aagh! A&N8X not compat with Corsair 3200 LL

[1nteger]

aagh! A7N8X not compat with Corsair 3200 LL

Ok...so here's another post right after saying that I wouldn't post again...but i just found this about the asus A7N8X mobo:

''NB: This model does not come with onboard vga, and comes with Serial ATA RAID Only. Current versions of this board are not compatible with Corsair 3200 LLPT Memory''...

I knew about the VGA - but I didn't want that anyway - and I knew about the SATA, but I didn't know the board wasn't compatible with Corsair's low latency ram!!!!...This was gonna be my next mobo and memory upgrade and no one told me about it?

Own up, did anyone here know this and DECIDED NOT TO TELL ME??????

(1nteger slopes off, takes anti-paranoia pill and returns to ask politely...)

Excuse me everyone, is this correct? Anyone got this combo and had problems?

 

[muckshifter]

Nope, news to me ... fortunatly, for me, I used 512Mb DDR (PC2700) 333 Winbond/Nanya for the two I put togther.

 

[Ian]

I'd never heard of this before either, does it give any further reasons?

 

[1nteger]

Couldn't see any further explanation. It appears at the foot of the bumpf about the mobo on Scan's website...here:

http://www.scan.co.uk/products/

(click on motherboards at the top of the page and check out the asus A7N8X deluxe...there's no direct link to the page itself)

Have I read it wrong?

 

[Ian]

You are correct unfortunately! Check this out

 

[Ian]

Found this too:

This problem affects a certain batch of Corsair XMS3200C2 and XMS3500C2 modules, as Corsair has already said on their support forums. They have talked with ASUS and this should be corrected in a future bios update. The problem is that the bio doesn’t like the way Corsair programmed the SPD on that certain batch of modules. Corsair has sense went back to the older (compatibly) way of programming the SPD on their modules so not to worry.
The fix is to get into the bios and set the memory timings manually, Corsair recommends the following settings for their XMS3200C2 and XMS3500C2 modules:

Testing parameters for XMS3200 CAS 2:
DRAM Clock: 200 MHz
DRAM Timing (overrides SPD values): Manual
System Performance: Normal
Bank cycle time (or tRAS): 6
Bank Interleave: 4
RAS Precharge (tRP): 3
RAS-to-CAS Delay (tRCD): 3
CAS Latency: 2
Command Rate: 1T
Memory Voltage: motherboard default*

Testing parameters for XMS3500 CAS 2:
CPU Speed: Manual
CPU External Frequency: 145
CPU to Memory FSB ratio: 4:6
SDRAM Configuration: Manual
SDRAM CAS Latency: 2T
SDRAM RAS to CAS Delay (tRCD): 3T
SDRAM RAS Precharge (tRP): 3T
SDRAM Active to Precharge Delay (tRAS): 7T
SDRAM Command Control: 1T
SDRAM Bank Interleave: 4 Banks
Memory Voltage: motherboard default*

These are suggested timings from the manufacturer, your ram can run at higher or lower (at your own risk) timings. Remember for best performance results it’s always best to run the RAM and CPU FSB in SYNC on an nForce2 motherboard, the ASUS A7N8X being no exception.

The problem is that this problem results in computers not being able to POST, and without POST you cannot get into the bios to change these settings. Some people have been successful in getting 1 boot if they reset the CMOS, which would allow them to get into the bios to change these settings from SPD to the above values. If you are one of the unfortunate ones who cannot get their system to boot then a simple work around is to install another stick of working RAM into the machine, set the ram timings, save your settings then insert your Corsair modules. Of course any CMOS resetting will result in you having to repeat this procedure until a new bios is released that fixes this issue. As of this writing there doesn’t seem to be a bios that fixes this yet.

 

[1nteger]

Looks like the A7N8X has problems with more than just PC3200 LL memory! I think I'll be waiting for a while before buying a new board and ram after all.:angry:

 

[hmmm]

i have heard that some kingston memory is also incompatible, but i have had no problem woith my crucial pc2700