ASUS Z87 Motherboards - Overview, Guides and Official Support

[FlanK3r]

not bad, more than +1point better than my FX-8350 with H100 ,-)

[Chickenfeed]

Hey Raja,

I just switched out my P8P67 for the z87 Pro and have encountered an issue. The system is hanging on the post code A2, IDE detect. Does this indicate a connection / power issue?

Thanks

EDIT

Oddly enough the case connection to the boards USB3 header was at fault. They have a really loose wobbly connection ( think SPDIF) I reinstalled everthing 1 piece at a time and nothing... its just stupid easy for them to fall out so only some pins made contact. Another badly designed port standard USB consortium! I thought my gpus were to blame but installing them obscures the USB3 header and makes it easy to dislodge it part way and not notice...

Would be nice to see future boards use a retention mechanism ala the popular sata cables with lock in clips. Its a universal design issue on all boards at this point it seems and its up to oems and case makers to find a solution to. Lose fitting connections suck!

[Raja@ASUS]

Hi,

Are you getting a display output when it stops at A2 or is it just hanging at the POST screen?


Sorry just read your edit. No worries.

-Raja

[Raja@ASUS]

@ Raja

The ASUS Mini Bar...

I can't even find a way to permanently disable it from loading... I have click the little check mark every time I reboot?

Hi Pol,

reported to HQ to patch (could take some time, but have informed).

-Raja

[XBrytanX]

@ Raja
Asus Z87-Pro BIOS 1007

Team Xtreem 2400c9 kit will run super tight timings and Corsair 2666c10 @2400 (same timings) but won't do XMP 2666c10 getting [55]
http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images...amx11167v.jpg/
Trident X 2666c11{ds} will run also tight @ 2666c11 and @2800,anything above [55]

Team Xtreem 2666c11{ss} won't do XMP [55]

Gskill Rips 2200c9 {BBSE}will do XMP but that's about it

nice mobo ,just needs some better bioses

[Raja@ASUS]

Could be your IMC as well mate. Try playing with IO-D and VDIMM. If those don't help - relax third timing set (tRDRD etc). Good IMCs will POST (bad ones start to struggle past DDR3-2400 with some DIMMs at good timings). That being said, IO (data throughput) is higher than previous gen, and some IC types don't like it at all (old Samsung). That's not about better BIOSes; if a platform's IPC is higher, it means the DRAM is under greater stress due to increased IO over the bus.


BBSE needs cold to be good - don't be expecting easy clocking on those on air. They will do X freq, but after that it's all about voltage and temps. On top of that, some of the third timings can't go as tight as previous gens unless you have a very good kit and IMC (same reason as cited above).

Slots 1&3 should be better for DRAM clocking than 2&4 as well.

[XBrytanX]

IMC ? lol ,I can run double sided Hynix 2800 1T tight and then when I switch to single sided Hynix -> no-go,having hard time posting on defaults buddy,it should do XMP don't you think ?

EDIT ; will try your recommendation

[Raja@ASUS]

Well then change your timings buddy XMP is for the platfoirm that kit was released on mate - doesn't mean its for every platform released afterwards. Things change.

It will be down to something being too tight form a UEFI perspective. Not much else we can change. Plus you get to a point where PCB and layout characteristics interact with the modules.

[XBrytanX]

As far as I know single sided Hynix were made for Haswell and with as loose timings as they are 2666 should be a cakewalk ,I'm not going to argue with you and thanks for being honest ->"Not much else we can change"
Thank you

[Raja@ASUS]

I think most of those kits were out long before Haswell if my memory serves me correctly (excuse pun). Which means the XMP settings they are programmed with were conceived before the platform,...

I have the Team Xtreem single sided Hynix here - its a kit I purchased early last year. Works fine on my Extreme board - mind you CPU has a good IMC...


When you say LOOSE timings, are you taking third timings into account? Haswell needs looser tRDRD on some kits over IB. I don't want to argue either. Just giving you some of the fixes I know of. Up to you if you want to use or not.

[Dumo]

Testing Hero with CFR



Uploaded with ImageShack.us

[XBrytanX]

I think most of those kits were out long before Haswell if my memory serves me correctly (excuse pun). Which means the XMP settings they are programmed with were conceived before the platform,...

I have the Team Xtreem single sided Hynix here - its a kit I purchased early last year. Works fine on my Extreme board - mind you CPU has a good IMC...


When you say LOOSE timings, are you taking third timings into account? Haswell needs looser tRDRD on some kits over IB. I don't want to argue either. Just giving you some of the fixes I know of. Up to you if you want to use or not.

Both sets of TeamX 2666c11 [MFRss] were purchased two weeks ago SN# 5130314044
tRDRD was 6
REF cycle was increased to 363 and then 460
tWCL 10

this set was introduced to the max DDR voltage available on this particular motherboard, also- cpu input 1.9V

bottom line is ,this is mainstream mobo and bioses are not optimized as other higher-end motherboards offered by Asus,I understand

[Splave]

OC panel is bosssssssssss


@XBrytanX, XMP???? bro come on XD (just teasing)

[XBrytanX]

I picked up Pro for some play until the "real- deal" shows up in stores ,I figured this thing can at list do XMP lo0l

[Raja@ASUS]

Both sets of TeamX 2666c11 [MFRss] were purchased two weeks ago SN# 5130314044
tRDRD was 6
REF cycle was increased to 363 and then 460
tWCL 10

this set was introduced to the max DDR voltage available on this particular motherboard, also- cpu input 1.9V

bottom line is ,this is mainstream mobo and bioses are not optimized as other higher-end motherboards offered by Asus,I understand

Not sure if the wink implies something untoward. The ROG boards are engineered in a different way on the DRAM side - as they should be as that's the target audience. As a DRAM enthusiast, you should be able to tune a board and understand how XMP works - plus understand IO variance between platforms without thinking you are being treated like a mushroom (kept in the dark and fed bull).

Change some of the other turnarounds too if you want the kit to work.

Now if it's performance oriented clocking you want, then yes go for the ROG boards as that is what they are made for. If you knew this in the first place, you would have waited. The mainstream boards are engineered for mainstream overclocking use. They employ layouts "closer" to Intel spec - we have very good reasons for that as well. For the special stuff, we put different emphasis on ROG.

Do not assume that all the optimizations are UEFI based. They are not - the layer count and routing comes into play as well (as does MRC which can change, but that's up to Intel, not us). The fact you asked for a UEFI update initially suggests you think this can be cured solely via UEFI - too many factors to assume its just that. Your usage scenario is suited to ROG, so that's what you should be using.

There you go, it's out in the open without needing winks.

-Raja

[XBrytanX]

Don't worry about the " wink" Raja ..I just provided you with some info on the modules in question and was trying to be helpful here ,I found you response .."plus understand IO variance between platforms without thinking you are being treated like a mushroom .." to be little unprofessional and funny at the same time .

I think most of those kits were out long before Haswell if my memory serves me correctly (excuse pun)

-as you can see in my previous post they are not ,I tested old BBSE on Pro and they boot XMP np
Heave a great day Sir

[Raja@ASUS]

That's BBSE Bryan, does not mean everything works the same way. A certain variant of Samsung is old and it does not. BBSE just happens to sit well with the ability of the current Intel IMCs to swing voltage over the signal lines.

Maybe you find me saying that condescending, but I don't think you know everything that goes on with DRAM and the stuff we have to do. That might not satiate you, and of course you're going to keep thinking I'm on some kind of cover up no matter what I post.

I am a shoot from hip guy as you have found out. I don't like posting stuff that has smarmy connotations or subterfuge.

-Raja

[XBrytanX]

That's BBSE Bryan, does not mean everything works the same way. A certain variant of Samsung is old and it does not. BBSE just happens to sit well with the ability of the current Intel IMCs to swing voltage over the signal lines.

Maybe you find me saying that condescending, but I don't think you know everything that goes on with DRAM and the stuff we have to do. That might not satiate you, and of course you're going to keep thinking I'm on some kind of cover up no matter what I post.

I am a shoot from hip guy as you have found out. I don't like posting stuff that has smarmy connotations or subterfuge.

-Raja

Now if it's performance oriented clocking you want, then yes go for the ROG boards as that is what they are made for. If you knew this in the first place, you would have waited. The mainstream boards are engineered for mainstream overclocking use.

I'm not trying to OC anything ,this is not the reason I posted here in the first place and that's exactly why I keep mentioning XMP on modern RAM widely available now days

I am a shoot from hip guy as you have found out. I don't like posting stuff that has smarmy connotations or subterfuge.

I don't really care what you like ,I'm end user trying to post in "ASUS Z87 Motherboards - Overview, Guides and Official Support" thread ...take a chill pill

EDIT; you don't really want to know what I found out

[Raja@ASUS]

An XMP profile of DDR3-2400 is not stock, it is overclocked. Overclocking is not guaranteed. On top of that, when you purchased the DIMMs is only relevant if they were solely binned on the Z87 platform. Most vendors have had the same kits out for some time - IB period. Kits can be in the market for quite some time. And nobody guarantees XMP at high frequency will work with every combination of parts. Thats why vendors have lists of which boards the kits were qualified on (GSKill do with their kits and its for a reason).

I am not angry, do not worry.

[Fosco]

Hero with Team Xtreem LV 2666 testing.



Uploaded with ImageShack.us

[Raja@ASUS]

Nice

[XBrytanX]

Gskill 2666c11 ds CFR on Pro (1.65v) but no ssMFR


XMP +tWCL8

I am not angry, do not worry

<---

and some IC types don't like it at all (old Samsung)

[Raja@ASUS]

Glad it made you laugh Brytan. I guess you needed to unwind and that's always a good thing


PS. DDR3-2400 is easy. Try early Samsung past DDR3-2666 on this platform and watch it lock up like Elpida Hypers in Hyper Pi when running 4 DIMM. Shammy and I both tried tuning that stuff for more but it wouldn't hit IB speeds.

[XBrytanX]

Glad it made you laugh Brytan. I guess you needed to unwind and that's always a good thing


PS. DDR3-2400 is easy. Try early Samsung past DDR3-2666 on this platform and watch it lock up like Elpida Hypers in Hyper Pi when running 4 DIMM. Shammy and I both tried tuning that stuff for more but it wouldn't hit IB speeds.

If you mean "platform" (Pro) -I already mention this ,if you mean platform (Z87) i can come back and show you how they fly on another Z87

[Raja@ASUS]

You might not have same DIMMs we do mate. One of Shammys GSkill kits (X79 ripjaws-z I think from GSkill - quad channel kit) Locks up earlier than IB platform when testing HYPER Pi.


Board layout plays a part as well - I mentioned this earlier. Bottom line is, you're going to have to live with what you got now unless Intel changes the MRC and it somehow helps you with your kits