Kingston HyperX DDR2 1200 (PC2 9600) Dual Channel Running @ DDR2 400 (PC6400)! Help!

[Sob Rogue]

I just got a pair of Kingston HyperX 2GB (2 x 1GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 1200 (PC2 9600) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory - Retail. However, CPU-Z registers the speed at only at 400! I tried setting the motherboard to 1200, but it crashes and will not boot. I'm using a Asus P5E, which from what I'm reading in the manual supports Kingston HyperX 1200. I also tried manually setting the Ram Voltage to 2.3, but post picks up 1066 and CPU-Z still reads 400. What am I doing wrong? I would like to use the memory @ 1200, if its possible. I'm not completely familiar with the specifics on manually OCing it to the correct frequency.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820134430
http://www.ec.kingston.com/ecom/con....asp?root=&LinkBack=&ktcpartno=KHX9600D2K2/2G

I'd appreciate any incite on the issue,
Thanks

 

[E4g1e]

Here is the problem:

The fastest DDR2 memory speed standard set by JEDEC (the organization which sets the standards for memory) is only DDR2-800 (PC2-6400). Thus, anything rated faster than DDR2-800 is achieved through overclocking of the memory chips. I have discovered that all of the existing DDR2 modules faster than DDR2-800 speed all use native DDR2-800 parts.

In addition, not all systems can run your DDR2-1200 memory stably at that elevated memory speed. In fact, some systems peter out at just barely above DDR2-800 speed. And in order to run your memory at such an elevated speed, you will need to overclock your CPU's FSB (Front-Side Bus) at well above its stock speed (this means for an FSB1333 processor, you might need to run the FSB at a whopping 500MHz/FSB2000, which current CPUs have trouble achieving) or higher in order for your memory to reach anywhere close to DDR2-1200 speed. And even if you raise your CPU's FSB to FSB1600/400MHz, you might need a DIMM voltage of 2.4V or even 2.5V in order to reach anywhere near a stable DDR2-1200. And a lot of motherboards force a 1:1 memory clock speed ratio when any memory faster than DDR2-800 is used - which means that you'd need to run your processor's FSB at an even more ridiculous 600MHz/FSB2400 just to run your DDR2-1200 memory at its advertised speed. (For reference, the true clock speed of an FSB1333 processor's FSB is only 333MHz.)

Third, it would also help to tell us which CPU you do have. After all, given the 1:2 FSB:memory divider ratio limitation of all of Intel's DDR2 memory controllers, you cannot run your DDR2-1200 memory at its advertised speed if you have only an FSB1066 (actual FSB clock speed of 266MHz) processor, such as a C2Q Q6600.

 

[Sob Rogue]

Here is the problem:

The fastest DDR2 memory speed standard set by JEDEC (the organization which sets the standards for memory) is only DDR2-800 (PC2-6400). Thus, anything rated faster than DDR2-800 is achieved through overclocking of the memory chips. I have discovered that all of the existing DDR2 modules faster than DDR2-800 speed all use native DDR2-800 parts.

In addition, not all systems can run your DDR2-1200 memory stably at that elevated memory speed. In fact, some systems peter out at just barely above DDR2-800 speed. And in order to run your memory at such an elevated speed, you will need to overclock your CPU's FSB (Front-Side Bus) at well above its stock speed (this means for an FSB1333 processor, you might need to run the FSB at a whopping 500MHz/FSB2000, which current CPUs have trouble achieving) or higher in order for your memory to reach anywhere close to DDR2-1200 speed. And even if you raise your CPU's FSB to FSB1600/400MHz, you might need a DIMM voltage of 2.4V or even 2.5V in order to reach anywhere near a stable DDR2-1200. And a lot of motherboards force a 1:1 memory clock speed ratio when any memory faster than DDR2-800 is used - which means that you'd need to run your processor's FSB at an even more ridiculous 600MHz/FSB2400 just to run your DDR2-1200 memory at its advertised speed. (For reference, the true clock speed of an FSB1333 processor's FSB is only 333MHz.)

Third, it would also help to tell us which CPU you do have. After all, given the 1:2 FSB:memory divider ratio limitation of all of Intel's DDR2 memory controllers, you cannot run your DDR2-1200 memory at its advertised speed if you have only an FSB1066 (actual FSB clock speed of 266MHz) processor, such as a C2Q Q6600.

I have an Intel Q6600

 

[E4g1e]

I have an Intel Q6600

In this case, you will not be able to run DDR2-1200 memory at its full speed unless you overclock your processor's FSB speed to at least FSB1600 (400MHz actual). You see, Intel's chipsets limit the maximum allowable FSB-to-memory divider ratio to 1:2. As such, you will only be able to run DDR2 memory up to DDR2-1066 speed unless you overclock the CPU's FSB as mentioned above.