Upgrading VP from 2x4gb 1866 mhz, need advice

Hey all, I'm new so forgive me if this is an ignorant question.

For some reason I had convinced myself that I owned 2x4gb 2400 mhz of Corsair Vengeance Pro ram, and I also thought I was purchasing the same spec ram of Corsair Vengeance Pro ram late one night online a week ago.

In reality: I have 2x4gb at 1866mhz in my system, not 2400 mhz.

My new ram arrived yesterday, and it in fact was 2x8gb at 2400 mhz. This was likely a late-night blunder on my part.

So, I figure either way it's pretty good because I'm achieving my target upgrade ram of 16gb either way.

But I have never upgraded ram myself before. I understand the mechanics of changing the ram physically (avoid electro static shock at all costs, unplug, line up pins, be firm until it pops in, boot up, and so on).

My questions are:

1) Can I just plug and play? Will my motherboard understand the different MHZ? Do I need to tinker with anything in BIOS?

2) Since my motherboard is a dual channel, can I keep my old ram installed?

And if I can:

3) Since my old ram supports overclocking, can I bring it closer to 2400 mhz to minimize the downclocking of the new ram?

And if so:

4) What would be the most ideal way of going about this?

Thank you greatly for any assistance!

http://i68.tinypic.com/2pzeni8.jpg

To be certain, these are the two sets of ram I have now,

the one on the left is the one that is installed.

and these are my specs:

http://i64.tinypic.com/14j3vyw.jpg

1. You can just install the new DIMMs and the BIOS should automatically adjust things.
   
2. I really need to see the SPD data for all the DIMMs to know what is possible/sensible.
   
3. CPUZ can report this, but I would prefer to see what my SIV utility reports. Just press the [sPD] button. See http://forum.corsair.com/forums/showthread.php?p=873788 for what SIV typically reports.
   
4. Having got the 1866MHz DIMM SPD data, remove those DIMMs, install the new ones and grab the SPD data then attach both screen shots.
   
5. Once I see all the SPD data I can advise you what is possible/sensible.
   
6. At the moment your DIMMs are only running at 1333MHz rather than 1866MHz which I also need the SPD data to know why.

It's best to use .PNG for screen shots and see http://forum.corsair.com/forums/showthread.php?p=853900 for how to attach them.

1. You can just install the new DIMMs and the BIOS should automatically adjust things.
   
2. I really need to see the SPD data for all the DIMMs to know what is possible/sensible.
   
3. CPUZ can report this, but I would prefer to see what my SIV utility reports. Just press the [sPD] button. See http://forum.corsair.com/forums/showthread.php?p=873788 for what SIV typically reports.
   
4. Having got the 1866MHz DIMM SPD data, remove those DIMMs, install the new ones and grab the SPD data then attach both screen shots.
   
5. Once I see all the SPD data I can advise you what is possible/sensible.
   
6. At the moment your DIMMs are only running at 1333MHz rather than 1866MHz which I also need the SPD data to know why.

It's best to use .PNG for screen shots and see http://forum.corsair.com/forums/showthread.php?p=853900 for how to attach them.

Thank you for your reply! :headbang:

Here's the current SIV data. What you're recommending is that I swap the sticks and just boot up and take a new SIV data screencap so we can tell?

edit: Hrm, I'll try attaching it again..

Press the [sPD] button to get the SPD screen and attach that.

Then swap the DIMMs and attach the SPD for the other DIMMs.

Ah, kay. This is what you mean:

Then I just boot up with the new sticks? I'd think I'd have to activate the XMP profile in Bios first, no?

Then I just boot up with the new sticks? I'd think I'd have to activate the XMP profile in Bios first, no?

Yes, just boot up with just the other two sticks installed.

Don't enable XMP yet.

Got it done, here's the new specs

edit: Need to go to work, will check back this evening as soon as I get home.

Thank you kindly for your help red-ray. :)

1. The CMY16GX3M2A2400C11 SPD is strange and may be incorrect. There should be an XMP entry for 1200MHz as below and there is not :(:. Please confirm this by posting the CPUZ SPD tab and the SIV [sPD Details] screens. If CPUZ also only reports 1097MHz then I feel the DIMMs are faulty and I would return or RMA them :nodding:.
   
2. The actual memory speed and timings are as they should be given the SPD data.
   
3. In general mixing different DIMMs may not work, but if you want you could try. The system with the CMD8GX3M2A2400C11 has two unmatched 8GB kits and works well with them running at 1200MHz.
   
4. Install the other two DIMMs and see what happens. It should be OK as the JEDEC 3/4 666MHz values are the same.
   
5. With all four DIMMs installed you should not enable XMP as the XMP voltages are different, 1.50 vs. 1.65 Volts.
   
6. I will comment further once you post the CPUZ SPD tab.
   
7. SIV not correctly reporting some of your motherboard sensors as Core 0.02 is obviously wonky. This is caused by there being both IT8620 + IT8733 sensor chips which caused a similar issue on a Gigabyte Z97X-SOC Force. If you e-mail me the save files I will fix this, see http://forum.corsair.com/forums/showthread.php?p=788225 for how to generate them.

Hey there, Red-Ray.

Hrm. That is concerning, though this is the first and only boot with the new kit. There are a number of possible explanations for the 1097 reading, though if it's still there on my next boots I'll have to return the kit.

Here's the detailed SPD view, and I saved the corresponding information from SIV if need be. I don't really want to scrap my computer messing around with voltages myself, as some of your diagnostics whiz right over my head. If there's a faulty stick in this pair I won't tinker too long with it and send it right back where it came from.

Hrm. That is concerning, though this is the first and only boot with the new kit. There are a number of possible explanations for the 1097 reading, though if it's still there on my next boots I'll have to return the kit.

Post the CPUZ SPD tab screen shot so we can see if it also reports 1097 MHz. The SPD data is read from the DIMMs and rebooting the system should not change this. Looking at page 44 of the manual the BIOS should report the DIMM XMP speed, but I suspect you will need to enable XMP. What XMP speed does it report? Post a screen shot of the BIOS screen if you are unsure.

I saved the corresponding information from SIV if need be. I don't really want to scrap my computer messing around with voltages myself, as some of your diagnostics whiz right over my head.

You don't need to change anything, just send me the two save files.

The same sensor chips are used on many different motherboards with different things being reported. I just need to change the names SIV uses for some of the sensor inputs.

I sent it to you through the forum email app, there was no attach option so I copied and pasted the txt file. It took me longer than it should have for me to realize where the state was saved to.

Here's the CPU-Z info. I actually swapped my sticks (took the one in slot four and traded places with the one in slot two) this morning to see if it affected the SIV reading, but it didn't.

Here's the differences between before and after enabling XMP:

(I don't know how to screen from bios, it says press F12 but I don't know where it would save to and my clipboard is empty)

XMP - Disabled

System Memory Multiplier: 13.33 (auto)

Memory Boot Mode - Auto

Memory Frequency (Mhz) 1333mhz

Profile DDR voltage 1.50v

then

XMP activated Profile 1

System Memory Multiplier: 24.00

Memory Boot Mode - Auto

Memory Frequency (Mhz) 2400 mhz

Profile DDR voltage 1.65v

Here's the SIV and the CPUZ now

XMP activated Profile 1

Memory Frequency (Mhz) 2400 mhz

Profile DDR voltage 1.65v

Thank you for your help in tracking down this strange issue :nodding:.

Corsair, please will you specify why CMY16GX3M2A2400C11 don't report CL 11 as supported in the XMP profile?

For the DIMMs to run with a 1200MHz clock then CL 11 should be used, but the XMP profile only reports CL 6 + CL 10 as supported :confused:. Is this a bug in the SPD data?

As you can see from the attached specification extract bit 7 (0x80) should be set when CL 11 is supported.

Looking in the attached CPUZ save file you should see it is also confused and there is no XMP #3 line.

XMP timings table	CL-tRCD-tRP-tRAS-tRC-CR @ frequency (voltage)
XMP #1		6.0-8-8-17-25-1T @ 658 MHz (1.650 Volts)
XMP #2		10.0-12-12-29-41-1T @ 1097 MHz (1.650 Volts)

DIMM #			2

CPUZ-PC.txt