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Need help with compatibility (Already bought everything)

Cortland15B
Level 7
Sorry if this doesn't fit the normal build help criteria. So I just received all of my parts in the mail today, I unpackaged them and found possible issues with the RAM and it being compatible with the motherboard and the CPU. This is my first build ever and I have a friend who has built many computers before and he went to school for IT so I trust him pretty well but I still want to get a few more opinions.

There are 2 concerns I have,

My CPU and motherboard are (Intel core i5 quad core Haswell 4th gen LGA1150 3.0ghz and Asus 1066, 1333, 1600, B85-G LGA1150 motherboard), but the ram I got is (G.SKILL Ripjaws Z Series 16GB (4 x 4GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1866 (PC3 14900) Desktop Memory Model F3-14900CL9Q-16GBZL). The possible issues are this RAM operates at 1866Mhz and that it says its compatible with the LGA1155 not the LGA1150 that I have on my board and CPU. Are these even issues? My friend doesn't think that it will be a problem but I want to be 100% sure. He said that the board will just "under clock" the RAM and run it at the boards max frequency of 1600, is this true? Are there any problems with doing this? He doesn't think that the LGA1155 running on LGA1150 will effect anything. Any thoughts?

I wasn't thinking there was going to be any problems because we found the RAM I got on the Asus B85 Series Memory Qualified Vendors List. http://dlcdnet.asus.com/pub/ASUS/mb/LGA1150/B85M-E/B85-series_DRAM_QVL.pdf

Here are the links to the CPU, Motherboard, and RAM so you can look for yourself

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819116895

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131986

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231499

Thanks for any help you can give me, it is greatly appreciated,
Cortland
16,029 Views
46 REPLIES 46

Praz
Level 13
Hello

The memory should work with your system. You may be limited to 1600MHz memory speed though. If so this will be the result of the motherboard/CPU you have chosen and not the memory itself.

PowerOver9K
Level 9
It should just underclock the RAM.
Mobo: Rampage IV BE | CPU: i7-4930@4.5ghz Hexacore | RAM: 32GB Corsair V-Pro | GPU: 4xR9 290X Quadfire | PSU: eVGA P2 SuperNOVA 1000W\G2 850W | Chassis: NZXT Phantom 820 | Cooling: XSPC Raystorm CPU Block\4xEK 290X Block\2x Laing D5\XSPC Dual Bay Res\Phobya G-Changer 1080 External Rad\Alphacool 140UT60\XSPC AX360 | Fan Con: Lamptron CW611 | Tube: Primochill Adv. LRT Bloodshed Red | 3xCrossover 27" 2560x1440 Monitors | Build Log of Insanity

Thanks,

I will hopefully be putting it together tonight. I'll let you guys know if she fires up. Sorry for the double post, this one didn't pop up till after I posted the 2nd one, I thought something went wrong and it didn't post this one. I'm just curious, what does the PC3 (number) stand for? And what does the timing actually do?

Cortland

PowerOver9K
Level 9
PC3 == DDR3

Timings.... Copied from Corsair's FAQ...

Q: First of all, what does DDR stand for?

A: "DDR" stands for "Double Data Rate".

Q: So what exactly is being doubled?

A: With DDR, under optimal conditions twice as much data can be obtained from the memory subsystem during the same amount of time.

Q: How does it do this?

A: In most modern PCs, memory data is provided to the processor in "synchronous" fashion. This means that data arrives rhythmically, to the beat of a drum (a tick of a clock, in fact...). The memory clock is actually an electrical signal that bounces between two voltage levels, and shown in the picture to the right.

With standard SDRAM, data is transferred from the memory to the processor when the clock signal bounces from LOW to HIGH. With DDR, data is transferred not only when the clock signal goes from LOW to HIGH, but also when the clock signal goes from HIGH to LOW. Voila! Twice as much data on each tick of the clock!

Q: I'm having a hard time visualizing this...

A: The Ram Guy has been scratching his head for a week trying to think of a real world analogy to make "double data rate" easy to understand. A sharp stone and the resulting flat tire brought this one to light...

The Ram Guy likes road biking and mountain biking, and gets lots of flat tires because he weighs too much. Fortunately, he has a DDR tire pump that makes repairs easier! Where the old technology tire pumps put air in the tire only when you push the pump's plunger DOWN, the Ram Guy's new DDR pump puts air in the tire BOTH when you push the plunger DOWN, and also when you pull the plunger back UP. Twice as much air in each pumping cycle, meeting the inflation demands of today's high tech tires! Now do you get it?

Q: I've heard of PC6400 and PC8500. What does this mean, and what is the difference?

A: Well, this number reflects the memory module bandwidth. Since DDR DIMMs are eight bytes wide, the designation becomes PC800*8 = PC6400 and PC1066*8 = PC8500. So, to repeat, PC6400 uses both edges of a 800MHz clock, and PC8500 uses both edges of a 1066MHz clock.

Q: Everything else the same as SDRAM, i.e. registered vs. un-buffered, ECC vs. non-ECC, etc.?

A: Yup...

CAS Latency: What Is It, and How Does It Impact Performance?

This is the question the RAM Guy gets asked more than any other question. So, I figured I'd put together a bulletin containing my $0.02 worth!

Q: First of all, what is CAS?

A: "CAS" is short for "Column Address Strobe". A DRAM memory can be thought of as a matrix, kind of like a spreadsheet with memory cells instead of numbers and formulas. Like the spreadsheet, each cell has a row address and a column address (like "AA57" or "R23C34" in the spreadsheet). As you might have guessed, there is also a RAS signal, which is shorthand for "Row Address Strobe".

Q: And, what do you mean by "latency"?

A: Latency refers to the time that you are waiting to get what you need. Merriam-Webster dictionary defines it as "the interval between stimulus and response".

Q: Now, how does CAS work?

A: To understand this let's walk through a simplified version of how the memory controller actually reads the memory. First, the chip set accesses the ROW of the memory matrix by putting an address on the memory's address pins and activating the RAS signal. Then, we have to wait a few clock cycles (known as RAS-to-CAS Delay). Then, the column address is put on the address pins, and the CAS signal is activated, to access the correct COLUMN of the memory matrix. Then, we wait a few clock cycles -- THIS IS KNOWN AS CAS LATENCY! -- and then the data appears on the pins of the RAM.

Q: So, for CAS-4 you wait 4 clock cycles and for CAS-5 you wait 5 clock cycles?

A: Bingo!

Q: So, CAS-4 is 33% faster than CAS-5?

A: There are a LOT of other factors in the memory performance. Here are a few of the main ones:

Sometimes you have to move to a different row in memory. This means activating RAS, waiting RAS-to-CAS delay, then doing the CAS latency thing.
Other times, you do a "burst" read, when you pull in a lot of data in one big block. In that case, CAS is only activated ONCE, at the beginning of the burst.
Also, don't forget the most important thing: processors have big caches! The cache is where the processor stores recently accessed instructions and data. The cache "hit rate", i.e., the percentage of times the processor finds the information it needs in its own cache, is typically greater than 95%!
OK, OK, so what's the bottom line?

So, the bottom line is, moving from CAS-5 to CAS-4 will offer a percentage performance increase in the low single digits for most applications. Programs which are known to be memory intensive (you gamers might know of some...) will see the best improvement.


ECC: What Is It, and Why Would I Pay Extra For It?

This is the question #2 for the Ram Guy. So, let me try to clear things up a little...

Q: First of all, what does ECC stand for?

A: "ECC" stands for "Error Checking and Correction".

Q: And, what is "Error Checking and Correction"?

A: Error Checking and Correction refers to a technology which allows a computer system to operate even if a memory error occurs.

Q: Why do ECC modules cost more than modules without ECC?

A: In order to check and correct the memory, additional RAMs are required. A non-ECC module which has eight RAMs would need to have a ninth RAM added; a sixteen RAM module would generally need to have TWO additional RAMs added. Obviously, the additional RAMs make the module more expensive.

Q: So it's kind of like the old parity modules, right?

A: Well, kind of, but ECC is a WHOLE LOT more useful. The ECC technology used on most x86-architecture PCs and servers is capable of correcting errors, where parity can only detect errors. If you've ever had an error "detected" on your system, you know the result - the blue screen of DEATH! Really useful, huh... With ECC you would sail right through, without crashing or even interrupting normal operation. Much more useful!
Mobo: Rampage IV BE | CPU: i7-4930@4.5ghz Hexacore | RAM: 32GB Corsair V-Pro | GPU: 4xR9 290X Quadfire | PSU: eVGA P2 SuperNOVA 1000W\G2 850W | Chassis: NZXT Phantom 820 | Cooling: XSPC Raystorm CPU Block\4xEK 290X Block\2x Laing D5\XSPC Dual Bay Res\Phobya G-Changer 1080 External Rad\Alphacool 140UT60\XSPC AX360 | Fan Con: Lamptron CW611 | Tube: Primochill Adv. LRT Bloodshed Red | 3xCrossover 27" 2560x1440 Monitors | Build Log of Insanity

Cortland15B
Level 7
Thank you for that, it helped explain a bunch.

So heres the thing, my friend who was supposed to be helping me put this together left town unexpectedly and will be gone for 3 weeks. So I am having to do this alone for the most part. My dad is kind of helping me but he's not up-to-date on how everything works now, he knows the basics of what each part is but past that he doesn't know any new stuff. He worked on computers when RAM was measured in MB lol.

We are running into a PSU connector problem right now. The Power supply has 1 20+4pin EATX connector. It is in 1 solid piece but I see a way of disconnecting the 4pin from the 20pin. So my board has a long 24pin connector on it where it is supposed to go. But it also has a 4pin ATX 12V connector that is supposed to be used for the power system too, I think so anyways, but the power supply doesn't have any other 4pin connectors coming out of it. The only 4pin it has is connected to the 20pin piece. So what do I do? Do I separate the 20pin and the 4pin, plug the 4pin into the ATX 12V and just plug the remaining 20pin into the 24pin slot? That would leave 4pins missing on the 24pin. Or do I just plug the 20+4pin into the 24pin slot and ignore the 4pin ATX 12V? There are other 6pin and 8pin connectors coming off the PSU, do I have to get an adaptor maybe? Maybe the PSU isn't compatible? I hope this made sense, here is the link to the case/power supply combo I got. http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811156062

How do I mount a SSD into the case which has slots that are for HDD's? What do I have to buy if anything?

For the fans, the motherboard has 2 connectors on it, 1 of them is being used by the CPU fan, the other is open. The case has 4 fans in it, one set of wires coming off the PSU seem to link all of them together and at the end of the wire has what looks like the same style connector that the CPU fan had. Do I connect all the fans together and then plug the last connector into the motherboard?

I'm sorry if these questions sound dumb or you might think that its very obvious, I really really really don't want to fry something by not knowing 100% for sure thats where it is supposed to go. I've watched videos but its not like they have the exact same parts I do, so I can't just follow along or anything. It is very overwhelming seeing all the connectors and I don't know where most of them go plus I'm missing that 4pin connector which might mean the PSU isn't compatible with the motherboard. I wish my friend was here to help me. But by the time he gets back the return/replacement policy will be pretty much up and I won't be able to replace them if something is defective or incompatible, so I kind of have to do it now.

kkn
Level 14
20+4 pin = together and where it should be.
4 or 8 pin up left ( if im not mistaken )
there should be a diagram inside the manual on how to connect all power and cables.

Zka17
Level 16
Keep all the 24 pins for the board's 24-pin connector - do not separate that!

For the CPU you may have a 8-pin connector, but you have only a 4-pin socket on the board... if you look carefully at the CPU power cable, you will see that it splits in the middle - that's how you will have a 4-pin...

Cortland15B
Level 7
Yeah I looked at it and the 8pin does split in 2 4pin connectors. The case didn't come with a manual or anything so I'll just play around with everything and go off the asus manual. I'll ask if I run into any more cables that I don't know where they go. Thanks for the help guys.

Cortland15B wrote:
Yeah I looked at it and the 8pin does split in 2 4pin connectors. The case didn't come with a manual or anything so I'll just play around with everything and go off the asus manual. I'll ask if I run into any more cables that I don't know where they go. Thanks for the help guys.


Oh, the case came with the power supply? What brand of Power Supply / Model # is it...
Mobo: Rampage IV BE | CPU: i7-4930@4.5ghz Hexacore | RAM: 32GB Corsair V-Pro | GPU: 4xR9 290X Quadfire | PSU: eVGA P2 SuperNOVA 1000W\G2 850W | Chassis: NZXT Phantom 820 | Cooling: XSPC Raystorm CPU Block\4xEK 290X Block\2x Laing D5\XSPC Dual Bay Res\Phobya G-Changer 1080 External Rad\Alphacool 140UT60\XSPC AX360 | Fan Con: Lamptron CW611 | Tube: Primochill Adv. LRT Bloodshed Red | 3xCrossover 27" 2560x1440 Monitors | Build Log of Insanity