Asus ROG Strix Gaming-F - Issues w/ RAM configurations

[Dread13]

Hello guys,

Just built my new z690 PC (12700k, Trident Z5 6000 36CL, Asus Z690-F). As many pointed out with other motherboards, I am unable to run a dual channel config, only being able to slot it 2 sticks in B1/B2 slots. If I try to use any of the other ones, it will not post. Also, the memory speeds will not go higher than 4800, even using XMP (which, btw, is unstable af). I am using the latest BIOS version (0811), did anyone else with the same motherboard as me managed to get dual channel, XMP II stable?

I am thinking about returning the motherboard (and maybe the Intel CPU as well) and get new ones in case those are defective. I have the feeling that the RAM is not defective. Did anyone get a new mobo and managed to run it flawless? I tried many things, from reseating the CPU, to getting the AIO pump less tigthen to alleviate presure just in case that was bringing any strange behaviour, while also checking if the PINs were bent or sth. Nothing helped.

[SioryEdge]

I got the Strix-F with some Trident Z5 5600C36. For me on a 12900k and starting the build directly with bios 811, it worked right away at both XMP1 and XMP2, passing TestMem5 Anta777-Extreme on both profiles with the sticks in A2 and B2 as recommended. I was also able to further tune it to 6000C34 and some tighter timings across the board at 1.325v VDD/Q/QTX.

[Chainbold]

Dread13 wrote:
Hello guys,

Just built my new z690 PC (12700k, Trident Z5 6000 36CL, Asus Z690-F). As many pointed out with other motherboards, I am unable to run a dual channel config, only being able to slot it 2 sticks in B1/B2 slots. If I try to use any of the other ones, it will not post. Also, the memory speeds will not go higher than 4800, even using XMP (which, btw, is unstable af). I am using the latest BIOS version (0811), did anyone else with the same motherboard as me managed to get dual channel, XMP II stable?.

I had exactly the same issue: My Z690-F would not post with a module in A1 or A1. It posted only with one or both modules in either of the B sockets. I asked the vendor to change the memory, this did not help. After trying for days, I eventually returned the motherboard, got a new Z690-F, and suddenly it worked. I still do not understand what is / was the reason. But given that we have tons of reports here about problems DDR5 modules running in A + B combined channels, I would not be surprised that there is an underlying hardware issue related to the way how the Z690 chipset is implemented on the motherboards.

By the way: You DO run your memory in dual channel config, even when they are in B1/B2. For the simple reason that a single DDR5 module (unlike DDR4) is already running in dual channel mode. It's implemented on a single module by the DDR5 architecture. However, combining A + B channel, will allow you to run in quad mode.

[Dread13]

Chainbold wrote:
I had exactly the same issue: My Z690-F would not post with a module in A1 or A1. It posted only with one or both modules in either of the B sockets. I asked the vendor to change the memory, this did not help. After trying for days, I eventually returned the motherboard, got a new Z690-F, and suddenly it worked. I still do not understand what is / was the reason. But given that we have tons of reports here about problems DDR5 modules running in A + B combined channels, I would not be surprised that there is an underlying hardware issue related to the way how the Z690 chipset is implemented on the motherboards.

By the way: You DO run your memory in dual channel config, even when they are in B1/B2. For the simple reason that a single DDR5 module (unlike DDR4) is already running in dual channel mode. It's implemented on a single module by the DDR5 architecture. However, combining A + B channel, will allow you to run in quad mode.

Just ordered a replacement, will keep this post updated with what I find. THanks for the answer Chainbold 🙂 And yes, I know the new DDR5 are actually dual channel, but I was refering to that quad mode 🙂 Have a nice day!

[Chainbold]

Dread13 wrote:
Just ordered a replacement, will keep this post updated with what I find. THanks for the answer Chainbold 🙂 And yes, I know the new DDR5 are actually dual channel, but I was refering to that quad mode 🙂 Have a nice day!

Will be interesting to hear how it goes. In my case, after 2 frustrating weeks, I'm now very happy with my Z690-F and DDR5. Once you get it running, performance is outstanding.

[Dread13]

Chainbold wrote:
Will be interesting to hear how it goes. In my case, after 2 frustrating weeks, I'm now very happy with my Z690-F and DDR5. Once you get it running, performance is outstanding.

Got the new motherboard, this one was even worse. Some crappy stuff happened with the VRMs located at the I/O side of the board, making it get hot af. I could even hear some stuff going on there, which led me to immediately disconnect the pc. I tried to remove the heatsink from the CPU, which lead me to burn my finger with the temperature of the SCREWS close to the VRM heatsink 😐 some insane design malfunction is going on with the Asus STRIX lineup of mobo this generation. I am returning my entire z690 kit (RAM+MOBO+CPU) to my provider so they test them and try to find me a good combo that properly works.

Quite dissapointed on Asus tbh... just to be clear, my PSU is top of the line: RM850i, so nope, no issues with that.

[Sebas-blue]

Dread13 wrote:
Got the new motherboard, this one was even worse. Some crappy stuff happened with the VRMs located at the I/O side of the board, making it get hot af. I could even hear some stuff going on there, which led me to immediately disconnect the pc. I tried to remove the heatsink from the CPU, which lead me to burn my finger with the temperature of the SCREWS close to the VRM heatsink 😐 some insane design malfunction is going on with the Asus STRIX lineup of mobo this generation. I am returning my entire z690 kit (RAM+MOBO+CPU) to my provider so they test them and try to find me a good combo that properly works.

Quite dissapointed on Asus tbh... just to be clear, my PSU is top of the line: RM850i, so nope, no issues with that.

Yikes, sorry to hear the replacement didn’t work well for you either. I was in an almost identical situation with the ROG Strix z690 gaming F model I got (12900K, Trident Z 5600 MHZ CL36, RM850, 980 NVMe) except I couldn’t get mine to post and the q-led light was orange (dram). Unlike you, plugging the ram into B slots did not work. I found later through some more troubleshooting that the sticker label which says the bios the mobo shipped with was 0403 which doesn’t make sense given the earliest bios is 070X :(. Regardless I tried flashing the bios with the usb function to no avail so at this point I decided to just return mobo and go with different brand. Best of luck and I hope the issue isn’t the ram!

[Dread13]

Sebas-blue wrote:
Yikes, sorry to hear the replacement didn’t work well for you either. I was in an almost identical situation with the ROG Strix z690 gaming F model I got (12900K, Trident Z 5600 MHZ CL36, RM850, 980 NVMe) except I couldn’t get mine to post and the q-led light was orange (dram). Unlike you, plugging the ram into B slots did not work. I found later through some more troubleshooting that the sticker label which says the bios the mobo shipped with was 0403 which doesn’t make sense given the earliest bios is 070X :(. Regardless I tried flashing the bios with the usb function to no avail so at this point I decided to just return mobo and go with different brand. Best of luck and I hope the issue isn’t the ram!

That's even worse than my situation... it even looks like the issue is specific of the gaming-f 😐 still, it looks like a defective board as well. I returned all the components, we will see if the provider is able to find a solution or which of the components is/are defective. Will keep this updated with useful information when I know more!

[SioryEdge]

The Z590 Strix-A I got last generation had one of the screws for the top edge VRM heatsink missing entirely and the other was screwed in at an extreme angle leaving the whole heatsink both obviously loose and very crooked. I was able to fix it myself and it worked fine after that but I have no idea how the original could have gotten through assembly QC. The problems don't seem limited to just Z690.

These days, even when buying ostensibly premium Asus stuff, I go through and manually check those things before building a new system. Sad but that seems to be where the industry is at.

[Chainbold]

Sebas-blue wrote:
Yikes, sorry to hear the replacement didn’t work well for you either. I was in an almost identical situation with the ROG Strix z690 gaming F model I got (12900K, Trident Z 5600 MHZ CL36, RM850, 980 NVMe) except I couldn’t get mine to post and the q-led light was orange (dram). Unlike you, plugging the ram into B slots did not work. I found later through some more troubleshooting that the sticker label which says the bios the mobo shipped with was 0403 which doesn’t make sense given the earliest bios is 070X :(. Regardless I tried flashing the bios with the usb function to no avail so at this point I decided to just return mobo and go with different brand. Best of luck and I hope the issue isn’t the ram!

hmmm, you are now the 3rd (or4th) 690-F owner on this forum reporting exactly the same problem: The memory modules (2 x 16 GB) seem not to work with the 690-F, either not in the required A2+B2 configuration, or not at all. In my case, it only worked after changing the board. It seems not the memory is at fault, but there is a problem with the board.

I think, I was the first one reporting the issue on this forum at the end of November:

https://rog.asus.com/forum/showthread.php?126711-Bundled-DDR5-modules-not-working-with-Strix-Z690-F&...

Although my system is now working very well, I still have the feeling something is not right in this regard.