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since 0x129 microcode BIOS update: not stable with XMPII RAM profiles (PRIME95)

Gurgeh
Level 9

 

This is more for general community awareness rather than engaging in fault finding but:

Since applying 0x129 microcode BIOS update 2503 08/08/2024) for ROG Z790E Gaming WiFi (1st edition) with intel 13900K Then with all loaded optimised defaults + XMPII profile (Corsair CMH32GX5M2B6400C36 , 2x16GB sticks) , PRIME 95 blend tests fails very easily/quickly. NB: It has been about a year since I last ran these, but I was thorough back then.

All defaults (no XMP) seems stable running for about 20mins far.

Comments welcome. Speculation welcome. Fix suggestions welcome also (I've not got a clue how to approach RAM config timing issues, however, I may not be doing any testing any time soon)

I'm happy to provide more info and answers questions as and when I can though.

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Accepted Solutions

Gurgeh
Level 9

I'm the Original Poster, and I have an update.

Now that 2503 is no longer listed as a BETA firmware I thought I'd take a fresh look at this.

I did not re-download the firmware just because its not listed as BETA. I take it that if there had been a change they would have given it a new version.

I reapplied the optimised defaults (which I thought I had done) and reapplied just XMPII for my memory, and tested again, and this time it has been thoroughly stable. P95 [torture, with threading, all cores, all AVX left enabled] 30 minutes Large FFTs, 15 small, 15 minutes medium, 30 minutes blend. Cinebench R23 30 minutes. All stable, no errors, no windows hardware error flags (such as monitored by HW monitor).

Now, there is a possibility that this difference is that I'm not any more stipulating an AVX guardband scale factor of 100, but I doubt I reapplied that when I tried to go back to defaults + XMPII. The other change I made was to change VRM Loadline to from 4 to Auto (not the default) and back to Level 4 (which is now the Asus default).

The other possibility is that this was some exotic windows bug (would have to be pretty exotic, assuming you don't count the whole downgrade of user experience that is W11 as one gigantic bug ‌‌ ), the other thing is that I gather Microcode updates can be delivered by windows sometimes? Has something like this happened?

 

I have even been able to reapply my Global adaptive undervolt of -0.052 (tuned to my chip) during the above tests.

 

So basically my QVL memory is once again operating stable with its supplied XMPII profile with defaults.

 

To anyone out there still having problems I feel for you. This whole microcode change has thrown tings in the air.

In an ideal world (while I appreciate that Intel has created a huge burden/cost on the mobo makers), I would like more detail from ASUS, on whether they have rerun their QVL tests in light of the 0x129 change. But I sympathize if they have not (unless intel is going to foot their bill), and I sympathize that they have not jumped at the chance to highlight this as people will blame them, when they should be blaming intel only.

 

(SALTY OPINION: To be honest I'm thoroughly disappointed with my experience of enthusiast PC building in many respects not just this intel business. The cost vs features of the motherboards, the poor experience overall I regret I've had with this ASUS  Strix Z790E board given the price I  paid, the cost of GPUs now.

Concerning Mobos, I just want a Z790 board, premium price quality/longetvity of components, with a diagnostic display. I don't need 3/4 of the 'features' this board has.I would would have 'preferred' that it did not have such 'convolutions'. That said I was content until I realised that the ASUS crate software is horrendous junk, and I now can't even use half of that 1/4 of features. It does not work. And causes no end of headaches beyond the software own features. Then there is the whole business of the 'custom'  ergo 'in'secure boot 'un'protection configuration and the dismal rootkit approach to forcing ASUS crate from the UEFI bios. That's a horrific practice. Especially when you look at the state of ASUS crate. It seems to be built on JSNode:- for software with elevated privileges, rootkitting itself from firmware, with access to kinds of BIOS settings it has... the mind boggles. JSNode has its place, but it is not for something like this.

As far as I am concerned enthusiast PC building is now just a badge of shame. Its a 'mug's game'. Unless you've got no-choice/no-life for some reason like me, buy a console [best value GPU on the market] and get everyday driver laptop with an i5 or something there about.$500 for a console. How much does a PC cost? By not buying one what's the earliest you can now update you console and be ahead on savings? Answer, as soon as the next one comes out. You could replace a PS5 with a Pro and not give it a thought.

Enthusiast PCs are now an foolish game. My old Gen 2 i7 with the ASUS P9Z68 board back then was absolutely knockout. I was proud of that machine for 11 years, the mobo in particular. What the goodness gracious happened.)

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71 REPLIES 71

Gurgeh
Level 9

All defaults (no XMP) stake for almost an hour in the end. Then halted test with no failures so far.

So XMP is partv of this new instability.

Neomancan
Level 7

Just slap more voltage and hope for the best? I am running patriot viper 2x16 @ 1.48 volts, 7200 mhz 34-42-96, 50k interval. Suggested was 1.45 volts on xmp- II on my 790-H, 14700k (which is also OC'ed to 5.8 on 2 cores and 5.7 for all core) haven't tried the 25.03 bios yet tho, still on 2402. Don't really like betas. 

borcio02
Level 8

I have z790 apex encore and the same problem like you, but with other options.

If I enable DIMM FLEX and XMP TWEAKED I got almost instant crashed while doing tests by prime95 or y-cruncher. In games I got black screen and restart after few minutes :/. I hope that this will be fixed in normal version.

borcio02 can you post all your bios settings ? I want to try them same board

Hello Reticule,

I don't remember these one, because I've made a lot of changes over this time. For now I found solution for me, which is bad for most I think.

I just set asus profile instead of intel baseline. After that I have set manually PL1/PL2 to 320W, and ICCMAX to 400A. In the RAM test earlier I had bluscreens, but now it is stable. 

I still can work with intelbase line profile and XMP 1 enabled on 7200 MHz, so I think that is mostly about bad RAM timings for this intel conservative profile.

Daniel_DGPL
Level 7

I have Asus Maximus Dark Hero. I uploaded new beta bios 1503 and yesterday I went back to 1402.

There was issue with booting. Once you swith off or did some changes in Bios computer did not boot. I had to every time take computer off from the cord wait few minutes and then plug in and switch on the computer. I tried to disable XMP and set standard seting but it not improved. 

Waiting for final version - I not recomend to flash new bios with microcode 0x129.

I am experiencing the same issue on the Apex Encore z790.

 

They broke things nothing seemed improved lol

I am also running the dark hero but Intel just sent me a new CPU because of instability in my last one. I am also running four sticks of 48 GB RAM for a total of 192 GB. I have got it pretty stable running at 5000 MHz. Although I have a question if you don't mind. Before I sent the CPU back I had noticed the BIOS was very Skippy and when I hit the down key it takes about a second or two before it moves. 

Now I got the new CPU and expected it to be perky and running faster and it is not.. when you move in the BIOS is it stuttery? Or is this just a me thing.. I don't remember the BIOS being like this when I built the computer 

 

Thank you very much anything is helpful

csimon
Level 10

Have tried xmp I? This solved the same issue I have with bios 2301.

ROG Strix Z790-H (2503) | 13700K-57/55 (LLC6) | Heatkiller/Monsta | DDR5-6800 (2X32) | RTX 2080 | RM850x