Need help to get memory stable on Rampage II Gene X58....

[ElSel10]

Hey guys... I'm running the system below and I am having a bit of an issue with getting my memory working with it's stock specs. To be specific, the kit I have is this:
http://www.mushkin.com/Memory/Redline/998729.aspx

It's a 3x 2GB kit of DDR3 1600 memory rated for 6-6-5-18 timings at 1.65v. I actually have two kits of this memory, but for the time being I'd like to focus on getting just one to work without problems.

Anyway here's my problem. I have EVERYTHING in my PC at stock. All CPU settings are auto or default. The only things I change are I set the memory speed to DDR3 1600, and I manually set the timings to 6-6-5-18, and I set the DRAM voltage to 1.65v.

When I save these settings in the BIOS and reboot, it either takes a long time to POST, or it does not post. The time that it eventually does POST, the entire system appears to function normally and I verified the memory settings are correct in CPU-z. However, the times it does not POST, which I'd say to be about 50/50, I need to power off the PC and turn it on again. When you do this, the BIOS settings are then reset. I'd like to get the memory working at it's rated speed and timings without a long POST or no POST. Anybody have any suggestions as to how I can make it work? I have the latest 1501 BIOS. Thanks in advance for any help!

[Leeghoofd]

Take some pictures of your bios screens. Thinking some ram timing(s) is set too tight...Or a dimm is flakey. That board loved most of my rams and even 12Gb of them... 6-6-6-18 doesn't work either ?

[ElSel10]

Here's my DRAM timings pages:
http://img860.imageshack.us/img860/26/img0737if.jpg
http://img691.imageshack.us/img691/2746/img0738r.jpg

Now they are all default, but all I do is change the first 4 to 6-6-5-18.

It's not the memory. I have used both sets that I have and I even got one RMAd and the same result

[Hondacity]

are you using xmp profile?

[ElSel10]

I'm not sure, what is that? Would it be better or worse? I've seen the timing profiles in CPU-z for this memory and none are 6-6-5-18 but those are the timings guaranteed by Mushkin.

[Hondacity]

check this out

http://blog.corsair.com/?p=1977

[ElSel10]

check this out

http://blog.corsair.com/?p=1977

Well good news and bad news! Turns out I do have that XMP setting and it did set the memory to 6-6-5-18 and 1.65V @ DDR3 1600. And it worked (longer POST though!). On the soft reboot. But when I shut off the computer and turned it on again, no POST. Is there some voltage or something I should be adjusting?

EDIT:
And I checked. In XMP mode, it set the DRAM timings to exactly what I had. Just the 6-6-5-18 and the rest auto, except 1N command rate was set, but that is the auto setting anyway.

[acebmxer]

What is bclk, uncore and qpi/vtt voltage set to? Probably need some thing like 1.3-1.4 qpi/vtt

[Leeghoofd]

Try setting Dram Ref Cycle time (TRFC) to 82 or even 88, 52 is too tight set by the bios... also up the VTT to 1.25

[Raja@ASUS]

Edit NVM, for some reason everything below the second post did not display when I first checked the thread.

-Raja

[ElSel10]

Thanks guys! I set the QPI/VTT voltage to 1.25 and poof! Seems to reliably POST now!

But my guess would be this won't be the case if I add the second kit of this memory for a total of 12GB... any suggestions on what settings I should play with to make that work? Just QPI/VTT voltage and tRFC?

[Leeghoofd]

you can try with 12GB

1) as TRFC is set pretty loose now, otherwise loosen to 100
2) if needed up VTT to 1.3 or a bit higher...
3) try command rate 2 if you can't get stable with 12gb
4) if needed give the rams a tad more juice


But for now try a Hyperpi 32M run on all cores ( so 8 threads ) if that passes then you are on the right track for stability...

It's a great board, preferred it over the RE2 , but the IOH heatsink needs some help as it's underdimensioned... make sure also when running 12Gb that the rams have active cooling

[ElSel10]

Thanks for the info... unfortunately though, it seems I am not out of the water. I tried Hyperpi 32M and at some point after it says completed Loop 1, I get a BSOD saying PAGE_FAULT_IN_NON_PAGED_AREA. I tried upping the QPI/VTT to 1.275v but that didn't help at all... BSOD occurred at the same time. I tried increasing DRAM voltage to 1.675v but there was a warning saying that over 1.65v can permanently damage the CPU so I didn't want to risk that. tRFC is already 88, do I really need 100 for just 6GB to run at stock speed? Anything else I should try adjusting?

[Leeghoofd]

1.3-1.35 QPI VTT ? how high is your uncore set at ? 3200 or more ? Disable Hyperthreading and try again the Hyperpi test with 4 instances...

[ElSel10]

I've got good news! I have the voltages at 1.25v for QPI (didn't raise because 1.3v did NOTHING to help), and I increased the DRAM voltage to the next available step which was 1.67v. But is that safe? There is a warning that says over 1.65v can damage the CPU...

Of course, this doesn't seem to bode will for 12GB if I needed above stock volts just for 6GB...

[acebmxer]

you need to keep qpi/vtt with in 0.5v of vdimm. So if you run vimm 1.7v need min of 1.2v qpi/vtt to be safe for cpu. higher vdimm should only harm ram.

What is the voltage say on the sticker of the ram. If it is rated for 1.6v or 1.65v at stock speeds then that is all you should need. then the only adjustment needed is qpi/vtt voltage. Other then possible sub timings.

Gigabyte boards we recommend not using xmp profile and manually setting all speed timings and voltages.

I think you are gonna need more qpi/vtt.

Have you test the ram with memtest86+ might want to do that try testing each stick separately.