--HELP-- Memory is not running its full MHZ

[Guest]

I just installed the Asus P5PE-VM mobo and the E6400 CPU and 2 x 1G 400mhz Kingston KVR400X64C3A/1G memory modules.

When the computer posts it is showing the memory frequency at 354mhz

I checked the settings in the bios and everything looks good and are set to speed for RAM.

Any Ideas ???

 

[Mondoman]

...
I checked the settings in the bios and everything looks good and are set to speed for RAM....

What exactly do you mean by this? Did you select "manual" settings for the memory, and choose the memory bus speed (presumably 400MHz), timings (e.g. CL etc), and memory/DIMM voltage yourself? What are these settings set to?
This post may help with some background information:
http://forumz.tomshardware.com/hardware/modules.php?name=Forums&file=viewtopic&p=1249881#1249881

 

[Guest]

The settings are at the default "auto spd" where it goes by what the mobo detects. Also its DDR1 modules.

 

[Mondoman]

OK, read the post I linked to. To get the advertised speed from the modules, you will often have to go in and manually set the memory bus speed, memory timings, and perhaps memory/DIMM voltage. The memory manufacturer will have the info on what latencies/timings and what DIMM voltage to use on the spec sheet for the specific model number of memory that you bought (you already know the speed will be 400MHz).

 

[4745454b]

What bios are you running, because newegg doesn't show the P5PE-VM as having C2D support.

I suspect this is a bug with the bios, what does CPUz show for CPU and memory settings?

 

[leo2kp]

I find it interesting that you were able to actually fit DDR400 modules in a DDR2 slot...

8O

You're right though. The board is a P4 board with the 865 chipset...too old. C2D requires the 900-series chipset. You either have a dual-core P4 or a single-core P4 with HT.

So if you're trying to run a C2D on that, I wouldn't be surprised if it blew to bits. You're lucky your only issue so far is that your memory is a few MHz too low. Get a new board with the 945 or 965 chipset and DDR2 RAM. To be cheaper, get a supported processor like a P4.

BUT if you do happen to have a supported CPU, then you may have to manually set your RAM speed. I've had that problem before. Try removing one stick and check the speeds on that. If it's 400mhz, check the other stick by itself. If still 400mhz, then just manually set to 400 with both sticks and try that out. For me the problem was nothing more than date of purchase. Same brand, same timings, same voltage. Possibly some hardware spec that was different and caused it to fault but worked perfectly when I set it manually.

 

[Guest]

I find it interesting that you were able to actually fit DDR400 modules in a DDR2 slot...

8O

You're right though. The board is a P4 board with the 865 chipset...too old. C2D requires the 900-series chipset. You either have a dual-core P4 or a single-core P4 with HT.

So if you're trying to run a C2D on that, I wouldn't be surprised if it blew to bits. You're lucky your only issue so far is that your memory is a few MHz too low. Get a new board with the 945 or 965 chipset and DDR2 RAM. To be cheaper, get a supported processor like a P4.

BUT if you do happen to have a supported CPU, then you may have to manually set your RAM speed. I've had that problem before. Try removing one stick and check the speeds on that. If it's 400mhz, check the other stick by itself. If still 400mhz, then just manually set to 400 with both sticks and try that out. For me the problem was nothing more than date of purchase. Same brand, same timings, same voltage. Possibly some hardware spec that was different and caused it to fault but worked perfectly when I set it manually.

Well the board does support C2D with bios 1105, and it does support DDR not DDR2, sheesh you guys jump to conclussions too fast before looking at the hardware... LoL

But in the bios I cant change the CPU or RAM settings, im going to have to install Windows first and use software i guess.

I am even using the RAM that they suggest in there manual. Kinda funny that it doesnt check in at 400mkz during post. It did in my last mobo with my AMD 3000+

 

[leo2kp]

Well good luck with that...the 865 chipset came out in 2003. They weren't even thinking about the C2D architecture then. I could see if it's a Core Duo, which is different, but not C2D. There are just too many differences for it to work right IMO.

http://www.intel.com/cd/channel/reseller/asmo-na/eng/products/desktop/processor/processors/pentium-4/tech/299987.htm

May wanna read up on that. There is no 865P board listed in supported chipsets for any C2D processor. They're all 945 and above.

 

[Guest]

Hey Leo, I want to try to set the memory manually but I can only find the options to change the CAS and timings etc... not the actually mhz for the memory or the cpu, they are greyed out for the cpu and i cant see them for the memory. Any suggestions ?

 

[leo2kp]

My best guess would be that the BIOS doesn't offer the option of changing any of that. It's normal among cheaper motherboards (and yours was something like $50). If there is an option, you may have to find where you would turn it on/off. It doesn't always just let you change it without first enabling the option to change a setting. Get what I mean? For example, on my PC I have to enable manual memory timings before I can even get in to the timings area. But I wouldn't be surprised if it just wasn't there at all :-/

Sorry man that's all I gotz for ya.

 

[Guest]

According to this" Page 60

I don't see the option, so being a value board, you might not have it.

Others can look thru the manual see if they find something!

 

[Guest]

any utility that you guys suggest me using to change those options ?

 

[yquo]

I have the same problem with the same motherboard but under the ASRock name the 775i65G. The best I could get was 360 or 366 Mhz
When overclocking it seems that the fsb and the memory bus are not coordinated, that is they don't go together, there is some weird asyncronism.

Core2 6300
ASRock 775i65G
SuperTalent 512 Mb DDR 400 CL 2.5 x 2
WD2500KS 250 Gb 16 Mb 7200 rpm SataII
LiteOn DVDRW SOHW-1633S 48x/24x/48x 16x/8x/2.4x
LiteOn COMBO SOHC-5232K 52x/32x/52x 16x
XFX FX5200 128 Mb DDR Agp8x
Antec SLK1650B

 

[leo2kp]

My issue is more the chipset than the memory support, but yeah I hear ya. I honestly don't think it supports C2D. I think C2D has to have a 945+ in order to work. It's even stated on Intel's website :-/ I think with a BIOS upgrade you can use a Core Duo with it though. Maybe.

 

[chungdokwan]

You've probably already tried it, But i've had MOBO's do stange things like this after flashing the BIOS.

Try resettiing BIOS to its factory settings and see what happens, probably nothing but its worth a shot I guess.

 

[Guest]

Yes it is the bios problem and chipset problem. It seems that Asrock had the same issue and is now fixed and Asus is workingon thiers now to allow for the adjustment of the C2D chips.

So hang tight all you p5pe-vm owners for the new bios flash. Check daily.

 

[Mondoman]

.... C2D was not designed for DDR.

It all depends on the chipset, not the CPU, since it is the chipset that controls the memory. While Intel may only officially approve using C2Ds with certain chipsets, MB manufacturers can be clever enough to make other chipsets work.

 

[Invader]

I have the same problem with the same motherboard but under the ASRock name the 775i65G. The best I could get was 360 or 366 Mhz
When overclocking it seems that the fsb and the memory bus are not coordinated, that is they don't go together, there is some weird asyncronism.

The divider is locked at 3:2 with these boards. Running a C2D @ 266FSB = 178mhz ram (355 double-rate). When you overclock the AsRock 775i65G to 300FSB = 200mhz ram (400 ddr). The FSB is quad-pumped to 1200FSB.

These boards also have locked AGP/ PCI Buses who's speeds do not change with FSB increases.

The 775i65G requires DDR400 ram running at least CAS 2.5. No CAS 3 setting is available in the bios. Running DDR333 ram (PC 2700) will force 800FSB and your E6300 will only run at 1.4Ghz.