

[apex1x]

Motherboard: GA-K8N
RAM: 2x VS512MB400CS Value Select Corsair

Problem: When two 512 modules (same sticks) are put together, they run at 333mhz, but seperately they run at 400 mhz.

I checked out gigabyte and this is something they mention:

http://www.giga-byte.com/Motherboard/Support/FAQ/FAQ_444.htm

If you look at the diagram, it says that this is a limitation with the Athlon 64 CPU?

What's the difference between single and double rank? Does double just have RAM chips on both sides?

Why would there be such a "limitation"? What sort of options do I have?

Thanks.

 

[apex1x]

I should also ask: What would be the difference in terms of performance if I had both in at 333mhz as opposed to just one at 400mhz?
I just finished updating to the latest BIOS and I cant even get the computer booted with both sticks in at the same time

 

[cdogg]

Single Rank and Double Rank in some cases mean single or double sided. But not always.

The following PDF at Intel's site explains it with diagrams for x4 and x8 modules:

http://developer.intel.ru/design/chipsets/applnots/292275.htm

I also noticed at the Gigabyte link you posted, that there were BIOS updates that address the problem. There is a link on that FAQ page at the bottom to select the board model that you have to grab the latest BIOS revision. This may or may not help.

The Hypertransport bus that the older 754-pin Athlon 64 uses, runs up to 800MHz. So, the faster your memory runs, the less of a bottleneck you'll have. There probably isn't a huge difference between 333Mhz and 400MHz on your system.

~cdogg
"Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results." - Albert Einstein
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[apex1x]

Thanks for the info. My particular board (regular GA-K8N) doesn't appear to have a bios update that affects the RAM issue. So is this memory speed limitation with these two RAM chips of mine an issue with the BIOS, the motherboard or the 754 athlon 64?

 

[cdogg]

Right, there are a lot of fixes in Gigabyte's BIOS updates that are not listed on the site. So I would still advise grabbing version F13 from here:

http://www.giga-byte.com/Motherboard/Support/BIOS/BIOS_GA-K8N_More.htm

F9, by the way, is one example where CPU information was updated. The other more recent ones could very well contain CPU updates too.

The way the BIOS/chipset deals with those RAM chips is the issue here. Every motherboard has some kind of limitation when it comes to memory combinations, but yours seems to be worse off than the average. Until you upgrade the BIOS, there's not much we can say about the cause.

~cdogg
"Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results." - Albert Einstein
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[paparazi]

For your information

Gigabyte motherboards are the easiest of all to flash, all you need is the extracted "flash file" put on a floppy disc, enter the bios, then F1?? to go to Qflash utility.
Put the floppy disc in the drive, go down to update main bios, press enter, turn off after flashing is completed, reset bios.

Obviously make sure the extracted bios is correct for motherboard model and version.
Martin

We like members to GIVE and not just TAKE.
Participate and help others.

 

[kmcferrin]

I would try the BIOS flash to see if it resolves the problem. If not, you are probably still better off using 1GB of RAM than 512 MB of RAM, even if it is a tad slower.

 

[apex1x]

There is no way to put the 2 sticks in any combination with the latest BIOS. The computer wont even start up with 2 in
This motherboard really seems to be garbage.

 

[cdogg]

Did you ever figure out if the Corsair sticks are single or double rank, and if they are x4, x8, or x16?

~cdogg
"Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results." - Albert Einstein
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[apex1x]

How would I find out what rank they are and how would that affect where I would go with this?
It seems like a waste to only have the one stick in. In every combination of slots with the newest BIOS, the motherboard simply refuses to boot with more than one stick of this RAM

 

[dakota81]

I've seen that in a lot of different systems. The memory controller is built into the cpu, so it's mainly independant of the motherboard you purchase.

In the bios, just manually set the ram to a 200mhz clock (ddr400 speeds).

 

[apex1x]

Yah, but I can't get into bios with two sticks of ram in the system so its hard to set the speed manual. I used to be able to have two sticks in with an older version of bios but there were no speed options and they automatically slowed down to 166 mhz.

 

[cdogg]

apex1x,
Remember that PDF I posted above from Intel? It should help you determine if the RAM is single or double rank. It has a few diagrams regarding x4 and x8, so there's a chance you'll figure that part out too.

The reason you want to determine this is because of what Gigabyte's site mentioned at the link you originally posted. It says, for example, that you can't use multiple x8 double-ranked modules together. If you do, the speed won't be 400MHz. It'll be 333MHz instead.

Click the details link to see what configurations will work.

~cdogg
"Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results." - Albert Einstein
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[apex1x]

Yeh, these two RAM sticks are x8 double-ranked.
So is this an issue with the motherboard and not a limitation with AMD?
If so, I might be better off going with a new motherboard.

 

[cdogg]

As far as I know, it's only a limitation with your board. When a BIOS update doesn't help, then aside from replacing the board, I would contact Giga-byte first to see if there is anything else they can do.

~cdogg
"Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results." - Albert Einstein
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[IBACFII]

Which processor do you have?
What is the name of the core?
I would also have a look at AMD.com as there are some amd 64 cores that do not support ddr400.

Also try swaping memory try one then the other.


IBACFII

 

[cdogg]

IBACFII,
Are you sure? I haven't heard that there are some 64 cores that don't support DDR400. I thought it was the chipset on the motherboard that determined that.

If you re-read this thread, you will see that each memory module runs at 400MHz when they are by themselves. It's when they are together that they only run at 333MHz. Giga-byte's website explains why (as noted in the very first post and several others).

~cdogg
"Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results." - Albert Einstein
[tab][navy]For general rules and guidelines to get better answers, click here:[/navy] faq219-2884

 

[kmcferrin]

I'm with cdogg. Everything that I have read points to Athlon 64, X2, and Opteron cores supporting DDR400. The only possible exception (and I'm grasping at straws on this one) is possibly the Socket 754 Semprons (but I know for a fact that the S754 Athlons support DDR400).

 

[IBACFII]

Nope. There are many revisions of opterons below the 246 model that are not DDR400 compatable. I would look on AMD's website. Also 2CPU.com has several threads that discuss this. As I have several 242's and a couple of 250's with different revisions. I can attest to this fact first hand.
Still don't think its right check the official link on AMD.
LINK Here

IBACFII

 

[cdogg]

IBACFII,

There are many things I believe you are overlooking here...


- For one, we're talking about the Athlon 64 processor, as noted in the original post.


- Second, the AMD.com page that you got that document from is:

[tab]

http://www.amd.com/us-en/Processors/TechnicalResources/0,,30_182_869_8819.html

(click [blue]Opteron Memory Guidelines[/blue] over to the right)


Here's a quote from that page:

The AMD Opteron processor is designed to work with DDR SDRAM with data rates of 200 MHz, 266 MHz, 333 MHz and 400 MHz.

Here's a quote from the PDF you posted:

Note: PC3200 Registered DIMMS are only supported on AMD Opteron models 146 and higher, 246 and higher and 846 and higher.

Notice it says "REGISTERED" DIMMs. The problem here is that no one said we were dealing with registered memory, or that they had an Opteron CPU. That's two big assumptions, and in your first post, you did not specify what you meant by "AMD 64 Cores". You should have just said "some AMD Opteron cores".

~cdogg
"Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results." - Albert Einstein
[tab][navy]For general rules and guidelines to get better answers, click here:[/navy] faq219-2884