Dell XPS 420 shows RAM frequency of 667MHz instead of 800MHz

[Eliasz]

I am using Dell XPS 420 desktop computer. I was having 2 x 2 GB DDR2 800 MHz CL5 SDRAM Memory in my computer. At that time it was showing 800 MHz then recently I upgraded my computer to more 2 x 2 GB DDR2 800 MHz CL6 SDRAM Memory so now I am having 8GB of the total RAM. After this I observed that I am getting RAM speed of 667 MHz instead of 800 MHz so should I do some BIOS setting in order to get more frequency. Please help me to get back the same.

[Alexisus]

This sometimes happens and in your case it is due to up gradation. I think the RAM chip that you inserted recently might not have fitted properly. So do check for that again by opening the case again and reinstall the same on the motherboard. After confirming that check the RAM frequency using the CPUZ utility, because it would provide you with the exact figures and then you will get confirmation of it using that utility and then repost if still you get the same.

[Terrextre]

I am also satisfied with the solution posted above. I would give you some more tricks that you could try so that even CPUZ detect the RAM frequency properly. So I think you should try the thing that I tell you here. The main thing here is that you have to set your memory speed to AUTO. You can do the same by booting up and then open CPUZ utility. After this go to the Memory Tab then at frequency reading and then set it to AUTO setting. I guess after this it would detect everything properly.

[Bansi_WADIA]

Well in this case I would help you out but I am not sure about because I am not an expert in this all things. The important thing here is that your FSB would have got set to 333 so that when it is multiplied by 2 then it goes to 667. So in order to get back the additional frequency then you have to do some settings and obviously manually. This all thing should be done in the BIOS as it is the main cause which is preventing the RAM frequency to get higher.

[Logan.M]

I got the actual thing about your query and here the SPD chip on your RAM is most likely reporting 667 MHz and not 800 MHz. So for solving this above solution is perfect and all that you require to do is that modify the setting manually in the BIOS. You need to change the FSB to 400 MHz so that you would get 800 MHz. it is something called over clocking, and this technique helps you in modifying certain things related to your configuration. You can find related to the same by searching the forum as there are lots of threads in this forum that will help and understand you.

[Nutty]

If the whole thing doesn’t help you out or you are not confident in doing the over clocking for your computer then you should go for simpler BIOS update for your computer. Just have a latest firmware from the official website and then using the flash utility update the BIOS firmware to this. This would automatically recognize the change and then you would get the needed RAM frequency that you want. I think it is really worth trying this.

[Eliasz]

I am very thankful to this forum and even the members who helped me to get the solution for my query. According to the solution I had the latest version of the CPUZ application and then I changed all the settings as specified, and then after I updated the BIOS to latest firmware, but still this also didn’t helped me out. Finally I tricked into the manual settings of BIOS and then changed the FSB to 400 and then after restart I obtained the needed frequency of the RAM which I required.