What Speed is my Memory Running?

[JackAttack]

Hi guys, hey, just a simple question because I'm a noob.
What speed is my memory running?
My POST is too fast to verify it.
I got CPU-z but I don't really understand it yet.
I set the BIOS speed at 1066MHz. Am I actually running at 1066MHz?
Where do I read that in CPU-z?
Do I take the DRAM Frequency of 534.3 and multiply that by 2?
If so, then the ram is actually running a bit higher at 1068MHz?

Thanks,
Jack

 

[JackAttack]

One more dumb question while I'm at it.
What does SPD do? What am I seeing here?
Why does SPD report PC2-6400 (400MHz) when I am actually running PC2-8500 ram?
Sorry to ask these noob questions but I want to learn.

 

[SRoode]

It's running at 1068 (534 x 2, since your memory is DDR2). Your bus speed is 534 * 5 / 8 or about 333. The SPD shows you what your memory is capable of running at as set by the vendor. So you could run it at 270 (really 540) if you want lower lantencies and a lower voltage setting.

 

[JackAttack]

OK, thanks for the clear answer.
Now that I know my RAM is running at the correct speed, I can sleep at night.

 

[JackAttack]

Something strange happens now when I boot my machine.
The system powers on for about 3 seconds...then off for 3 seconds...then back on (and all is good).
It never did that until I set the BIOS to 1066 ram.
Seems strange to me...is this normal?\why the power off and back on?

 

[slyfox2151]

most asus boards i have come accross do that, i think it does a test to check it can run at "non standard" speed.

 

[SRoode]

Some Motherboards do that when you make a change in the bios, but they should only do it once, not every time you reboot (my Gigabyte does that). I think the board checks the new settings before writing the changes to memory first. But again, it should only do it once.

What motherboard do you have?

 

[JackAttack]

I have the Asus P5Q Deluxe motherboard.

 

[slyfox2151]

i have the same exact board. now i think about it i think my only turns on once. ( havnt updated system specs my DFI board blew up)

 

[JackAttack]

Some Motherboards do that when you make a change in the bios, but they should only do it once, not every time you reboot (my Gigabyte does that). I think the board checks the new settings before writing the changes to memory first. But again, it should only do it once.

What motherboard do you have?

Well, if it's only doing a check before a write it doesn't sound like I should be too worried then, I'm guessing?

Again, thanks for your help and Merry Christmas.

 

[slyfox2151]

should be fine, but it could also mean there is somthing set incorrectly in your bios, id go over all the settings and double check them.

 

[W1zzard]

Something strange happens now when I boot my machine.
The system powers on for about 3 seconds...then off for 3 seconds...then back on (and all is good).
It never did that until I set the BIOS to 1066 ram.
Seems strange to me...is this normal?\why the power off and back on?

that's completely normal on all modern intel chipset systems and has to do with the way how the 1066 memory strap has to be set

 

[JackAttack]

that's completely normal on all modern intel chipset systems and has to do with the way how the 1066 memory strap has to be set

Ah...good to hear that.
Thanks and Happy Holidays to you.

 

[Mussels]

One more dumb question while I'm at it.
What does SPD do? What am I seeing here?
Why does SPD report PC2-6400 (400MHz) when I am actually running PC2-8500 ram?
Sorry to ask these noob questions but I want to learn.
http://i657.photobucket.com/albums/uu299/Demcovich/Computers/CPU-z1066MHz002.jpg

thats because your ram is 800Mhz by default, otherwise it wouldn't boot on systems without EPP support.

On motherboarsd like yours, the board runs the ram at 1.8v - so the choice was made to run them at 800Mhz, meaning you have to go into the BIOS to turn the ram to 1066 (and turn the voltage up at the same time)

 

[JackAttack]

Thanks Mussels, I'm starting to learn and understand a few things here. This is a great place to hang out.

 

[Mussels]

Thanks Mussels, I'm starting to learn and understand a few things here. This is a great place to hang out.

EPP is a barely used feature on motherboards (mostly Nvidia SLI boards) that can auto-adjust memory voltage as well as timings. google would give you more details.