ASUS Maximus Formula SE

[Majoram]

THANK YOU, at least I'm not the only one, I thought I had the worst luck in the world. I have 2 new sticks to try tonight, as long as 1 is ok I'll be in decent shape until the Ballistix come back. (I have 1 good stick from the last batch that tests ok, it just needs a friend now)

Anyone else with weird Memtest errors? Does your RAM like more / less volts than they're rated for at stock speeds?

Maybe this BIOS is just too immature...

I didn't bother testing one stick at a time since my sticks came in pairs and to RMA I would have to return both anyway.

Just FYI, I would get errors in tests 5, 6, 7, 8.
Sometimes it was just one or two of those tests or all of them.

I didn't try upping the voltage though. All I did was leave the BIOS at it's default settings and then try the RAM.

I don't see why the voltage would cause a problem as both the OCZ and Ballistix I have are the same timings and same PC2 8500 yet OCZ pair works just fine.

I am having trouble overclocking my Ballsitix 8500 too.

I wasn't overclocking though. I just reset the BIOS and Cleared all the settings and then tried the RAM. No changes except to boot from CD first.

[Scope666]

I didn't bother testing one stick at a time since my sticks came in pairs and to RMA I would have to return both anyway.

Just FYI, I would get errors in tests 5, 6, 7, 8.
Sometimes it was just one or two of those tests or all of them.

I didn't try upping the voltage though. All I did was leave the BIOS at it's default settings and then try the RAM.

I don't see why the voltage would cause a problem as both the OCZ and Ballistix I have are the same timings and same PC2 8500 yet OCZ pair works just fine.



I wasn't overclocking though. I just reset the BIOS and Cleared all the settings and then tried the RAM. No changes except to boot from CD first.

Same here, usually between tests 4 and 5, although one stick was bad enough to show an error immediately. It just seems weird to me that this many sticks are actually bad. I think this board is just REALLY picky about what chips and SPD data are on the sticks.

[kup]

Where are you guys getting your errors on the sticks? I've got 4x1GB sticks in, so 4096MB of ram, but Memtest86+ is reporting errors within the 4200MB-4350MB range? Is that why I'm getting those errors? Because Memtest is attempting to address a location that isn't actually ram? It seems to be the "reserved" area?

[Majoram]

Same here, usually between tests 4 and 5, although one stick was bad enough to show an error immediately. It just seems weird to me that this many sticks are actually bad. I think this board is just REALLY picky about what chips and SPD data are on the sticks.

I've gotten back my RMA'd mobo and RAM.

So far in pairs the Ballistix have had no errors in Memtest86+ after 17 passes for the first pair and for the second pair I only did 3 passes but no errors.

Tested them both at DDR800 and DDR1066 speeds.
Left the DRAM voltage on auto and this is using the 0602 BIOS (previously I was using the 0505 BIOS).

Right now I am testing all 4 sticks in at DDR1066 and when I left home it was on test 8 with no errors so far on the first pass.

Did yours work out okay?

[Scope666]

I've gotten back my RMA'd mobo and RAM.

So far in pairs the Ballistix have had no errors in Memtest86+ after 17 passes for the first pair and for the second pair I only did 3 passes but no errors.

Tested them both at DDR800 and DDR1066 speeds.
Left the DRAM voltage on auto and this is using the 0602 BIOS (previously I was using the 0505 BIOS).

Right now I am testing all 4 sticks in at DDR1066 and when I left home it was on test 8 with no errors so far on the first pass.

Did yours work out okay?

No, I have to RMA it. Did they send you another rev 1.02 board? Just curious. I think I might try another one. I want to like this board, maybe I just had bad luck. BTW, the 5 out of 6 sticks that were testing bad on the Maximus tested fine in the 680i. Weird how the one stick would always test ok on the "bad" Maximus.

Good luck with yours, I hope it behaves this time out. :-)

[Majoram]

No, I have to RMA it. Did they send you another rev 1.02 board? Just curious. I think I might try another one. I want to like this board, maybe I just had bad luck. BTW, the 5 out of 6 sticks that were testing bad on the Maximus tested fine in the 680i. Weird how the one stick would always test ok on the "bad" Maximus.

Good luck with yours, I hope it behaves this time out. :-)

Yeah it was another Rev 1.02. I was secretly hoping there would be another revision but I don't think it exists.

So far, so good with the RAM. I'll then boot into Windows when I get home in the morning and see what happens there.

[Scope666]

I didn't bother testing one stick at a time since my sticks came in pairs and to RMA I would have to return both anyway.

Just FYI, I would get errors in tests 5, 6, 7, 8.
Sometimes it was just one or two of those tests or all of them.

I didn't try upping the voltage though. All I did was leave the BIOS at it's default settings and then try the RAM.

I don't see why the voltage would cause a problem as both the OCZ and Ballistix I have are the same timings and same PC2 8500 yet OCZ pair works just fine.



I wasn't overclocking though. I just reset the BIOS and Cleared all the settings and then tried the RAM. No changes except to boot from CD first.

UPDATE: got home and BOTH SETS of the Corsair XMS2's are failing Memtest
So that's 1 stick out of 6 So either this board HATES this brand of RAM (even
though it's on the QVL) I have incredible bad luck, or there is some setting somewhere that I'm missing. I've tried pretty much everything on auto except for DRAM volts and vCore. I also have transaction booster off from what I've read here. These sticks say 1.9 volts, is that right, my Ballistix were 2.2. Anyone have these, what do you run them at. This is getting nuts!!!

[krifosjen]

Corsair XMS2 Pro 1.9v 6400 working fine here with Maximus.

Ran memtest 2 times - no errors.

Just FYI.

[Scope666]

Corsair XMS2 Pro 1.9v 6400 working fine here with Maximus.

Ran memtest 2 times - no errors.

Just FYI.

maybe my board is bad, either that or this is one hell of a bad batch of RAM. MY board also does this thing sometimes when I hit SAVE AND EXIT from the BIOS, it doesn't restart. It shuts down, than flashes for sec and turns back off. I always have to flip the switch on the power supply to turn it back on.

[Talonman]

When I get up and running, I will report back.

I do have Corsair XMS2 DHX 4GB: 2 X 2GB Modules (DDR2)
XMS2-6400 2048MB 800MHz 5-5-5-18 1.80V ver1.2
(CM2X2048-6400C5DHX)

I baught one 4GB kit. I hope it works ok on my Maximus SE...

I will only have 1 stick in during the initial OS install, until I can apply the Vista 4GB hot fix.
I currently have it in slot 1 (blue).

I hope we find the answer for you too.

[Scope666]

When I get up and running, I will report back.

I do have Corsair XMS2 DHX 4GB: 2 X 2GB Modules (DDR2)
XMS2-6400 2048MB 800MHz 5-5-5-18 1.80V ver1.2
(CM2X2048-6400C5DHX)

I baught one 4GB kit. I hope it works ok on my Maximus SE...

I will only have 1 stick in during the initial OS install, until I can apply the Vista 4GB hot fix.
I currently have it in slot 1 (blue).

I hope we find the answer for you too.

It's going to be a BIG pain in the a$$ but I'm going to bench test with my old 680i board and go through all 5 of the sticks that are testing bad on the Maximus to figure out whether it's the board or just a REALLY bad batch of RAM. I'll report back...

[Talonman]

Thanks for your efforts, and I will be watching.

Keep us posted buddy!

[Scope666]

It's going to be a BIG pain in the a$$ but I'm going to bench test with my old 680i board and go through all 5 of the sticks that are testing bad on the Maximus to figure out whether it's the board or just a REALLY bad batch of RAM. I'll report back...

OK, time for the bad news. I put the 680i back in and started running the "bad" modules through Memtest one at a time, and they are testing OK. SO... looks like the board is bad and has to be RMA'd

I was suspicious also because everytime I hit F10 to save settings in the BIOS, it would just shut down and not start back up again. I would have to turn the Power Supply off and get all the power in the board to drain before I could turn
back on. Even Asus thinks its probably a bad board.

[kimandsally]

UPDATE: got home and BOTH SETS of the Corsair XMS2's are failing Memtest
So that's 1 stick out of 6 So either this board HATES this brand of RAM (even
though it's on the QVL) I have incredible bad luck, or there is some setting somewhere that I'm missing. I've tried pretty much everything on auto except for DRAM volts and vCore. I also have transaction booster off from what I've read here. These sticks say 1.9 volts, is that right, my Ballistix were 2.2. Anyone have these, what do you run them at. This is getting nuts!!!

Please post your timings and voltages so we can see if something stands out.

[Renegade5399]

Scope I think you're experiencing the divider issue. And I doubt memtest will work right on this board.

As for me, I have gotten to 4GHz, 445*9 1.48v Core, 1.63v NB, 1.1 and 1.63 SB volts, 1.8 PLL volts, 1.55 FSB Term volts.

I am having issues with certain dividers as is most everyone else. This is easy to work around, but it would be nice if they fixed it.

Screeshot:



Sorry for the small CPUz font, I run 1600x1200. All temps are good IMO. The RAM does get overvolted by .1 volts, so watch that.

I would also like to add (coming from a 680i) that Loadline Calibration is by far the best feature ever. Sorry nvidia guys, but if you don't need SLI, this board is far superior than the 680i IMO.

[-=j0nnyr0773n=-]

Scope I think you're experiencing the divider issue. And I doubt memtest will work right on this board.

As for me, I have gotten to 4GHz, 445*9 1.48v Core, 1.63v NB, 1.1 and 1.63 SB volts, 1.8 PLL volts, 1.55 FSB Term volts.

I am having issues with certain dividers as is most everyone else. This is easy to work around, but it would be nice if they fixed it.

Are those the lowest stable voltages you have been able to get? Is that much CPU PLL voltage actually necessary? I'd like to get about 420 x 9 since I can't get 450 x 8 to work and I am having issues with 420 x 9 but I think it will be more doable than 450x8. Also, is the the bios setting for cpu pll or the actual bios reading?

[Renegade5399]

Are those the lowest stable voltages you have been able to get? Is that much CPU PLL voltage actually necessary? I'd like to get about 420 x 9 since I can't get 450 x 8 to work and I am having issues with 420 x 9 but I think it will be more doable than 450x8. Also, is the the bios setting for cpu pll or the actual bios reading?

Well that is the lowest CPU voltage stable. The NB Auto set to 1.65 so I set it to 1.63. The PLL is from the hardware monitor reading in the BIOS. I haven't tried lower on that yet.

[Scope666]

Scope I think you're experiencing the divider issue. And I doubt memtest will work right on this board.

As for me, I have gotten to 4GHz, 445*9 1.48v Core, 1.63v NB, 1.1 and 1.63 SB volts, 1.8 PLL volts, 1.55 FSB Term volts.

I am having issues with certain dividers as is most everyone else. This is easy to work around, but it would be nice if they fixed it.


Sorry for the small CPUz font, I run 1600x1200. All temps are good IMO. The RAM does get overvolted by .1 volts, so watch that.

I would also like to add (coming from a 680i) that Loadline Calibration is by far the best feature ever. Sorry nvidia guys, but if you don't need SLI, this board is far superior than the 680i IMO.

I was trying to run 1:1 most of the time. I started at stock 266, also tried 333 and 400. Same thing every time. I'm convinced I got a bad board. The restart issues alone are out of control. I shouldn't have to flip the power off on the power supply to reboot. Not to mention again the 5 out of 6 sticks that tested bad with this board in Memtest86+, Memtest (Windows) and two different versions of Windows Memory Diagnostic, all test fine on the 680i. Even Asus thinks it’s bad, from the restart issues alone. Not sure if I want to try another one or just live with the 680i for now. This board took 4 days of my life that I’ll never get back. ;-)

[Scope666]

I was trying to run 1:1 most of the time. I started at stock 266, also tried 333 and 400. Same thing every time. I'm convinced I got a bad board. The restart issues alone are out of control. I shouldn't have to flip the power off on the power supply to reboot. Not to mention again the 5 out of 6 sticks that tested bad with this board in Memtest86+, Memtest (Windows) and two different versions of Windows Memory Diagnostic, all test fine on the 680i. Even Asus thinks it’s bad, from the restart issues alone. Not sure if I want to try another one or just live with the 680i for now. This board took 4 days of my life that I’ll never get back. ;-)

So I'm trying to decide what to do with the Maximus. I have to RMA it, not sure if I want to try another one or perhaps try another X38 (or even P35) board.

Is it normal for this board to have reboot issues? when you hit F10 to save changes from the bios, does your machine restart the way it's supposed to? Can you do reboots from Vista, Dos, etc?

Also, does Asus or Intel have a utility like nTune or uTune (abit) that allows you to tweak voltages from within Windows? I find this handy when overclocking. Get a stable OCCT run and drop the vcore down .2 volts and try again. Saves A LOT of time as opposed to rebooting EVERY time you tweak something.

Thanks in advance for any advice...