CPU and RAM frequency issues

[bernersick]

MOBO: AM3 M4A88TD-V EVO
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131646

Prior RAM:4 x 2GB Corsair Vengeance
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820233164

New RAM: 2 x 4GB Crucial Ballistix Elite
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820148458

I just recently made a new build and I originally ordered the Vengeance RAM. BIOS did not show that RAM was operating at proper speeds. When I had the Vengeance RAM installed, I just went to DRAM Frequency and put it to 1856MHz without adjusting anything else (voltages, timings, etc.). It booted properly (but why can I not select MHz at 2000 like the specs on the MOB O said it can handle)?

When installing the new Crucial RAM (which is naturally set at 1.65V vs the Corsair 1.5), I did the same setting for DRAM but it cause instant boot issues (couldnt even get to my desktop).

Also, Target CPU Freq shows its at 3828MHz (3.8) but my Processor speed on Windows shows 3.3GHz. Whats going on there?

Notes:
I have the Turbo Unlocker switches on my motherboard physically set to "On". Should I be installing some of the ASUS utilities?

 

[Bobnova]

You'll have to increase the HTRef to get the ram speed up there. A HTRef of 250mhz will make that top multiplier give you 2000mhz ram speed. That said, 2000mhz ram on AMD is a fairly decent trick.

 

[bernersick]

You'll have to increase the HTRef to get the ram speed up there. A HTRef of 250mhz will make that top multiplier give you 2000mhz ram speed. That said, 2000mhz ram on AMD is a fairly decent trick.

Changed HTRef to 250 and selected 2000MHz for the ram, crashed..

And now my boot screen says only 4 cores are activated!...

 

[Bobnova]

You'll need to play with the multipliers for the CPU and HT Link speed, 250HTRef is a 25% OC if they aren't changed.
Many AMD cpus aren't capable of running memory at 2000mhz.

 

[bernersick]

so, what is a easy/safe MHz I could go for?

 

[Woomack]

It won't be easy to set memory above 1866. Recommended memory for this platform is 1333-1600 and if you are able to set ~1850 then it's already good.
Try +0.1V CPU/NB and test all for stability @1850. If you won't see any problems then try higher. Set HTT/FSB ( I'm not sure how it's called in ASUS boards ) voltage +0.1V and go up till it crash or you see some problems. Then try +0.05V more and check if it's stable.
CPU-NB and FSB/HTT voltages should be enough to set higher memory and fsb but max clocks can be limited by cpu or board and as I already said 1850 is good result.

 

[bernersick]

It won't be easy to set memory above 1866. Recommended memory for this platform is 1333-1600 and if you are able to set ~1850 then it's already good.
Try +0.1V CPU/NB and test all for stability @1850. If you won't see any problems then try higher. Set HTT/FSB ( I'm not sure how it's called in ASUS boards ) voltage +0.1V and go up till it crash or you see some problems. Then try +0.05V more and check if it's stable.
CPU-NB and FSB/HTT voltages should be enough to set higher memory and fsb but max clocks can be limited by cpu or board and as I already said 1850 is good result.

Woomack,

So when I had the Vengeance memory installed, I was allowed to go through that BIOS setting and set DRAM Freq to 1856 (at 1.5v), and it accepted it and everything was stable/functional.

When installing the Crucial memory, computer would not boot. So for my current set up I should try resetting the DRAM Freq to 1856 (or 1850? because I dont know how to manually type that in the BIOS) and simultaneously increasing the volts to 1.75v (from 1.65v)?

Going back to setting the DRAM freq to a specific number, I remember that HTref needs to be changed to have different options for DRAMfreq right? (what Bobnova was mentioning to me earlier)

Thank you for your input!

- B