Ram speed question, help me!

I haven't built a computer in 10 years and getting back into it.
I just bought a GIGABYTE GA-X58A-UD3R motherboard that advertises DDR3 2200MHZ ram speed.

I went and bought 6X 2gb corsair Dominator GT sticks rated at 2000mhz.

When I booted up the ram speed was showing at 1080mhz.

I called gigabyte and the tech said it was because I used both channels it had to split the speed!!!!

I switched to just 3 sticks and it was still 1080mhz

Switch to just one stick and got the same 1080mhz.

Any ideas? Anyone willing to tell me what's wrong with me?

The Intel 9xx series CPUs have a default DDR3 RAM frequency of 1066 MHz. which is what the RAM will default to on boot. You can manually set BIOS options to try and run the RAM at a higher (as in overclocked) frequency. Just because the RAM and mobo have been tested to run at 2000+ MHz. does not mean that your CPU/mobo/RAM/VID etc. will all run stable at that high of frequency. The only means to tell is to manually set the BIOS options and test. The links below may help?

Also note that using mutiple RAM kits vs. one tested, matched confirmed compatible RAM kit can cause all sorts of problems. As an example the Corsair RAM timings are for one RAM kit not for each DIMM so if you use multiple RAM kits you are going to be forced to lower the frequency and/or slow the latency timings, which would not be the case with one tested, matched compatible RAM kit.

http://www.techreaction.net/2010/09/07/3-step-overclocking-guide-bloomfield-and-gulftown/

The Corsair RAM upgrade guide explains more.

http://forum.corsair.com/forums/showthread.php?t=87341

X58 mobos can also have disappearing RAM issues per the link below.

http://forum.corsair.com/forums/showthread.php?t=82274

Awesome info!

In your opinion would it be better to use just 3 chips = 6gb or fill up all the slots for a total of 12gb?

Basically I have two complete sets of corsair ram that are identical.

If your goal is to overclock then I'd use (3) DIMMs and hope they play nice. They may not play well even though they may be the same parts. If you actually need 12 Gb. of RAM for some reason then I'd try to exchange/sell your current RAM and buy one matched, tested compatible RAM kit if what you have doesn't work flawlessly. Now and then people get lucky but with 6x 2 Gb. kits you're asking a lot. Corsair and others sell compatible RAM specifically for triple channel mobos.

My two sets are specifically listed "triple channel" if that changes anything. so 3 for each channel

OK that's good. I thought from your original post you bought 6x 2 Gb. kits. If you kept the sticks in matched sets of (3) you should be good if you decide to run just one RAM kit.