bad DIMM?

[djbriandamage]

I built my PC about 3 years ago and have had this problem since day one. I'm sure there's nothing I can do but I'll throw it out there.

I have an i7 processor that supports triple-channel RAM. I have 3 x 2GB DIMMs of 1600MHz RAM with CL9 timings. For some reason I've never been able to run the memory stable at full speed - I have to clock them down to 1333 MHz. I don't have the exact numbers at my disposal but even though I bought 3 identical DIMMs in a kit one of the sticks has slightly different timings than the other two.

Is there anything in the world I can do to correct this? My motherboard has 6 RAM slots but 3 of them are the primary slots so I have to use those. I've tried shuffling the sticks around but the same DIMM always reports the same slightly slower timings.

As long as I run my memory at 1333MHz or lower it's perfectly stable. If I try 1600MHz my PC crashes shortly after booting into Windows.

Simple manufacturing defect?

[Rii]

Three years ago I would've suggested taking the kit back for a refund...

The extra MHz aren't worth bothering yourself about really.

[Feldspar]

The DiMM isn't bad in the sense it stops it working correctly, it just isn't good enough to work at the speed it should, so it's lightly damaged or suffered a manufacturing error that made it through quality testing. Rii's right, you should have sent it back 3 years ago but you won't really notice the difference in real world usage, only if you are just number-chasing.

[Sakkura]

The integrated memory controller on the processor can't handle just any speed, you know. Triple channel says pre-Sandy Bridge to me, meaning the rated maximum for memory is actually DDR3-1066.

[djbriandamage]

The integrated memory controller on the processor can't handle just any speed, you know. Triple channel says pre-Sandy Bridge to me, meaning the rated maximum for memory is actually DDR3-1066.

Wow, I think you're right. I have an i7-930 which is a Bloomfield.

[Sakkura]

Wow, I think you're right. I have an i7-930 which is a Bloomfield.

What motherboard do you have, though? That's basically what decides how far above the rated maximum you can go.

[djbriandamage]

Well isn't this illuminating - a very quick look at my motherboard spec sheet has 1666MHz RAM conspicuously absent!

http://www.gigabyte.us/products/prod...px?pid=3449#sp

[Sakkura]

Well isn't this illuminating - a very quick look at my motherboard spec sheet has 1666MHz RAM conspicuously absent!

http://www.gigabyte.us/products/prod...px?pid=3449#sp

Actually, looking at the detailed memory support list, plenty of DDR3-1600 modules are listed. Still, if yours aren't among them there might be a compatibility issue.

[djbriandamage]

My memory is on that list. It's that one DIMM, then. Ah wellsers.