DRAM Frequency [ASUS Rampage Extreme]

Can someone please help me understand this DRAM frequency? This is my first attempt at seriously changing things around in my bios and overclocking, Ive searched and read stickies but Im still not clear on this.

Anyways... Heres my current hardware:
Motherboard: ASUS Rampage Extreme
RAM: Mushkin DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) 2x 2Gb 7-7-6-18 CAS Lat. 7
CPU: Intel Core 2 Quad Q9550 - 2.83GHz at 1333MHz (E0 stepping)

Now I went into the bios and set the overclock to the QX9770 setting, and in CPUZ i have the following results posted below.



My DRAM frequency on CPU Z says 506.7 so is this over (1600/4=400) or elsewhere I read you should use a 1:1 FSBRAM ratio (giving only 380). So is my system under-performing with respect to my RAM? Or am I pushing it kind of hard? Or is it right about where it should be?

On a side note, the rampage extreme has the voltages waaay high straight out of the box. even with my current overclock the CPU and northbridge are running significantly cooler than they were on stock speeds and out of the box voltage settings.

I wish I would have tried overclocking sooner, running prime95 and so far all is well!

Edited to add: another thing strange to me CPUZ only shows RAM in the slot #2, and #4 as empty (SPD tab). My RAM is in #2 and #4, what gives?

In order to run your RAM at it's rated 1600 MHz, you would need to increase the FSB to 400 MHz w/ a NB strap of 1:2 (266/1066 DRAM Speed). At your current FSB of 380 MHz and NB strap of 3:4, your RAM is running at 1013 MHz (which is double what you'll see in CPU-Z - DRAM Freq. of 506.7 MHz). With the RAM running at 1600 MHz (400 x 8.5 w/ a NB strap of 1:2), CPU-Z will show the DRAM Freq. as 800 MHz.

wow so Im running waaaaay slow then. Thanks!

Why young lads buy a $400. motherboard and are just learning what they bought is rather a mystery to me but I guess ASUS has figured that one out.

Actually... Im not a young lad. Ive been building PCs since '97, but this stuff is new to me. Also being employed as an engineer makes the $400 aspect not that big of a deal. Now I could either continue to buy parts that just fit together and do their own thing by themselves, or I could pick up a nice motherboard that will let me learn a lot more about my computer. See where Im going with this? Im pretty confident most people here were not born experts.

You picked a mobo that's very pleasant both for beginners and experts. Things will certainly come much easier on the Rampage Extreme than it would on other boards.

Make sure you update the BIOS to the newest, it assists in quad core FSB considerably.

Thanks

Currently Im running version 501, the most recent one available through the regular downloads section on the forum. I saw there is a 601 version posted on the ASUS forums. Would you recommend staying with the 501, or picking up the 601 version? I havent picked it up yet as I was operating under the (possibly incorrect) assumption that if it was completely ready it would be offered with the other downloads.

I've only gone up to 0501 myself, but have heard that 0601 is better...haven't tried yet.

Alien432 said:

Why young lads buy a $400. motherboard and are just learning what they bought is rather a mystery to me but I guess ASUS has figured that one out.

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to drive old guys like you who dont want to spend all that coin on 1 part crazy

tehfrr said:

Actually... Im not a young lad. Ive been building PCs since '97, but this stuff is new to me. Also being employed as an engineer makes the $400 aspect not that big of a deal. Now I could either continue to buy parts that just fit together and do their own thing by themselves, or I could pick up a nice motherboard that will let me learn a lot more about my computer. See where Im going with this? Im pretty confident most people here were not born experts.

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Nicely said. Sweet motherboard I am sure you will get that Mushkin humming along.

So heres something that Im stumped on. I got my DRAM frequency at 800.9 finally. woohoo. Both my bios and CPUZ report my processor at a little over 3 Ghz, which makes sense to me considering as per this thread CPU Speed = CPUM x FSB and my multiplier is currently set at 7.5 with a 400.5 bus. Why then would things such as the windows XP properties and Everest report my CPU speed at 3.403 Ghz? (see attached screenshot)

System Properties shows a CPU speed of 3.40 GHz because Windows reads the default Q9550 multiplier of 8.5, and not the mult. of 7.5 that you've set in the BIOS. The version of Everest you're using is the last free Home version (from about 3 years ago), which is way out of date. If you want to see an accurate reading in Everest, then you'll need to pay for the latest v4.60 of the software. CPU-Z is showing you the correct information, so I wouldn't worry too much about Everest and Sysdm showing an incorrect clock.

OP...I invite you to consider joining the benching team (follow link in my sig for "how to") then you can get some great personalized advice from some world class overclockers in the lounge....w/o the OMG you spent $$$ type comments.

p.s. you handled it very well btw....

I have several of the RE BIOS files I'd be happy to share with you. You can PM me with your email address and I will send them to you. I've worked with 0601 for a bit and it is solid. Unless you are having overvolting/undervolting or other such problems on 0501 there isn't that much difference between 0501 and 0601 ...so if you are happy with 0501 I see no reason you should flash at this time.

Matt

Here is link for a trail version of everest, I also sent you a PM that might help you out.

http://www.lavalys.com/products/download.php?ps=CE&lang=en

rdrash said:

w/o the OMG you spent $$$ type comments.
p.s. you handled it very well btw....

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OP my post and this post is not a personal attack on you so don't take it that way. If you wants to spend $400 on a Rampage I'm sure Asus doesn't mind.

My point is that you can learn to OC on many boards without having to spend that much $. Not everyone is an engineer and thinks that $400 is a drop in a bucket. Many folks can barely afford a computer at all. OCing to me is the challenge of using lower $ and spec equipment and getting as much as you can out of it. I can afford a $400 board too but why start at the top when you can benefit more from building up from the bottom and know you earned it.

If your inviting folks to benchmark team be fair and invite those guys who don't have a lot to work with equipment wise and teach them how to get more out of it.

Everyone is welcome to join the benching team no matter what hardware they own!! We just won ForumWarz for the 3rd straight time.

I am personnally inviting you Alien432 anyone else reading this thread to join.

Join the OCF benchmarking team

Off topic: my apologies if you took my comment that way. Anyone is eligible to join the benchmarking team. All are welcomed equally.... it's a great bunch of guys and is an excellent way to learn how to push your hardware to its maximum potential, if you choose to torture your gear that is