Memory Running Slow

RWB

First the specs...

Athlon 64 3000+
MSI K8T Neo FISR
x3 512MB Kingston PC3200 DDR

Basically I do have a minor OC right now since I was dabbing around in the BIOS after I noticed that as it was rebooting after HL2 crashed(again) that it said my memory was only running at 333MHz(though it's actually running 350MHz ATM) but it is supposed to be running 400MHz(or 420MHz becuase of the slight OC). I have tried un-overclocking and that didn't do anything, as I figured.

Now the thing is, I have the BIOS specifically set to run at 400MHz, in the option MEMCLOCK VALUE, I can set it to Auto, 200, 333, or 400. It is of course set to 400. When set to "Auto", it changes nothing.

I know my way around a BIOS, I have been through dozens of them on dozens of computers, I cannot find any other option to change to have it run at the right speed. The odd thing is, I know it used to run at it correct speed, but all I know is that this was before I played HL2, but it could have channged any time between 2 months ago, or yesterday.

Sisoft Sandra confirms 350MHz memory.

What is going on?

muddocktor

RWB, have you checked what cpu-z reports your memory running at too? I've seen sandra lie before but never have seen cpu-z report wrong speeds.

RWB

Happen to have a link to it? I am looking up something I thought of a moment ago while playing in my BIOS. That perhaps my motherboard only supports 333MHz when using all 3 DIMMs. Dunno yet though.

muddocktor

Here's your link to cpu-z , RWB.

That is a good point you bring up; your board might default to a lower memory speed with all the dimm slots populated.

RWB

I couldn't find the damned information, but I know I have seen it before for other boards I have owned. Time to buy a new one I guess.... but that'll have to wait.

Ohh, and CPU-Z confirmed 350MHz, I won't fret over 50MHz.

Thrax

It's a half GB/s of bandwidth.

/me shrugs

muddocktor

One easy way to check it is to pull a stick of ddr and see what speed the ddr boots at, RWB.

RWB

Yeah mudd, I didn't want to do that becuase I am lazy. However, after reading up on the HL2 problem I am having, I decided to pull the new stick and it runs now at 400MHz.

Of course, now HL2 works, but I only have 1GB of RAM now, when I really need that 1.5GB of RAM. HL2 didn't work with 3 sticks, yet every single other game I own runs perfectly fine with the 3 sticks. It's so damned stupid.

TheLostSwede

Does memtest run ok with all 3 sticks? If it does, it has to be an allocation problem in HL2 that causes that. Isn't there a way to tell HL 2 to use more memory or something through the console or the .cfg?
The problem is not the board only i'm afraid RWB. The A64 have problems with 6 banks of memory in combination with the chipset that only supports 4 banks at 200 HTT 1:1.

You need an Opteron and a beefy mainboard for your needs i think or simply get 2 sticks with a GB each. Now, before you go and buy 2 sticks with a gig each, let me know cause i have some connections to a lab that tests memory with all kinds of mainboards.

You can also try this:

Drop the LTD multiplier to 3 and also the Memory speed to 166(333) so that you use a divider. Use a lower multiplier and raise the HTT so that the HTTXMultiplier is as close to the cpu speed you had before. It may help so it's worth a try. Check with CPU-Z's memory tab to see the real memory speed each time to make sure. If it's too low, just drop the multi some more and use more HTT and the memory speed will rise.

RWB

I don't know about most the things you said, but I did catch the first part. The steam forums have a thread on the very issue I mentioned. Memory cannot be read, which is an issue many have been having.

Actually, instead of re-explaining it, here is the thread link.
http://forums.steampowered.com/forums/showthread.php?threadid=207065

OK, after reading your message again some...
I may upgrade this board, but I don't think I'll be buying ANYTHING for a few months as I just graduated, have no job and no money. Also, I don't think this board has alot of the settings you mentioned, at least not the ones that I really need such as dividers, and multiplyer settings. It's not an overclocking board in the slightest unfortunatly, so those things just don't exist.

TheLostSwede

I'm sure it has dividers and multiplier settings. ANY non-oem mainboard should have that. Edit, i had a look in your manual. This is the divider. I'll look for more settings to use.

TheLostSwede

Here is where you set the fsb: (picture at the bottom)
I also see now that there are not any multiplier control which i find weird.
Disable ANY stuff you don't use such as ports, Dynamic overclocking, High temperature warnings etc. If you don't use Cool and Quiet, disable that as well. Try this:

I assume your cpu is a 1800 mhz by default right? That's 9X200 without a divider.

In the first picture, set the memclock mode to DDR333 and disable bank interleaving which btw only supports up to 4 banks and you use 6.
Set the LDT to AGP Lokar frequency to 600 mhz for now to be sure you won't get any corrupted harddrives.
Disable fast-write as well in that screen.

Go to power management features and disable the Thermal active temperature if possible and if you don't need it.
Then finally go to frequency/voltage control and use the following settings:

Disabled
DIsabled
Disabled
Disabled
250 mhz
Auto
CPU vcore of 1.65 volts if possible (Check how much you can use FIRST)
Auto

That should set your cpu to 9X250 fsb at a 166 divider which is a cpu speed of 2250 mhz and the memory will be running at 204.5 mhz. That is assuming your cpu is a 1800 mhz model, but if not, tell me what it is and i'll re-calculate.