[help]Can't get DDR2 CAS 4 memory to work at CAS4...

[GeneralFailure]

I have an ASUS mobo with AMD/ATI chipset - more exactly, this one: http://www.asus.com/products.aspx?l1=3&l2=101&l3=496&l4=0&model=1585&modelmenu=1 - with a 35W x2 3800+ and a pair of GEIL DDR2 800Mhz rated at CAS 4-4-4-12...

Now, no matter what i do, they only run at (reported) latency of 7-5-7 or something like that...

It is the motherboard's fault or do I have to do something extra ? I put them at specified voltage (2.1) and they work at 800Mhz 128bit dual channel, but not at the right latency... I know this mobo isn't for OC and that's not what I got it for, but at least I was expecting the memory to work at advertised speeds and latencies by default...

Any ideas?

[brutis]

You'll have to manually set the timings in the BIOS.

The memory is suppose to tell the BIOS what to set it at, but they don't seem to get it right most of the time and you need to change it yourself.


OTH

[GeneralFailure]

Well yeah, but how... there is no option BIOS to set the timing.... Only memory frequency and voltage... :(:(

[GeneralFailure]

[update]

Well.. there is Timing Mode which can be set to [auto] or [manual] and, on manual, it enables the option Memory Clock Frequency, the same as before the update....

No way to manually enter/change CAS latencies...

Aww.. crap...

[GeneralFailure]

Ah well.. fack it.

According to ASUS, the fact that it has HDMI is a uber feature and doesn't need advanced BIOS option.. Too bad a low-tire mobo with the same features and same chipset, at 2/3 of the price HAS fking TIMING CONTROL!

Booo on shitty ASUS! It should say somewhere on their product info page that you won't be able to control timing and other "advanced" features...

Who knows, maybe next year we'll be luck if we can change the boot devices order...

[brutis]

Bummer :x

I found this, and it said what you found out, http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/ASUS/M2A-VM/5 about the timings in the BIOS.

I also read on the net that VM means Value Model and if you see a CSM on an ASUS MB it means Corporate Stable Model. So after what you've gone threw with your ASUS I'd believe that now.

About your only hope would be to find someone who mod's BIOS's and have them check to see if the timings are hid, and if they are, if they could be unhid for you.


OTH

[GeneralFailure]

meh, fack it...

I bought one of the asus mobo + x2 3800+ 35w + 2Gb kingston cas 5 for my mom and i liked it so much - the fact that most of the stuff has linux drivers and works out of the box in ubuntu so I decided to get myself one to replace my aging linux server at home, considering the fact that it consumes minuscule amounts of power... However there wasa promo on GEIL memories and I bought this cas 4 kit because K8 likes it better with faster memory and lower latency. I don't game or anything on this system, so cas 4 or 5 doesn't really bother me, but at least i wanted to use the memories at the advertised speeds...

[GeneralFailure]

Oh, btw, can someone look at this mobo (like here: http://img.presence-pc.com/dossiers/amd690/asus.jpg ) and tell me if the smaller grey heatsink right next to the cpu can be replaced with an aftermarket chipset-type radiator/cooler? It is VERY hot and I don't like it... The 'normal' chipset cooler - the black on with ASUS on it can (and will :)) be replaced, but I'm not shure about the smaller grey one. It's not the same size

[brutis]

Your pix doesn't show, and the one from newegg is at a bad angle.

Is it pind, or glued on? Are there pin holes in the MB for a heatsink in that area?


OTH

[GeneralFailure]

Hmmm....

http://img.presence-pc.com/dossiers/amd690/asus.jpg should work... I'm looking at it right now...

Anyways, the heatsink is clipped with two curlied thingies, not the normal chipset screw-through.

[brutis]

This is odd....

I still can't get your pix or link to show from here, but if I Google images of your MB I can see your pix from the presence-pc site??? Strange...

It looks like the spring retainer is fixed permanently to the MB. So as long as the NB heatsink has a wire spring retainer for it I see no problem. Here is one http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835119089, and this photo shows the wire clip springy thingy.

I have a Thermalright HR-05, but can't find the box. I believe that it would work also.


OTH

[GeneralFailure]

Hmmm.. the problem is I measured the heatsink and it's about 43mmx43mm It's smaller than the standard chipset radiator...

The one u talked about on newegg is a whooping 60x36... i dunno how the longer dimension fits - ie 60 is parallel to the cpu socket or perpendicular, because it isn't a lot of space between the cpu heatsink and this radiator

Meh.. i'll take apart my larger machine and take off the zalman chipset cooler it has... I vaguely remeber it had in the box some wire clip thingies and see if it fits on this one...

[brutis]

I would say that the 60mm is the length of the fins, the 36mm is the width of the base from CPU socket to the PCI-E slot, and the 94mm is the overall height.

It can be a challenge to get one on an mATX board. On my SMP Folder#3 in my sig, I have a Thermalright HR-05. If I wasn't using onboard video and water cooling the CPU it wouldn't fit, one edge touches the water block and the other overhangs the PCI-E slot.


OTH