Upgraded RAM not running at the correct speed

[zivic2play]

HP Pavilion p6610f, WIndows 7 64-bit

Hi All,

I wanted to upgrade my memory from the factory 4GB and purchased the Patriot G series Sector 5 8GB kit (pc3-10666 1333MHz).  Prior to installing the new memory, I ran CPU-Z just so I can compare the speeds.  The factory memory is running at 666.7MHz.  After I installed the new RAM, CPU-Z shows a speed of 533MHz.  Being a novice at this stuff, I'm unsure if that's the correct speed.  I also checked to see if I can manually change the settings in the bios, however, when I go into it, the settings for the RAM seem to be automatically configured by the bios and I can't change the settings.  So is this the correct speed my new RAM should be running?  If not, is there any way to get it to run as fast as it was meant to be?  The RAM packaging shows that it was designed for Intel P5 platforms, but I'm not sure if that should matter.  Thanks for reading.

Sorry, after reading his I realized I put this in the notebook forum.

[LarryLACa]

I think you're reading CPU-Z correctly, and the new RAM is running downclocked to PC3-8533 rates.

Per Wikipedia DDR SDRAM there are variants of DDR3 memory for PC3-10666.  Maybe the new memory isn't completely compatible.  Run the crucial.com scanner and see what it recommends.

[zivic2play]

Thanks for the response. I did notice on the RAM specs that it needs 1.65V to run at 1333MHz. The bios is running it at 1.5v. My bios seems like it won't allow my memory settings to be manually configured. Will exchanging the RAM with ones that run at 1.5v at 1333mhz be a better solution? Thanks.

[LarryLACa]

Sounds plausible.  I hadn't thought of voltage.  I was thinking of the SPD: tCL-tRCD-tRP(-tRAS) timing values, which depend on speed (MHz) and in turn voltage.

I assume you're running CPU-Z.  It has a command line text mode option that sends the stats to a mostly human readable log.  cpuz /? displays the opts. You may also be able to use the GUI About/Save report options.  Running the scan to a log exposes more details.

This would allow you to compare the old/new memory stats side by side.  Check if the original memory was running at 1.5v, and the other timing values.  I assume the dumped SPD data shows the as designed timings and required voltage levels of the installed RAM ( not always == the as operated values)

Crucial has 4GB DDR3-1333 CL=9 memory at both 1.5v and 1.35v.  If the MoBo chipset can't drive the RAM at 1.65 (as you described), going with 1.5v RAM, with timing values matching the orig RAM, should work.

[EliteBook]

Hey there,

It's common for OEM laptops/desktops to offer little or no flexibility in their BIOS options, adjusting memory timings/voltages etc. included.

What you purchased is DDR3 memory that has multiple clock frequency levels which in effect yield an effective frequency of 1333MHz. 

Now, to make things more complicated memory is backwards compatible through what are known as SPD profiles. Basically you turn your desktpop/laptop on, the BIOS scans the memory, reads the SPD, compares the data there to the technical capabilities of your memory controller and configures the memory accordingly.

Now, unless I'm missing something you don't mention what CPU your desktop contains though it's probably an Athlon II X2. I'm not an AMD person though my guess is the maximum memory frequency (hence type) it supports is PC3-8500 hence why it has downclocked to 533MHz (1066MHz effective). 

If the above is true then there's nothing to be alarmed about, everything is working normally.

If you want to understand how DDR3 memory works I suggest reading up How DDR3 and other types of memory work.

The only difference to the above link will be that your memory is on a DIMM whereas the laptop equivilant would be on a smaller SODIMM, everything else still holds true. 

[LarryLACa]

The orignal memory was running at pc3-10666 1333MHz rates, see the first posting:

>>I wanted to upgrade my memory from the factory 4GB and purchased the Patriot G series Sector 5 8GB kit (pc3-10666 1333MHz).  Prior to installing the new memory, I ran CPU-Z just so I can compare the speeds.  The factory memory is running at 666.7MHz.

The question is why the BIOS selected one of the SPD profiles on the new memory that's only performing at DDR 1066MHz (CPU-Z bus 533MHz) rates?  Voltage? Other timing compatability (CAS latency)?

[EliteBook]

Only two things spring to mind:

1) The new modules you bought have the wrong sticker on them when they're really PC3-8500 DIMM's. Did you check their SPD data in CPU-Z?

2) Your system BIOS has been programmed to slowdown the system RAM to 1066MHz speeds when four slots are populated.

The 1st is possible while the 2nd while also possible doesn't sound logical because populating four DIMM's can cause stability issues yes but only once the FSB/RAM is overclocked. As you're running at default (i.e. official manufacturer configured speed) there's no feasible reason for them to slowdown the RAM.

I doubt you have a BIOS option which would allow you to overrun the setting. 

[LarryLACa]

The HP Pavilion p6610f Specs lists the cpu as a Athlonll X4 635 (P) 2.9 GHz (95W)

The H-ALVORIX_HF-RS880-uATX motherboard spec lists RAM configs for both PC3-8500 DDR3-1066 and PC3-10600 DDR3-1333, 4 slots, Dual Channel

Since we know the motherboard was originally running at the PC3-10600 level, I suspect the degraded performance is a problem with the new RAM and probably the 1.5v operating voltage (the Patriot G RAM needs 1.65v for the PC3-10600 rate)

The NewEgg Patriot G series Sector 5 8GB kit (pc3-10666 1333MHz) page lists the memory as 2 x4GB, dual channel, 1.65v  You might try populating slots 1 & 3 instead of 1 & 2, although the color coding on the MoBo spec above would suggest that 1 & 2 should be used.

I assume you've only installed memory in 2 slots.  A related article, p6310f-reading-RAM-at-PC3-8500-but-has-PC3-10600-installed, descibes a similar Motherboard, M2N78-LA (Violet6), with a comment: "NOTE:* 32-bit operating PCs cannot address a full 4.0 GB of memory. Due to AMD limitation, DDR3-1333 modules will run at 1066 MHz if three or more modules are installed.", which might apply if 3-or-more modules were installed.

[zivic2play]

Thanks for the help everyone.  I ended up exchanging the Patriot RAM with Mushkins that were able to run at 1333MHz 1.5V.  Prior to exchanging the SPD of the Patriot RAM showed the RAM would run at 1333MHz at 1.65V.  I had two modules (4GB x 2).  I put them in slots 3 and 4, 1 and 3, and 1 and 2, all having the same results.  I am running at 64 bit.

[LarryLACa]

Good eyes in catching the 1.5v dependency.  Since the DDR3 spec is generally for 1.5v  (Wikipedia DDR SDRAM), the Patriot G requirement (SPD profile) to have 1.65v to run at PC3-10600, IMHO, sounds like overclocking.

If you get a chance, post the specs on the Mushkin RAM: 2x4GB or 4x2GB? Dual Channel? PC3-10600? Mushkin also has DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) memory that would presumably downgrade to the PC3-10600 rate of the p6610f.