Can't get 2400MHz DDR3 ram running at any higher than 1600MHz - Hardware & Software

So, a friend's new build has Corsair 2400MHz ram, but we can't get it to run any faster than 1600MHz, whatever we do. The motherboard is an Asus H97M with a 4790k CPU if that makes any difference. Yes, we tried using the XMP#1 but it's going for 1600MHz, even though we can show the memory information and see that 2400MHz is the "max bandwidth". Also tried various ways of setting the speed manually, but as long as we try anything higher than 1600MHz the system doesn't POST. Help is greatly appreciated.

The mobo doesn't support past 1600

Did you read the specifications of the motherboard? Quick google: [url]http://www.asus.com/us/Motherboards/H97MPLUS/specifications/[/url] [quote]* Due to Intel® chipset limitation, DDR3 1600 MHz and higher memory modules on XMP mode will run at the maximum transfer rate of DDR3 1600 Mhz.[/quote]

Oh shit. So it's a motherboard limitation?

Use the advanced memory bios page to manually increase the frequency, adjust timings, voltage, etc...

[QUOTE=Angus725;46206694]Use the advanced memory bios page to manually increase the frequency, adjust timings, voltage, etc...[/QUOTE]the motherboard has a MAX of 1600, none of that will work considering the mobo is limited to 1600.

Yeah, thanks dudes. We should've done some more research on the board.

[img]http://content.hwigroup.net/images/products/xl/215520-6.jpg[/img] Does this screen not exist? [quote]* Due to Intel® chipset limitation, DDR3 1600 MHz and higher memory modules on XMP mode will run at the maximum transfer rate of DDR3 1600 Mhz. [/quote] That just means XMP will default to 1600 for a maximum value. If you want any higher, you'll have to "overclock" beyond Intel's recommended maximum. Turn off XMP, and go with manual memory speed settings.

We did, it doesn't POST then.

[QUOTE=Angus725;46211519][img]http://content.hwigroup.net/images/products/xl/215520-6.jpg[/img] Does this screen not exist? That just means XMP will default to 1600 for a maximum value. If you want any higher, you'll have to "overclock" beyond Intel's recommended maximum. Turn off XMP, and go with manual memory speed settings.[/QUOTE]did you not see he did that in the OP? he set the speed manually, but won't POST over 1600mhz, meaning his mobo is unstable. so this will not do anything but cause the same problem

What settings outside the DRAM Frequency has he tried to change? Is it 1.65V DDR3 (Do those still exist?), timing is off? BLCK Freq:DRAM Freq is needs to be set so the CPU and Memory are in sync? Has he tried incremental steps from 1600 to 2400? If it can POST at 1600MHz, I doubt the motherboard is the culprit.

[QUOTE=Angus725;46214649]What settings outside the DRAM Frequency has he tried to change? Is it 1.65V DDR3 (Do those still exist?), timing is off? BLCK Freq:DRAM Freq is needs to be set so the CPU and Memory are in sync? Has he tried incremental steps from 1600 to 2400? If it can POST at 1600MHz, I doubt the motherboard is the culprit.[/QUOTE] We've tried all kinds of things, but either it's impossible or we're doing something wrong. Both are possibilities, but it seems like the H97 chipset is pretty limited.

Also note that that mobo does not support overclocking, while you do have an expensive K series CPU. You might as well have bought the 4790 (No K) Also there is no significant ingame difference between 1600 and 2400mhz ram. Its just expensive.

Yep, but luckily my friend managed to return the motherboard and get an Asus Z97-Pro instead, so it's all good now.

[QUOTE=Angus725;46214649]What settings outside the DRAM Frequency has he tried to change? Is it 1.65V DDR3 (Do those still exist?)[/QUOTE] 1.65V DDR3 was never meant to be used with Intel CPUs. The IMC on Intel processors since Nehalem arch (LGA1366/1156) has been limited to 1.5v (+/-5%), so the maximum safe voltage is 1.575v. Using 1.65v DDR3 will significantly shorten Intel processor lifespan. I've seen a bunch of threads for years on [H]ardforum of people saying they fried their Nehalem, Sandy, Ivy and Haswell CPUs from too much memory voltage. 1.65V DDR3 is only safe to use on a select few AMD processors and on the last of the LGA775 motherboards that supported DDR3 (since the memory controller was on the north bridge and not the CPU.) I also don't recommend going over DDR3-1600 memory speeds. Not only will you not notice a difference, it can cause the CPU to become unstable and will negatively affect the overclockability of the processor cores.

[QUOTE=GiGaBiTe;46249165]1.65V DDR3 was never meant to be used with Intel CPUs. The IMC on Intel processors since Nehalem arch (LGA1366/1156) has been limited to 1.5v (+/-5%), so the maximum safe voltage is 1.575v. Using 1.65v DDR3 will significantly shorten Intel processor lifespan. I've seen a bunch of threads for years on [H]ardforum of people saying they fried their Nehalem, Sandy, Ivy and Haswell CPUs from too much memory voltage. 1.65V DDR3 is only safe to use on a select few AMD processors and on the last of the LGA775 motherboards that supported DDR3 (since the memory controller was on the north bridge and not the CPU.) I also don't recommend going over DDR3-1600 memory speeds. Not only will you not notice a difference, it can cause the CPU to become unstable and will negatively affect the overclockability of the processor cores.[/QUOTE] Interesting, why does the XMP profiles run the ram at 1.65v, then?

Becuse XMP is just that, a profile. It's a table stored in a tiny ROM chip on the memory stick that tells the the motherboard what its capabilities are. There are no sanity checks on the memory stick SPD chip and the same goes for the CPU, it just runs at whatever configuration the firmware code tells it to run at, even if said configuration is hazardous to the longevity of the CPU. I hate the SPD standard and all of its bolt on hacks like EPP and XMP. They're all broken standards and memory manufacturers routinely use it improperly and abuse for their own gain at the expense of the end user.

[QUOTE=GiGaBiTe;46249165]1.65V DDR3 was never meant to be used with Intel CPUs. The IMC on Intel processors since Nehalem arch (LGA1366/1156) has been limited to 1.5v (+/-5%), so the maximum safe voltage is 1.575v. Using 1.65v DDR3 will significantly shorten Intel processor lifespan. I've seen a bunch of threads for years on [H]ardforum of people saying they fried their Nehalem, Sandy, Ivy and Haswell CPUs from too much memory voltage. 1.65V DDR3 is only safe to use on a select few AMD processors and on the last of the LGA775 motherboards that supported DDR3 (since the memory controller was on the north bridge and not the CPU.) I also don't recommend going over DDR3-1600 memory speeds. Not only will you not notice a difference, it can cause the CPU to become unstable and will negatively affect the overclockability of the processor cores.[/QUOTE] Been running 6GB of 1600MHz 1.65V DDR3 on my old i7 920 fine for...5 years now?

[QUOTE=Warship;46249374]Interesting, why does the XMP profiles run the ram at 1.65v, then?[/QUOTE] Because ram that runs at 2400mhz without some degree of overvolting would be very expensive