Broken Memory Controller?

[andreasek]

I recently bought parts to build my first PC and at first everything was running fine but after a while things were freezing up and my RAM switched from 6gb to 4gb. I contacted intel and they told me my ram is not supported, but my friends are running the same setup with no problems. I am wondering how I can trouble shoot this.

Heres my rig:

intel core i7 950, 3.06ghz
ocz 6gb ddr3 (3x 2gb) ram 1600, 1.65v, 8-8-8-24
ASUS sabertooth motherboard

Can I use some settings to get it to work or do I have to get new RAM as intel is saying?

Thanks for any help!

Progress:

Individually memtested each ram stick in each slot.
Ran the computer with only one or two sticks in various slots.
Whenever RAM and/or CPU is reseated it shows full 6gb of ram.
I called intel and they told me they dont support the ram so they wont provide support.
OCZ said that the ram are made especially for the i7 processors and blame intel.

Confusing!

 

[saint19]

Hi andreasek and welcome to Tom's forum.

Don't worry the IMC isn't the problem. Check on MSCONFIG, boot tab and advance option something that says "Max memory", should be unselected.

 

[andreasek]

Hi and thank you saint19

The box is unchecked for max memory :/

 

[saint19]

Test the RAM stick by stick in the mobo in all slots.

 

[andreasek]

I did that, and I called ASUS. The customer rep there told me I had a broken memory controller. I called Intel, they told me my ram isnt supported by the i7. I wrote OCZ an email and they tell me their ram is specifically made for the i7 so.. I am SUPER confused haha :/

 

[apache_lives]

give your ram 1.65v with timings manually set and update your bios

alternatively also test your ram at 1333mhz (manual)

 

[andreasek]

give your ram 1.65v with timings manually set and update your bios

alternatively also test your ram at 1333mhz (manual)

I did set the memory to recommended manufacturer settings, so they are set at 1066mhz, 1.65v and 8-8-8-24. Ill try set them to 1333mhz to see if it makes a difference. Thanks for the tip

 

[Psychoteddy]

The reason that Intel is telling you that the RAM is not supported is that DDR3 1600 is out of spec for the i7 procs. i7s support up to DDR3 1333 (last I checked), after that you're in warranty-voiding territory. Still, DDR3 1600 shouldn't hurt the proc at all. People are running i7s with 2000+ MHz RAM with no issue.

 

[andreasek]

I realize that, what I am saying is that I have no customer support since "officially" this is not supported. I bought these ram sticks because people were running them with the same setup if not even more out of range ram (2k+ as you just said )

 

[andreasek]

Is there a way to trouble shoot the memory controller? OCZ says everything is just fine and should work just great.

Intel denies support due to the official lack of support for DDR 1600. So right now not even RMA is of help, lol.

 

[saint19]

Do you set all the specifications in the BIOS?

Why RMA isn't of help?

 

[andreasek]

Do you set all the specifications in the BIOS?

Why RMA isn't of help?

Yeah, I set the settings in BIOS, maybe theres something I am missing?

Intel RMA wont help me because I am using an unsupported RAM and OCZ RMA wont help because there is nothing wrong with the RAM. I contacted OCZ and they provided little help, none actually. Wrote them a long ticket describing my problem and their reply was a one sentence one, "Those settings should work." lol

 

[saint19]

You don't need RMA the CPU, you need RMA the RAM.

 

[andreasek]

Why the ram? It's working fine. Memtest showed no errors on all sticks with a minimum of 10 passes on each in each slot.

 

[saint19]

Can you run the RAM @ 1600 8-8-8-24 and 1.65V?

 

[andreasek]

Can you run the RAM @ 1600 8-8-8-24 and 1.65V?

I dont know how to change the mhz hehe. But it has only run at 1066 so far.

 

[saint19]

Check this: http://www.legitreviews.com/article/1457/4/

The 5th picture is the DRAM timing configuration for your mobo. Go to the BIOS, DRAM timing configuration and change this values:

1- CAS# Latency: 8
2- RAS# to CAS# Delay: 8
3- RAS# PRE Time: 8
4- RAS# ACT Time: 24

And set the voltage to 1.65V

 

[andreasek]

Those are my settings. No change :/

 

[saint19]

Those are my settings. No change :/

Open the link again ( http://www.legitreviews.com/article/1457/4/ ), can you see the 2nd picture? Go to DRAM frequency and change it from "Auto" to "1600"

 

[andreasek]

In my BIOS I don't have the DRAM frequency setting :s

Edit: Nevermind, I had to set the settings to manual before getting those options. Running at intel recommended at the moment and actually got full 6gb running Thank you! I will see how this goes and if it crashes again I shall be back with updates!

Thanks again all, especially saint19 for providing the help links =)

 

[saint19]

Nice, let me know if you have problems.

 

[andreasek]

After two reboots RAM is back to 4gb again

 

[saint19]

Do you have the latest BIOS version?

 

[andreasek]

Yep, up to date! I used to think it was my motherboard's fault but ASUS told me unless there is actual physical damage on the DIMMs it is because of the MCH.

 

[andreasek]

Yeah I read it is a pretty common problem with the i7 that intel is still denying