MSI 770-C45

Hi,

This is what I am getting,
MSI 770-C45 motherboard,
2x2GB DDR3-1600 ram,
Phenom II CPU,

It's been awhile since I built a PC (almost 4 years) so I have a few
questions I'm hoping someone can help me with, I downloaded the mobo
manual but it doesn't tell you much.

1a) The mobo manual says...In Dual-Channel mode, make sure that you
install memory modules of the same type and density in different channel
DIMM slots.
So with 2-sticks do I install one stick in Dimm slot 1 and the other
stick in Dimm slot 3? (dimm slots 1&2 are black, dimm slots 2&3 are
blue).

1b) What if I get 2 more sticks later on but a different type, does one
pair go into the black slots and the other pair goes into the blue
slots?


2) What is the default speed ram runs on the AMD AM3 cpu/boards? I'm
installing a Phenom II X2 550 BE with two DDR-1600 sticks for now.


3) I currently have two Asus boards and they have an option in the BIOS
to boot-up from a keyboard key or mouse, does the MSI 770-C45 have any
option like that?


Thanks for any help you can provide!
Cheers,
Ed

On Sun, 09 Aug 2009 01:49:25 -0400, Paul <> wrote:

>Ed wrote:
>> Hi,
>>
>> This is what I am getting,
>> MSI 770-C45 motherboard,
>> 2x2GB DDR3-1600 ram,
>> Phenom II CPU,
>>
>> It's been awhile since I built a PC (almost 4 years) so I have a few
>> questions I'm hoping someone can help me with, I downloaded the mobo
>> manual but it doesn't tell you much.
>>
>> 1a) The mobo manual says...In Dual-Channel mode, make sure that you
>> install memory modules of the same type and density in different channel
>> DIMM slots.
>> So with 2-sticks do I install one stick in Dimm slot 1 and the other
>> stick in Dimm slot 3? (dimm slots 1&2 are black, dimm slots 2&3 are
>> blue).
>>
>> 1b) What if I get 2 more sticks later on but a different type, does one
>> pair go into the black slots and the other pair goes into the blue
>> slots?
>>
>>
>> 2) What is the default speed ram runs on the AMD AM3 cpu/boards? I'm
>> installing a Phenom II X2 550 BE with two DDR-1600 sticks for now.
>>
>>
>> 3) I currently have two Asus boards and they have an option in the BIOS
>> to boot-up from a keyboard key or mouse, does the MSI 770-C45 have any
>> option like that?
>>
>>
>> Thanks for any help you can provide!
>> Cheers,
>> Ed
>
>The MSI manual seems to suggest DDR3-1333 is the highest nominal RAM speed
>and anything higher is an overclock.
>
>http://download2.msi.com/files/downl.../M7599v1.1.zip
>
>The AMD tested memory document seems unbelievably wimpy.
>
>http://www.amd.com/us-en/assets/cont...M_02_09_09.pdf
>
>You get a bit more detail from the MSI test document for your motherboard.
>They have run four sticks at DDR3-1333, but DDR3-1600 rates suggest
>a two stick limit. To reach those speeds, many modern boards need
>command rate 2T timing setting, to help reach that speed.
>
>http://www.msi.com/uploads/test_report/TR10_1812.pdf
>
>The MSI downloadable user manual is one of the poorer ones I've seen.
>They prepared the document, using a document layout tool, rather than
>a text editor. They "broke" the ability to use the text search function
>in Acrobat Reader. I cannot find "DDR3" in the manual, because "DDR"
>is separated from the number "3" in such a way as to defeat a text search.
>
>Skimming through the manual, there is no mention of which slot is on
>which channel. Going by color scheme alone, you place a pair of matched
>sticks in same-colored slots, to get dual channel.
>
>By using memtest86+ ( memtest.org ), you can compare slot configurations
>for bandwidth.
>
>I believe AMD processors have "linked" versus "unlinked" options, which
>actually take the processor out of dual channel mode. On a quad core,
>sometimes unlinked is better, because it gives two independent memory
>banks for the four cores to play with. With a nominally two core processor,
>you can play with that, and see which setting you like better. Since the
>fine user manual provided by MSI, doesn't include pictures of all the
>BIOS screens, I cannot tell you where to find that setting.
>
>So you have two ways to influence how the memory works. By setting
>the BIOS to "linked" mode, then the physical position of the memory
>sticks in the slots, may affect the benchmark-able memory bandwidth.
>You can use memtest86+ to display that information, even before you
>install an OS. With "linked" selected, which is likely not the BIOS
>default, you can try sticks in 1&2 versus 1&3. The like-colored slots
>should be dual channel, but memtest86+ will tell you that for sure.
>
>I haven't tried memtest86+ lately. I have an older copy.
>There used to be three bandwidth indicators on the screen.
>L1, L2, and DIMM speed. Now that there are more processors out
>with L1, l2, L3, and DIMMs, there really need to be four bandwidth
>indicators on the screen. The lowest bandwidth of those, should be
>the one for the DIMMs. The DIMM indicator is the one you want to
>benchmark with.
>
>Don't install the OS, until you can do a couple full test passes
>with memtest86+, error free.
>
> Paul


Yes the MSI manual and test reports for this board are very whimpy, and
there is very little info on this board around the web, but with what
you said and a couple things I did find I'll try the 2 sticks in Dimm
1&2 first and run Memtest86+, I forgot that app tells you about the ram
setup.

I've not heard of "Linked"/"Unlinked" , but there is the
Ganged(1x128bit) and UnGanged(2x64bit) options for ram.

Thanks,
Ed

Ed wrote:

>
>
> Yes the MSI manual and test reports for this board are very whimpy, and
> there is very little info on this board around the web, but with what
> you said and a couple things I did find I'll try the 2 sticks in Dimm
> 1&2 first and run Memtest86+, I forgot that app tells you about the ram
> setup.
>
> I've not heard of "Linked"/"Unlinked" , but there is the
> Ganged(1x128bit) and UnGanged(2x64bit) options for ram.
>
> Thanks,
> Ed

Yeah, that could be it. I suppose I could have looked it up
in another motherboard manual, to get the terminology right.
I didn't think about it at the time.

Paul

On Tue, 11 Aug 2009 18:10:18 -0400, Paul <> wrote:


>Yeah, that could be it. I suppose I could have looked it up
>in another motherboard manual, to get the terminology right.
>I didn't think about it at the time.
>
> Paul

Well got it together, both sticks in first two dimm slots, everything
checks out ok!

Cheers,
Ed

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I must say this post is the best example of someone trying to be smart
to the extent of completely failing to address the OP's question, I have
seen in a while.

First of all, cut the crap.

Second of all, to actually answer the OP's question: In MSI boards the
logic of channel coloring is reverse of what you'd see in ASUS boards.
The logic is that each channel is a different color slot, so if you want
dual channel, you have to put in the chips in different color slots. On
Asus, this is the other way around (there to use dual channel, you have
to put both chips in the same color slots) leading to a lot of confusion
and incorrectly assembled computers in computer stores. As far as I
remember though, the motherboard comes with a booklet that has pictures
of all dual channel configurations.

Third fo all, memory bandwidth and motherboards on AMD platforms have
nothing to do with eachother. The motherboard specifies the top speed as
the top speed available on the market at the time of printing the
manual, but the motherboard itself has no influence over the memory
speeds supported. The memory controller is in the CPU, and the CPU
determines what types of memory are supported.

Fourth, 2T memory timings are default and AFAIK the default settings
(aka "auto") always properly detect and utilize RAM. To answer the OP's
question on speeds: There is no default speed for a specific CPU or
godforbid a motherboard, stuff runs at the speeds of the RAM you brought.

Fifth, memtest is explicitly stated not to be a benchmarking tool. The
numbers you find in there are memtest binary load times and are highly
innacurate, although they can give you a general idea of bandwidth.

LP,
Jure

Paul pravi:
> Ed wrote:
>> Hi,
>>
>> This is what I am getting,
>> MSI 770-C45 motherboard,
>> 2x2GB DDR3-1600 ram,
>> Phenom II CPU,
>>
>> It's been awhile since I built a PC (almost 4 years) so I have a few
>> questions I'm hoping someone can help me with, I downloaded the mobo
>> manual but it doesn't tell you much.
>>
>> 1a) The mobo manual says...In Dual-Channel mode, make sure that you
>> install memory modules of the same type and density in different channel
>> DIMM slots.
>> So with 2-sticks do I install one stick in Dimm slot 1 and the other
>> stick in Dimm slot 3? (dimm slots 1&2 are black, dimm slots 2&3 are
>> blue).
>>
>> 1b) What if I get 2 more sticks later on but a different type, does one
>> pair go into the black slots and the other pair goes into the blue
>> slots?
>>
>> 2) What is the default speed ram runs on the AMD AM3 cpu/boards? I'm
>> installing a Phenom II X2 550 BE with two DDR-1600 sticks for now.
>>
>>
>> 3) I currently have two Asus boards and they have an option in the BIOS
>> to boot-up from a keyboard key or mouse, does the MSI 770-C45 have any
>> option like that?
>>
>>
>> Thanks for any help you can provide!
>> Cheers,
>> Ed
>
> The MSI manual seems to suggest DDR3-1333 is the highest nominal RAM speed
> and anything higher is an overclock.
>
> http://download2.msi.com/files/downl.../M7599v1.1.zip
>
> The AMD tested memory document seems unbelievably wimpy.
>
> http://www.amd.com/us-en/assets/cont...M_02_09_09.pdf
>
>
> You get a bit more detail from the MSI test document for your motherboard.
> They have run four sticks at DDR3-1333, but DDR3-1600 rates suggest
> a two stick limit. To reach those speeds, many modern boards need
> command rate 2T timing setting, to help reach that speed.
>
> http://www.msi.com/uploads/test_report/TR10_1812.pdf
>
> The MSI downloadable user manual is one of the poorer ones I've seen.
> They prepared the document, using a document layout tool, rather than
> a text editor. They "broke" the ability to use the text search function
> in Acrobat Reader. I cannot find "DDR3" in the manual, because "DDR"
> is separated from the number "3" in such a way as to defeat a text search.
>
> Skimming through the manual, there is no mention of which slot is on
> which channel. Going by color scheme alone, you place a pair of matched
> sticks in same-colored slots, to get dual channel.
>
> By using memtest86+ ( memtest.org ), you can compare slot configurations
> for bandwidth.
>
> I believe AMD processors have "linked" versus "unlinked" options, which
> actually take the processor out of dual channel mode. On a quad core,
> sometimes unlinked is better, because it gives two independent memory
> banks for the four cores to play with. With a nominally two core processor,
> you can play with that, and see which setting you like better. Since the
> fine user manual provided by MSI, doesn't include pictures of all the
> BIOS screens, I cannot tell you where to find that setting.
>
> So you have two ways to influence how the memory works. By setting
> the BIOS to "linked" mode, then the physical position of the memory
> sticks in the slots, may affect the benchmark-able memory bandwidth.
> You can use memtest86+ to display that information, even before you
> install an OS. With "linked" selected, which is likely not the BIOS
> default, you can try sticks in 1&2 versus 1&3. The like-colored slots
> should be dual channel, but memtest86+ will tell you that for sure.
>
> I haven't tried memtest86+ lately. I have an older copy.
> There used to be three bandwidth indicators on the screen.
> L1, L2, and DIMM speed. Now that there are more processors out
> with L1, l2, L3, and DIMMs, there really need to be four bandwidth
> indicators on the screen. The lowest bandwidth of those, should be
> the one for the DIMMs. The DIMM indicator is the one you want to
> benchmark with.
>
> Don't install the OS, until you can do a couple full test passes
> with memtest86+, error free.
>
> Paul


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hi i just recently bought this mobo. Were not really a lot of choices where i shopped for this computer so decided to give this mobo a try. heres the package i ended up with my budget:

patriot viper series pc3 - 12800 1600 mhz 4gb (2X2gb)kit 7-7-7-20
phenom x4 955 black edition
zalman CNPS9900A LED
random ati video card, with no fan?! what the hell :0(

ran for a few days just started getting into ocing. auto settings on optimized settings in bios sets this chip @ 2.33 ghz.
all i have changed as far as OC is set multiplier to X16 in the bios. left everything else as is.
runs at 3.1 ghz
cant mess with ram nothing ive tried works yet and is stable, although the person that bought this for me told me that this ram runs better oc'ed and was meant to always be oc'ed. however it runs very fast for me.

anyone else have one of these? searching the net to see what others have done with this mobo. im not casting any judgement on it either way, but this is what i have so have to make the best of what ihave.

i do agree with the previous post tho, it seems asus and a few others put thier ram side by side color binded while msi will stagger thier ram setup. so i gave it a try, and what the heck, it works either way!! lol sees all 4gb either way too, very odd!! lol

Update:

After letting run for a few days with these settings of just messing with the multiplier, I added some OC using the onboard red switches.

After gradually working the switching up I have now let it sit at 15% increase. Number one toggle is down and number two toggle is in up position. Memory speed is still not at 1600 speeds but this setting for OC seems to be very stable so I will most likely end with it here.

Cpu now reads: 3.68 GHZ

Temp is very cool at this speed with onboard cpu temp reading at 37 degrees celcius. Thankyou Zalman coolers. Also, I am letting my computer on its side so heat dissapates upwards out the side of the case. This seems to help a lot as far as heat dissipation goes.

At first I thought this board was a peice of ****, I just think its more nit picky and less straightforward than other boards, but the performance/price ratio right now I am forced to not complain.

Peace.