Memory voltage issue?

Astro · 22 Jul 2010 at 22:07

Hi,

Received my order the other day for an Intel i3 530 CPU, a Gigabyte GA-H55M-UD2H and OCZ Gold 6GB (3x2GB) DDR3 PC3-10666C9 Low-Voltage Triple Channel memory. I built the system using those components, existing HDDs, 8800 GTX, etc and running Windows 7 OS but since building I've been suffering random BSODs.

I upgraded the motherboard BIOS firmware to the latest revision (F10) and I noted that the voltage supplied to the memory was 1.5 volts yet the memory wants 1.65 volts. There is no option to change the voltage (with these DIMMs anyway).

Therefore I think the BSODs (which are all 'Memory Management' related) are stemming from the motherboard supplying an incorrect voltage to the DIMMs.

Do you have any idea of a solution? If there is no fix that you know of then I believe I have no option than to return the DIMMs for a refund and purchase ones that are rated for 1.5v.

Thanks
--
Thomas

Edited for spelling.

pswfps · 23 Jul 2010 at 09:05

Hi - I searched for screenshots of the BIOS for your board and found this: http://www.xbitlabs.com/images/mainboards/ga-p55m-ud4/bios_02.png

Can the "DRAM Voltage" be set to 1.65V or is that not an option?

Astro · 23 Jul 2010 at 09:55

pswfps said:
Can the "DRAM Voltage" be set to 1.65V or is that not an option?

Thanks for the response. Yes I fiddled with that option but CPUZ reports it at 1.5 anyway.

The manual can be downloaded from: http://download.gigabyte.eu/FileList/Manual/mb_manual_ga-h55m-ud2h_e.pdf and on page 41 it explains:

Profile DDR Voltage
When using a non-XMP memory module or Extreme Memory Profile (X.M.P.) is set to Disabled, this item will display as 1.5V. When Extreme Memory Profile (X.M.P.) is set to Profile1 or Profile2, this item will display the value based on the SPD data on the XMP memory.

Which I take to mean if it's not an XMP memory module then you get 1.5v and no options to change.

Is it possible that with the DRAM set at a specific voltage (1.66v) that CPU-Z would report 1.5v? I'm not so sure it would do that.

Cheers.
--
Thomas

pswfps · 23 Jul 2010 at 10:05

Ah, I don't think CPUZ actually provides a readout for the VDIMM aka "DRAM Voltage." I'm guessing you're looking on the SPD tab? Those voltages are just manufacturers' labels of verified speeds and voltages hard coded into the DIMMS. It's not the actual voltage being currently applied.

If you set the "DRAM Voltage" to 1.65V then your RAM modules are probably receiving that voltage. Have you tried stress testing the system after setting 1.65V in the BIOS? If not then give it a go.

BTW - I use Everst Ultimate to monitor the VDIMM and so on.

pswfps · 23 Jul 2010 at 10:15

Hmmm, looks like your mobo doesn't directly allow you to modify the DRAM Voltage. You have to set the "Extreme Memory Profile" profile1 or profile2 and let the BIOS decide on the voltage to use. But that's not an option if your using DIMMS that don't have an XMP profile. Is that right?

Astro · 23 Jul 2010 at 10:17

I'm away from the PC until Sunday so can't check anything at the moment but there was Prime 95 issues when I first ran it, but I think that was because the CPU voltage was circa 0.95v. I put that up to about 1.145v (as I think it should be for the i3 530) and the prime95 ran without error.

For the memory voltage, the motherboard should report 1.65v on the MIT screen (the screenshot you posted) under DRAM voltage. If that's the case and I continue to have the Memory Management BSODs then I should assume that one or more of the DIMMs is faulty?

I did try to run Memtest86 but when it reached 100% on the first test it hung there doing nothing. I haven't had time to play around with it for too long though, so no idea what was happening there other than it was using the multi-core version (option 2 of the 3 choices it presented me at boot up) and when I used the single core version (the default) it crashed and rebooted at about 35% through the first test.

Cheers.

Astro · 23 Jul 2010 at 10:22

pswfps said:
Hmmm, looks like your mobo doesn't directly allow you to modify the DRAM Voltage. You have to set the "Extreme Memory Profile" profile1 or profile2 and let the BIOS decide on the voltage to use. But that's not an option if your using DIMMS that don't have an XMP profile. Is that right?

That's the way I read the manual. I'll have another play about on Sunday evening and if there is no joy I'll contact Overclockers to return and exchange for something with XMP.

Thanks again for the help.

Cheers.

pswfps · 23 Jul 2010 at 13:14

No problem and good luck.

TBH, I haven't seen a BIOS like that before - it seems a bit restrictive. If it won't let you set the voltage to what you need then you only have 3 options as far as I can tell:

1) Drop the DRAM frequency from 1333MHz to 1066MHz or
2) Slacken the DRAM timings - maybe try CL 10-10-10-30 or
3) Both of the above to stabilise the RAM.

Assuming your BIOS allows for such tinkering that is. If it doesn't then I think I'd be inclined to replace the mobo before the RAM.

Astro · 26 Jul 2010 at 07:10

Ran Memtest86 v3.4 and it didn't take long for it to barf.

I can't change the memory timings or frequency (that I can see)as it's not XMP memory but the DRAM Voltage did say 1.66 in the 'Health Check' screen though in the MIT menu (the screenshot you posted) it still said 1.5.

Restrictive Motherboard? Indeed. Never seen anything like it. However, it's just a fill in between my last one dying and affording a (proper) new one so the memory is going back.

Cheers.

Astro · 26 Jul 2010 at 13:22

Other websites are listing this memory as 1.5-1.65v so my opinion is that 2 of the 3 modules are faulty as per the Memtest results.

OC have agreed a refund and I've ordered some XMP memory in its place but in reality I think those DIMMs would have worked fine if 2 of them weren't dud.

My real reson for posting this is to gripe about the RMA process. Now that I have used it, I'm not surprised I got dud memory. The refund process has no charges attached to it unless I report a fault. In which case, if OC test them and they appear OK, I get charged.

That nonsense means I will return them without detailing what I think is a fault and hence some other unsuspecting person will likely receive them and wonder why he/she is getting BSODs all the time.

My cynical mind is even suggesting that I have probably received DIMMs that someone else has previously returned for a refund without detailing a fault - and so the cycle continues.

Bit of a nonsense that. It costs me time and money to attempt to problem solve kit that should be new, not potentially recycled, faulty garbage.

However, having said that, I've offloaded them so good luck to whoever gets them next! It is still possible that the DIMMs are good and the motherbaord is at fault (pffft).

Cheers.