New RAM running at 488mhz?

Keltik THC · 23 Oct 2009 at 21:59

i just upgraded my RAM and have finally got the timings sorted but my frequency is running at 488mhz according to memtest and cpu-z...

my RAM is 3x2gb DDR3-12800, so i went into the BIOS and was going to change my RAM frequency but i only have the following options for the dram frequency:

980
1306
1634
1961
2287
2614

i thought i would have options like 1333mhz, 1600mhz etc...?

PermaBanned · 23 Oct 2009 at 22:03

What RAM? What does it say in the POST screen? If it's dual or triple channel i think (don't quote me on this) it will show at half or 1/3 of the speed.

Keltik THC · 23 Oct 2009 at 22:07

Superewza said:
What RAM? What does it say in the POST screen? If it's dual or triple channel i think (don't quote me on this) it will show at half or 1/3 of the speed.

i have 3x2gb Crucial Ballistix Tracer DDR3-1600 (PC3-12800)

it does say its triple channel on Memtest and CPU-z, but if what you say is correct but 488 x 3 = 1464 ?

RJC · 23 Oct 2009 at 22:14

nope, your running at 976mhz (2 x 488 - still DDR ram), you will need to adjust the multiplier in the BIOS for the memory.

Edit: As your overclocked you will need to adjust the BCLK or see if your ram runs @ 1634mhz.

setter · 23 Oct 2009 at 22:18

In the bios on the p6t board you can select the memory frequency from a drop down menu.

Keltik THC · 23 Oct 2009 at 22:27

setter said:
In the bios on the p6t board you can select the memory frequency from a drop down menu.

yeah but the frequencies listed are slightly off as i posted above, i tried 1634 mhz and my pc didnt like it, just restarted to a black screen, i did a hard reset and Overclocking failed and then black screen, so im back to 488mhz

as RJC has posted above you it must be my overclocking affecting the frequencies.

i really need to learn more about this, getting quite frustrated as i want to install windows 7, but really want to get this ram working properly!

EDIT: it seems i can get 1306 running but the 1634 is obviously too much.

setter · 23 Oct 2009 at 22:36

Try lowering the bclk a bit, as you lower/raise this the available ram frequencys change accordingly, ideally when overclocking you want to run the ram at a lower speed than its rated, this takes the ram out of the equation if instability pops up in your cpu overclock

Keltik THC · 23 Oct 2009 at 22:46

Thanks setter i tried this, first BCLK setting that lowered the DRAM frequency below 1600 was 159, but when i booted to mem test it froze.

should i try a couple lower than 159?

madindehead · 23 Oct 2009 at 22:47

The RAM is stupid, and will only run at a speed which is the RAM multiplier x the BLCK.

A lot of people seem to think, that simply because RAM is rated to run at 1600MHz, it will run at that when you plug it in. The speed in CPUZ is half the speed that the RAM actually runs at (it's DDR (Double Data Rate) at the end of the day) the dual or tri-channel has nothing to do with it.

So, you need to look at what you BCLK is, and then see what the RAM multiplier is set to. For example, my BLCK is 200 and my RAM multiplier is 8, so my RAM runs at 1600MHz.

ETNiES · 24 Oct 2009 at 01:54

Dunno how you overclocked so much without noticing anything about your ram! Remember to set your uncore to double the speed of your ram to. and you really shouldnt be touching the timings until you find the top speed you can run your ram at, then you try cut down your timings, i'd put them back to standard for now.