Memory for Epox 8KDA3+

[SBGTF]

I was looking on the Epox website for recommended memory and I saw in their FAQ a question about double sided or single sided RAM. The answer leads you to a PDF of their manual update. When you download you get a spec which seems to indicate that in order to run two dimms at ddr400, one needs to be single sided and one double sided. Do that seem strange? Am I understanding this correctly? It would seem I'd need to buy two sticks of different ram just to get this to work.

Epox 8KDA3+ Manual Update

If you have one of these boards, what RAM are you using and with what results?

 

[schmoe]

To be honest I don't know. I bought one thinking I could get the latest and greatest out of this motherboard but I had to RMA it... along with the DDR400 memory. The memory I used was a dual kit of OCZ Enhanced Bandwidth PC3200 512MB DIMMs (I'm sure they are double-sided).

The one issue I had was that even though I have two double-sided DIMMs the motherboard would not even allow me to install Win2k or WinXP with just 1 of them. So either the memory is faulty, the motherboard is faulty, or the specs are total BS. I RMA'd the motherboard and the pair of DIMMs, so when I get another round I'll try changing the timings other than the frequency (which I got to work at 333MHz). It sucks... I had been hoping to play Doom3 ... I was upgrading from the A7M266 (the first DDR 266 motherboard). I don't think that one gave me as much trouble as this motherboard did. Oh my CPU is an Athlon 64 3200+

 

[JBT]

I am using two double sided 512MB KingMax PC4000 sticks no problem. with my 8Kda3J pretty much the same as the 3+. I Run them at 245 1:1 Ratio or with a divider.

 

[schmoe]

JBT, I hope all the EPoX motherboards can do that (or at least DDR400). I'll know for sure when the replacement motherboard comes in.

 

[JBT]

It should be the same with yours my 3J is exactly the same board except the 3+ has a added Silicon image SATA chip and an optical out port, and Firewire too maybe?

 

[filmore crashcart]

I went through this confusion a month ago before I got my 8kda3j. I got 2, 512 meg double sided Kingston value ram ddr 400 and put them in the two first dimms. Works fine. I think I would have problems if I put a third in.
Look here for some useful info on the 8kda3+/8kda3j.

 

[schmoe]

Thanks filmore, I'll consult the forums when the shipment arrives.. I figure it had to be some timing issues, but wouldn't they at least try to make them compatible with any DDR400 DIMM? I guess I'll try raising the CAS latency first, then work from there... Are there any sites/reviews that go into great detail about the other timing settings?

 

[klah]

Does this mobo have working cool'n'quiet when 2 dimms are installed? I have read no.

 

[JBT]

Originally posted by: klah
Does this mobo have working cool'n'quiet when 2 dimms are installed? I have read no.

The manual says no. I have no idea though I don't use cool and quiet.

 

[filmore crashcart]

I tried Cool and Quiet on my first bios, I think 5/15, and it froze up immediately. I haven't tried it on the 7/09 bios yet. there is an even more recent bios, 7/15, I think, but I haven't flashed to it yet. The 7/09 bios allows for 5x HT but that didn't do anything but make things unstable for me.

 

[JBT]

Ths 7/16 BIOS doesn't have cool and quite at all. Thats what I use.

 

[schmoe]

Well I got a new replacement motherboard and memory and it worked perfectly w/o any adjustments. Even tested the memory with memtest86+ which passed with flying colors.

I guess I got a lemon.

 

[schmoe]

One thing that a lot of people don't realize is that the SPDIF output (optical or coaxial) doesn't necessarily mean 5.1 sound. I made that mistake. From what I understand if the program encodes the output with AC-3 (dolby digital) or DTS then 5.1 sound will work if your receiver supports either of those two encodings. This is not the case in most games (including doom3). So warning to anyone buying the motherboard for this reason or any expensive cabling .