new RAM, this has got me stumped

[drunken_chef]

in December of '06 I built my current personal system.

GIGABYTE GA-965P-S3 LGA 775 Intel P965
Intel Core 2 Duo E6300 Conroe 1.86GHz
Corsair TWIN2X2048-5400c4 (DDR2 675)

from the start I have run the CPU @2.8 gig and the RAM @ (400x2) 800 MHz. 100% stable at that speed. I've managed to get it a bit over 3 gig for and completed 3D mark runs with it. but, it was never really stable for a couple hours of gaming at that speed to I've kept it at 2.8 gig.

so, RAM prices being what they are. I decided to get some faster RAM and see if I could get my PC stable at a higher clock. I figured that if it still wasn't stable over 3 gigahertz. I'd put all four sticks in, run it at 2.8 still and be done with it.

so, I get the RAM. replace the old sticks with the new and reboot. my PC does the gigabyte 3 restart hickup that is does when the OC is unsuccessful and boots at the CPUs default speed of 1.86 GHz. now, even though the CPU is slower the RAM is at 800 MHz because the multiplier defaults to auto.

so, I reset my BIOS to defaults and start fresh. I can't get the CPU to boot above 2.5 gig with this RAM! I've tried my usual bag of BIOS tricks to get it higher and it's a no go. I replace the new RAM with the old. bingo! right back to 2.8 gig!

at this point I'm at a loss. do any of you have any ideas?

[BenKenobi]

What kind of RAM did you get lol?

I'd prolly say its malfunctioning RAM

[BlackArrow]

If i remember correctly XP won't recognize more than 2.5 gigs of RAM and can't utilize it either.

[Sirex]

you can use a startup switch in your boot.ini /3GB
it will change the addressing it uses.

Memory Support and Windows Operating Systems

This is a technet article for 2003 server but its the same method
How to Set the /3GB Startup Switch in Windows

[drunken_chef]

FTR, my system uses 3.5 gigs when 4 is installed.

that being said. that's not what I was asking.

I put faster RAM in my system and my CPU won't clock as high is it did with slower RAM......

[BenKenobi]

Again can we get the brand of RAM you got ?

I overclocked my CPU recently and with this RAM Newegg.com - CORSAIR 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory - Desktop Memory and it would not go over about 2.6ghz if I used the auto timing setting. I had to play around with the timing settings a little bit before it would boot and be stable.

[WalkinTarget]

My guess is the faster RAM (did we find out what RAM it is ???) is not automagically configured via the board. If it is not DDR800, then the JEDEC standard for anything faster is not truly ratified yet, so you will have to go into your CMOS and manually configure the RAM for its rated settings as listed on the RAM itself.
The board cannot 'do the math' and determine what speed your RAM is capable of, so .. you do the work and TELL the board what it will do.

[BenKenobi]

PS If you got it from newegg it gives you the default timing for your RAM

[drunken_chef]

sorry, some how I left out the make/model of new RAM.

Newegg.com - CORSAIR XMS2 2GB (2 x 1GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory - Desktop Memory

also, I stated that at the default CPU speed the RAM is picked up @ 800MHz with the proper timings. the only difference is the motherboard multiplier/divider.

[{CLR}geneSW]

I have those sticks (but mine are about a year old) and found that they are better if you want stability out of the box rather then a high O.C. Just my personal experience though.

[drunken_chef]

I have those sticks (but mine are about a year old) and found that they are better if you want stability out of the box rather then a high O.C. Just my personal experience though.

I'm not trying to overclock the RAM. I'm trying to get the CPU back to the same OC it had with my old RAM. at 2.8 gig for the CPU the RAM will be running at 800MHz.

[juneau]

It might need some extra volts. All LGA775 boards default at 1.8v. I had to overvolt mine by 0.4 as that's what is recommended for my RAM. If that fails to help nudge your MCH voltage up a tad and loosen your RAM timings.

Have you dropped the RAM ratio down? Slower RAM speed to achieve a higher core clock doesn't really include any performance hits.

edit: The recommended voltage for your RAM is 1.9v so it looks as though you will need to add 0.1v.

[darth_nevus]

It might need some extra volts. All LGA775 boards default at 1.8v. I had to overvolt mine by 0.4 as that's what is recommended for my RAM. If that fails to help nudge your MCH voltage up a tad and loosen your RAM timings.

Have you dropped the RAM ratio down? Slower RAM speed to achieve a higher core clock doesn't really include any performance hits.

edit: The recommended voltage for your RAM is 1.9v so it looks as though you will need to add 0.1v.

This is exactly where i am headed. the Corsair ram i put in my PC need extra voltage to run right. its called JEDEC(sp?) specs. Higher speed ram tends not to follow the specs, and this is what mobo's run off. when i don't bump the voltage, the Bios makes the system think the ram can't run at the rated speed. so it drops to 533(probably when your downclocked proc value is from). can't expalin why easily, but chances are the FSB and Ram are linked. make sure this is not the case. if they are linked, it *might* be forcing down the FSB of the proc to keep the ratio correct. it makes sense at least/

since ram doesn't auto configure in pc's currently, and OCZ is notorius for having a problem with the GB boards, i'd start with bumping the the voltage to the ram specs. secondly, since your running 3GB if i read, make sure dual channel mode is disabled. OCZ rates their ram to run at certain speeds, like ddr2-800. to accomplish this, since JEDEC is 533, they list the "overclocked" specs of the ram. Yes, anything above 533 is overclocked ram whether or not you know it. OCZ requires more voltage to run at this speed. other companies follow the same tradition. i found with the LGA775 new boards, 9/10 times, you wind up manually setting the timings, speed, and voltage manually.

[darth_nevus]

FTR, my system uses 3.5 gigs when 4 is installed.

that being said. that's not what I was asking.

I put faster RAM in my system and my CPU won't clock as high is it did with slower RAM......

oops. i missed this post. ignore the dual channel part i posted.

Ram stability is also an issue. faster ram probably again requires more voltage to be stable at the higher speed. it did with mine.