What should the DRAM clock frequency be for DDR2 1066 (PC2 8500)?

TrajhenkhetTrajhenkhet
edited June 2009 in Hardware
I recently built a new PC. It has 2 x OCZ Reaper HPC 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 1066 (PC2 8500) Dual Channel Kit (or basically 8gb of RAM).

When I investigated the DRAM frequency on CPU Z (under the memory tab) it showed the frequency to be at 400MHz. I was wondering if this was normal or should it be higher? If it's supposed to be higher what are some things I can do to get it to operate normally? I'm just wondering if the frequency should be at 1066Mhz or if having so much RAM alters this number some how.

My specs are-
CPU: AMD Phenom II X4 920 2.8GHz Socket AM2+ 125W Quad-Core Processor
Mother board: ASUS M3N72-D AM2+/AM2 NVIDIA nForce 750a
RAM: 2 x OCZ Reaper HPC 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 1066 (PC2 8500) Dual Channel.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

And this is my first post. Hello everybody!

Comments

  • miragemirage
    edited June 2009
    Hi Trajhenket, Welcome :)

    I think you need to go into BIOS and set RAM speed manually at 533MHz (DDR2-1066).
  • TrajhenkhetTrajhenkhet
    edited June 2009
    Ok. I set it to 533 it appears the DRAM frequency has gone down to 267Mhz. The timing appears to have changed to 5-4-4-18 from 5-5-5-18.

    I decided to be a bit proactive here. I tried it with the Ganged setting switched to "Disabled" but that did not seem to do anything.
  • ThraxThrax 🐌 Austin, TX Icrontian
    edited June 2009
    Your BIOS shows the DDR speed, not the actual frequency of the RAM. For example, PC2-1066 is really 533MHz. Set the BIOS to 1066. Other BIOS list the actual frequency where 533MHz would be the maximum.
  • TrajhenkhetTrajhenkhet
    edited June 2009
    Well I tried setting the BIOS to 1066, but that seemed to cause the system to crash out (a lot of disc tray apps crashed, windows looked odd as certain parts didn't load,). The computer reset itself after 4 minutes and I was left with an odd small pop up window that states it can't find the user profile so it will use the default profile (which is the profile it can't find).
  • ThraxThrax 🐌 Austin, TX Icrontian
    edited June 2009
    Did you increase the DRAM voltage to 2.1v?
  • SerpSerp Texas Member
    edited June 2009
    Make sure the memory voltage in BIOS is set to 2.1v
  • SerpSerp Texas Member
    edited June 2009
    Bah didn't see you Thrax:p
  • RyderRyder Kalamazoo, Mi Icrontian
    edited June 2009
    Test 1 stick at a time.. also with 2 sticks, try the other pair of slots.

    Is there a setting called CS/ODT Fine delay in the bios? Try setting that to disabled and make sure you are in Ganged mode.
  • miragemirage
    edited June 2009
    If I were you, I would keep the memory at DDR2-800 and overclock the bus together with CPU and memory. The performance difference between DDR2-800 and DDR2-1066 will not be more than a few percent points anyway as long as you do not overclock CPU together.

    If you want to try, you can do the followings.
    - set memory settings to default values or DDR2-800 manually with specified timings of your memory sticks.
    - go to Jumper free configuration in BIOS
    - set AI overclocking manual
    - set memory voltage 2.1v
    - by trial and error, increase CPU frequency from 200 to higher values one small step at a time until stability is lost (this will increase your memory speed too).
    - leave the other settings untouched.

    When the system crashes due to overclocking it will recover by itself to default values next time you boot or you can reset your BIOS as well.

    You can check the Icrontic AMD overclocking guide for more details here. It was written for A64 systems but it is still valid for Phenom II.
  • miragemirage
    edited June 2009
    BTW, you have 2 DIMMs per channel and many ASUS AM2+ boards have the following warning that I am quoting from Newegg below.

    "Due to AMD CPU limitation, DDR2 1066 is supported by AM2+/AM3 CPU for one DIMM per channel only."

    I remember that similar limitations have been a problem since Socket 939 processors.
  • ThraxThrax 🐌 Austin, TX Icrontian
    edited June 2009
    It's not really a limitation at all: http://icrontic.com/news/amd-explains-phenom-ii-memory-downclocking
  • miragemirage
    edited June 2009
    Thrax wrote:
    It's not really a limitation at all: http://icrontic.com/news/amd-explains-phenom-ii-memory-downclocking

    Thrax, if you will like it that way, I can call it a "feature" :) since AMD had admitted it was a design "choice". Although this enhanced feature "limits" using 2 DIMMS per channel at higher than certain speeds. This was a problem (oops! - feature) with every socket 939 processor I used and it still is.


    lim·i·ta·tion

    lim·i·ta·tion (lim´i-t?sh?n) noun

    1. The act of limiting or the state of being limited.
    2. A restriction.
    3. A shortcoming or defect.
    4. Law. A specified period during which, by statute, an action may be brought.

    Excerpted from The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, Third Edition Copyright © 1992 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Electronic version licensed from Lernout & Hauspie Speech Products N.V., further reproduction and distribution restricted in accordance with the Copyright Law of the United States. All rights reserved.
  • ThraxThrax 🐌 Austin, TX Icrontian
    edited June 2009
    Okay, cool, you quoted the dictionary at me.

    It still doesn't change the fact that a small voltage tweak that AMD endorses under the table overcomes the official word on the matter.
  • RyderRyder Kalamazoo, Mi Icrontian
    edited June 2009
    Mirage,

    If it was a limitation, then nobody could do it, because it would not work.

    Many have 4 DDR2 dimms running 1066 on the platform.
  • miragemirage
    edited June 2009
    Ryder, ASUS calls it "limitation" and has warnings on every AM2+/AM3 motherboard sold at Newegg. I believe you that there are many people using 4 DIMMS at 1066. But it is a limitation because it can only run under limited/special/whatever settings, i.e. it is not PNP for as many other cases.

    Anyway, I am done with this argument. :rolleyes:
  • RyderRyder Kalamazoo, Mi Icrontian
    edited June 2009
    Also.... I am trying to help get the system running, I have asked for 2 sticks to be tested at a time, which is entirely possible, so when/if the OP returns with those results, then we can worry about 4 sticks at 1066.
    Until then this is just an argument and it is not helping the OP. :)
Sign In or Register to comment.