ROG ASUS Z490-I Strix has issues!

[corneliusV1999]

System only stable with one DIMM installed, doesn't matter which RAM stick I use and doesn't matter which slot I use.
System unstable at XMP speeds, no matter how much I try to play with the BIOS settings. Have tried replacing RAM and PSU.

10700k, win10 64 bit, corsair RM 850x

A bunch of other people have experienced the same issue, and the only fix is to buy a different brand motherboard:

https://www.reddit.com/r/intel/comments/gvomjz/anyone_using_32gb_2ea_drams_on_z490_board_lga/
https://rog.asus.com/forum/showthread.php?118622-ROG-STRIX-Z490-I-GAMING-cannot-boot-with-32GB-x-2-R...
https://linustechtips.com/main/topic/1202569-10900k-asus-z490-itx-32gb-2-lots-of-trouble/?tab=commen...
https://www.reddit.com/r/intel/comments/grqh8q/im_getting_occasional_bsods_and_failed_xtu_cpu/
https://www.reddit.com/r/intel/comments/gvomjz/anyone_using_32gb_2ea_drams_on_z490_board_lga/ftnlq8a...

Hoping I can get attention from someone from ASUS here! Asus support has been very unhelpful!
Help please!

[Sarum]

are there any version codes to the newer second generation Z490-I MB?
reason im asking is i have tried everything, bought several sets of ram.. still crashes with both sticks installed..
im ready to RMA this board, but i cant afford to be without it for any length of time..

but i cant keep it running like this, was REALLY hoping a bios update would come and fix this but now it seems people are saying its a defective board..
im thinking, buy a new Board (making sure its Ver2) and RMA'ing my board now, and when new one comes ebay it.. not sure what else to do

Z490-I gaming
10900k cpu
G.Skill DDR4 4000 2x16 (yes its on the QOL) can only run 1 stick
GeFroce 2080 TI video card
Samsung 2TB 970 EVO plus
Bios 704

[eLainevLx]

I thought i was crazy when i was getting these boot loops... W/ 10900k, 64gb xmp1 corsair dominator & extreme

The only thing that helped me was going to 1000w psu ... and that was only after pulling out my thunderbolt card*

[Inzaghi]

Just wondering if there are any updates from the dev/engineering team at ASUS. It almost feels like this thread/issue has been forgotten about?

I've RMA'd my board back but I'm concerned if its gets replaced I may have the same issue re-occur with the replacement... and By Jingo that would suck.

Has anyone got any ideas what the cause of this fault is outside of knowing its motherboard related? Would it be better to just get a refund or go to a different Z490-I miniITX branded board?

[MecherKane]

Really hope your RMA fix the problem, please let us know the result. Most people on the internet said that they fix this issue by changing to other brand....

No date, no plan, no info, no reply, it is ROG experience.......

RMA is not easy to me, I live in a small city, even if I can make the shop accept my RMA, the replacement may come from same batch of stock.....

Selling it is no an option.....because I still don't 100% sure it's the memory or the board issue.
Buying new memory also no an option......since some people said QVL memory also have issue.
So the only thing I can do is keep the memory running at 2400 and visit this forum and official site everyday to see if there any update.......until I think its' time to spend more money to shift to other brand to fix this issue!

Inzaghi wrote:
Just wondering if there are any updates from the dev/engineering team at ASUS. It almost feels like this thread/issue has been forgotten about?

I've RMA'd my board back but I'm concerned if its gets replaced I may have the same issue re-occur with the replacement... and By Jingo that would suck.

Has anyone got any ideas what the cause of this fault is outside of knowing its motherboard related? Would it be better to just get a refund or go to a different Z490-I miniITX branded board?

[morello1n]

Similar... RMA would be a lot of hassle, especially with WFH having me use my PC for more than just recreation every day. I did specifically purchase the ASUS ITX for some of its features like dual M.2 heatsink on the front, which is actually a unique feature compared to the other brands...

I stilll am getting reasonable performance now. It's not even once a day, maybe 3-5 times per week I'll get a single crash. Interestingly enough, they often occur overnight. I wonder if power profiles or C states have anything to do with it...?

[Inzaghi]

Hey all,

So I RMA'd my board back, with CPU & RAM so the vendor could test and determine the cause of the fault (3-4 weeks later).

They tested and advise the issue was with the RAM. They send the same Z490-I board back with cpu and a new set of replacement RAM.

Within 5 mins of testing the new RAM the random reboots occurred while XMP was enabled.

So I decided to test and isolate further and here are my results:

Issue with motherboard/memory controller. Specifically when using XMP in dual channel configuration.

Test results below:

Test 1: RAM Kit (64gb) in Dual Channel with XMP off.
- Performed x5 AIDA64 Cache & Memory Benchmark.
- Result = No failures and completed all 5 benchmarks.

Test 2: RAM Kit (64gb) in Dual Channel with XMP @3200 enabled.
- Performed x5 AIDA64 Cache & Memory Benchmark.
- Results = Failed every benchmark and caused the pc to restart at random points of the benchmark.

Test 3: 1st memory stick (32gb) placed in Single Channel on Primary DIMM Slot with XMP @3200 enabled.
- Performed x5 AIDA64 Cache & Memory Benchmark.
- Result = No failures and completed all 5 benchmarks.

Test 4: 1st memory stick (32gb) placed in Single Channel on Secondary DIMM Slot with XMP @3200 enabled.
- Performed x5 AIDA64 Cache & Memory Benchmark.
- Result = No failures and completed all 5 benchmarks.

Test 5: 2nd memory stick (32gb) placed in Single Channel on Primary DIMM Slot with XMP @3200 enabled.
- Performed x5 AIDA64 Cache & Memory Benchmark.
- Result = No failures and completed all 5 benchmarks.

Test 6: 2nd memory stick (32gb) placed in Single Channel on Secondary Dimm Slot with XMP @3200 enabled.
- Performed x5 AIDA64 Cache & Memory Benchmark.
Result = No failures and completed all 5 benchmarks.

Based on the above result it looks like it is a problem with the motherboard memory controller running XMP in dual channel configuration as the fault does not occur in single channel isolate for each memory stick on each dimm slot.

I also did System Stability Testing in AIDA64 with the above test scenarios and the results were the same.

The Cache & Memory Benchmark shows immediate validation of the fault when running the RAM Kit (64gb) in Dual Channel with XMP @3200 enabled.

I have spoke again to the supplier and they have asked for all 3 components to be sent back again for further testing. They have advised the issue is still RAM and the RAM not being on QVL. They have also advised that 2x32GB kits are relativity new and there are many compatibility issues with them. They are going to test with different 2x32gb kits on QVL and see what works. I have my doubts on this and I suspect they will get the same issue regardless of kit as it does appear to be a memory controller/dual channel issue with XMP on from the above test results.

Out of interest RAM kit I'm using is Corsair Vengeance LPX 64GB (2x32GB) 3200MHz CL16 DDR4 (CMK64GX4M2E3200C16) for anyone that wants to know.

Looks like I'm without a computer again for another 3-4 weeks.

[Sarum]

Inzaghi wrote:
Hey all,

So I RMA'd my board back, with CPU & RAM so the vendor could test and determine the cause of the fault (3-4 weeks later)........

........I have spoke again to the supplier and they have asked for all 3 components to be sent back again for further testing. They have advised the issue is still RAM and the RAM not being on QVL. They have also advised that 2x32GB kits are relativity new and there are many compatibility issues with them. They are going to test with different 2x32gb kits on QVL and see what works. I have my doubts on this and I suspect they will get the same issue regardless of kit as it does appear to be a memory controller/dual channel issue with XMP on from the above test results.

Out of interest RAM kit I'm using is Corsair Vengeance LPX 64GB (2x32GB) 3200MHz CL16 DDR4 (CMK64GX4M2E3200C16) for anyone that wants to know.

Looks like I'm without a computer again for another 3-4 weeks.

i have exact same results as you, currently im running 1 side of my DIMM slot from 2x16gb 4000
the computer store i bought it from (Canada Computers) have had it in 3 times and fisrt 2 times they also said it was ram and sold me different ram (no exchanges or refunds on ram) so now i have 3 different kits of 2 x 16 gb ram collecting dust..

i cant afford to be without my computer for a day, let alone a month...
im kinda screwed unless i go with a gigabit itx board

[MecherKane]

It seem that Asus abandon z490i or intel 10 gen board, they don't have enough memory test before launch to the market. ROG Z490-i QVL is a joke, I compared it with ROG X570i QVL, it have much more ram listed, for example, G.skill 3600, Z490i have only 4 listed, but x570i have over 40 ram listed......

Still waiting for the next BIOS non-beta update, if next update cannot solve the issue, I will change to other brand.....and I suggested this to everyone who have the same issue.:mad:

[Sarum]

MecherKane wrote:
It seem that Asus abandon z490i or intel 10 gen board, they don't have enough memory test before launch to the market. ROG Z490-i QVL is a joke, I compared it with ROG X570i QVL, it have much more ram listed, for example, G.skill 3600, Z490i have only 4 listed, but x570i have over 40 ram listed......

Still waiting for the next BIOS non-beta update, if next update cannot solve the issue, I will change to other brand.....and I suggested this to everyone who have the same issue.:mad:

QVL ram is not the problem, all 3 ram sets i have are listed on Z490-i QVL.. and all three do not work
Bios has not been updated in over 2 months...

im thinking its not high priorety for ASUS or they dont have manpower to properly address this, tyhis also may be due to COVID issues
eventually i have no doubt it will be fixed, just not for a long while, and i can no longer afford to wait.

im going to be moving toward the gigabit 10th gen ITX board.. anyone have any other suggestions?

[MecherKane]

Sarum wrote:
QVL ram is not the problem, all 3 ram sets i have are listed on Z490-i QVL.. and all three do not work
Bios has not been updated in over 2 months...

im thinking its not high priorety for ASUS or they dont have manpower to properly address this, tyhis also may be due to COVID issues
eventually i have no doubt it will be fixed, just not for a long while, and i can no longer afford to wait.

im going to be moving toward the gigabit 10th gen ITX board.. anyone have any other suggestions?

I also think it not related to QVL, but I only have Ram out of QVL, so what I can say is they don't have enough test before launch...

I read almost all thread about asus z490i xmp issue on the internet, still not sure its the bios issue or the broad have fault, many of them tested their memory can run high frequency when plug only one slot and pass the stress test, but fail at dual slot, and there still not information come from ASUS since the Ram issue was posted a month ago

M and G brand both have 10 layer pcb and 8 phrase, I prefer M brand as it bios seem more promising but it don't RGB;)