SOLVED Need help with bios memory config.

[bobkoonce]

Hello,

My wonderful wife bought me the computer components listed below for Christmas so that when I create 3d models and animation renderings things will happen at a much faster pace then my old computer (2.1Mhz CPU, 3GBs of ram and a 128mb video card).

Here is a list of the components:

Mobo: Gigabyte GA-970A-D3
CPU: AMD FX 4170
Memory: Corair Vengeance DDR3 32GB Kit
Video: GeForce GTX550TI 2GB

This is my dilemma.

So far the only problem I have come up with is that when I boot up, the BIOS is saying that the ram is only running at 1333Mhz and it is 1866Mhz ram, I have tried to change some things in the BIOS and came up with the start up screen saying:

The system has experienced boot failures because of overclocking.

Last settings in BIOS setup may not coincide with current H/W states.

Current CPU speed: 21.0 X 200Mhz
Current Memory Speed: 1333Mhz
Current HT Speed: 2400Mhz

Press <DEL> key to enter the BIOS Setup or press any rest of keys to continue...

Or I have to Clear CMOS because the computer has froze up.

I have another question regarding memory since I am in this forum,
I ran memtest86+ on the 32Gb of ram thinking the ram might be the culprit, I ran through all 11 test and found that test 8-11 were showing errors, so I ran 1 stick at a time and came up with errors showing up again at test 8 on each of the 4 sticks, I also moved each of the sticks through each of the 4 memory port and came up with errors starting at test 8, is it possible that I got 4 ram sticks from Corsair that are bad? Or that all for ports on the board are bad? Or is my CPU the culprit?

Is memtest86+ a good testing software for ram?

I hope that all these issues can be resolved and that I have been clear enough in the explaining of my problems. I'm fairly new at messing around with all the different option in BIOS, basically all I changed in the past in BIOS is to remove the slash screen so I can see more of what was happening and the boot sequence.

Hopefully someone reading this has or has had the same MOBO as I have, because it seems that BIOS changes from MOBO to MOBO.

Thank you in advance,
bobkoonce

 

[Mod-R]

There's a setting somewhere to enable XMP profile, which will automatically tune your memory to its advertised speed and latency. Check in your Mobo's manual if you don't know where to enable it.

 

[bobkoonce]

This MOBO's manual has no mention of an XMP profile, I've done some checking on this and it seems that the XMP profile is for an Intel MOBO not an AMD, is there something like an XMP profile for my MOBO?

 

[Mod-R]

Yeah sorry about that... I think they announced a counterpart, something like AMP, but I'm not sure it's out there yet or how it works.

Nothing to worry about anyway, just go in DRAM settings and set it manually, exactly like it reads on the sticker of your sticks.

 

[redduc900]

Without knowing the exact model of DDR3-1866 you have, and like Mod-R suggested, after manually adjusting the four primary DRAM timings and voltage to the modules rated spec's (for example 10-11-10-30 at 1.50V), you may also need to bump NB voltage and / or CPU NB VID Control voltage w/ 32GB installed. Your BIOS also has an option similar to XMP called DRAM E.O.C.P, whereas you can select an overclocking profile for your RAM, in your case DDR3-1866 (x9.33 DRAM multiplier).

 

[bobkoonce]

I believe the model of DDR3 1866 I have is CM32GX3M4X1866C10.

I'm not sure by what NB voltage or CPU NB VID Control voltage is and what I would need to bump them up to.

I have used the option Dram E.O.C.P. and set it to DDR3 1866 and the computer crashed and I had to Clear CMOS, Maybe I also need to do as you suggested and bump the NB voltage or CPU NB VID Control voltage, if I new how to do that.

 

[Mod-R]

I believe the model of DDR3 1866 I have is CM32GX3M4X1866C10.

I'm not sure by what NB voltage or CPU NB VID Control voltage is and what I would need to bump them up to.

I have used the option Dram E.O.C.P. and set it to DDR3 1866 and the computer crashed and I had to Clear CMOS, Maybe I also need to do as you suggested and bump the NB voltage or CPU NB VID Control voltage, if I new how to do that.

It's the voltage that ensures the communication between the CPU and the RAM, NB referring to North Bridge.

 

[RGone]

Been a while since I worked for a mobo company and have lost some of my Chinese english to english skills but if you go to the qualified memory page for that mobo at this link >> http://download.gigabyte.us/FileList/Memory/memory_ga-970a-d3.pdf << and read to the bottom of the tested DDR1866 ram you will find this written in both english and chinese. >> Note: Only one DIMM per channel is supported for DDR3-1866MHz and higher speed as using an AM3+ CPU. << If I remember 'how-to' read chinese english, I am fairly certain it means you must have a BullDozer or PileDriver Cpu in the cpu socket to support any DDR1866 ram and even if you have a Bulldozer or Piledriver Cpu in the socket, only 2 sticks of ram in total are supported at DDR1866 and above speeds. Ergo 4 sticks of DDR1866 are n0t supported.

EDIT:
AMD claims support for two DIMMs of DDR3-1600 per channel. Two DIMMs of DDR3-1866 on a single channel will be down-clocked to 1600. << That information is from AMD memory support with FX-BD/PD processors. So the mobo manufacturer is agreeing at their Ram QVL site that the board does not support all 4 memory slots populated at DDR1866 speed.
END EDIT.

 

[bobkoonce]

Is there another good MOBO that will support all 4 memory slots running at 1866Mhz, and will support my AMD FX 4170 CPU? I'm thinking about a MOBO that will recognize that my rams speed is at 1866Mhz and set BIOS at that speed without having to go in to BIOS and set the parameters manually.

 

[Mod-R]

I expect there is a MoBo that will support all 4 slots at 1866MHz, but for what I know none of them will automatically recognize your RAM at their advertised specs like XMP profile does for Intel.

Left to itself, any board will only run any memory at SPD, which by default is usually 1333MHz.

But it isn't hard to change those manually, usually the first five settings you can change in DRAM Settings menu are precisely those you need to change, and presented in the correct order. The first four are the timings (ex.: 9-8-9-24) and the fifth is usually the command rate (1 or 2). All those you will find on the sticker of your sticks. Looking at the product code yours will probably be 10-9-10-27, and if the command rate is the same as my own corsair vengeance then it will be 2.

 

[bobkoonce]

On my ram it says the timing is 10-11-10-27 and the voltage is 1.5v.

When I go into Bios and choose MB Intelligent Tweaker (M.I.T.)
then choose Dram Configuration
then change Set Memory Clock from Auto to Manual
then change Memory Clock to x9.33 which sets Memory Clock to 1866
then change DDR3 Timing Items from Auto to Manual
then leave 1T/2T Command Timing at 2T
then change CAS# latency from 13T to 10T
then change RAS to CAS R/W Delay from 13T to 11T
then change Row Precharge Time from 13T to 10T
and finally change Minimum RAS Active Time from 34T to 27T

Save Exit

Computer crash, Clr CMOS.

Nothing I'm trying seems to work, maybe I'll get an RMA and return everything back to Amazon.com and then order Intel CPU, Intel MOBO but keep the Ram. any suggestions on type of CPU and MOBO that's comparatively price as my present CPU and MOBO.
The set up would also have to support my GeForce GTX550Ti 2GB SLI Video card.

Or else loose more hair and keep on trying.

CPU: AMD FX4170 $119
MOBO: GA-970A-D3 $92

I really do appreciate all of your inputs, and attempts to resolve my dilemma.

Thank you,
bobkoonce

 

[Mod-R]

Well of course it won't work if you still have all four sticks in. What RGone said still stands. I was just indicating how it would work if you bought another Mobo. Which will also work with yours if you remove the sticks populating Channel B to keep only two sticks in Channel A.

 

[bobkoonce]

Well, I do want to use all 4 sticks @ 1866, are there any other boards and CPUs out there that will support all 4 sticks @ 1866? If there are can you suggest some?

That why I bought the 32GB of 1866 ram so that when I'm rendering animation it's faster then a snails pace.

Thanx,
bobkoonce

 

[Mod-R]

Go with an Asus board. Both the M5A99FX PRO and the M5A99X EVO, according to the QVL, support Corsair CMZ32GX3M4X1866C10 precisely. The EVO is less expensive and it's a really good board. Both are an ATX format, and support SLI quad-GPU and CrossfireX quad-GPU. So you'll also have plenty of room to improve your graphics solution over time. Asus also have the most comprehensive UEFI, it will make it real simple for you to tune your memory frequency in BIOS.

 

[RGone]

Got a little concerned...

...I was a little concerned about calibre of parts making a difference on whether ALL ram slots could be populated at DDR1866. So I did the best I could to populate ALL the memory slots of my CHV mobo and run at least DDR1866. I know AMD does not support ALL memory slots filled @ DDR1866 but have seen some do it and now have done it myself with ram that is all one good brand, but are pretty far apart in ram speed.

I can only say what I have done not what every other combination will do. I know the motherboard makes a difference as well as I suspect the IMC inside the cpu can have a bearing on the outcome. I have also made one specific change to my ram timings that no one ever changes. I got the clue from "raja's" CHV Bios Overclocking Guide at the ROG forums. Asus does one hale of a job supporting their motherboards in their forum. Well for me they do. Much of what I have learned about the CHV will also work on the other Asus mobo's that are not just flat entry level cheapies.

I think the graphic below should tell the tale of the tape as regards to use of ALL ram slots full at DDR1866 using an AMD FX series processor.

If you are using FireFox as I do, you can just right click the image and choose view image and it jumps up to a very viewable size. RGone...ster.

 

[Mod-R]

Thanks again for the very knowledgeable input! This is interesting...

To the OP : you can still go with the Asus M5A99X Evo (or FX Pro), I checked on their website first when I made the suggestion and both boards have been tested with the very same memory kit you (want to) use (QVL = Qualified Vendors List), and are declared compatible to all extents. At worst it may take a BIOS update and that's all, but I highly doubt that. In the end even if it does not work you'll have a very good reason to RMA.

 

[bobkoonce]

I took out all 4 sticks and put 2 back in using the same color slots and clocked them at 1866 by changing the timing and clock speed, it worked, now running 2 sticks dual at 1866.

RGone, I am going to try to setup 4 sticks as your suggesting and see if it works.

Mod-R, I am still going to see about buying one of the ASUS MOBO you suggested on my next project (won't be long I'm building a render farm), will these MOBO run all for slots at 1866Mhz dual? And without manually changing Bios.

redduc900, now that I setup the ram in the slots correctly, I'm also going to try and use the DRAM E.O.C.P profile you pointed out and see if that works.

Thanks guys for all your input, don't think I would have gotten as far as I did without your help.

P.S. Would it be faster run 4 ram sticks at 1333Mhz or 2 at 1866Mhz dual?

Thank you again,
bobkoonce

 

[Mod-R]

I took out all 4 sticks and put 2 back in using the same color slots and clocked them at 1866 by changing the timing and clock speed, it worked, now running 2 sticks dual at 1866.

RGone, I am going to try to setup 4 sticks as your suggesting and see if it works.

Mod-R, I am still going to see about buying one of the ASUS MOBO you suggested on my next project (won't be long I'm building a render farm), will these MOBO run all for slots at 1866Mhz dual? And without manually changing Bios.

redduc900, now that I setup the ram in the slots correctly, I'm also going to try and use the DRAM E.O.C.P profile you pointed out and see if that works.

Thanks guys for all your input, don't think I would have gotten as far as I did without your help.

P.S. Would it be faster run 4 ram sticks at 1333Mhz or 2 at 1866Mhz dual?

Thank you again,
bobkoonce

You WILL have to change the settings manually in BIOS... even using the EOCP profile, and with any board on the market, unless you switch to an Intel rig, which will give you the option to use XMP which is a one click setup.

Two sticks at 1866 will be faster, EXCEPT if you need more than 16GB in the major part of what you do.

 

[bobkoonce]

Well it looks like I'll be going Intel on the farm, I like the idea of a 1 click setup, modeling and animation is difficult enough without having to deal with a lot of hardware issues.

Thanks

 

[Mod-R]

No problems there, when you'll get there just think the board has to support XMP and suits your needs expansion wise... Meaning if you intend to SLI that GTX one of those days as a necessary upgrade for what you do, you'll have to think all about that. Come back here then if you need help I'd be glad to offer some.