3 sticks running in dual channel?

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MittRomney

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Jul 5, 2014
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I have a crosshair v formula-z motherboard, with 3 4gb corsair dominator ram sticks. They say 1600 MHz, but I get freezes when running that high. If I put it on auto, 1 of the sticks runs at 1333mhz, and 2 run at 1066. Seems pretty slow. Cpu-z says that they're running in dual channel, and at 1333 MHz. I forced the system to run that. Just wondering why the ram runs slower, and how its in dual channel. Thank you!
 
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Tradesman1
It's running in what Intel calls flex mode (which has been around a long, long time), the memory controller looks for equal amounts of DRAM in each channel and runs that in dual channel, the remainder runs in single channel, it's a little out of balance and often a little extra voltage to the DRAM and/or MC (memory controller) often improves performance in this type of set up might try adding + 0.06 to the DRAM and maybe the same to the MC (think it called the CPUVTT, DDRVTT or just VTT on your mobo), if running now chances are good they might run 1600 also, would set up freq and timings manually
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Alpha3031

Alpha3031

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Nov 27, 2013
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Actually, I belive how the RAM operates in this case is 2 sticks interlaced (dual channel) and the third running on it's own, if necessary. I would suggest taking the third stick out, and doing some extra checks.
 
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bigpinkdragon286

Splendid
Oct 3, 2012
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I would speculate that either you have matching banks of memory, or CPU-Z is in error. Stability issues are likely due to some of the RAM running at timings it can't handle.

If two of the modules were single-bank, and the other, on a separate channel was wired up as a dual-bank, you may just be able to get three to run in dual-channel mode, but frankly, having stability issues should trump any slight benefit you might gain from the endeavor. Whether your motherboard's BIOS or the CPU memory controller would refuse to work with such a pairing, I can only speculate at.
 
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Tradesman1

Tradesman1

Legenda in Aeternum
Jun 5, 2013
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It's running in what Intel calls flex mode (which has been around a long, long time), the memory controller looks for equal amounts of DRAM in each channel and runs that in dual channel, the remainder runs in single channel, it's a little out of balance and often a little extra voltage to the DRAM and/or MC (memory controller) often improves performance in this type of set up might try adding + 0.06 to the DRAM and maybe the same to the MC (think it called the CPUVTT, DDRVTT or just VTT on your mobo), if running now chances are good they might run 1600 also, would set up freq and timings manually
 
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