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Vostro 230 Memory speed not reported correctly in BIOS?
Hi,
We just purchased a Vostro 230 Mini-Tower.
The CPU and memory specs as ordered are:
317-9864 Core 2 Duo E8400/3.0GHz,6M,1333FSB,Vostro
317-9872 3GB, Non-ECC,1333MHz DDR3,1GB+2GB,Vostro
But when I go into the BIOS, the memory speed on the System Information page is reported as 1066MHz, not 1333MHz as expected.
I pulled the memory and looked at the label. Unfortunately it's Kingston memory. Kingston, for some strange reason, does not print the memory speed on the label. Size, yes. Speed, no.
Does anyone know why the speed isn't being reported correctly in the BIOS, and how to verify whether it's a BIOS error or we just didn't get what we paid for? I'm looking into CPU-Z and Memtest86.
Thanks in advance....
speedstep
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December 17th, 2010 05:00
BX80570E8400 (SLAPL, SLB9J)
BXC80570E8400 (SLAPL, SLB9J)
BX80570E8400A (SLAPL)
Bus frequency is 333 MHz.
Because the processor uses Quad Data Rate bus the effective bus speed is 1333 MHz
CPU-Z rarely gives the correct answer now.
Enhanced Intel SpeedStep technology EIST and C1E allows the system to dynamically adjust processor voltage
and core frequency CPU-Z does not handle this well if at all and gives bad numbers.
cpu z wrong core speed
cpu z dram frequency
cpu z memory frequency
cpu z wrong multiplier
Intel® Processor Identification Utility — Intel® Processor ...
pid = processor identification
xxx = country code or localized language
## = file version
.msi = file extension that indicates a Windows* installer (executable)
(example: pidchs25.msi = Processor Identification, Chinese-Simplifed, version 25, for Windows*)
xxx = country/language codes
chs: Chinese-Simplifed
cht: Chinese-Traditional
enu: English
fra: French
deu: German
ita: Italian
jpn: Japanese
kor: Korean
ptb: Portuguese
rus: Russian
esn: Spanish
danmb
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December 20th, 2010 02:00
Can someone please explain in plain English without cutting and pasting a lot of gibberish why the BIOS would report a memory speed of 1066 when we ordered 1333?
Thanks in advance.
speedstep
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December 20th, 2010 04:00
When you download and install the INTEL Utility and run it within windows what does it report?
The other speculation I would make is that you have a
The Intel Core 2 Duo E8400 as well as all E8XXX-series processors have 6MB of L2 cache, run at a 1333MHz front side bus.
The 7500,7400,7300,7200 all run at 1066mhz FSB.
danmb
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December 21st, 2010 08:00
Well, I don't really need the Intel utility, because on the same BIOS screen that reports the memory as 1066, it says clearly:
Intel Core 2 Duo CPU E8400 @ 3.00 Ghz
Belive me, if I didn't get the processor that I ordered, I would have mentioned it, don't you think?
So the question remains, why is the BIOS reporting the memory as 1066, when I ordered 1333?
Thanks in advance.
AlanJayG
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July 25th, 2013 10:00
I have a similar problem. I have a Vostro 230, and the order sheet says that my memory is 1333 MHz. The bios screen says that it is 1066. I have been trying to upgrade the memory, and the local Micro Center sold me a 1333 MHz. memory board. when I tried to install it, the system wouldn't turn on, and kept giving 2 beeps as an error code, which indicates unrecognized memory. I took it back, and Micro Center (they are great, by the way) gave me a replacement in another brand. Same result.
I currently have bios 1.0.0. My guess is that this bios ONLY supports 1066. At the moment, I am not anxious to upgrade the bios, since one of my developers is using the system and I can't afford to clobber it if something goes wrong as a result of the upgrade.
I called Dell support, and it was a bit of a disaster, after speaking with 2 reps in 2 different depts., I wound up no where, except that they wanted to sell me another 1333 memory board, which is the only one they carry. And then the last rep asked me if I was satisfied with the support experience. She seemed surprised when I said no. I am also a little miffed by the fact that my problem stems from the fact that (it appears) that the product I received does not match the one that I ordered.
Does anyone know for sure if the 1.0.0 bios does in fact only support 1066 MHz? Dell seems to think that this system uses 1666.
zdoty
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October 3rd, 2014 08:00
I also have a few Dell Vostro 230's that currently have 2 1gb (PC3-10600) sticks and wanted to bump it up to 2 2gbs sticks (PC3-12800). I did go to crucial.com and ran there memory scan and bought what it recommended. When installed however I was also getting the 2 beeps and no booting at all. What I did was install the old ram and checked the bios. It was 1.0.0. I then updated it to the 1.4.0. Then tried the new RAM and it worked like a champ. So I would try updating the Bios to the newest release and see if that fixes all problems.
JacquesAssert
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July 29th, 2016 22:00
I'm sitting at a Vostro 230, that I just upgraded the the CPU from a Pentium Dual-Core E6500 to a Core 2 Duo E8400.
The BIOS v. 1.4.0 still reports 1066 for memory.
The Intel Processor Identification Utility reports ~1333, as does CPU-Z Rated FSB.
I presume that the bus can run at both speeds, and the BIOS starts with a lowest common denominator approach in order to support the widest range of CPUs and memory. Or it could just be a mistake.
Regardless, the seat of the pants experience of the E8400 tells me that the FSB is running 1333 in Windows.