P67a-ud5-b3 and g.skill weird timing issue

[mbard]

Hi everyone,

Looking to see if anyone has seen something similar (gigabyte and g.skill have no idea). I have a gigabyte ga-p67a-ud5 and 8gb (2x4gb) g.skill ripjaws x series ram (with a core i7 2600k cpu). I initially had problems with memtest errors with the memory set to spec'd timings (7-8-7-24). Rma'd for a new kit, and same thing. I decided to further troubleshoot...one module passed memtest in all 4 banks (with xmp profile enabled), and unfortunately the second module was failing.

The strange thing is, I'm getting different timings in bios and memtest with banks 1&3 and 2&4. With the good module, here's what I saw:

Bios
Bank 1 8-8-7-24
Bank 2 7-8-7-24 (correct)
Bank 3 8-8-7-24
Bank 4 7-8-7-24 (correct)

(This is under the MIT current status menu)

Based on this, I would use banks 2&4 when I finally have two working modules.

Something else strange, but not as worrying to me as the bios timings, was the memtest timings:

Bank 1 8-8-7-24
Bank 2 7-8-7-24
Bank 3 6-6-6-20
Bank 4 6-6-6-20

Has anyone seen anything like this before? Its a bit frustrating that two banks do not run the memory at the spec'd timings, and even more frustrating that gigabyte is saying "that should not happen" (no sh*).

So I will be sending back one of the modules in the set to g.skill for another one and take it from there...just want to get my system up. If anyone would like me to post additional info about my system id be happy to.

Thanks!

 

[abekl]

Would you please link to the memory kit that you have?

 

[mbard]

Hi,

Thanks for the reply. I started with this set:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231401

And then rma'd for this set:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231431

I should mention I did not troubleshhot as much as possible with the first set (ie did not test one module at a time, and used banks 1 and 2 instead of alternating). However, after setting xmp, I still had a CL of 8 instead of 7 (and memtest puked). I requested the x series as a g.skill tech on newegg rrecommended this instead since x series is designed for p67 mobos.

Please let me know if any add'l info can be provided.

Thanks!

 

[mbard]

Has no one seen this behavior before? Om hoping I don't have a defective mobo/mem controller...that would suck.

 

[jaquith]

IF you set the RAM manually and did NOT use Quick then one bank is set differently than the other.

DDR3-1600 7-8-7-24-2N @ 1.60v

Easy:
The simplest is to set the XMP in the BIOS:
Extreme Memory Profile (X.M.P.) -> Profile1 ; This may cause problems and probably WILL cause problems with (2) Sets unless the Kit is a single 4x__GB

Manual:

BIOS:
BCLK/DMI/PEG Clock Control -> Enabled ; it's best to set the BCLK for OC'ing the CPU
BCLK/DMI/PEG Frequency -> 1000 / 100MHz ; it's best to set the BCLK for OC'ing the CPU

Advanced Memory Settings /Enter
System Memory Multiplier -> 16
Performance Enhance -> Turbo ; you might also try Extreme with low CAS RAM
DRAM Timing Selectable -> Quick
-
CAS Latency Time -> 7
tRCD -> 8
tRP -> 7
tRAS -> 24
-
Command Rate (CMD) -> 2
-
QPI/Vtt Voltage -> 1.125v
DRAM Voltage -> 1.60~1.65v ; high 1.65v if unstable

 

[mbard]

Thanks for the response. I did have xmp profile 1 set and still got cas as 8 in banks 1 and 3.

I've also manually set the timings and voltage with my original kit and cas still showed as 8. I think if I set xmp and use banks 2 and 4, ill be ok and timings will report correctly. But that doesn't explain the difference with banks 1 and 3, which is the anomally I'm trying to track down.

Thanks again.

 

[jaquith]

I'm a little confused here, "How Many" sticks of RAM do you have installed?

Use CPU-z and look at the 'SPD' tab, all sticks 'should' have the same exact Part Numbers and JEDEC and XMP CAS Timings if they don't then you're mix-matching sets and at that low of CAS and high Frequency sure you're going to have problems.

Further and most importantly, putting together (2) Sets of F3-12800CL7D-8GBXH (2*2x4GB) is a recipe for failure or lack of Rated Frequency and CAS; no guarantees.

In contrast, to guarantee both Frequency and CAS in 4x4GB you need a Fully Matched Set, example F3-12800CL9Q-16GBXM is DDR3-1600 CAS 9-9-9-24. Show me a DDR3-1600 CAS 8 {forget looking for CAS 7} 4x4GB set? You don't think that G.SKILL, Corsair or whomever that produces 2x4GB DDR3-1600 CAS 8 can't shove together (2) pseudo sets to make a 4x4GB? The reason for this is too many failures to guarantee a set with today's CPUs with that high of density, low CAS, and high Frequency.

IMO - if slapping together (2) sets of F3-12800CL7D-8GBXH; DDR3-1600 CAS 8-8-8-24-2N @ 1.60v~1.65v; Manually - substitute as above with CAS Timings 8-8-8-24-2N.

 

[mbard]

Hello,

I have one set, 8gb (2x4gb). Right now only one stick passes memtest, so I currently have one of the two sticks physically installed. I will be rma'ing the other stick this weekend. My most recent observations were with the single 4gb stick testing in each bank with xmp enabled (first post with different CL timings). Could having a single, dual channel stick in banks 1 or 3 cause the CL to register as 8? I have not yet been able to test with a working set of (2) total sticks, as I've had memtest errors (and no os installed as I want to have a complete, stable system before I take that step). Hopefully that clears it up...thanks again for the quick response.

And apologies for any typos...in lieu of my pc running, I've been posting from my phone.

 

[jaquith]

You're going to get all sorts of oddball behavior with XMP and 1x__GB set in multiple DIMM locations. Gigabyte is a great MOBO, but horrible with XMP. Hence set the RAM manually; I never use XMP -- none of my 'Gaming' RAM is running Rated/Stock either.

That set you have, IMO, MUST/should be set manually including both the DRAM Voltage as a MUST and you should also set the QPI/Vtt Voltage. Otherwise, IF the DRAM voltage is 1.50v on a 1.60v set then duh it's going to be throwing errors all over the place.

Try the Manual settings above.

 

[mbard]

Thanks very much. Since I haven't had two good sticks at once, I have not tried tried banks one and three with manual settings...I will try this when I get the rma'd stick. I've never really oc'd before (but have set timings manually in previous builds to get ram running at spec'd timings) so I'm not familiar with the the qpi/vtt voltage...so ill do some research now on that. Thanks again...for now I'll assume one module is causing the cas latency timings to be off and will play with the settings when I have two working sticks.

 

[BerylLee]

my friend with this F3-12800CL7Q-16GBXH 7-8-7-24 on p67a ~ no heard any problem so far, he worked on it for three months at least.

 

[jaquith]

QPI/Vtt Voltage is the CPU's IMC voltage, and with either low CAS, high Frequency and/or high density (GB's) it help especially in Memtest #7 errors or Prime95 + Blend tests.

@BerylLee - I'm unclear what you mean - Problems or No problems?

 

[BerylLee]

no problem ~ it auto set to 9-9-9-24 and manually set to default 7-8-7-24 OK ~

 

[mbard]

Ok so I received my 2nd 4gb stick, loaded both in banks 2 and 4, set xmp profile, and at 7-8-7-24 memtest ran with no errors for 25 passes. Going to install windows this week so well see what happens...I really don't feel like unplugging any connectors to get to banks 1 and 3 for further testing. Thanks everyone for the input.