Manually setting the RAM speed, timings, and voltage

[dislecksea]

Brand new build using an Asus P8P67 Pro motherboard and I have a kit (2 sticks, 2G each, 4G total) of Patriot Pc3-12800 1600mhz memory (PGV34G1600ELK).

I installed the memory but I got a red light on the Memory OK led. So, I did some research and found this site:


http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/261145-31-perform-steps-posting-boot-video-problems

So I pulled out one stick and viola, the computer boots fine on one stick. So that guide says that the next step is to "manually set the RAM speed, timings, and voltage to the manufacturers specs in the BIOS before attempting to boot with all sticks of RAM installed."

The problem is, I don't really understand what that means. I went into the BIOs and put it into ASUS Optimal mode. I then also went into the advanced settings and changed the memory voltage to 1.8, but then the computer wouldn't boot with even 1 stick. So, I changed it back and then figured that I should seek some expert guidance.

Can someone give me a little advice on what I should (and should not) be doing?

Thanks

Miles

 

[banthracis]

Read your mobo manual. It tells where in the BIOS you need to go to change v and timings.
It's not a matter of setting to w/e mode. You must set it to what the manf specs are for your RAM.

In your case v should be set to 1.65v and timings to 9-9-9-24.

 

[joelmartinez]

good suggestions above

XMP didn't work for you?

 

[dislecksea]

OK - i did as bathracis suggested. When I boot with 1 stick it is fine. However, when I boot with 2 sticks the "mem ok" led goes red and the computer won't boot.

Thoughts?

 

[joelmartinez]

RMA the RAM

 

[dislecksea]

OK, well, I swapped out the RAM for a brand new pair ... and I still have the same problem. So, does that mean it is the motherboard itself? Is there anyway that I cant test it before I have to pull the whole damn thing apart to test it?

 

[evilavatar]

yes try using memtest 86... when you place the 2nd stick of ram in, are you using the same channel? have you looking in your mobo manual to make sure you are placing the ram in the right slots (if you have more than two they are usually color coded for multi channel ram but you should check the manual.) Are the ram sticks the same size? You almost never want to pair a 2 gig stick with a one gig stick or anything like that, systems don't like it. try swapping the stick you have in for the stick you have sitting out and boot again. If it fails to boot you probably have a bad stick of ram. If it boots, set the timing and voltage in bios for the first stick than go download memtest86 and put int the 2nd stick. boot to bios and see if you can also set the 2nd stick. IF you can boot all the way run from here and try memtest, if not run memtest from a thumb drive. It may be there is something wrong with one of your ram slots (it's not easy but it can happen) if that is the case rma the mobo.

 

[dislecksea]

evilawatar,
First off, thanks for the reply. It is appreciated.

When I put in the 1st stick of RAM I put it in A1 and everything is good. Boots up just fine. When I put the 2nd stick in I put it in B1 (per the user manual) and it won't boot at all - not even to bios. The red LED comes on for the memory, telling me that there is a problem and then the computer powers down.

BTW - the memory sticks are identical: they are each 2 gig and were part of a 2 pack for 4 gigs total.

I am afraid that I don't know what you mean when you ask about whether I am uisng the same "channel". Could you explain that to me?

I will try out memtest 86, but am wondering how I do so when the computer won't boot to bios. Could you expalin that as well?

Thanks

 

[evilavatar]

just put that first stick in and let it boot up, than download it on a jump drive and you should be able to boot into your bios and tell it to load from the stick so you can run memtest. I would guess you have a bad stick of ram, you can try throwing the 2nd stick in either a2 or swapping between the two sticks and see if it loads up to test it as well.

 

[corridor]

I'm beginning to wonder if the problem isn't his RAM, but rather his RAM port. Try booting once with stick #1 in port A! and nothing in B1 then swap stick into A1 and nothing in B1 and try. If it boots with each stick but never with both, I'm betting B1 RAM port is bad.