A8V Deluxe Memory Question

[PB]

I did post a similar question a week or so ago, but hope for a little
more attention to a different title...

I have a revision 2.0 A8V Deluxe with 3200+ Venice core processor.

I have 4 pieces of Mushkin 512MB memory, PC3200, two matched pairs, all
four with microcircuits on BOTH sides of the panel. 2.5-3-3-7

I cannot have all four installed and get the system to post or report in
Windows DDR400 (PC3200) speeds. Any pair in any sockets will work at
DDR400. I am not able to locate any product documentation that
indicates the system will NOT operate with 2 GB of memory like this I
have described. However, some Google hits have shown that the so-called
double rank (double sided) cannot operate at DDR400 speeds on some
mainboards with uncertain association with the A8V. Anyone care to opine?

I have loosened the memory timings, upped the DIMM voltage, and
"shuffled" the memory panels to no avail. Also reset the CMOS.

Anyone care to opine?

TIA,

PB

 

[Rob]

I did post a similar question a week or so ago, but hope for a little
more attention to a different title...

I have a revision 2.0 A8V Deluxe with 3200+ Venice core processor.

I have 4 pieces of Mushkin 512MB memory, PC3200, two matched pairs, all
four with microcircuits on BOTH sides of the panel. 2.5-3-3-7

I cannot have all four installed and get the system to post or report in
Windows DDR400 (PC3200) speeds. Any pair in any sockets will work at
DDR400. I am not able to locate any product documentation that
indicates the system will NOT operate with 2 GB of memory like this I
have described. However, some Google hits have shown that the so-called
double rank (double sided) cannot operate at DDR400 speeds on some
mainboards with uncertain association with the A8V. Anyone care to opine?

I have loosened the memory timings, upped the DIMM voltage, and
"shuffled" the memory panels to no avail. Also reset the CMOS.

Anyone care to opine?

TIA,

PB

I have the same board with 2x512 unmatched Crucial RAM in slots B1 and
B2. I was getting occasional blue screens when watching videos using
WMP, and decided to reinstall Windows XP, just to see.

The clean install blue screened often - so I'm back to one stick only in
B2. I think the place to start is:

http://usa.asus.com/products/mb/socket939/a8v-d/overview.htm at the
bottom of the page - it may be incompatible RAM.

Rob

 

[Paul]

I did post a similar question a week or so ago, but hope for a little
more attention to a different title...

I have a revision 2.0 A8V Deluxe with 3200+ Venice core processor.

I have 4 pieces of Mushkin 512MB memory, PC3200, two matched pairs, all
four with microcircuits on BOTH sides of the panel. 2.5-3-3-7

I cannot have all four installed and get the system to post or report in
Windows DDR400 (PC3200) speeds. Any pair in any sockets will work at
DDR400. I am not able to locate any product documentation that
indicates the system will NOT operate with 2 GB of memory like this I
have described. However, some Google hits have shown that the so-called
double rank (double sided) cannot operate at DDR400 speeds on some
mainboards with uncertain association with the A8V. Anyone care to opine?

I have loosened the memory timings, upped the DIMM voltage, and
"shuffled" the memory panels to no avail. Also reset the CMOS.

Anyone care to opine?

TIA,

PB

Did you try "2T Command" [Enabled] in the memory section ?

Paul

 

[PB]

I did post a similar question a week or so ago, but hope for a little
more attention to a different title...

I have a revision 2.0 A8V Deluxe with 3200+ Venice core processor.

I have 4 pieces of Mushkin 512MB memory, PC3200, two matched pairs, all
four with microcircuits on BOTH sides of the panel. 2.5-3-3-7

I cannot have all four installed and get the system to post or report in
Windows DDR400 (PC3200) speeds. Any pair in any sockets will work at
DDR400. I am not able to locate any product documentation that
indicates the system will NOT operate with 2 GB of memory like this I
have described. However, some Google hits have shown that the so-called
double rank (double sided) cannot operate at DDR400 speeds on some
mainboards with uncertain association with the A8V. Anyone care to opine?

I have loosened the memory timings, upped the DIMM voltage, and
"shuffled" the memory panels to no avail. Also reset the CMOS.

Anyone care to opine?

TIA,

PB

Did you try "2T Command" [Enabled] in the memory section ?

Paul

Yes, I did try the 2T command and this did not correct the problem.

I forgot to mention I also have 2GB of Corsair "Value Select" as 4 x 512
MB purchased as two separate 1 GB kits. These also do NOT all play at
DDR400 on this motherboard. Again, I [think] it is the both sides
populated that may be getting me.

Thanks again, Paul. You responded to my original post.

PB

 

[Paul]

I did post a similar question a week or so ago, but hope for a little
more attention to a different title...

I have a revision 2.0 A8V Deluxe with 3200+ Venice core processor.

I have 4 pieces of Mushkin 512MB memory, PC3200, two matched pairs, all
four with microcircuits on BOTH sides of the panel. 2.5-3-3-7

I cannot have all four installed and get the system to post or report in
Windows DDR400 (PC3200) speeds. Any pair in any sockets will work at
DDR400. I am not able to locate any product documentation that
indicates the system will NOT operate with 2 GB of memory like this I
have described. However, some Google hits have shown that the so-called
double rank (double sided) cannot operate at DDR400 speeds on some
mainboards with uncertain association with the A8V. Anyone care to opine?

I have loosened the memory timings, upped the DIMM voltage, and
"shuffled" the memory panels to no avail. Also reset the CMOS.

Anyone care to opine?

TIA,

PB

Did you try "2T Command" [Enabled] in the memory section ?

Paul

Yes, I did try the 2T command and this did not correct the problem.

I forgot to mention I also have 2GB of Corsair "Value Select" as 4 x 512
MB purchased as two separate 1 GB kits. These also do NOT all play at
DDR400 on this motherboard. Again, I [think] it is the both sides
populated that may be getting me.

Thanks again, Paul. You responded to my original post.

PB[/QUOTE]

You say "get the system to post or report in Windows DDR400 (PC3200)
speeds". I would think if the timing was off slightly, you would be
able to POST, but there would be a measurable error rate in memtest86.

Does two sticks in A1&B1 work and do you see 1GB of RAM ?
Does two sticks in A2&B2 work and do you see 1GB of RAM ?

If one of those combinations does not work, you could have a bad
DIMM socket, a bad processor socket, or a bad processor (dead memory
interface pin). If both of those combinations work error free, then
there is something going on with the timing - either the processor
is defective (speed fault - a failure of an interface pin to work
at full speed), there is something wrong with the way the PCB
of the motherboard was manufactured (controlled impedance is
wrong), or the memory is not up to snuff.

The thing is, if just one DIMM socket is bad, the motherboard
will see three working slots, and that is an illegal configuration,
because it doesn't support a dual channel configuration properly.
Only two DIMMs or four DIMMs work in dual channel.
That is why testing both pairs of DIMM slots individually,
verifying you see the amount of memory you expect in Windows,
is part of debugging why four DIMMs are not working.

Setting the memory bus to DDR333, selecting Command Rate 2T, should
virtually guarantee operation with four DIMMs. Those settings
would even work on any version of Opteron. That should be
"relaxed enough", to prove the four DIMMs are working and
no sockets are defective.

If you can get into Windows, get a copy of CPUZ (cpuid.com), and
verify the timings and clock rates selected. Just in case something
is accidently set more aggressively than it should be.

HTH,
Paul

 

[PB]

I did post a similar question a week or so ago, but hope for a little
more attention to a different title...

I have a revision 2.0 A8V Deluxe with 3200+ Venice core processor.

I have 4 pieces of Mushkin 512MB memory, PC3200, two matched pairs, all
four with microcircuits on BOTH sides of the panel. 2.5-3-3-7

I cannot have all four installed and get the system to post or report in
Windows DDR400 (PC3200) speeds. Any pair in any sockets will work at
DDR400. I am not able to locate any product documentation that
indicates the system will NOT operate with 2 GB of memory like this I
have described. However, some Google hits have shown that the so-called
double rank (double sided) cannot operate at DDR400 speeds on some
mainboards with uncertain association with the A8V. Anyone care to opine?

I have loosened the memory timings, upped the DIMM voltage, and
"shuffled" the memory panels to no avail. Also reset the CMOS.

Anyone care to opine?

TIA,

PB


Did you try "2T Command" [Enabled] in the memory section ?

Paul

Yes, I did try the 2T command and this did not correct the problem.

I forgot to mention I also have 2GB of Corsair "Value Select" as 4 x 512
MB purchased as two separate 1 GB kits. These also do NOT all play at
DDR400 on this motherboard. Again, I [think] it is the both sides
populated that may be getting me.

Thanks again, Paul. You responded to my original post.

PB

You say "get the system to post or report in Windows DDR400 (PC3200)
speeds". I would think if the timing was off slightly, you would be
able to POST, but there would be a measurable error rate in memtest86.

Does two sticks in A1&B1 work and do you see 1GB of RAM ?

YES at PC3200 speed.

Does two sticks in A2&B2 work and do you see 1GB of RAM ?

YES at PC3200 speed.

If one of those combinations does not work, you could have a bad
DIMM socket, a bad processor socket, or a bad processor (dead memory
interface pin). If both of those combinations work error free, then
there is something going on with the timing - either the processor
is defective (speed fault - a failure of an interface pin to work
at full speed), there is something wrong with the way the PCB
of the motherboard was manufactured (controlled impedance is
wrong), or the memory is not up to snuff.

The thing is, if just one DIMM socket is bad, the motherboard
will see three working slots, and that is an illegal configuration,
because it doesn't support a dual channel configuration properly.
Only two DIMMs or four DIMMs work in dual channel.
That is why testing both pairs of DIMM slots individually,
verifying you see the amount of memory you expect in Windows,
is part of debugging why four DIMMs are not working.

Setting the memory bus to DDR333, selecting Command Rate 2T, should
virtually guarantee operation with four DIMMs. Those settings
would even work on any version of Opteron. That should be
"relaxed enough", to prove the four DIMMs are working and
no sockets are defective.

All four DIMMS do work, but only at DDR333 speed. From another post you
wrote, I am getting the idea that the DDR333 may be the best I can
expect with 4x512MB=2GB memory.

Manual 2T command did not help (to get DDR400 speed, anyway).

If you can get into Windows, get a copy of CPUZ (cpuid.com), and
verify the timings and clock rates selected. Just in case something
is accidently set more aggressively than it should be.

I have permuted almost all the settings in BIOS from no help to no POST.

HTH,
Paul

Again, thanks for the good suggestions.

PB

 

[Paul]

YES at PC3200 speed.


YES at PC3200 speed.


All four DIMMS do work, but only at DDR333 speed. From another post you
wrote, I am getting the idea that the DDR333 may be the best I can
expect with 4x512MB=2GB memory.

Manual 2T command did not help (to get DDR400 speed, anyway).

I have permuted almost all the settings in BIOS from no help to no POST.

Again, thanks for the good suggestions.

PB

Here is a sample thread, from people trying four sticks.

http://forums.pcper.com/showthread.php?t=396205&highlight=ddr400

On that page, there is a link from the poster at the bottom of
the page. He is using clockgen (from cpuid.com), to tweak or
examine clock values while in Windows. Another tool you can
get is A64tweaker, which is supposed to allow setting memory
parameters (even though theoretically that should not be possible -
I thought the JEDEC startup sequence for RAM would prevent
such a thing from being possible, but you cannot argue with
success). What you could try, is DDR333 2T (to get booted),
then fool around with the settings using those two tools.
Use an expendible boot disk (i.e. use a spare disk, and put
a fresh minimal install on it, so if something goes wrong,
you won't care - adjusting settings while in Windows can
freeze the computer, and sometimes the boot disk suffers).

I thought that DDR400 2T was all it takes to make it work,
and I'm surprised you are having trouble. I didn't think any
other timing parameters needed to be tweaked to make this
happen. Maybe it is like the Nforce2, and using four sticks
of CAS2 memory makes a difference ? I wish I had a board
to test for you, as I own four sticks of CAS2 DDR, but I
have no budget these days for mobo upgrades.

A64Tweaker (latest version I've heard of)
http://home.exetel.com.au/codered/A64Tweaker/A64Tweaker_V0.6beta.zip
A64Tweaker developer thread
http://www.xtremesystems.org/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=37345

Double check your clock settings (with CPUZ or with clockgen).
Remember that due to the divider thing in Athlon64, when
you set the DDR speed in the BIOS, the nearest divider is used,
and it wouldn't hurt to verify that the clocks are right. The
BIOS is supposed to select a divider setup that results in
a DDR clock which is less than the value you set in the BIOS
setup screen.

The only other thing I can think of, is I recollect reading
about multiplier trouble with some versions of Athlon64.
This stuff is over my head... I can never remember which
processors have unlocked multipliers, and which ones you
can adjust multipliers downwards.

http://www.xtremesystems.org/forums/showthread.php?t=64709

Paul

 

[fasteddy]

I did post a similar question a week or so ago, but hope for a little more
attention to a different title...

I have a revision 2.0 A8V Deluxe with 3200+ Venice core processor.

I have 4 pieces of Mushkin 512MB memory, PC3200, two matched pairs, all
four with microcircuits on BOTH sides of the panel. 2.5-3-3-7

I cannot have all four installed and get the system to post or report in
Windows DDR400 (PC3200) speeds. Any pair in any sockets will work at
DDR400. I am not able to locate any product documentation that indicates
the system will NOT operate with 2 GB of memory like this I have
described. However, some Google hits have shown that the so-called double
rank (double sided) cannot operate at DDR400 speeds on some mainboards
with uncertain association with the A8V. Anyone care to opine?

I have loosened the memory timings, upped the DIMM voltage, and "shuffled"
the memory panels to no avail. Also reset the CMOS.

Anyone care to opine?

TIA,

PB

This link may help you?
http://www.anandtech.com/mb/showdoc.aspx?i=2128&p=5
Read the memory timings described at the bottom.
Good luck with it!

Don't forget to force ddr400 (2:1) and to force 2T.

 

[PB]

Does two sticks in A1&B1 work and do you see 1GB of RAM ?

YES at PC3200 speed.

Does two sticks in A2&B2 work and do you see 1GB of RAM ?

YES at PC3200 speed.

Setting the memory bus to DDR333, selecting Command Rate 2T, should
virtually guarantee operation with four DIMMs. Those settings
would even work on any version of Opteron. That should be
"relaxed enough", to prove the four DIMMs are working and
no sockets are defective.

All four DIMMS do work, but only at DDR333 speed. From another post you
wrote, I am getting the idea that the DDR333 may be the best I can
expect with 4x512MB=2GB memory.

Manual 2T command did not help (to get DDR400 speed, anyway).

If you can get into Windows, get a copy of CPUZ (cpuid.com), and
verify the timings and clock rates selected. Just in case something
is accidently set more aggressively than it should be.

I have permuted almost all the settings in BIOS from no help to no POST.

HTH,
Paul

Again, thanks for the good suggestions.

PB

Here is a sample thread, from people trying four sticks.

http://forums.pcper.com/showthread.php?t=396205&highlight=ddr400

On that page, there is a link from the poster at the bottom of
the page. He is using clockgen (from cpuid.com), to tweak or
examine clock values while in Windows. Another tool you can
get is A64tweaker, which is supposed to allow setting memory
parameters (even though theoretically that should not be possible -
I thought the JEDEC startup sequence for RAM would prevent
such a thing from being possible, but you cannot argue with
success). What you could try, is DDR333 2T (to get booted),
then fool around with the settings using those two tools.
Use an expendible boot disk (i.e. use a spare disk, and put
a fresh minimal install on it, so if something goes wrong,
you won't care - adjusting settings while in Windows can
freeze the computer, and sometimes the boot disk suffers).

I thought that DDR400 2T was all it takes to make it work,
and I'm surprised you are having trouble. I didn't think any
other timing parameters needed to be tweaked to make this
happen. Maybe it is like the Nforce2, and using four sticks
of CAS2 memory makes a difference ? I wish I had a board
to test for you, as I own four sticks of CAS2 DDR, but I
have no budget these days for mobo upgrades.

A64Tweaker (latest version I've heard of)
http://home.exetel.com.au/codered/A64Tweaker/A64Tweaker_V0.6beta.zip
A64Tweaker developer thread
http://www.xtremesystems.org/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=37345

Double check your clock settings (with CPUZ or with clockgen).
Remember that due to the divider thing in Athlon64, when
you set the DDR speed in the BIOS, the nearest divider is used,
and it wouldn't hurt to verify that the clocks are right. The
BIOS is supposed to select a divider setup that results in
a DDR clock which is less than the value you set in the BIOS
setup screen.

The only other thing I can think of, is I recollect reading
about multiplier trouble with some versions of Athlon64.
This stuff is over my head... I can never remember which
processors have unlocked multipliers, and which ones you
can adjust multipliers downwards.

http://www.xtremesystems.org/forums/showthread.php?t=64709

Paul[/QUOTE]

A64 Tweaker allowed me to "Set" [button] the clock frequency to 200
which was reported the same in Everest. Also in CPUZ. So it (the A8V
Deluxe) does not like to start in the higher speed but can be bumped.

A work-around, to be sure, but a good outcome nonetheless.

Thanks again,

p00lb0y

 

[zzipper]

Mine ran 4x512Mb double-sided Kingston Value ram, 4 matched sticks, all the
same Samsung chips but I needed to enable the 2T command and manually set
the memory ratio so it runs @400. Works just fine setup like that....or it
did until I had what appears to be a southbridge failure? You lose some
performance but it worked perfectly. I am in the process of arranging an RMA
for it this week.

 

[PB]

Mine ran 4x512Mb double-sided Kingston Value ram, 4 matched sticks, all the
same Samsung chips but I needed to enable the 2T command and manually set
the memory ratio so it runs @400. Works just fine setup like that....or it
did until I had what appears to be a southbridge failure? You lose some
performance but it worked perfectly. I am in the process of arranging an RMA
for it this week.

I think I probably am experiencing this problem as my memory is not on
the qualified list. I guess I will save my money and get the kind you
mention a little later.

PB