Timings and Latency? (4x1GB DDR2800 on Asus A5N-ESLI)

Scooterr

Scooterr

Scooterr

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8 Jul 2008
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I recently bought a couple of extra 1GB modules for my PC and cannot even get it to post the BIOS with them in. After a bit of trial and error in getting them in the right positions I don't think this is the problem.

The motherboard Autodetects the RAM Timings and Voltage settings and I was wondering what the best course was to troubleshoot this setup is:

Working memory: 2 x 1GB Corsair DDR2 800, 4-4-4-12, 2.1v
New memory: 2 x 1GB Corsair DDR2 800, 5-5-5-12, 1.9v

What I am planning to do is:
1 Upgrade the Bios with a bootable memory stick (Vista 64 issue)
2 Manually set the minimum requirements to 1.92v, 5-5-5-5-12
3 Try all combination of positions that I can think of if it's not working
4 Give up and buy a new pair of 2 or 4GB modules to replace the 4 I have currently.

Any advice that people have to save me from myself and lack of experience with paired RAM here would be great!
 
Never heard of that motherboard, I wonder if it related to the P5N-E SLI ?

Yes - flash to latest BIOS, if it is anything like the P5N-E SLI the later BIOSs fixed many 4 x 1GB issues.

Then I'd boot with 2 sticks, set 5-5-5-15 and the 1.92v, then power down and fit the extra 2 sticks. With luck it may work. If not, perhaps manually set the speed to DDR2 667 and see if it boots with 4 sticks at that speed. Or, you may need to set the Northbridge voltage manually, although I've always found that auto works fine with 4 sticks. Could be too that a shade more than 1.92v is required for the RAM. You're just going to have to experiment
 
OK - then that board definitely needs one of the later BIOS for better compatibility with 4 x 1GB. With earlier BIOSs, the board would not boot with 4 x 1GB of DDR2-800 RAM unless you set the RAM speed manually. There was a "hole" between about 723 - 838 where the board wouldn't boot with 4 sticks. It either had to be either under or overclocked. This was fixed after about BIOS 0901. Latest I believe is 1002.
 
Flash your bios to the latest and you might have to manually change the voltage to 2.1v.

I have this motherboard and it was an absolute pain to get working to start with, even though I was only using 2x2GB.
 
4 x 1GB was a pain for me until I understood the memory/FSB hole. One that was sorted, it was very good, I like this board a lot. Yes my memory had to run at 2.0875. In another board it undervolts and runs perfectly at 2.0v but in the P5-N it required more. He can work up as required
 
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