K9A2 Platinum and 4 sticks of DDR2-1066

[Apokalipse]

I have a K9A2 Platinum, and plan on getting a Phenom BE and 4GB DDR2-1066 RAM to go with it.

I've heard from a couple of people that the K9A2 Platinum won't run 4 sticks at that speed, even with a Phenom. Only two.

Can anybody confirm if this is the case?

If it turns out that it won't run 4 sticks at PC8500 speeds, I might get 2 x 2GB OCZ Reaper sticks (http://pccasegear.com.au/prod5933.htm) (which can overclock past DDR2-1200 speeds), and flash the SPD's to run at 1066 at maybe 5-5-5-15 or so (I can just lower the timings and increase voltage in BIOS)

I haven't done any SPD modifying before, so if anybody can give me some info on that, it'd be helpful

[KTE]

I don't know whose told you this information, there's too much inaccuracy with it. ;)

The only sticks that can run 1066 at stock CPU speeds are 1066 SPD JEDEC approved 1.8V RAM, which you won't find anywhere since the spec is not released.

The normal 800/1066/1200 RAMs around you have will not run 1066 at stock CPU speed on this board.

The only way to run them 1066 at stock is to flash a beta BIOS which has many problems of its own and one of them is, it has the TLB patch (v.bad performance) and the second is, it can only run 1066 mode. Meaning any oc and the RAM clocks will go high, i.e. plus 1200 very quickly (225 HT).

1GB/512MB kits have problems running 1066, and many 2GB kits are simply incompatible yet. The only real way to get 1066 perf and running is to boot 800 and oc the HT ref/CPU up as the clocks are in sync and they'll rise. This way you can run 530 4-4-4-4 pretty easily.

[Apokalipse]

The only sticks that can run 1066 at stock CPU speeds are 1066 SPD JEDEC approved 1.8V RAM, which you won't find anywhere since the spec is not released.But there is RAM advertised as DDR2-1066 with SPD's programmed with that speed (and run at 1.8V)
Here's just one example:
http://news.softpedia.com/news/Micron-Boosts-DDR2-Perfomance-With-New-1066-Mb-s-Modules-53933.shtml



The normal 800/1066/1200 RAMs around you have will not run 1066 at stock CPU speed on this board.Even if the SPD has 1066 speeds programmed into it?


The only way to run them 1066 at stock is to flash a beta BIOS which has many problems of its own and one of them is, it has the TLB patch (v.bad performance) and the second is, it can only run 1066 mode. Meaning any oc and the RAM clocks will go high, i.e. plus 1200 very quickly (225 HT).Well, since I'm getting a Black Edition processor, I'm going to be using the multiplier to do most of the overclocking (rather than the HTT bus).
And can't you disable the TLB patch by modifying the BIOS anyway?


1GB/512MB kits have problems running 1066, and many 2GB kits are simply incompatible yet.problems like what?
People have been able to run some DDR2 memory at DDR2-1200 speeds (including 2GB kits, such as Crucial Ballistix, and the OCZ Reaper's), and stably.

[KTE]

But there is RAM advertised as DDR2-1066 with SPD's programmed with that speed (and run at 1.8V)
Here's just one example:
http://news.softpedia.com/news/Micron-Boosts-DDR2-Perfomance-With-New-1066-Mb-s-Modules-53933.shtmlYeah I know. Do you have a RAM kit using those chips then? I booted mine at 1.8V JEDEC, that's not the only crack. Something of timings and register values also exists to enable that mode.

Even if the SPD has 1066 speeds programmed into it?Already tried it long ago, makes no difference if your RAM is not running JEDEC 1066 1.8V with a certain set of subtimings we haven't got right: http://www.xtremesystems.org/forums/showthread.php?t=169310&highlight=Phenom+1066

Post#45 says it all.

Well, since I'm getting a Black Edition processor, I'm going to be using the multiplier to do most of the overclocking (rather than the HTT bus).
And can't you disable the TLB patch by modifying the BIOS anyway?Nope, only with the new P0F BIOS which is beta and only runs DDR2-1066 at bootup, nothing less.

problems like what?
People have been able to run some DDR2 memory at DDR2-1200 speeds (including 2GB kits, such as Crucial Ballistix, and the OCZ Reaper's), and stably.Whose running 1200 with Phenom on this board stable?
Like I said, a search will show many 2GB kits with problems yet including more than 2GB not being picked up in windows. I don't know if the latest beta BIOS resolves things yet but there are always compatibility problems with 2GB kits with a new board/chipset release until they get them tested, verified and certified. Even the BE hardly had any support on the older beta and official BIOSes till a week or so back. 512/1GB kits should be fine but I wouldn't guarantee that if its not on the QVL.

[Tony]

If you program the upper table in spd to 1066 it will attempt to run this speed. You need to make sure latencies are like 6-6-6-18 etc to stand a chance.

[Nedjo]

this MSI mobo sound like a quite limited. Positively I know that DFI doesn't make that kind of issues with memory, and it looks like ASUS and GA also allow DDR2-800 to run @ 1066, if modules can pull out that speed.

[KTE]

If you program the upper table in spd to 1066 it will attempt to run this speed. You need to make sure latencies are like 6-6-6-18 etc to stand a chance.Hmm.. already had 5-6-6-18 and it didn't work and yet my RAM posts 1066 5-5-5-15 at 1.8V easily.

this MSI mobo sound like a quite limited. Positively I know that DFI doesn't make that kind of issues with memory, and it looks like ASUS and GA also allow DDR2-800 to run @ 1066, if modules can pull out that speed.True that. :(