WHy is my 1600mhz ram runing at 668MHz ?

[rumrunner24]

I just upgraded to a asus z68 with an i7 2600http://www.asus.com/Motherboards/P8Z68V_PRO/ and speccy says my ram is running at 668MHz.
The memory info is on page 25 of this manual http://dlcdnet.asus.com/pub/ASUS/mb/LGA1155/P8Z68-V_PRO/E6696_P8Z68-V_PRO.pdf
I'm not sure what that mean though... I think that the colors mean that dual channel wont work if you use the wrong slots,but the picture doesn't explain it well enough for me to know which ones I should use.
Ive tried putting the ram in the first two slots and in slots 1 and 3.
I'm gonna try 2 and 4 but I figured I get a post p on here,since I don't think switching slots is going to fix it.
I may be able to change the ram settings in the bios but I haven't tried because I don't want to screw something up.
This is the best motherboard I've ever had and I don't know enough about certain settings to be comfortable changing things yet.

 

[ingtar33]

668mhz = DDR3 1333
your ddr 3 1600 ram will typically run at 800mhz

most likely your ram doesn't have an xmp profile your motherboard recognizes. you'll need to set your ram timings by hand manually. that or update your bios and hope the new bios has new ram profiles.

 

[Sig2525]

enable xmp in bios settings or if that does not work try to install intel extreme tuning utility and enable xmp there or you could manually adjust your ram timing using intel extreme tuning utility.

 

[rumrunner24]

Thank you for the fast replies. I read that my heat sink could be too tight,which is possible,since I have an aftermarket bolt on one. I had one on my amd setup and the thing was so tight when I would snap it into place that it would warp the mobo a little.
After reading this,i feel a bit better that I don't have to take the whole thing a part again ...
So is there a chance I will ruin my pc by updating the bios wrong ? Is it like flashing them ? I consider myself tech savy,but I've never updated bios before.

 

[rumrunner24]

Is this http://www.asus.com/Motherboards/P8Z68V_PRO/HelpDesk_Download/ where I need to be ?
Version 3603(Only for Win7 & Win8) ?

 

[ingtar33]

flashing a bios is pretty simple stuff. though the process is a little different with every bios, for example my current asus AM3+ motherboard can flash the bios in windows on the desktop, childsplay simple, my prior asus AM3+ motherboard i had to do it more traditionally from the bios itself with a thumb drive.

Is this http://www.asus.com/Motherboards/P8Z68V_PRO/HelpDesk_Download/ where I need to be ?
Version 3603(Only for Win7 & Win8) ?

yep

 

[rumrunner24]

668mhz = DDR3 1333
your ddr 3 1600 ram will typically run at 800mhz

most likely your ram doesn't have an xmp profile your motherboard recognizes. you'll need to set your ram timings by hand manually. that or update your bios and hope the new bios has new ram profiles.

The memory setting in the bios is on "Auto" I looked through the options and there was a settings that was slightly over 1600MHz. Can I use that one ? or will it damage my ram or mobo ?

 

[rumrunner24]

Intel tuning utility says the default speed of the ram is 1333MHz. Does that mean its working ? Speccy and cpuz and task manager still says its running a t 1333MHz.

 

[Sig2525]

668mhz = DDR3 1333
your ddr 3 1600 ram will typically run at 800mhz

most likely your ram doesn't have an xmp profile your motherboard recognizes. you'll need to set your ram timings by hand manually. that or update your bios and hope the new bios has new ram profiles.

The memory setting in the bios is on "Auto" I looked through the options and there was a settings that was slightly over 1600MHz. Can I use that one ? or will it damage my ram or mobo ?

Intel tuning utility says the default speed of the ram is 1333MHz. Does that mean its working ? Speccy and cpuz and task manager still says its running a t 1333MHz.

on the memory overclocked settings - enable memory xmp, save and then restart.

oh and i think i know why it just run your ram at 1333 because the i7-2600 only supports memory module for 1333mhz and below. dont wori you dont need the 1600mhz because the 1333 is the max speed for your 2600 and will perform just the same with a 1600mhz module.

 

[rumrunner24]

668mhz = DDR3 1333
your ddr 3 1600 ram will typically run at 800mhz

most likely your ram doesn't have an xmp profile your motherboard recognizes. you'll need to set your ram timings by hand manually. that or update your bios and hope the new bios has new ram profiles.

The memory setting in the bios is on "Auto" I looked through the options and there was a settings that was slightly over 1600MHz. Can I use that one ? or will it damage my ram or mobo ?

Intel tuning utility says the default speed of the ram is 1333MHz. Does that mean its working ? Speccy and cpuz and task manager still says its running a t 1333MHz.

on the memory overclocked settings - enable memory xmp, save and then restart.

oh and i think i know why it just run your ram at 1333 because the i7-2600 only supports memory module for 1333mhz and below. dont wori you dont need the 1600mhz because the 1333 is the max speed for your 2600 and will perform just the same with a 1600mhz module.

I really appreciate the help !!! I keep reading that I can turn the ram up but I can't find the option for that in the bios. I watch some youtube videos and the layout of their bios is a bit different than mine.
It's red,instead of blue and has different options. they are asus boards though.
I did update the bios so I don't think it's that.
Is it possible that the ram is running like it should and it's speccy or cpuz that's showing the wring info ?
That intel utility says 1333MHz

 

[Mr_Venbeer]

It's most likely running at 1333Mhz because of the CPU, as mentioned above.
You don't really have to worry about it because there won't be any noticeable difference in real time.
I have tested my RAM at 1600Mhz CAS11 and 1333Mhz CAS9 (more speed more latency + less speed less latency) and in BF4 I had no impact on performance, neither did I on other benchmarks.
Good news is, you may not be allowed to run the ram at 1600mhz but you should be able to run it with lower CAS timings (e.g. 7-7-7-21 > 9-9-9-24 > 11-11-11-28) usually no noticeable difference in this either.

The only time when you will have a noticeable difference is when you put an AMD APU with high speed RAM vs lower speed ram. This is due to the fact that the integrated graphics on the APU shares system memory.

 

[Sig2525]

your ram will only run at 1333 megahertz because that is the max frequency your processors i7-2600 is capable of. but its fine you wont notice any difference with 1333 ram and 1600 ram.

 

[rumrunner24]

It's most likely running at 1333Mhz because of the CPU, as mentioned above.
You don't really have to worry about it because there won't be any noticeable difference in real time.
I have tested my RAM at 1600Mhz CAS11 and 1333Mhz CAS9 (more speed more latency + less speed less latency) and in BF4 I had no impact on performance, neither did I on other benchmarks.
Good news is, you may not be allowed to run the ram at 1600mhz but you should be able to run it with lower CAS timings (e.g. 7-7-7-21 > 9-9-9-24 > 11-11-11-28) usually no noticeable difference in this either.

The only time when you will have a noticeable difference is when you put an AMD APU with high speed RAM vs lower speed ram. This is due to the fact that the integrated graphics on the APU shares system memory.

If it's running at 1333MHz,that's fine with me,I just thought something was wrong,since those two programs said it was at 668MHz and with a new build I was curious if it was something I did that caused it.
Thanks for your help !!!