Brisk, but won't run at full speed!

Hi all,

First of all I just wanted to say I got a Phenom II 940 and it runs circles around my x2 6000+. Everything is much more fluid and zippy.

BUT!!! My 8500c5df's will not run at their rated 1066mhz on my Asus M3a79-T Deluxe. I have read around other forums such as Corsair, AMD, ASUS, etc. and this seems to be a rather common problem. I have tried setting ACC to Auto in hopes that might stabilize things, but no dice. I've got my timings (CL-TRP-TRCD-TRAS) set to 5-5-5-15, DDR voltage @ 2.10V, ACC Disabled, and have them running in unganged mode. The 2gb sticks are loaded in the yellow slots A1B1. I have the Rev. 1.1s with the MICRON D9GMH ICs. What else can I say?

I cannot get a POST at 1066. As soon as I knock it down to 800, no problems. I can even run at 4-4-4-12 without a hitch. But, I'm a guy who expects to get what he paid for, so if the rating is 1066, I'd very much like to get them to run at this speed...

Thanks, everyone!

cupper24

 

How many sticks do you have inserted in your system.

You MUST have only 2 sticks of DDR2-1066 running at the same time. If you have more, then it should not boot at 1066 MHz as that's an AMD limitation.

deltatux

 

Only 2x2gb in the yellow slots... Thanks!

cupper24

 

Do you have the lastest bios 0802? Try running your NB @ 2600mhz while obtaining 1066mhz with 1.3 volts.

 

OK, I'm assuming you mean setting th NB voltage @ 1.3volts, right?

cupper24

 

yes, 1.8 volts is the lowest ram setting.

 

Sorry I was out of town for a couple of weeks. I did try what you suggested.NB set to 2600Mhz, NB Voltage (Core/PCIE Volts & HTT Volts) to 1.3V, with DDR Limit to 1067, DDR voltage @ 2.1V, timings of 5-5-5-15 2T unganged. Again, no dice.

Perhaps I adjusted the wrong voltage? When I set NB Voltage to MANUAL, the two options in parentheses above appear. Hence, I set them both to 1.3V.

Is there a way I can try enabling the EPP settings in the RAM? It's probably just one or two things I'm not hitting on here to get the 1066 to work...

cupper24

 

that can't be correct.. I've got 8GB of DDR2/1066Mhz memory installed with
all 4 slots filled and I've got my memory set to 1067 in the BIOS and set to Ganged and it boots up just fine.. an my CPU is a 9950BE which is OCed to 3.2Ghz.

 

Apparently, I later found out that it's just a disclaimer, but the CPU can handle 4 DIMMs of 1066. However, if it doesn't work, AMD told ya so kind of thing.

deltatux

 

Hey Cupper24 - where ya been Bro??

So, let me get this straight:

You've got an entire new system (just like mine - including the D9 IC Dominators - congratz on that feat!) and you're having issues getting it to stabilize with 2 banks of DDR2-1066 no matter what settings you input.

Lets go through some stuff.
First of all, be careful upgrading to BIOS 0803 - you'll have a hard time going back to 0703 or earlier when you find out that CoreTemp is borked with the new BIOS!!

Now, go into your BIOS and ensure the following look just like below: (press F4 in BIOS to reveal some 'hidden' settings) **You may want to print this page out**

ADVANCED
.JumperFree Configuration
..AI Overclocking [Manual]
..FSB Frequency [200]
..PCIE Frequency [100]
..Processor Frequency Multiplier [15.00x]
..Processor Voltage [Auto]
..Processor-NB Voltage [Auto]
..CPU VDDA Voltage [Auto]
..CPU-NB HT Link Speed [Auto]
..DDR Voltage [2.10] (this one is important for our Dominators - just don't need to go any higher)
..Northbridge Voltage [Manual] (for later reference when you get into overclocking)
..Hyper Transport Volatge [Auto]
..Core/PCIe Voltage [Auto]
..NB PCIE PLL [Auto]
..Southbridge Voltage [Auto]
..Auto Xpress [Auto]
..CPU Tweak [Enabled]

Memory Configuration
..Bank Interleving [Auto]
..Channel Interleaving XOR of Address bits [Disabled] (you'll only ever use this if you're running more than 2 banks)
..MemClk Trisate C3/ATLVID [Disabled] (power saving)
..Memory Hole Remaping [Enabled]
..DRAM Ganged Mode [Disabled]
..Power Down Enable [Disabled]
..Read Delay [Auto]
..DCQ Bypass Maximum [Auto]
.DRAM Timing Configuration
..Memory Clock Mode [Manual]
..Memory Clock Value [1067 MHz]
..2T Mode [Enabled]
..DRAM Timing Mode [DCT0]
..CAS Latency (CL) [5 CLK]
..TCWL [Auto]
..TRCD [5 CLK]
..TRP [5 CLK]
..TRAS [18 CLK]
..tWR [Auto]
..tRFC0 [Auto]
..tRFC1 [Auto]
..tRFC2 [Auto]
..tRFC3 [Auto]
...TRC [Auto]
..TRRD [Auto]
..tWTR [Auto]
..tRTP [Auto]
..tRWTTO [Auto]
..tWRRD [Auto]
..tWRWR [Auto]
..tRDRD [Auto]
..PLL1 Spread Spectrum [Disabled]
..PLL2 Spread Spectrum [Disabled]
..AI Clock Skew for Channel A [Auto]
....Current Clock Skew Advance 300ps
..AI Clock Skew for Channel B [Auto]
....Current Clock Skew Advance 450ps

With the settings as applied above, you should be able to boot into Windows just fine - everything is effectively set at stock, with only the main components set as required.

Now, set ACC to [Disabled] for now - you don't need it at all since the ACC registers are embedded into the Deneb architecture now. It can still help with an overclock, but it's usually very minimal if it works at all.

That should work for you - do that and report back with your findings. I'll get that beast running for you!!

(Congratz on the new build!)

Psychlone

 

Dude, I've been out of pocket in the Great South East... yep, still working (shaking my fist )

Anyway, I spent a day with the wife and got back to work with my first task obviously being getting this SOB to POST at 1067Mhz, like it's supposed to!!!

Let me ask you this.... WHY, OH WHY, are you such a f@#$&ing GENIUS?! You know there are in fact 2 things I did not do? Placing the Memory Timing to MANUAL (not LIMIT), and setting the Channel Interleaving XOR blah blah blah to DISABLED. Everything else, I tried!!! You are indeed DA MAN!

OK, now that I have my BIOS where I want it, I think I may do a quick reformat, or go back to when I just installed the OS. Thanks, again man, and BTW, yea I noticed with the new BIOS (already zapped mine to the 0803 weeks ago) that Core Temp displays a 4-5C temp hike for the CPU(s) vs. AOD or PC Probe.

Man I'll tell ya, I feel great I don't have to do the dreaded entire day of Memtest runs :thumbup:.

cupper24

EDIT: When I flashed the BIOS, I still had not made the final decision to purchase the PII 940. So, the second comment in the BIOS revision notes which states being "Fix the problem that Memory speed will be limited at 800Mhz if set the value of "Memory Clock Mode" to "Limit" or "1067" in bios" did not apply at the time. Silly me!

 

Lol - not genius, I just know that setting the Memory Timing to Limit will allow it to run slower than what you set, but won't let it go higher, but setting it to Manual, forces the speed you set, even if it's not stable.

And, using Channel Interleaving at all with only 2 banks populated is wasting CPU cycles polling a channel that's not got anything in it. Banks 1&3 are 1 channel, banks 2&4 are another channel...so confusing the memory controller wasn't doing you any good.
(don't confuse that with running Dual-Channel, which you are with those sticks in 1&3 *or* 2&4 - this board will run Dual Channel Mode with your 2 sticks in either channel.)

As for CoreTemp, it was giving me issues, so I had to revert back to a beta BIOS that I worked on. I was in the middle of a hardware beta test, and it required me to use CoreTemp Grapher, and with CoreTemp on the fritz with BIOS 0803, I had to go back a couple steps so I could get consistent results for them (I wouldn't expect anything less)

Anyway, glad you got it fingered out. You're going to be *real* happy with that machine - congratz again!

Psychlone

 

Yes sir, so far so good. I reverted to a fresh OS install since I upgraded the proc and HDD, so by the end of the week (traveling again Tues-Wed :thumbdown ) it should running like a whore in a burlesque house.

Then, "the fun" begins . However, I think I will probably consider a case upgrade before testing the boundaries of this chip. I think the Apevia case's reach has exceeded its grasp with all the HW I've got crammed in it.

Until then,

cupper24

 

I tried those settings & my system still does not work. It runs fine at 800MHz with the ram settings set to auto & the voltage at 2.1, but it will not run at 1067.

You can go here & read what I've tried. http://vip.asus.com/forum/view.aspx...1&model=M3A79-T+Deluxe&page=1&SLanguage=en-us

 

Those guys are complete idiots...it's no wonder why people in those forums never get picked to beta test the manufacturer's hardware!

Alright - so you've posted a bit about what you've done, but we really should continue this in another thread - unless cupper24 doesn't mind.

If cupper doesn't care, then I'll help you here, since it's the same topic, same board, same CPU, possibly even the same RAM (doubtful on the revision number, but hey, who knows?! )

First of all, never, ever go to the ASUS forums looking for help, unless you want to get the same runaround you just got. There's one intelligent guy there, and I think he stays around because he's considered a God over there...and he didn't reply in your thread (yet)

Alright - second, since you've already run Memtest86+ and proven your sticks stable, I have to ask if you've run Memtest86+ on each of them individually. Sometimes running the full battery on a single stick can show errors that running more than one won't.

After that, making sure you've got at least official BIOS 0703 flashed, then the settings I posted above should get you going if all the hardware checks out.

Let me know what's up...

Psychlone

 

LOL! Couldn't agree MORE !!!

Hey, guys, you can tread on my thread. I'm not territorial like that...I'm always up to learning more, and the less I have to navigate, the better.

cupper24

 

Sweet - I knew you'd be cool with that...just requesting permission in public seems the respectable thing to do.

Now, where the Hell is notyou??

A notyou: I went through and read what the guys over at the ASUS forums were saying, and it appears that you're already running Memtest86+ on each stick individually - nice job! (because you notice that no one actually asked you to do that over there - I just don't think there's anyone worth a damn over there, so I usually don't even read a thing posted in their forums, and Besides, contrary to some manufacturers, I don't think that ASUS uses their forum members as beta testers because of their level of actual working knowledge)

So...what happened next in your testing??

Psychlone

 

cupper sent me to this thread from the asus one.
I have the latest bios 0803

After the computer would freeze on a black screen & after everything I've tried in the posts on the other forum, I just go back to setting the timings & speed to auto. It runs at 800, but at least it runs. I'm getting close to ordering a second set of 1066 ram to test. If those work, I'll rma the old set. If they do the same, I guess I'll rma the motherboard, unless any of you can think of something else to try.

 

Well, considering it passed Memtest86+ on each stick individually, your RAM isn't the problem.

DDR2-1066 is not only supported by your board, I've proved it to work in ways AMD suggests not to use - so aside from some arbitrary BIOS setting, the board or even the memory controller on the CPU is at fault here.

So, you set the speed to 1066, FSB to 200, VDIMM (RAM voltage) to 2.1V and the first 5 latencies to 5,5,5,15 (or 18) - along with being UNganged and 2T Command Rate, and it still won't POST?

Do yourself a favor and print out the settings I posted in my post above, and ensure your BIOS looks exactly the same - just one last time...but make sure that you don't overlook *anything* - check every single setting that I've posted.
If it still won't work, then you've got a hardware issue - but if it does work, then we can decipher exactly what was creating the issue.

Good luck!

Psychlone

 

I printed out the settings before I even tried to set them so I would make sure I had then set the same.
The only thing I noticed was that pushing F4 didn't seem to show any hidden options.