MSI P55-GD55: Ignores XMP when I load PERFORMANCE defaults?

[Ichinisan]

MSI P55-GD55

CPU: Intel Core i7 860
RAM: 16GB DDR3-1600 RAM (4x4GB, two brands)
GPU: GTX 280

I have no idea how long I've been running 16GB of DDR3-1600 at 1333 speeds.

I think I did a BIOS update a long time ago, then this usual procedure:

• "Load performance defaults"
• Disable controllers I don't use (floppy, serial, parallel, extra RAID controller, etc)
• Change boot sequence to: 1) HDD0, 2) disabled, 3) disabled, 4) disabled
• Disabled full-screen logo (so I can see POST)
• Switched the ATA controller back to AHCI mode
• Change wake functions to OS-controlled

When I noticed I was running at 1333 speeds, I dug around and found a very unintuitive option to enable XMP. Now the RAM runs at 1600 as it should.

1) Regardless of performance defaults versus setup defaults, why would a board with XMP support ignore the XMP info on the modules?

2) Why would it do that when I specifically loaded "performance" defaults?

 

[Ichinisan]

I still wonder why it "performance defaults" would have XMP disabled. :hmm:

 

[denis280]

XMP is like a little tweak.so default brings the mobo to normal setting.it is normal

 

[Ichinisan]

XMP is like a little tweak.so default brings the mobo to normal setting.it is normal

1. ???
   
2. "Performance defaults" are separate from normal "Setup defaults" for a reason. Because performance defaults might not offer the best stability / compatibility. I can't think of any justification for disabling XMP with peformance defaults. It leads to confusion. It caused me to run DDR3-1600 as DDR3-1333 for an unknown amount of time.

 

[VirtualLarry]

XMP is like a little tweak.so default brings the mobo to normal setting.it is normal

This.

 

[Deders]

XMP usually involves overclocking your mobo or CPU so that's never a default option.

 

[Ichinisan]

XMP usually involves overclocking your mobo or CPU so that's never a default option.

???

Not "overclocking." Simply using the rated specs of performance RAM modules. Performance defaults most certainly should enable this.

It just seems like a dumb oversight by the board manufacturers. One that makes me wonder how many others make the same mistake.

I'm fairly certain I've also had boards that set IDE mode by default for the SATA controllers when performance defaults were loaded.

 

[Deders]

???

Not "overclocking." Simply using the rated specs of performance RAM modules. Performance defaults most certainly should enable this.

It just seems like a dumb oversight by the board manufacturers. One that makes me wonder how many others make the same mistake.

I'm fairly certain I've also had boards that set IDE mode by default for the SATA controllers when performance defaults were loaded.

Doesn't it usually overclock the frontside bus and reduce the cpu speed on p55? I know my GD65 does.

And yes it will default to IDE because at the time XP was a prominent OS and would crash without the proper sata drivers.

 

[john3850]

RAM: 16GB DDR3-1600 RAM (4x4GB, two brands)

Using two different brands is most likely the problem.
I believe your bios only reads or loads the XMP info from the first two slots.
Try swithing the the two brands in the slots.
Set the speed to 1600 and leave your setting to auto not XMP.

 

[Ichinisan]

... And yes it will default to IDE because at the time XP was a prominent OS and would crash without the proper sata drivers.

... and that's exactly why you have regular (safe) defaults versus "performance" defaults.

 

[Ichinisan]

RAM: 16GB DDR3-1600 RAM (4x4GB, two brands)

Using two different brands is most likely the problem.
I believe your bios only reads or loads the XMP info from the first two slots.
Try swithing the the two brands in the slots.
Set the speed to 1600 and leave your setting to auto not XMP.

Both sets were DDR3-1600 with XMP. Anyway, I don't have that system anymore. I just came across my old post and remembered how annoying it was that "performance" defaults failed to do what it should do.