CPU-Z giving me wrong info about RAM. Is it faulty?

badshahz

badshahz

badshahz

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I just purchased 2 lots of these twin kits:

MY-072-OC_400.jpg

http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=MY-072-OC

So I have 4 x 1GB PC2-6400C4 DDR2.

CPU-Z is giving me correct information on 3 of the slots like this:

my.php

http://img70.imageshack.us/my.php?image=ocz1hg6.gif
(copy and paste link in new window if you can't see the image)

However, on one of the slots, the information is like this:

my.php

http://img377.imageshack.us/my.php?image=ocz2av2.gif
(copy and paste link in new window if you can't see the image)


As you can see, 3 of the slots show this:

Max Bandwidth: PC2-6400 (400MHz)
Part Number OCZ2P800R21G
Serial Number: FFFFFFFF

but one of them shows this:

Max Bandwidth: PC2-7000 (434MHz)
Part Number OHS XtwinZ
Serial Number: -

Why is this so? Could it be because of Vista 32bit which is seeing my memory as 3456MB? I don't have SP1 installed.

Or could the RAM be faulty? If so, where and how do I get replacement?
 
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It should still show the correct info in 32bit Vista.

It's really odd to get two different SPD's in one dual-channel pack. What speed are you running the memory at?

I doubt it's faulty. the SPD may have been mis-programmed, but that won't have any effect tbh.
 
Everything is stock speed. I've never attempted overclocking or anything on any of my parts in my PC.

Edit: According to 3DMark06, speed of memory is 333.0 MHz for each of the four slots.
 
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Yeh, but shouldn't kitted modules be 100% identical and come from the same manufacturing process, right down to the chip count? So why are their specifications different? Seems like they got mixed up somewhere and I'm not happy about that.

Another thing is that during boot up, the memory is being shown as PC2-533 instead of PC2-6400. Why is that?

I have P5LD2-SE motherboard which supports - FSB 1066/800/533, DDR2 667/533/400.

(I have ordered a P5K Premium to replace this one and E8400 to replace my current Pentium D 940.)

I am surprised that you are not concerned, do you work for overclockers? ;)
 
I assume you are setting the frequency and timings manually in the BIOS and not going off auto settings?

Vista 32bit will only address a maximum of 4GB which includes your graphics card memory etc. So what you're seeing there is normal.
 
i have a friend with exact same problem. with vista 32 he upgraded from 2 to 4g but onlly 3 show. he hasnt done anything about it but judging by the similarities id say it may be a software fault not hardware.
 
window said:
i have a friend with exact same problem. with vista 32 he upgraded from 2 to 4g but onlly 3 show. he hasnt done anything about it but judging by the similarities id say it may be a software fault not hardware.
Click to expand...

He will need 64bit operating system to utilise 4gb +
 
killer_uk said:
I assume you are setting the frequency and timings manually in the BIOS and not going off auto settings?

Vista 32bit will only address a maximum of 4GB which includes your graphics card memory etc. So what you're seeing there is normal.
Click to expand...

Yes I know about the vista 32bit problem with ram, but that wasn't the issue here. The issue is that one of the ram modules is different from its matching kit pair.

BTW, this is what happens when I change the BIOS settings:

Bios = 400MHz, shows as PC2-3200 during boot, PC boots successfully.
Bios = 533MHz, shows as PC2-4300 during boot, PC boots successfully.
Bios = 600MHz, shows as PC2-4800 during boot, PC DOES NOT boot.
Bios = 667MHz, shows as PC2-553 during boot, PC boots successfully.
Bios = 800MHz, shows as PC2-6400 during boot, PC DOES NOT boot.

I have P5LD2-SE motherboard which supports - FSB 1066/800/533, DDR2 667/533/400.

Sorry for being a noob. I'm not too familiar with memory speed and FSB. How can I make it show as PC2-6400 and make the PC boot up.

Reality|Bites said:
put the module in another slot and see if it still reports the same?
Click to expand...

I've tried that. Same thing. I've tried putting two together in the other dual slots and I've even tried putting the problem module on it's own. It is still seen as different from the other three.
 
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You'll need to increase the Northbridge/MCH voltage by ~0.1v to boost it for running 4 sticks. You'll also have to set the memory to 2.1v to run it at 800mhz.
 
Cob said:
You'll need to increase the Northbridge/MCH voltage by ~0.1v to boost it for running 4 sticks. You'll also have to set the memory to 2.1v to run it at 800mhz.
Click to expand...

Ahh, thanks. I've never messed around with BIOS settings before and have always left everything on auto. I'll try that.

So, do you think everything is fine with the RAM even though one of them is showing as PC2-700 and different manufacturing part number and no serial number? (even though there is a serial number on the outside of the module itself and matches the serial number with the one other that came in the pack.)


Edit:

There were three options for MCH voltage, Auto, 1.50 and 1.60. I tried all of them. For memory voltage, highest it goes to is 2.0V. I selected that too. PC doesn't boot up. Bios only detects IDE drive. It doesn't detect SATA drives where my OS is.
 
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I've very recently had a similer problem, regarding the purchase of a triple channel kit (TR3X3G1333C9 -Corsair) where in cpu-z one stick was not the same as the other two. It transpires that, quoting Corsair,
"Most likely it is a module with the wrong SPD programmed on the the SPD chip. You should be able to simply run it at the higher speed by setting the timings and speed manually if you wish to avoid an RMA.

However, it is our mistake and you are certainly entitled to RMA with your vendor or directly with us. Sorry for the issue".

​
[URL=http://s71.photobucket.com/albums/i136/Earlstreetblue/?action=view&current=CPU-Z.jpg][/URL]

It would seem that in my case its a combination of how cpu-z gets the info from the sticks, but also a problem with the spd chip.

By the way the info was also the same when using Lavalys Everest too. And it didn't matter that I moved the affending stick to any of the 3 slots, the info was still reported in cpu-z and Everest matching the slots.

So get them rma'd if your not happy.
 
Thanks Earlstreetblue for the info. So what did you do? RMA'd it or kept it?

I'm not sure if there is a problem with it. But if some problem arose later and I chose to RMA it, what would be cheaper option? Directly from vendor or manufacturer?
 
So what did you do? RMA'd it or kept it?
Click to expand...

I have rma'd the set, and changed to the 6Gb set.:D
They are also paying for return postage costs, so won't be out of pocket.

But if some problem arose later and I chose to RMA it, what would be cheaper option? Directly from vendor or manufacturer?
Click to expand...

I carn't speak for OCZ, but I would have thought going through the vendor would be better, as in my case. You could go to OCZ technical forums and ask for assistance. They are very good at finding any fault that could be to do with your memory. Then make your decision on whether to rma or not.
 
Afraid not on this occasion, mainly due to the price. £172 v £218 no contest.
But if there is a problem with your memory, then I would expect OC to do the right thing.

I was told:
Although you're not having any problems with it, you're still entitled to an RMA because of the Trade Descriptions Act (product is not as described) and Distance Selling Regulations (you're entitled to a refund if the product is incorrect/faulty on arrival, or develops a fault soon after which can be proved is not the fault of the customer). Under the Distance Selling Regulations, it is up to Corsair (via ***) to take the module back and test it - the customer should not be charged return carriage/testing expenses or otherwise put out of pocket.

Now because your basically in the same boat I was, then this should also apply to you and OCZ/OC.
 
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