Compatible RAM for Asus P5E3 Pro Motherboard (BSOD)

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Hello everyone,

I just bought some Hardware to build a new computer from Scratch.

I bought:

1. Asus P5E3 Pro Motherboard (DDR3 RAM DIMMS)
2. PSU Coolmax CUL-750B 750W
3. 2x2GB OCZ OCZ3G10664GK R (DDR3 RAM)
4. VGA Card - ASUS ENGTS250/DI/512MD3
5. Intel Core 2 Quad Q8400 2.66Ghz 1333

I installed Windows 7 x64bit OEM

I am having problems with BSOD (different ones not the same one every time)

I would like to know if its a compatibility Problem with My RAM and Motherboard or could it be something else. I am very bad with Hardware and I just bought parts that I knew could fit in theory.

BIOS is set to default because I don't know how to configure it (Probably thinking why did I buy parts instead of a built computer)

Could you please help? :(
 
Your RAM isn't on Asus' memory QVL (Qualified Vendors List)-but that isn't to say that it's not supported.
Having your power supply checked might be an option if your graphics card seems to run slow or you are getting fluctuating performance.
Because OCZ memory modules lack what are called embedded XMP profiles, your motherboard will have difficulty assigning a setting for them so you will need to do it manually.
Download Memtest86+ from here http://www.memtest.org/#downiso
***under the Memtest86+ v4.00, select "Download -Pre-compiled bootable iso ", save and unzip if downloading the zip file then burn a BOOTABLE CD using ImgBurn or your usual burning software (Nero etc.).- this program runs at BIOS level
Download MemSet here http://www.softpedia.com/get/System/System-Info/MemSet.shtml
You can also download CPU-Z -it gives a much simplified version of the RAM timings but you can also access chipset and CPU info. download here http://www.cpuid.com/cpuz.php

First order of business would be ascertain whether the RAM modules are not defective.
I presume the RAM in question is OCZ's Gold XTC modules - if they are then you can try to manually select the timings- they should be on a sticker on the side of the RAM, which should be 7-7-7-21 ( CAS (or CL)-tRCD-tRP-tRAS) at 1.5 to 1.6 volts.
IF THIS IS NOT YOUR RAM THEN GO NO FURTHER, If it is then you need to set it in order to test it for stability.
Boot into your BIOS. Select the second tab "A.I.Tweaker"
Set PCIE Frequency to 100 (if not already set)
Set DRAM Frequency to DDR3-1066 (if not already set)
Set DRAM Command rate to 2T (if not already set)
Set DRAM Timing Control to Manual
Note the string of timings following "Pri.Information" on the next line-they should be the same as the settings you are about to input.
Set CAS# Frequency to 7 DRAM Clocks
Set RAS# to CAS# Delay to 7 DRAM Clocks
Set RAS# Precharge to 7 DRAM Clocks
Set RAS# Active time to 21 DRAM Clocks
leave the rest of the timings on Auto for now and move down the page until you get to..
DRAM Voltage ....type in 1.60
Hit F10 to save and exit
**If you can boot into windows then run Memset (NOT the Memtest86+ cd you burned!) and note -or better still get a screen capture of the timings (and include in your next post)-here is an example of one of my old screenshots-take no notice of the values but note that both modules SPD (A and B )values are shown-so expand the window.
333ghz.jpg

** If you cannot load Windows then get back to the BIOS and revert settings by choosing Restore Defaults, F10 to save and exit. The likely cause will be insufficient MCH (Northbridge) voltage.
If Memset shows you the correct values and voltage then you can move on to testing.
Reboot and select CD as your first bootable drive
Insert your Memtest86+ bootable cd into the drive
Hit F10 to save and exit
Memtest86+ will boot automatically once the motherboard POST's. As it's a DOS program it is fairly straightforward -The test actually comprises 8 seperate tests. Once all 8 have run then your RAM has completed a "Pass" -for 4Gb a Pass takes around 20-30 minutes.
Run 7 (minimum) to 12 passes. If the testing shows no errors then stop the test at your leisure.
Return to your BIOS, change the boot order back to Harddrive (I assume)
Take the CD out of the drive
F10 to save and exit -congratulations your RAM is stable. The next step would be to stress test the CPU/RAM fo test for stability- but one thing at a time

If the test throws up errors then note the Number of the test and the error code- the test will continue if the errors are not to great. If the testing serquence stops then stop the test, reboot, change boot order, remove cd and F10.
The RAM could fail from either physical damage it has suffered or the timing (and sub-timings) are unstable. We can look into that if the need arises.
 
Excellent.
Thanks for the follow up post.
Hopefully someone else with a RAM problem can check out the post and maybe find a quick-ish solution.
 
Dividedbyzero, I would appreciate a little of your expertise, I have the same p5e3 pro asus motherboard but I have 2 stick of OCZ dual-channel 2gb memory. The exact memory type is OCZ3SOU16004GK

The sticker says the timing is 8-8-8 @ 1.7v

I heard that this setting is either wrong or too low for the motherboard to run it properly. I need help to set the timing for it correctly, just as you have done above with the other type of memory.

Any help is greatly appreciated.
 
Dividedbyzero, I would appreciate a little of your expertise, I have the same p5e3 pro asus motherboard but I have 2 stick of OCZ dual-channel 2gb memory. The exact memory type is OCZ3SOU16004GK

The sticker says the timing is 8-8-8 @ 1.7v

I heard that this setting is either wrong or too low for the motherboard to run it properly. I need help to set the timing for it correctly, just as you have done above with the other type of memory.

Any help is greatly appreciated.

This is the Special Op's version ? If so, then the spec's you listed are indeed incorrect. You will need to manually set the timings because there are no embedded profiles that the board/RAM are likely to agree on. That stated voltage is also too low for those modules.

Boot into your BIOS. Select the second tab "A.I.Tweaker"
Set PCIE Frequency to 100 (if not already set)
Set DRAM Frequency to DDR3-1600 (if not already set)
Set DRAM Command rate to 2T (if not already set)
Set DRAM Timing Control to Manual
Note the string of timings following "Pri.Information" on the next line-they should be the same as the settings you are about to input.
Set CAS# Frequency to 8 DRAM Clocks
Set RAS# to CAS# Delay to 8 DRAM Clocks
Set RAS# Precharge to 8 DRAM Clocks
Set RAS# Active time to 24 DRAM Clocks
leave the rest of the timings on Auto for now and move down the page until you get to..
DRAM Voltage ....type in 1.90
Hit F10 to save and exit.

Hopefully you should be good to go if the boards plays nice with the RAM. If the board boots ok, then I would suggest you run Memtest (as outlined earlier).
 
ram settings

I had a gkill ram that wasn't on qvl and after a few months my system is buggy. I am getting this following ram Gkill ram F3-12800CL9T-6GBNQ, that is on the qvl list. What settings should I set it for my system to be stable. I have the P5e3 pro board. The ram is ddr3 1600. The timing should be 9-9-9-24 2n, the volts 1.5. Please let me know how to set it for my system will not get blue screen errors. I do know the I need to oc my cpu to match the ddr3 1600.
 
This seems to quite a popular board. I may have to work with one in future if this keeps up.
Basically if you follow what I posted earlier regarding testing etc. Always a good idea to test the RAM as soon as you get it installed rather than find out the hard way in the future with unexpected lockups and crashes.
How are planning to install them? as a 2x2Gb or with all three modules with the third stick running in single channel mode ?
As for the settings...

Boot into your BIOS. Select the second tab "A.I.Tweaker"
Set PCIE Frequency to 100 (if not already set)
Set DRAM Frequency to DDR3-1600 (if not already set)
Set DRAM Command rate to 2T (if not already set)
Set DRAM Timing Control to Manual
Note the string of timings following "Pri.Information" on the next line-they should be the same as the settings you are about to input.
Set CAS# Frequency to 9 DRAM Clocks
Set RAS# to CAS# Delay to 9 DRAM Clocks
Set RAS# Precharge to 9 DRAM Clocks
Set RAS# Active time to 24 DRAM Clocks
leave the rest of the timings on Auto for now and move down the page until you get to..
DRAM Voltage ....type in 1.50 (NOTE 1)
Hit F10 to save and exit.

NOTE 1 The Asus qvl lists 1.50-1.60v for this RAM kit. I'm assuming that 1.5v is for the use of two sticks (2x2Gb). You will almost certainly need more than this is you install the third stick, hence Asus' 1.60v upper voltage spec.
 
If you're using all three sticks then I'd input 1.60 for your DRAM voltage. Other than that you should be good to go. Once you change the RAM frequency you can adjust the FSB strap (memory divider) or leave on Auto as the case may be depending on what CPU you have and what FSB you want to run.
 
I have the q9650. I would like the fsb be the same as the ram speed. Or what ever would make it the most stable. I am sick of ram issuses.
 
For DDR3-1600 and a 1:1 divider means a 400MHz FSB so...
Q9650 multiplier is 9 x 400MHz FSB = 3600 (3.6GHz).
What CPU cooler are you using ? Even a small overclock will tax the standard Intel cooler.
If you're good to go with a good CPU cooler then...
The (my) normal course of events would be to set "FSB Strap to Northbridge" set to "333" or "Auto", change "CPU Voltage" from "Auto" to it's default value (and only raise the voltage if the CPU fails the stability testing), and set DRAM frequency to "Auto" since the value will change at every increment. Then incrementally increase your CPU's Core frequency and then test for stability at every step. i.e. start at your default 333MHz ,then raise to (as example):
350, 360, 370, 380, 385, 390, 395, 400 FSB. If you set the FSB Strap to Northbridge to 333 then you'll have DDR3-1333 at 400Mhz FSB. If the CPU is stable you can then change the strap to 400 to change the RAM to DDR3-1600. Keeping the RAM underclocked while overclocking the CPU eliminates the RAM as the likely problem if you have stability problems.

Your CPU voltage (Vcore) will depend on the individual CPU, and you shouldn't need to raise the voltage until you are close to the 400-although that will depend on the CPU itself-some OC well -my Q9400 will sit at default (1.2375v) Vcore up to 430 FSB but the two I had previously needed a kick in the pants at about 390.

The second and least prefered method is to leave CPU Voltage, CPU PLL Voltage and FSB Termination Voltage at "Auto" , set the FSB frequency to 400, and check your BIOS and monitoring software to see how high "Auto" actually is at 3.6GHz -if it's like most Asus boards I've used it will probably be a little high (~ 1.28-1.3v) for my taste.

The other option is to leave the CPU at default (333MHz FSB , 3.0GHz) and use the 400 FSB to Northbridge strap for DDR3-1333
 
Better than the Intel stock heatsink fan.
My advice would be (assuming you want to OC) is to take the OC testing regime a step at a time and monitor temps along the way. Your CPU load temps wont necessarily be the same as any other comparable CPU- pretty much luck of the draw, but at least you're starting with the top bin processor (QX9650 excepted)
Clocking a Q9xxx from 333 to 400 FSB is not a huge ask- most good boards will allow you to boot up to the increased mark with basically everything on "Auto", but that "method" doesn't give you a feel for whats going on with the system and usually adds more than required voltage as a safeguard against stability issues...which in turn generates heat and longevity issues of their own.
If you decide to OC rather than keep the system at 3GHz/DDR3-1333, and run in to any problems, or have questions on stability testing and OC then it's probably best to start another thread to get a wider range of views.
Good luck.
 
I dont know if I want to oc or not. Right now i just want it to be really stable. Maybe oc later on after months of using it stable. I had another board and had nothing but ram problems and I didn't oc that one. I ordered this ram because the other was unstable and this ram, the new one, is on qvl. Mainly, I want the most stable system as I can or I am going to mac lol.
 
If stability is the first requirement-as it should be, I'd set up the system at default levels, at least until you're sure that the system is fully stable. All it really means is that you will be running the RAM at 1333 rather than 1600, which is not a big deal in relative performance terms. All that is needed in the BIOS is:
Set (in A.I.Tweaker menu)
FSB Strap to Northbridge : 400
Boot into your BIOS. Select the second tab "A.I.Tweaker"
Set PCIE Frequency to 100 (if not already set)
Set DRAM Frequency to DDR3-1333 (should set itself once you change FSB strap to 400)
Set DRAM Command rate to 2T (if not already set)
Set DRAM Timing Control to Manual
Note the string of timings following "Pri.Information" on the next line-they should be the same as the settings you are about to input.
Set CAS# Frequency to 9 DRAM Clocks
Set RAS# to CAS# Delay to 9 DRAM Clocks
Set RAS# Precharge to 9 DRAM Clocks
Set RAS# Active time to 24 DRAM Clocks
leave the rest of the timings on Auto for now and move down the page until you get to..
DRAM Voltage ....type in 1.60
Hit F10 to save and exit since no changes need to be made for the CPU.

If you haven't already tested the RAM I'd definitely run 7 or more passes of Memtest86+ just ensure that your modules aren't throwing errors and you haven't got any DOA modules.
Either test them one at a time. One module in DIMM A1, run the tests, switch out the module for the next, rerun etc., or install all three and test once - a dud module means the whole kit gets RMA'ed in any case.
 
Never mind found it. I set the setting to manual and saw it. I had to enter fsb instread because it wouldn't boot up after setting other settings, came on and it showed 400. Thanks a bunch.
 
I ran memtest86 on it two passes. Well the sec at 100 person but keep running test 8. It took over three hours to do the two passes but had no errors, With all three sticks. The windows memory test passed. I have the 333 fsb setting, the timmings the 1333 ram setting but have voltage at 1.5 instead of 1.6. I am afraid if I raise it it will fry the ram or board. Will 1.5 be cool?
 
Sounds good so far. If you can maintain stability with 1.50v then go with that, the lower the voltage the better. A lot depends on the individual RAM and the board, but I wouldn't go higher unless you run into stability problems. If that happens then I'd suggest maybe just going to 1.54 or 1.56 (I think your BIOS allows 0.02v steps) as maybe just a small boost will get you stable.
 
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