Crosshair V Formula-Z - Cannot Run 16 GB Memory

[TheNeckerCube]

Hi All,

I recently upgraded my mobo from a M4A89GTD PRO/USB3 to a Crosshair. I have 4 x 4 GB sticks. G.SKILL. F3-12800CL9D-8GBRL ... anyway, they're suppose to be PC3-12800 - DDR3-1600 but in the Crosshair BIOS it detects 3 sticks at 1333 PC-10600 and the 4th stick in the 4th slot is PC-12800 at 1600. The result is the board only using half of 16GB in single channel (CPU-Z).

I've tried updating BIOS to 2201. No luck. I've tried manually changing the memory in OC settings to DDR3-1600, no luck. I've tried loading the DOCP which has a profile for 1600 1.5V 9-9-9-24. No luck. I've tried going into the NB - Memory Config and here I've tried disabling and enabling all combinations of settings here, no luck.

The main problem is 3 memory slots register the sticks as 1333 - PC-10600 while Slot #4 is showing up as PC-12800 - 1600.

I've read maybe my CPU pins are messed up, but aside from this, what else?

Oh I've also used the MemOK! function multiple times.

My next resort is to pull everything out and utilize my old mobo again just to make sure I can have a PC running for work on Monday. I tried running a MemTest86+ from the Crosshair but it took forever and restarted itself too many times so I gave up on this; I'm assuming the sticks are fine.

All sticks are showing up and in the basic NB Mem view, it shows all 4 slots at 1600 - 4096 GB. But when you go into the slot details in BIOS and through CPU-Z/SPD, you see that Slot 4 DIMM is coming up with different stats.

Can anyone please help? I'd appreciate it. Thanks!

[Dr__Zchivago]

These board have been finicky with many people, although I've had nothing but good experiences. I run 16 GB in mine, but I'm using a 2x8 config - not 4x4. I have, however, run 4x2 GB in the past (for 8 GB total) without any trouble.
So, it is possible that you picked a bad board; but, it is also possible that one or more of your memory boards has failed (they are quite sensitive).

It is very possible to have damaged the CPU, but you will see damage to the pins very easily.

Try following these steps before you totally ransack your rig:
1. Install one stick into slot A1, load BIOS setup. Press F5 to load defaults.
2. Run Memtest86 with one stick installed only, in slot A1. If you don't encounter the restart issue, then move that one stick to B1 and repeat. Then, A2, then B2. ONE STICK ONLY
If, at any point, you have a problem, then Memtest should detect it - swap the stick out for one of the other ones and begin again.
3. Assuming you made it this far, install two sticks into the board in channels A1 and A2. Memtest86. Then, the same two sticks moved to B1 and B2.
Like before, if any problems, then switch out a stick.
The point here is to find out if your RAM is good - you can still boot often with a large bad section in RAM, and not see errors until a write is attempted.

Report back with your findings, and we will continue.
Additionally, what is the full system hardware? Especially CPU, power supply, and graphics card(s). Only number of hard disks/media/etc is important, otherwise.

Z

[TheNeckerCube]

Dr. Zchivago wrote:

Report back with your findings, and we will continue.

Thank you for your reply. I performed a simple test by booting with one stick of RAM each time. It appears that one of my RAM sticks is a ******* compared to the other 3. Three of the RAM sticks are rated PC-12800, 1600 Mhz but in BIOS and through CPU-Z, they come up as PC-10600, 1333 Mhz. I can use the mobo to bump them up to 1600, but here's the weird part.

One of the sticks, the ******* one, is also rated PC-12800, 1600 and appears in BIOS and CPU-Z as PC-12800, 1600, no modification necessary.

If I put the ******* stick into Slot #4 then my total memory drops to 8 GB at 1333, and no matter what, I cannot get more than 8 GB. But when I put the ******* stick into any other slot along with the other 3 sibling sticks, then I can use BIOS to make all RAM run at 1600 and BIOS will auto detect total memory as 16 GB. This is on the Crosshair V Formula Z board.

I ended up testing my RAM in my old board, M4A89GTD PRO/USB3. The BIOS is smarter in this board and there are no issues.

For both boards, I booted up into OS and ran CPU-Z and checked SPD, and sure enough the ******* stick is unlike the other 3.

At the moment the issue is resolved. I've had my current build since 2011. It is this, http://pcpartpicker.com/user/superdaniellee/saved/wFYZxr, but with only 1 of the graphics cards listed, stock AMD cooler, and the M4A89GTD PRO/USB3 mobo.

I am trying to upgrade to a Crosshair board, and have also upgraded to a Rosewill Photon 750 PCU, Cooler Master V10, Samsung EVO SSD, and now I have to buy a Full Tower.

[Dr__Zchivago]

Consider flashing your BIOS once more - use a new downloaded .rom file, and flash from within the BIOS setup (just in case you flashed originally from within OS environment).

Other than the possibility of a weak RAM stick, a faulty flash is always possible.

Did you rigorously test that one stick you suspect is bad in Memtest?

Z

EDIT: I wonder, is it possible that the 'bad' stick is using a different set of defaults in timings, etc.? I'm not the world's most knowledgeable person with the finer points on RAM - try to get into contact with HiVizMan, Nate152, chrsplmr, WhitePaw, or Chino.
I believe that all of them also have extensive experience with the CVF-Z board as well.

[TheNeckerCube]

Dr. Zchivago wrote:

EDIT: I wonder, is it possible that the 'bad' stick.

Thank you for your reply. I actually did not mean "bad stick" but I wrote a curse word which got censored. The word I used was referring to a man whom is the son of another man that is not his biological father. I meant this literally because the stick did not come in the same kit as the 3 sibling sticks.

The 3 siblings had a 4th sibling but he died a couple months ago so I replaced it with another stick which I am referring to as not sharing the same parents as the 3 sibling sticks.

[chrsplmr]

TheNeckerCube wrote:
Thank you for your reply. I actually did not mean "bad stick" but I wrote a curse word which got censored. The word I used was referring to a man whom is the son of another man that is not his biological father. I meant this literally because the stick did not come in the same kit as the 3 sibling sticks.

The 3 siblings had a 4th sibling but he died a couple months ago so I replaced it with another stick which I am referring to as not sharing the same parents as the 3 sibling sticks.

Welcome to ROG .. Hands down the above is the best explaination of a censored word and why it was used and actually correct and correct to be family friendly .. cudos. Made me smile.
Dr.Z -- Thank you for the kind words goodSir.

Now that said .. Loose the step child -- I've seen some AMD's not like RAM that an exact set up with exactly the same set up ran like a clock.
(no pun intended)
That said, If it is 16GB you are after, then you will need to invest in a matched set. This expense is more than justified, especially if you are going to OC .. and you are going to want to OC .. and save yourself the stability problems that will be ahead with this non-set. Otherwise, 12 it is.
Best of Luck. Please, Keep Us Posted. .c.

(Hint: Take a trip to RealBench Leader Board and see what others are having success with the rest of your hardware. Click on the score.)

[TheNeckerCube]

chrsplmr wrote:
Welcome to ROG .. Hands down the above is the best explaination of a censored word and why it was used and actually correct and correct to be family friendly ...

I'm glad you noticed 🙂 I actually sat in my chair for quite some time thinking up a good explanation.

My apologies for the lack of updates. I've finally finished my PC upgrade and what I ended up doing is taking the Single Stick and not putting it in Slot 1 or Slot 4. This seems to allow my board to run 16 GB, however, the Triplet Sticks still register as 1333 MHz while the Single Stick is 1600.

The weird thing is, the Triplet Sticks, clearly show 1600 PC-12800 on their labels. So I don't really know if it is the board that is reading the sticks wrong, or that the Triple Sticks, all three, have downgraded their speeds from 1600 to 1333 because of old age? (circa 2011).

I was running the 4 sticks at 1600, but about a half hour ago moved them down to 1333 since three of the sticks are officially 1333 and only one is 1600.

I have another issue that might seem trivial. I really like AI Suite because it gave me access to Fan Xpert and general core temps.

I know this is off topic, but moving to this Formula Z board, I am unable to install AI Suite II or anything else including Turbo EVO, basically all utilities refuse to install. I click the "setup.exe" for each utility and nothing happens. I ran them in compatibility mode and ran as administrator. Nope, they won't install.

Any ideas on how to resolve this issue? I'd also appreciate a quick alternative to read my core temps as well as control my fans. Turbo EVO was fun to play with, but I know I can manually overclock, so not that important though Turbo EVO made overclocking seems like a game.

[Dr__Zchivago]

TheNeckerCube wrote:
Thank you for your reply. I actually did not mean "bad stick" but I wrote a curse word which got censored. The word I used was referring to a man whom is the son of another man that is not his biological father. I meant this literally because the stick did not come in the same kit as the 3 sibling sticks.

The 3 siblings had a 4th sibling but he died a couple months ago so I replaced it with another stick which I am referring to as not sharing the same parents as the 3 sibling sticks.

I didn't realize it wasn't a matched kit before.