Help w/ Asus A8V Deluxe and RAM

[illegalmonkey]

Ok as stated above, I have an Asus A8V Deluxe MB, cpu is an AMD Athlon 64 x2 4800 Toledo core, nothing is overclocked. I have 1 pair of CMX1024-3200 v3.1(black heat spreaders) which came with my comp from Alienware(3 year old comp) and I now have 1 pair of CMX1024-3200C2PT v2.1(platinum heat spreaders), for a total of 4gb of RAM. I'm a complete newb when it comes to BIOS stuff but I've read a few things on here and tried changing some stuff up but no matter what I can only get 3 sticks to register and I've swapped all the sticks around and tried them in all 4 slots.

 

Usually what happens when I have all 4 in I get an error message at the start up saying 'USB Device Over Current Status!! Shutdown in 15 seconds'. Now one time I did get the computer to load fully into windows XP w/ all four sticks in BUT only three were registering and I don't remember what I did to get it to load with all 4 in. Memtest didn't not come up w/ anything so I dunno if there's just specific CAS settings I need or what, or maybe these two different pairs just don't mesh together. I currently have my DDR set at 400mhz in BIOS, which shows my sticks running at 200mhz. I've included a pic of my CPU-Z screen as well. So that's about it any help is appreciated!! :)

[DerekT]

It's never a given when you mix and match DRAM. Lets see how this works. Download memtest from http://www.memtest.org and extract the ISO image. Burn the ISO image to an CD-ROM disk.

 

Phoenix BIOS

 

"Advanced Page"

 

JumperFree Configuration

 

Memory Voltage Adjustment: 2.75V

Frequency Configuration

 

Spread Spectrum: Disabled

PCI-E Clock Sync. To CPU: Disabled

PCI-Ex Clock : 100MHz

PCI Clock Sync. To CPU: Disabled

PCI Clock: 33MHz

CPU Clock: 200MHz

 

Dram Configuration

Current Dram Frequency: 333Mhz

Timing Mode: Manual

 

Memclock index value: 166 mhz

LDT Bus Frequency from FSB: 5

Cas latency (TCL) : 3

Min ras active time (TRAS) : 8

Ras to Cas delay (TRCD) : 4

Row precharge time (TRP) : 4

1T/2T memory timing : 2T

H/W Dram over 4gb remapping : Enabled

 

Run memtest on each test. Boot to the optical drive with the memtest disk and allow for two full passes. This will give your dual core a 3.0Ghz and some decent ram throughput.

[illegalmonkey]

Well, a lot of those setting listed below I can't find anywhere, like all the PCI ones, H/W Dram over 4gb remapping, Memclock index value: 166 mhz, LDT Bus Frequency from FSB: 5.

 

Anyway I changed the ones I found and ran the test. No errors came up. Still can only get the comp to fully load with 3 sticks in and not 4. :|

 

Plus I have a dual core cpu, not quad.

[DerekT]

It looks as though your board will not accept 4 sticks. It is an older board so you may wish to contact Asus to see what they have to say. You lose dual channel mode with 3 Sticks and drop your bandwidth. So with that board and a desire to make 4GB you may be stuck with a 2GB per stick solution.

[RJLeong65]

It looks as though your board will not accept 4 sticks. It is an older board so you may wish to contact Asus to see what they have to say. You lose dual channel mode with 3 Sticks and drop your bandwidth. So with that board and a desire to make 4GB you may be stuck with a 2GB per stick solution.

 

The problem with that suggestion is that the Socket 939 CPU's memory controller does not support 2GB sticks of memory -- and nearly all 2GB sticks of DDR1 (as opposed to DDR2) memory ever made are registered, which the Socket 939 CPU's memory controller also does not support. Thus, the maximum practical limit for memory on a Socket 939 system is 1GB per stick.

[DerekT]

The problem with that suggestion is that the Socket 939 CPU's memory controller does not support 2GB sticks of memory -- and nearly all 2GB sticks of DDR1 (as opposed to DDR2) memory ever made are registered, which the Socket 939 CPU's memory controller also does not support. Thus, the maximum practical limit for memory on a Socket 939 system is 1GB per stick.

 

Now that is good information. 939 does not support 2GB sticks? Then what would be your advice in this situation?

[RJLeong65]

Now that is good information. 939 does not support 2GB sticks? Then what would be your advice in this situation?

 

In that case, then stick with 2GB total (1GB per stick) for a maximum. This is because the Socket 939 CPU's memory controller can only address a maximum of 512MB per bank (rank), and a single 1GB stick of DDR1 memory takes up two banks. Also, no company has ever manufactured a 2GB unbuffered non-ECC stick of DDR1 memory. Every single 2GB DDR1 stick ever manufactured has been registered and/or ECC. And 2GB unbuffered ECC sticks of DDR1 memory are rarer and much more expensive than 2GB registered ECC sticks of DDR1 memory. And Socket 939 can only use DDR1 memory; it cannot use DDR2 memory.

[DerekT]

In that case, then stick with 2GB total (1GB per stick) for a maximum. This is because the Socket 939 CPU's memory controller can only address a maximum of 512MB per bank (rank), and a single 1GB stick of DDR1 memory takes up two banks. Also, no company has ever manufactured a 2GB unbuffered non-ECC stick of DDR1 memory. Every single 2GB DDR1 stick ever manufactured has been registered and/or ECC. And 2GB unbuffered ECC sticks of DDR1 memory are rarer and much more expensive than 2GB registered ECC sticks of DDR1 memory. And Socket 939 can only use DDR1 memory; it cannot use DDR2 memory.

 

Booked and logged :laughing:

 

Thanks

[illegalmonkey]

Damn that sucks man. Thanks for the info guys. Why the hell do they tell you you can fit 4gb in it if you really can't? Oh well no matter. I'm sure I can get my money back on these selling'em on Ebay :)