ASUS RAMPAGE II GENE (Retail) : ROG. X58 m-ATX preview

[RejZoR]

Any idea if i can RMA this board based on stupid cold boot issue? Whenever i boot system from a turned off state (system is powered down and unpluged), the system will BSOD during boot. After i restart, all fine. And even if i perfectly shut it down, it boots fine. Apparently it's working temperature related. But my question is, will ASUS accept RMA or not? This problem is pissing me off, especially considering i payed top cash for this board. But it was working fine in the beginning so i don't get it, does this thing degrades so fast by itself or what?

[fordf250]

Any idea if i can RMA this board based on stupid cold boot issue? Whenever i boot system from a turned off state (system is powered down and unpluged), the system will BSOD during boot. After i restart, all fine. And even if i perfectly shut it down, it boots fine. Apparently it's working temperature related. But my question is, will ASUS accept RMA or not? This problem is pissing me off, especially considering i payed top cash for this board. But it was working fine in the beginning so i don't get it, does this thing degrades so fast by itself or what?

If you set the bios at default. No over clock and turn the psu off. Then restart in an hour does it still do it? It could be the overclock not the mb. It could also be startup timing with the psu. Try turning the psu on for 5 min without starting the mb.

[zonders]

new BIOS will be yet? or mother is not supported officially?

[RejZoR]

If you set the bios at default. No over clock and turn the psu off. Then restart in an hour does it still do it? It could be the overclock not the mb. It could also be startup timing with the psu. Try turning the psu on for 5 min without starting the mb.

I can have EVERYTHING set to stock, just RAM set at 1600MHz (it's rated at this speed, OCZ Platinum 1600MHz). This will cause random hangs, cold boot BSOD's etc etc. If i set RAM to AUTO, it will be set to 1066MHz. This way it'll work no problem. Not sure why i bought 1600MHz RAM if it fails to run at that clock reliably. But the thing is, it worked fine for like 1 year. Now all of the sudden these problems. I've never seen RAM to deteriarate this way but motherboards have...

[Philwong]

Not sure why i bought 1600MHz RAM if it fails to run at that clock reliably. But the thing is, it worked fine for like 1 year. Now all of the sudden these problems. I've never seen RAM to deteriarate this way but motherboards have...

Its possible. I've a pair of 1600MHz OCZ AMD Black Edition assuming they are optimized for AMD rigs, but I was wrong. I still can't get the damn modules running at advertised speed from day 1. Bought mine overseas and OCZ expects me to pay shipping back to their Taiwanese factory.

Phil

[RejZoR]

Well, in my case it was working fine. Now, it's very unstable at the same speed, often locks up completely so i have to reboot and it freezes on cold boots. But before it used to work just fine. I've never seen any RAM degrade in such way so i'm suspecting the mobo.
But i'm afraid they'll just say everything is fine and send me the mobo back. I'll waste postal costs fr nothing and still have crippled mobo.

[Philwong]

Well, in my case it was working fine. Now, it's very unstable at the same speed, often locks up completely so i have to reboot and it freezes on cold boots. But before it used to work just fine. I've never seen any RAM degrade in such way so i'm suspecting the mobo.
But i'm afraid they'll just say everything is fine and send me the mobo back. I'll waste postal costs fr nothing and still have crippled mobo.

Run memtest first to eliminate any RAM problem.

Phil

[miahallen]

I can have EVERYTHING set to stock, just RAM set at 1600MHz (it's rated at this speed, OCZ Platinum 1600MHz). This will cause random hangs, cold boot BSOD's etc etc. If i set RAM to AUTO, it will be set to 1066MHz. This way it'll work no problem. Not sure why i bought 1600MHz RAM if it fails to run at that clock reliably. But the thing is, it worked fine for like 1 year. Now all of the sudden these problems. I've never seen RAM to deteriarate this way but motherboards have...

If you set "EVERYTHING" to stock...then you cannot run the memory at it's rated speed....because that requires overclocking the IMC. Read my rant here:
http://www.techreaction.net/2010/10/...400mhz-absurd/

[RejZoR]

@Philwong
Did that and also with Windows integrated memory tester. Both were fine. But when i was running at same 1600MHz (doesn't matter which timing, be it 7-7-7-20 which worked fine or 9-9-9-24) it was always causing problems. Except when i bought the system. That's why i'm wondering what's failing at this point. Memory, motherboard or the CPU, considering it has memory controller integrated in it. But then again, if the memory controller or RAM was damaged in any way, wouldn't it be causing problems even at 1066MHz?

[Philwong]

@Philwong
Did that and also with Windows integrated memory tester. Both were fine. But when i was running at same 1600MHz (doesn't matter which timing, be it 7-7-7-20 which worked fine or 9-9-9-24) it was always causing problems. Except when i bought the system. That's why i'm wondering what's failing at this point. Memory, motherboard or the CPU, considering it has memory controller integrated in it. But then again, if the memory controller or RAM was damaged in any way, wouldn't it be causing problems even at 1066MHz?

Same case here... my OCZ AMD BE at lower speed works just fine.

All these "overclocked" modules are probably binned from the regular 1333MHz lot and god knows the tolerance level.

Anyway, try down clocking CPU and everything else to further troubleshoot the problem. If you're still experiencing problem then it has to be the RAM.

Phil

[RejZoR]

Well, CPU is running at stock, it's just the RAM that i've set from 1066MHz to 1600MHz. If i'd knew there will be such ridiculous problems, i'd buy 1066MHz from start and use the saved money for better graphic card or something...

[Philwong]

Well, CPU is running at stock, it's just the RAM that i've set from 1066MHz to 1600MHz. If i'd knew there will be such ridiculous problems, i'd buy 1066MHz from start and use the saved money for better graphic card or something...

Head to OCZ forum and ask for help.

http://www.ocztechnologyforum.com/forum/forum.php

They'll request you try some settings and run memtest to verify.

Phil

[RejZoR]

Posted on OCZ forums, i hope we'll be able to solve this.

[Philwong]

Posted on OCZ forums, i hope we'll be able to solve this.

Good luck.

Phil

[RejZoR]

While i was doing all this i've also noticed there is a new BIOS for Rampage II Gene. Version 1405. They state there are only new CPU's supported, but i guess they also make smallf ixes on such releases...

[Evilsizer]

While i was doing all this i've also noticed there is a new BIOS for Rampage II Gene. Version 1405. They state there are only new CPU's supported, but i guess they also make smallf ixes on such releases...

they do make small fixes but also depending on the cpu. one bios may not oc the same as the other you were just on. if your cpu is already supported by the current bios there is no need to upgrade/flash unless the new bios fixes a problem your currently having.

[RejZoR]

Damn it, back to square one. Tried as they said on OCZ forums and guess what. At speced settings of 1600MHz, 8-8-8-20 and 1.65V the system is crashing all the freakin time.
I could even try 9-9-9-24 and same thing. For as long as it's anything more than 1066MHz, regardless of any other settings, it will keep on crashing.
Tried with just 2 RAM sticks (out of 3 that i have). It was still crashing. Now i've set everything to specs, except VDIMM, i left on AUTO. Guess what, the system is not crashing anymore. I'll probably again exhibit cold boot issues, but at least it's stable when it starts to run.

So, what are you guys thinking? Could this be a dud RAM? I mean i could blame the board or the mem controller if it wasn't crashing with just 2 sticks or insanely high timings. But that's not the case. Though, on the other hand, memtest and other memory testing tools always said everything is perfectly fine.

[RejZoR]

I'm so pissed about this that i've ordered a 3x kit of Corsair Dominator 1600MHz 8-8-8-24 RAM. If it will continue to fail it's MOBO. Otherwise, it's the bloody RAM.
I'm hoping that the RAM was the reason. It's easier to change than the entire mobo.

[laluby]

Ok have this board full water cooled on my 920 DO, I have g-skill 1600 9-9-9-24-2T ram, running at 1.65 v

Now i really need help in customizing my ram timings in the bio's, i can't seem to fiqure out how to stable it, most times if i go to 4.2 ghz it will say LOCKED on my lcd and not boot, and if i dink around with the timmings it seems to work, soo if anyone has good info on this plz help....

[RejZoR]

Bought a new kit of 6GB Corsair Dominator RAM (1600MHz, 8-8-8-24 2T @ 1.65V) and so far not a single crash or BSOD. I've even managed to slightly tweak it so i've ended up at rock solid 8-8-8-20 1T @ 1.65V and of course 1600MHz. What's the best out of all this is that my CPU is now overclocking better. Before it was constantly and randomly unstable, but now, 3,3GHz (160x21) @ 1.1V works like a charm.
So in my case, the RAM was causing all the ridiculous crashes and BSOD's even though memtest was always saying everything is fine. But it was clearly not. With new RAM everything works fine

@luluby
I suggest you do the same as me. Set CPU back to stock, set RAM to 1.65V and QPI voltage to 1.2V and then slowly decrease RAM timings until the system will refuse to boot. Then go one step back and repeat. Then you should boot up the OS and make a few repeated HyperPI cycles. If it doesn't crash, you most probably won't have any problems later on.
After this is done, do the same again for CPU. Set the max frequency that you managed to boot regardless of the CPU voltage (just don't go too high). Then gradually decrease voltage until you start getting problems. Then go one step back and repeat. Use Orthos or LinX to perform a stability check.
I've settlet at 3,3GHz as it's fast enough, yet it's not too demanding for AXP-140 cooler on low RPM in a small case.