The native FSB for the Conroe CPU's is 266MHz x4 which is effectivly 1066MHz FSB. So your DDR RAM will run at 266MHz x2 which equals a 533MHz DDR bus for the memory. This is perfectly normal. When you are setting the RAM to 800MHz you are over-clocking your FSB to 400MHz (or 800MHz DDR) which is well beyond the stock setting. It is possible with proper cooling and some serious tweaking to actaully reach that speed.... but you sound like a begginner (no offense) so I wouldn't recommend that at this time. Just rest assured that the 533MHz memory speed is normal for your processor and will work just fine for you... unless you really want to get into serious OC'ing.
That's strange, because I have the E6600 and Intel 975XBX mobo, and I have XMS2-667 ram and it is running at 667MHz. By your explanation, it should also be running at 533MHz.
This brings up another question. Intel says that the 975XBX mobo supports 533MHz and 667MHz ram. However, when I check with Corsair, they say their 800MHz and 1066MHz ram will also run in that mobo.
But if they don't run at their rated speeds why spend the extra money on them.
hball
All of you bring up excellent points.
I think it's really a screwed-up thing what the CPU and memory makers are doing.
Remember, back in the day, how easy it was to buy DDR memory and any given CPU? Remember when that CPU and memory ran at its advertised speed WITHOUT having to first check out the speed of the CPU and chipset and RAM, and do all sorts of mathematical bullshit calculations to make sure it would run at the speeds you wanted it to?
I think that if the guy bought some 800MHz RAM, then it should run at that speed. Memory guys are in the wrong because they should warn users that it might run slower than advertised on select CPUs.
The CPU guys are also in the wrong for making odd-numbered clock speeds that they know won't work (at the RAMs top speed), with certain memory modules.
I dunno...I think the whole industry could really help things by simplifying their product lines. For instance, the CPU guys would make say 4 types of processor: an extremely high-end, high-end, middle, and low-end types. Each processor type would outperform the levels lower than it, so no more will we see, say, a 3800+ being the equal of a 4200+ or 4600+ (that isn't really an accurate statement, but I think ya'll know what I am talking about). Clock speed differences would also in increments that take advantage of DDR2s speeds (so no more will we see what the original poster encountered: a CPU mismatched to higher-speed RAM).
Let's burn it all down.
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