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

[Gurgeh]

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.

[Hopper64]

Looks like you are using 2 different memory kits. It is likely to fail. 

https://rog-forum.asus.com/t5/intel-700-600-series/don-t-combine-memory-kits-the-meat-and-potatoes-o...

Also, the new bios decreases the voltage spikes but that may have provided some stability in some situations. Impossible to know for sure.

[juanpmar]

As of today, the BIOS version is no longer beta. Does anyone know if there is any difference between the beta and the final version? I installed the beta and everything works fine. So if there are no differences I won't do the installation again. By the way, I use what is recommended by Intel and I don't use XMP. In Flight Simulator 2020 I have no problems at all even in VR.

[JGdaCaesar]

Then why are you posting on this thread? This for issues with XMP we know non XMP works fine? Also its the same bios they just removed the word beta on their website

[juanpmar]

This is my first post here and I thought someone could help me, I didn't realize it was exclusively for XMP issues. Anyway, you don't seem too friendly, you talk very arrogantly. Ciao! 

[Exist2Resist]

prime95 will fry your chip, should be your last resort, there are better tools out there to test CPU stability. 
For instance Cinebench R15 exposes CPU instability quite well, do 4-5 cycles of the multi core run and if you don't crash or error out you're more than likely stable. 
Y-cruncher is really good for memory stability, pretty much with those two applications within 25 min if you pass both you have a 99% chance that you are stable. 

"C:\y-cruncher v0.8.1.9317\y-cruncher v0.8.1.9317\y-cruncher.exe" stress -TL:1441 VST VT3

Use the above to test RAM stability.

[LukeJoseph]

XMP isn't applicable to 4x sticks. Can it sometimes work? Yes. But if you were "stable" prior to running XMP /w 4 sticks of DDR5, you probably actually were not and the new bios is bringing out the instability more. Also 2x32 or 2x48 is dual rank, which is harder to run at higher speeds. XMP is still overclocking, it just has set profiles that have been "validated" in certain configurations.

If it was me, I would keep the CPU at default profile, and focus on memory. No undervolting, overclocking etc.... See if the memory can get stable first. This could require going outside of XMP timings and voltages. And run memory-sensitive and specific tests.

[Daniel_DGPL]

I flashed yesterday 1503 non beta version. I much much better than beta but not perfect. I use infel settings, not XMP but yesterday I had black screen and fans went into 100% run - never happened with 1402 bios. 

I said better than beta because windowd loading normally.

Anyway I see some rush on Asus side because I see that bios default setings is made by haotic person on Asus side. 

I mean "Extreme profile" I see corespondance with intel performance settings and "performance profile" is out of any standard.

Asus plese improve your skill.

[FreeJee]

I have the same problem after updating the BIOS. Before that, my RAM worked at 6400 on the XMP 2 profile, now it is stable only 6000 on XMP 1. 4x16 RAM are installed.

[Hopper64]

Is that a single 64g memory kit or 2 32g kits?

https://rog-forum.asus.com/t5/intel-700-600-series/don-t-combine-memory-kits-the-meat-and-potatoes-o...

[FreeJee]

2 32g kits. When I bought it, I didn't know that it was better to use only 2 slots. So I bought 2 kits with a frequency of 7800, as a result, I managed to make them work stably only at 6400 and I resigned myself to it.