Memory problem?

[stewh]

Hello,

I believe I am having a memory problem. I just put a new system together, and I have been seeing random windows crashes and blue screens. I downloaded 2 memory testing programs, 1 windows, and 1 which runs from a bootable cd-rom. they both report errors, which would make you think it's pretty obviously bad memory right? But then I check in cpu-z, and it seems to say my memory is running at 2000MHz. Screeenshot below. I can't seem to find anywhere in the BIOS to modify this. The only setting in the BIOS is to set the frequency, which is set to 1333MHz.

Motherboard is a ASUS M4A87TD.
CPU is AMD 955BE
Ram is Corsair 2 X 2 GB

Also, the sales guy told me there is no point in getting 1600MHz ram with an AMD, as the AMD chipset will just slow the ram down to 1333 anyway. Is this true?

 

[bavman]

Do you know what timings your ram is rated for? According to cpuz its running correctly at 1333. It seems to be your memory is bad. The only possible thing that could be wrong is that the timings might be too loose. I see your running 1333mhz 9/9/9/24.

 

[stewh]

forgive my ignorance but how can you tell that it is running at 1333mhz? The timings are correct. The ram is rated for 9/9/9/24.

thanks

 

[hunter315]

The 2000MHz is your northbridge speed, thats not related to your memory speed.


DDR memory transfers on both sides of the clock cycle so you take the DRAM Frequency(668.9MHz in your case) and multiple it by two to get the effective transfer rate or 1337.8MHz which is close enough to 1333MHz.


One thing to check, is the voltage for your memory set properly? If it wants 1.65V and you are only giving it 1.5V it will throw errors, if your kit is only supposed to require 1.5V and you are getting errors RMA it, its not worth dealing with bad memory.