New parts! Big problems!

[kodjeff1]

So I recently ordered an upgrade to my mb, cpu, and ram. Went from:

MB: GB 965P-DS3
CPU: Intel Core 2 Due E6300
RAM: 2x512 MB DDR2 Corsair 400 MHz

To...

MB: MSI 790FX-GD70
CPU: AMD Phenom II 955 3.2 x4
RAM: G.Skill 4GB 1600mhz (1 stick)

Stuff that stayed the same:
PSU: Rosewill 550W AP-600X
GPU: ATI Radeon HD 5670

After replacing stuff, I tried to boot up and I kept getting an FF error code. Reseated processor. Reset CMOS. Tried the RAM stick in all 4 slots. Tried it with video card in and with it out. Still getting the error code.

I thought it might be the RAM, so I took it into a local shop and we put in a different DDR3 1600 stick, and voila! It worked! But then, oddly enough, when I put the G.Skill RAM back in, it still worked! For about 6 boots...and now it's back to the FF error code.

It seems like other people are getting 1600 ram to work on this board, should I drop down to 1333? Or do you think it's the ram at all?

 

[mdd1963]

Most 1600 mem needs rather relaxed timing settings, the downside to using it at 1333 at faster timings....(1600 at slower timings is sometimes a performance hit anyway in assorted benchmarks...)

Investigate the timings your MB is stable at , beginnng with 1333..ignore your 1600 'rating'

 

[Crashman]

So I recently ordered an upgrade to my mb, cpu, and ram. Went from:

MB: GB 965P-DS3
CPU: Intel Core 2 Due E6300
RAM: 2x512 MB DDR2 Corsair 400 MHz

To...

MB: MSI 790FX-GD70
CPU: AMD Phenom II 955 3.2 x4
RAM: G.Skill 4GB 1600mhz (1 stick)

Stuff that stayed the same:
PSU: Rosewill 550W AP-600X
GPU: ATI Radeon HD 5670

After replacing stuff, I tried to boot up and I kept getting an FF error code. Reseated processor. Reset CMOS. Tried the RAM stick in all 4 slots. Tried it with video card in and with it out. Still getting the error code.

I thought it might be the RAM, so I took it into a local shop and we put in a different DDR3 1600 stick, and voila! It worked! But then, oddly enough, when I put the G.Skill RAM back in, it still worked! For about 6 boots...and now it's back to the FF error code.

It seems like other people are getting 1600 ram to work on this board, should I drop down to 1333? Or do you think it's the ram at all?

Hmm, a single 4GB stick at DDR3-1600 would be tough for AMD's memory controller to work with at stock voltage, but it seems like your motherboard BIOS would know that and make the appropriate corrections. Of course, that depends on the appropriate lower values being set in the memory's SPD registers as well.

If you can't get into BIOS, you can't fix it. If you could get into BIOS, you might try dropping it to 1333 OR increasing voltage slightly.

 

[kodjeff1]

Yea, my PSU can't handle it. Just ordered the Corsair 600CX at the suggestion of the good folks at the MSI user forums. I'll let you know how it works out!

Thanks for your feedback Crashman, and taking the time to help me out!