windows ram index bugs - score is wrong

[Kookcmoi]

Hi,
I upgraded my home pc from a core i5 750 with 4 gb kjngston hyperx 1600. ddr3 to a core i7 2600k with 8 gb kingston hyperx 2000 ddr3. I kept the same ssd disk with my installed win7.
Problem is with the win ram index score. It was 7.3 on my "old config" and it is now 5.5 on my new config which is obviously more performant on the contrary of this strangely bugged windows ram performance index.

Even stranger: i tested my older ram 1600 on the new config (just a change in Ram) and got the same 5.5 bad score.

CPU Z gives me a corredt indication.

Conclusion: the windows ram performance index subscore is crap and incorrect

Anyone experie,ced the same issue ?

 

[jaquith]

Welcome to Tom's Forum!

I won't argue about WEI, some of the memory settings are predetermined. However, WEI 5.5 on 8GB, I assume 2x4GB, suggests a bad stick; WEI 5.5 is the default 4GB on x64 OS. Further, you can have 2133/2200 MHz RAM but unless you set the Frequency & CAS it's running at default of DDR 1333 MHz on your LGA 1155.

Look at the following, chances are you have 4000MB+ in Hardware Reserved. In other words the BIOS is turning it off to Windows - more than likely because it senses it as 'defective.'

8GB DDR3 on Windows 7 the WEI should render either WEI 7.8 or 7.9...

Windows 7 Resource Monitor

Verify MSCONFIG settings

 

[Snowbum]

WEI is an inadequate tool to gauge performance or use for diagnostics.

If you are worried about the stability of your new RAM, download prime95 and run it over night. Any issues will be found.

 

[Snowbum]

...WEI really is rubbish...

 

[RetiredChief]

While WEI is NOT a good benchmark, it is NOT rubbish either. It does indicate problems.
Agree with jaquith, in that it souunds like the ram is running single channel mode. Memory tab of CPU-z could also confirm this.

WEI - again while not a good bench mark, it does indicate a problem with HDD/SSD. If WEI is down around 5.8->6.2 a bottom dollar bet that SSD is using the wrong driver such as pcide vs ahci/iastor would probably win.

 

[jaquith]

You guys are missing the point.

IF the OP has a WEI of 5.5 with 8GB of even crap 1066 MHz RAM the score would be in the high 6's or at least low 7's. A WEI of 5.5 is the Default 4GB + 64-bit OS score - meaning the OP has lost a 4GB Stick!!!

 

[RetiredChief]

^ Did not miss what you where saying, take one stick away from 2 x 4 and you get 1 x 4 which is single channel. And yes I had a SB notebook which came with 1 4 gig stick, and added one stick scores went from 5 something to 7 something.

The reason I used dual vs single is that it is a combo of More memory and dual vs single that results in that amount of change.

 

[Snowbum]

What the OP is say is that WEI is displaying inaccurate information, which is confirmed inaccurate, because CPU-Z is showing accurate.

 

[jaquith]

CPU-z means squat; the BIOS or CPU-z 'seeing' doesn't make it available to the OS in this case obviously Windows. The OP needs to look in the Resource Monitor as I described, 9.99/10 they'll find 4000MB+ vs 10MB~20MB which is typical for a MOBO w/o an onboard GPU.

The WEI is a symptom of a greater problem.

 

[Kookcmoi]

Hi Jaquith,

Thx for your insight on the problem.
I can confirm that :
-I have 4 memory sticks each 2GB and identical (Kingston HyperX)
-The XMP profile at 2000Mhz is activated in the UEFI bios
-CPU-Z show me a correct info : sees 4 sticks in dual mode and correct speed (931 Mhz each)

To test if it was a defective stick, I did a replacement test :
-I removed the four sticks
-I inserted two other memory sticks I had in my former PC (with a RAM score of 7.3). They are also Kingston DDR3 1600 HyperX in 2 x 2Gb.
-Then I refresh the perf index
-Result identical : ram score of 5.5 !!

When in my old PC (core I750) it showed 7.3.

So this eliminates the hardware issue of the memory sticks, shouldn't it ?

 

[Snowbum]

Yes. And the bios isnt capable of "disabling" a stick of RAM if a stick was defective. If a defective stick was the case, you would pretty much get a bsod when on windows loading screen. WEI is just *** and should not be used for anything but marketing.

 

[jaquith]

Not true, in fact the BIOS on many {older} MOBO's can go the next step and disable 'good' RAM if Ch0 & Ch1 aren't equally sized; example Ch0 = 4GB + Ch1 = 2GB on some earlier MOBO's only 4GB will be available to Windows.

I don't give a 'hoot' about WEI, but 8GB + Windows Vista/7 won't yield WEI 5.5 unless (1) stick is either completely dead or the BIOS shuts the DIMM off. OTHERWISE, the OP is actually running Windows 32-bit or a warez Windows 64-bit OS.

You are incorrect about what you 'assume' to be true. I've literary had & solved 100's of "CPU-z sees the RAM -- BUT Windows doesn't AND without BSOD's."

 

[Kookcmoi]

Not true, in fact the BIOS on many {older} MOBO's can go the next step and disable 'good' RAM if Ch0 & Ch1 aren't equally sized; example Ch0 = 4GB + Ch1 = 2GB on some earlier MOBO's only 4GB will be available to Windows.

I don't give a 'hoot' about WEI, but 8GB + Windows Vista/7 won't yield WEI 5.5 unless (1) stick is either completely dead or the BIOS shuts the DIMM off. OTHERWISE, the OP is actually running Windows 32-bit or a warez Windows 64-bit OS.

You are incorrect about what you 'assume' to be true. I've literary had & solved 100's of "CPU-z sees the RAM -- BUT Windows doesn't AND without BSOD's."

How can I determine which stick is faulty then ? My motherboard is new (ASROCK Extreme 4 Z68) ?

 

[Kookcmoi]

I must also mention I am running Windows 32 bits and NOT 64bits. Does this explains the 5.5 low score ?
Indeed I have about 5.7Gb of hardware reserved (because Win32 can only manage 4Gb minus what the bios reserves for its ressources) ?

 

[jaquith]

YEPO 100% explains the WEI of 5.5, currently you're only accessing 3.0GB~3.5GB of your RAM. Windows 32-bit limit is 4GB with 0.5GB~1GB for your Pagefile addressing. The highest I ever seen on 32-bit OS is WEI 5.9 with DDR3 2000MHz RAM.

Solution, update to Windows 7 x64 editions; I'd either get Windows 7 Home Premium or Professional x64.

See -> http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa366778(v=vs.85).aspx#physical_memory_limits_windows_7

Once you update to Windows 7 x64 and properly set the DRAM Frequency or use XMP you should have a WEI of 7.8.

 

[Kookcmoi]

Hi,

I am downloading windows 7 ultimate 64 bits and will install it. I will keep you posted if this solves the RAM score problem...

 

[jaquith]

If everything works I guarantee it.

 

[chadderz2012]

Big thank you Toms. I had similar issues with low WEI and found after reading your article that it was MSCONFIG boot settings that had it checked to only use 4 gig of memory. Unchecked and now gone from 5.5 to 7.9.

Keep up the good work.

Regards
John C