Very weird mobo/RAM problem (MSI P35 Platinum)

[Wile E]

Indeed, they're a matched pair. The question remains though: does this motherboard support 2.2v RAM?

If it has the option to set 2.2v vDimm, then yes, it supports 2.2V ram.

Have you updated the bios at all? If not, you may want to. It might be a BIOS bug.

 

[Grimskull]

can only find that it supports PC2-6400 and PC2-5300 RAM.

This might help.... says it supports Memory Voltage: 1.8v to 3.3v in 0.05v Increments
http://www.tweaktown.com/reviews/1096/5/page_5_bios_and_overclocking/index.html

 

[Wile E]

can only find that it supports PC2-6400 and PC2-5300 RAM.

This might help.... says it supports Memory Voltage: 1.8v to 3.3v in 0.05v Increments
http://www.tweaktown.com/reviews/1096/5/page_5_bios_and_overclocking/index.html

It's right on their website. http://www.msicomputer.com/product/p_spec.asp?model=P35_Platinum&class=mb

Intel® P35 Chipset
• Supports FSB 800MHz, 1066MHz & 1333MHz
• Support Dual channel DDR2 667/800/1066 memory interface up to 8GB (P35 chipset supports up to DDR2-800 officially. For DDR2 800+, manually BIOS adjustment is needed)
• Support Dual PCI Express 16X interface with either 1x16 or 1x4 operation.

 

[Grimskull]

Yeh was just reading that on their website Wile E.

This is from MSI website...... additional to Wile E post. Hope this helps!

Main Memory
• Supports 4 unbuffered DIMM of 1.8 Volt DDR2 SDRAM
• Supports up to 8GB memory size
• Support Dual Channel DDR2 667/800/1066MHz and up (Intel P35 chipset supports up to DDR2-800 officially. For DDR2 800+, manually BIOS adjustment is needed)

Due to the High Performance Memory design, motherboards or system configurations may or may not operate smoothly at the JEDEC (Joint Electron Device Engineering Council) standard settings (BIOS Default on the motherboard) such as DDR2 voltage, memory speeds and memory timing. Please confirm and adjust your memory setting in the BIOS accordingly for better system stability.
Example: Kingston HyperX DDR2-800 PC6400 operates at 2.0V, 4-4-4-12.
For more information about specification of high performance memory modules, please check with your Memory Manufactures for more details.

 

[Ypnos]

Ace! thanks Grimskull. I'd rather put it down to my incompetence than having to RMA more stuff! lol

And thanks Wile E

 

[Ypnos]

OK I've manually set the timings to 5-5-5-15.

However there are other settings in there:
DRAM TRFC
DRAM TWR
DRAM TWTR
DRAM TRRD
DRAM TRTP
I've left these as they are but I'm pretty sure they're wrong...

Also, I have the option in the BIOS for FSB Memory Ratio:
Auto
1:1.25
1:1.5
1:1.66
1:2
1:1
1:1.2
1:1.6


Any ideas what all of the above should be?

 

[Darknova]

Put it all at Auto for now. Currently you want to get it STABLE. Screw the fact it's meant to be 1066 for now, we need to see if it's a problem with the motherboard first.

Put both sticks in and boot at Auto. If it's all stable then we know it's a problem with the RAM. You said CPU-Z recognised it as PC-6400? Well it could be either the SPD on the module is wrong, or they sent back the wrong sticks on your RMA, in which case get in contact with them.

 

[Ypnos]

The problem is that if I put it on Auto, there's no way of telling what settings it's using...

 

[Ypnos]

So does anyone have any ideas about those timings?

 

[Darknova]

The problem is that if I put it on Auto, there's no way of telling what settings it's using...

Run CPU-Z when you boot up (if it boots).

 

[Ypnos]

The PC does boot on Auto, but with 2 sticks of RAM in it hangs when under load, like in a game...

 

[Ypnos]

OK Everything's on Auto and this is what CPU-Z gives:
-------------------------
CPU-Z version 1.41
-------------------------

Processors Map
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Number of processors 1
Number of threads 2

Processor 0
-- Core 0
-- Thread 0
-- Core 1
-- Thread 0


Processors Information
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Processor 1 (ID = 0)
Number of cores 2
Number of threads 2 (max 2)
Name Intel Core 2 Duo E6600
Codename Conroe
Specification Intel(R) Core(TM)2 CPU 6600 @ 2.40GHz
Package Socket 775 LGA (platform ID = 0h)
CPUID 6.F.6
Extended CPUID 6.F
Core Stepping B2
Technology 65 nm
Core Speed 2402.4 MHz (9.0 x 266.9 MHz)
Rated Bus speed 1067.7 MHz
Stock frequency 2400 MHz
Instructions sets MMX, SSE, SSE2, SSE3, SSSE3, EM64T
L1 Data cache 2 x 32 KBytes, 8-way set associative, 64-byte line size
L1 Instruction cache 2 x 32 KBytes, 8-way set associative, 64-byte line size
L2 cache 4096 KBytes, 16-way set associative, 64-byte line size
FID/VID Control yes
FID range 6.0x - 9.0x
max VID 1.238 V
Features , VT

Chipset
------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Northbridge Intel P35/G33/G31 rev. A2
Southbridge Intel 82801IR (ICH9R) rev. 02
Graphic Interface PCI-Express
PCI-E Link Width x16
PCI-E Max Link Width x16
Memory Type DDR2
Memory Size 2048 MBytes
Memory Frequency 400.4 MHz (2:3)
CAS# 5.0
RAS# to CAS# 5
RAS# Precharge 5
Cycle Time (tRAS) 18
Command Rate 2T

Memory SPD
------------------------------------------------------------------------------

DIMM #1

General
Memory type DDR2
Module format Regular UDIMM
Manufacturer (ID) Crucial Technology (7F7F7F7F7F9BFFFF)
Size 1024 MBytes
Max bandwidth PC2-6400 (400 MHz)
Part number
Serial number 88017AC0

Attributes
Number of banks 2
Data width 64 bits
Correction None
Nominal Voltage 1.80 Volts
EPP yes (2 profiles)
XMP no

Timings table
Frequency (MHz) 333 400
CAS# 4.0 5.0
RAS# to CAS# delay 5 5
RAS# Precharge 5 5
TRAS 15 18
TRC 20 23

EPP profile 1 (full)
Voltage level 2.200 Volts
Address Command Rate 2T
Cycle time 2.500 ns (400.0 MHz)
tCL 4.0 clocks
tRCD 4 clocks (10.00 ns)
tRP 4 clocks (10.00 ns)
tRAS 12 clocks (30.00 ns)
tRC 24 clocks (60.00 ns)
tWR 6 clocks (15.00 ns)

EPP profile 2 (full)
Voltage level 2.200 Volts
Address Command Rate 2T
Cycle time 1.875 ns (533.3 MHz)
tCL 5.0 clocks
tRCD 5 clocks (9.00 ns)
tRP 5 clocks (9.00 ns)
tRAS 15 clocks (28.00 ns)
tRC 30 clocks (55.00 ns)
tWR 8 clocks (15.00 ns)


DIMM #2

General
Memory type DDR2
Module format Regular UDIMM
Manufacturer (ID) Crucial Technology (7F7F7F7F7F9BFFFF)
Size 1024 MBytes
Max bandwidth PC2-6400 (400 MHz)
Part number
Serial number 7F10A9DB

Attributes
Number of banks 2
Data width 64 bits
Correction None
Nominal Voltage 1.80 Volts
EPP yes (2 profiles)
XMP no

Timings table
Frequency (MHz) 333 400
CAS# 4.0 5.0
RAS# to CAS# delay 5 5
RAS# Precharge 5 5
TRAS 15 18
TRC 20 23

EPP profile 1 (full)
Voltage level 2.200 Volts
Address Command Rate 2T
Cycle time 2.500 ns (400.0 MHz)
tCL 4.0 clocks
tRCD 4 clocks (10.00 ns)
tRP 4 clocks (10.00 ns)
tRAS 12 clocks (30.00 ns)
tRC 24 clocks (60.00 ns)
tWR 6 clocks (15.00 ns)

EPP profile 2 (full)
Voltage level 2.200 Volts
Address Command Rate 2T
Cycle time 1.875 ns (533.3 MHz)
tCL 5.0 clocks
tRCD 5 clocks (9.00 ns)
tRP 5 clocks (9.00 ns)
tRAS 15 clocks (28.00 ns)
tRC 30 clocks (55.00 ns)
tWR 8 clocks (15.00 ns)
-----------------------

Have been running it full whack for a few hours now and it seems stable.

 

[Wile E]

EPP profile 2 (full)
Voltage level 2.200 Volts
Address Command Rate 2T
Cycle time 1.875 ns (533.3 MHz)
tCL 5.0 clocks
tRCD 5 clocks (9.00 ns)
tRP 5 clocks (9.00 ns)
tRAS 15 clocks (28.00 ns)
tRC 30 clocks (55.00 ns)
tWR 8 clocks (15.00 ns)
-----------------------

Have been running it full whack for a few hours now and it seems stable.

Yep, those are 1066MHz sticks. That's what EPP Profile 2 is. Set the timings exactly how they're listed on that chart. Voltage 2.2v.

 

[Ypnos]

533.3MHz?

 

[Wile E]

533.3MHz?

Yep. It 533Mhz actual, 1066MHz Effective because it is a type of DDR memory. DDR stands for Double Data Rate. It can perform 2 operations per clock cycle, so they say it's equivalent to 1066MHz. It's basically a marketing gimmick.

Same Goes for PC3200 400MHz DDR1 memory, for example. It actually runs at 200Mhz, but does 2 operations per clock cycle, thus the 400MHz rating.

 

[Ypnos]

Excellent! Thanks for your help