***Asus Rampage III Extreme Owners Thread***

[fmsam]

Very similar setup to mine,
all you have to decide is weather to run the C300 on the Marvel or the ICH10R !
still not sure if a recent bios update has boosted the Marvell's performance, currently I have 2 C300s on the ICH10R and run 3 x Hanns-G HG 281s in 2D surround 6200 x 1200.
asked the question earlier on this page but no reply as yet.

[CryptiK]

Yes we are talking about the same thing. I'm WCed using the same block and loop arrangement as you. Using an Obsian 800d case (air flow sucks) so I do have a fan that is blowing cold air into the case inside of sucking out as per original design, running PWM at 500 as 1000 didn't seem to buy me anything.
Water temp in the loop is 30c at its hottest.
Glad you found the source of your boot problem! They sure don't make boards like they used to!! Recently put together five crunchers for WCG and ended up RMAing two boards, both GB's within 2 months of install.

Well this is a kick in the nuts. Got a replacement board and its doing the exact same thing as the first!

There must be some kind of incompatibility going on between the board and I think my ram kits. The board detects 2/4/6GB depending on the moment. Cleaned all the contacts, socket, ram and ram sockets with contact cleaner. Changed everything I can think of in BIOS and nothing helps. This is insane. My kits (Dominator GT 2000C8 Hypers and GSkill Trident 2000CL9) are common kits. The Tridents in 2x4GB form are on the QVL for this board.

I have a W3570 and it even plays up with my 920! No way is the board incompatible with those CPU's especially the 920. It recognises them both on POST, just have this incessant cold boot issue, and if it does manage to POST it's usually not with 6GB. If it does manage to POST and detect 6GB, it can't load windows!

Think this board will have to go back and I'll go to another brand

[skuldarin]

try running the mem with the secondary timing 1 higher than 1st and 3rd IE = 8-9-8-blah blah blah

something to do with it not liking 4.3+ on the CPU and 2000mhz on mem without having to do that with the timing it seems. i tried at getting the 2000 mark with 12gig @ 6x 2gig chips. at first i thought it was just a matter of voltage and IMC on the CPU but as soon as i loosen just that one specific timing it alows me to do 4.5+ with about 1950mhz on the mem (can't seem to get higher than that with the quantity of chips i use).

it's worth a shot if you haven't tried it yet. this board is real damn touchy i've come to find. right now i can't seem to do higher than 4.4 @ 1866 CL7 (7-8-7) mainly due to heat issues (i think i may have too much paste). i can hit 4.5 but i just don't feel like having full loads at 90c across the board on a WC'd 980X with a koolance CPU-360+MCP655+1/2" ID tube+9x120 double thickness rad... which again, leads me to believe it's paste issue or too much / little torque on the block.

[CryptiK]

Ram timings don't help that was one of if not the first thing I tried. This issue can be slightly altered by not even close to cured by adjusting any of the BIOS settings in 2 boards now.

Are there any known incompatibility issues with:


Dominator GT 2000C8 kit:

CMG6GX3M3A2000C8

GSkill Trident kit:

F3-16000CL9T-6GBTD

CPU's:

Xeon W3570
i7 920 D0

on the Rampage III Extreme?

[Raja@ASUS]

Ram timings don't help that was one of if not the first thing I tried. This issue can be slightly altered by not even close to cured by adjusting any of the BIOS settings in 2 boards now.

Are there any known incompatibility issues with:


Dominator GT 2000C8 kit:

CMG6GX3M3A2000C8

GSkill Trident kit:

F3-16000CL9T-6GBTD

CPU's:

Xeon W3570
i7 920 D0

on the Rampage III Extreme?

The board does select a tRL that's too tight at times (this is set behind the scenes and generically i think it's offset with tWR). I have reported this back to ASUS, but I'm not sure if they are working on it.

[CryptiK]

It's so weird Raju. I have replicated the exact same issue on a totally new board now. Ive verified all the gear works on another board. Ive tried numerous brands/types of all hardware.

Seems the cold boot issue is common, many people posting about it over on the Asus forums.

I am still testing this, but it seems so far (4 times) that I can set up the PC, boot and pass stability tests etc, turn it off but not turn off the PSU or wall socket, then it will just boot up again normally and pass tests again. This board actually seems a bit better than my last as I remember it had issues doing that too but I am now exclusively using my Corsair Dominator CMG6GX3M3A2000C8 (3x2GB) kit.

[Raja@ASUS]

I'll let you know if I find anything else out.

[MagisD]

I Couldn't even get that set to post off stock setting when running it on a d940. Aka 1066 just swapped my processor to a i970 and its defaulted at 1333. Haven't messed with it more due it being my work comp and i need it up and stable atm.

Sent from my X10a using Tapatalk

[CryptiK]

I'll let you know if I find anything else out.

Thanks, I'll keep the thread updated as I work through this.

I Couldn't even get that set to post off stock setting when running it on a d940. Aka 1066 just swapped my processor to a i970 and its defaulted at 1333. Haven't messed with it more due it being my work comp and i need it up and stable atm.

Sent from my X10a using Tapatalk

You have the 2000 8-9-8-X kit though with PSC IC's, I have the 8-8-8-24 kit with Hyper IC's, so slightly different there.

People have reported this board is just so much better with Gulftowns, which is very unfortunate.

[donmarkoni]

@CryptiK

BTW, which BIOS are you using?

[spoolindsm127]

Ram timings don't help that was one of if not the first thing I tried. This issue can be slightly altered by not even close to cured by adjusting any of the BIOS settings in 2 boards now.

Are there any known incompatibility issues with:


Dominator GT 2000C8 kit:

CMG6GX3M3A2000C8

GSkill Trident kit:

F3-16000CL9T-6GBTD

CPU's:

Xeon W3570
i7 920 D0

on the Rampage III Extreme?

I run the exact same Corsair Dominator GT kit.

No problems here.

I say you try an official bios and try setting RTLs manually. The only time I have detection issues is when RTLs are too tight.

Good luck tho

[Xel_NaGa]

Last night I started working on finding out my max blck. got to 220 with qpi at 1.2v and IOH core at 1.25v. increasing the QPI doesnt seem to help guess I need to bump up the IOH a bit more now.

[spoolindsm127]

Has anyone messed with the Extreme OV option?

I recently Enabled it and noticed some extra settings appear: QPI, IOH, DRAM Voltage OCP and QPI, IOH, and DRAM PWM Frequency. Does anyone know what the settings for PWM Frequency mean? They are AUTO, 1x, 1.33x. Are the settings in relation to CPU PWM Frequency?

I have recently seen users mentioning they use a lower setting for CPU PWM Frequency so I thought I'd lower PWM Freq. for QPI, IOH, and DRAM also.

[l0ud_sil3nc3]

@ Cryptik

I have run the exact same kit (Corsair Dominator GT 2000 8-8-8-24) on that board with no problem and the only time I would get memory missing (usually drops a channel to dual instead of triple), it was due to an unstable overclock, but in your case I see that you have tried multiple boards, chips and sticks of ram.

[Xel_NaGa]

Last night I started working on finding out my max blck. got to 220 with qpi at 1.2v and IOH core at 1.25v. increasing the QPI doesnt seem to help guess I need to bump up the IOH a bit more now.

I'm trying to go beyond 220 blck anyone have any pointers for this board? I've tried raising PCIE to 105 and upping my IOH

[CryptiK]

@CryptiK

BTW, which BIOS are you using?

I have tried them all from 0402 to 1102, even some betas. 0402 seems to be the best and is working ok but I cannot cold boot or it hangs, fails to detect all ram etc.

I run the exact same Corsair Dominator GT kit.

No problems here.

I say you try an official bios and try setting RTLs manually. The only time I have detection issues is when RTLs are too tight.

Good luck tho

Tried all official BIOS. Tried setting all ram timings manually too. No change, in fact setting ram timings manually can actually make it hang more than leaving them on auto.

Has anyone messed with the Extreme OV option?

I recently Enabled it and noticed some extra settings appear: QPI, IOH, DRAM Voltage OCP and QPI, IOH, and DRAM PWM Frequency. Does anyone know what the settings for PWM Frequency mean? They are AUTO, 1x, 1.33x. Are the settings in relation to CPU PWM Frequency?

I have recently seen users mentioning they use a lower setting for CPU PWM Frequency so I thought I'd lower PWM Freq. for QPI, IOH, and DRAM also.

Interesting, I hadn't enabled it. The settings tie in with the setting of higher voltages - the OCP settings give some semblance of protection of the circuit and components. The PWM frequency when raised above stock can reduce transient response and may give some benefit in OC but also produces more heat since the mosfets are switching on and off faster (1KHz = 1 thousand cycles a second) so setting this to a moderate value is a good compromise between heat production and performance.

@ Cryptik

I have run the exact same kit (Corsair Dominator GT 2000 8-8-8-24) on that board with no problem and the only time I would get memory missing (usually drops a channel to dual instead of triple), it was due to an unstable overclock, but in your case I see that you have tried multiple boards, chips and sticks of ram.

Yeah I have seen others with the same kit too, that's one of the reasons I'm so confused. I cannot understand why my kit, which works fine on a UD5 with my W3570 just won't play ball when in the R3E with the same CPU. I think it must be a BIOS issue, as I have tried multiple components (CPU/VGA/PSU/HDD) and the problem is the same. I do only have one other triple channel kit which is the GSkill Tridents 2000C9's and these are even less stable than the Corsair 2000C8 kit, however the Tridents (the 2x2GB kit) is on the Asus QVL for this board! Makes no sense.

Seems to be some weird CPU/ram interaction going on with this board, as people have said as soon as they dropped in a 980X they went from no POST to full stability with the same kit of ram. WTF has Asus done with this board. Some people have even reported certain batches of CPU seem to have incompatibility issues ie: my 920 and my W3570 don't work with a kit of ram other people have used and say is fine. Sucks because both my CPU's are week 47 and 49 gem batches.

I'm trying to go beyond 220 blck anyone have any pointers for this board? I've tried raising PCIE to 105 and upping my IOH

Increase PCI-E freq to 110-115, increase vIOH to ~1.30v and increase Vtt to ~1.4250 BIOS and see how far you can get.

[Xel_NaGa]

Increase PCI-E freq to 110-115, increase vIOH to ~1.30v and increase Vtt to ~1.4250 BIOS and see how far you can get.

what would be an unsafe voltage for 24/7 on a 980x as far as QPI goes.

[l0ud_sil3nc3]

I would be led to believe it is a board issue as you were having no problems with said hardware before the board upgrade, and when I had my R3E I ran nothing but bloomfield chips with no problems (except for the low bclk issue) and usually the R3E required less voltage than my UD7. Regardless I hope you get this issue figured out as it sucks having new hardware that doesn't work properly.

[l0ud_sil3nc3]

what would be an unsafe voltage for 24/7 on a 980x as far as QPI goes.

I would try to keep it a touch below 1.4 if you can, I always ran 1.34 for 1720 6-6-6-18, but if you are going to run the memory at 2000+ you are going to need closer to 1.4-1.45

[kaka_89]

guys, is it safe to run QPI/DramV=1.4125v 24/7..?..

[CryptiK]

Its real voltage not BIOS set voltage you need to worry about, if you have Vtt LLC enabled, you are a bit over intel spec, but if you dont have it enabled you would be about right on it. Most guys would say that's ok, its a bit high for me personally, but really your call. Anything over intel spec no one can say for sure is safe.

[Raja@ASUS]

guys, is it safe to run QPI/DramV=1.4125v 24/7..?..

Real load voltage will be in the region of 1.32V without LLC, which most people deem safe.

[Xel_NaGa]

So I was reading up on CPU PLL, I can boot with 4.6 - 5g with anything from 1.45 vcore. now when I run Linx , the Linx process crashes but the os continues.... I've tried raising the vcore all the way to 1.55 and it doesn't seem to help. It only seems to make it worse by raising the temps near 100c on full load and risks a bsod. My CPU PLL is at 1.8 and for the heck of it I've tried setting it to 1.3... My question is... Could cpu PLL Be an issue here? From what I read CPU PLL isn't a lower it for better results kinda thing more like a sweet spot kind of thing... Is there a best way to tune out the CPU PLL?

Thanks for all the pointers guys



******other settings*******
I've set my memory, qpi, and uncore to the lowest speed to rule them out

Qpi is set to 1.42v ( stable @ 1.25v. 1950 mem 3900qpi 15x multi 220 bclk)
Iohc set to 1.25v ( stable @ 1.25v. 1950 mem 3900qpi 15x multi 220 bclk)
Dram set to 1.65v 8-9-8-24 (stable @ 1.25v. 1950 mem 3900qpi 15x multi)

[donmarkoni]

I'm trying to go beyond 220 blck anyone have any pointers for this board? I've tried raising PCIE to 105 and upping my IOH

Check this out, and this.
Key is high PCI-E freq and high IOH Core V.

guys, is it safe to run QPI/DramV=1.4125v 24/7..?..

Some will say it isn't, but I say it is. I run my at 1.4375V QPI LLC Enabled.

So I was reading up on CPU PLL, I can boot with 4.6 - 5g with anything from 1.45 vcore. now when I run Linx , the Linx process crashes but the os continues.... I've tried raising the vcore all the way to 1.55 and it doesn't seem to help. It only seems to make it worse by raising the temps near 100c on full load and risks a bsod. My CPU PLL is at 1.8 and for the heck of it I've tried setting it to 1.3... My question is... Could cpu PLL Be an issue here? From what I read CPU PLL isn't a lower it for better results kinda thing more like a sweet spot kind of thing... Is there a best way to tune out the CPU PLL?

You could say CPU PLL needs to be on sweet spot and I would agree. I use 1.35V for 980X, but for 970 I was using 1.2V. No way of finding it, but trial and error.
BTW, don't drop everything to lowest possible, just use known stable settings, and try to avoid lowest UnCore multi, very unstable for me.

[zoson]

BIOS 0404 released March 14, 2011
http://dlcdnet.asus.com/pub/ASUS/mb/...-ASUS-0404.zip
Found on asus r3be vip forum.

It has updated firmware for intel/marvell controllers!
No idea if it works for r3e tho.