Z490-E 10900K RAM speed issues! Unable to XMP or run advertised 3600 speed.

[lassek]

Hi all.
I am the proud new owner of a ASUS ROG STRIX Z490-E Gaming motherboard.
The motherboard has been updated to latest BIOS v0707.

I have combined this motherboard with the following hardware which is relevant for this post.

Intel 10900K @ O.C 10 x 5 Ghz.
G. Skill 32 GB Kit (2 x 16) Part. no.: F4-3600C16D-32GTZNC CL-16-19-19-39 @ 1.35v

The problem is that neither XMP I or XMP II is working for me or should I say the system.

It simply can´t post in any of the XMP modes with the given RAM speed. Its just black screen and after
some trials on and off, the system returns to safe mode for me to reconfigure.

If I run manual overclock with the RAM I can manage to get to 3300 MHz even with some tighter timings
CL16-18-18-36 @ 1.35v

But even with default XMP timings 16-19-19-39 its impossible to go higher than 3300 MHz om RAM manual mode.

I have already tried the VCCIO and VCSA to 1.2v with no luck
I have also tried more volt to DRAM 1.4v and even 1.5v.

I know the RAM doesn't have a hardware fault because I'm building a system to my friend and we have another exact same
RAM kit we tried out with exact same result. Both kits perform equal to max 3300 MHz otherwise no POST.

If I go to G. Skill site and use a RAM configurator and choose the exact motherboard I have the RAM does come up and an option
for that. So they should be compatible although they are clearly not 100%.

Is this a ASUS BIOS fault? Are they simply not compatible? or why can I not reach the advertised speed? Should my hardware be top of the line for that?

Are there ANY other BIOS tweaks I can try to push these RAM to 3600? I got a brand-new "super system" so I am very disappointed that
this XMP don't work out of the box? I really did expect this with Asus and Intel.

Thanks guys

Lasse Kristensen

[Braegnok]

The G.SKILL kit F4-3600C16D-32GTZNC is not listed in your Asus motherboard QVL.

Asus support, Memory Support QVL. https://www.asus.com/us/Motherboards/ROG-STRIX-Z490-E-GAMING/HelpDesk_QVL_Memory/

In your QVL for G.SKILL 3600 DS 16GB modules you only have one option, and it's a 4x16GB kit and your board only supports one or two module configuration with this kit, on page 5 please see link above.

However you can try manually setting your kit to same as the 4x16GB kit, you might get lucky. RAM Speed 3600, Timing 17-19-19-39, Voltage 1.35

I'm no expert on memory, I always use the motherboard QVL than after confirming kits listed,.. I will cross-reference on venders site to confirm compatibility before buying. Buying memory not listed in your motherboard QVL is risky when buying DS 16GB modules, even more so with the newer 32GB modules.

Good luck, hope the looser timings work out for you.

[lassek]

Braegnok wrote:
The G.SKILL kit F4-3600C16D-32GTZNC is not listed in your Asus motherboard QVL.

Asus support, Memory Support QVL. https://www.asus.com/us/Motherboards/ROG-STRIX-Z490-E-GAMING/HelpDesk_QVL_Memory/

In your QVL for G.SKILL 3600 DS 16GB modules you only have one option, and it's a 4x16GB kit and your board only supports one or two module configuration with this kit, on page 5 please see link above.

However you can try manually setting your kit to same as the 4x16GB kit, you might get lucky. RAM Speed 3600, Timing 17-19-19-39, Voltage 1.35

I'm no expert on memory, I always use the motherboard QVL than after confirming kits listed,.. I will cross-reference on venders site to confirm compatibility before buying. Buying memory not listed in your motherboard QVL is risky when buying DS 16GB modules, even more so with the newer 32GB modules.

Good luck, hope the looser timings work out for you.

Ahhh god damn it.. I must admit I consider myself an IT pro and been messing with this stuff for 25 years, but I fell in with the RAM. I honestly thought there was a wide range of support and the XMP somehow magically always worked, I never tried this that it didn't- but again I never bought so high speed RAM before.

I can try to loosen the timmings but I dont understand why that's necessary when rated differently? Or why they would work as intended on an X570 AMD platform. Hmmm.. that sucks.. The price was good though also RGB effect. And they do run good at 3300 with tight settings. I dont think I wanna return then and pay more for another kit- Its just disappointing...

I will reply if I try loosen settings but I also heard that the higher the timings the more is dosent matter with higher mhz compared to lower timings and a little lower mhz? ..

[Ezveedub]

Seems like those should possibly work in slots 2 & 4, but then again, not all memory works some times. I'm using G.Skill 4000 CL17 2x16gb fine in the Hero XII at XMP and OC

[lassek]

Braegnok wrote:
The G.SKILL kit F4-3600C16D-32GTZNC is not listed in your Asus motherboard QVL.

Asus support, Memory Support QVL. https://www.asus.com/us/Motherboards/ROG-STRIX-Z490-E-GAMING/HelpDesk_QVL_Memory/

In your QVL for G.SKILL 3600 DS 16GB modules you only have one option, and it's a 4x16GB kit and your board only supports one or two module configuration with this kit, on page 5 please see link above.

However you can try manually setting your kit to same as the 4x16GB kit, you might get lucky. RAM Speed 3600, Timing 17-19-19-39, Voltage 1.35

I'm no expert on memory, I always use the motherboard QVL than after confirming kits listed,.. I will cross-reference on venders site to confirm compatibility before buying. Buying memory not listed in your motherboard QVL is risky when buying DS 16GB modules, even more so with the newer 32GB modules.

Good luck, hope the looser timings work out for you.

Please see my reply bottom to Ezveedub.. and thanks for your help!

[lassek]

There are in slot A2 B2 otherwise no boot.. I have made a return request and ordered another kit:

https://www.gskill.com/product/165/326/1562839388/F4-3600C16Q-32GTZNTrident-Z-NeoDDR4-3600MHz-CL16-1...

It does claim its a AMD optimized kit, however its on the QVL list and have Intel XMP. SO I dont see why its not working.. besides "optimized for AMD" what does that even mean?

The main difference is or corse its 4 x 8 gb single rank mouules compared to 2 x 16 gb dual rank.

The timings are also better but I am skeptic it was worth paying extra for like I did:

CL16-16-16-36 @ 1.35v compared to CL16-19-19-39 @ 1.35v

I am very excited to see however if they work as claimed now its on this magic QVL list.

I am screaming if they dont work out of the box with XMP at rated speed and timings hehe.. they did cost almost 150 dollars more!

Also another upside is twice the RGB effect.. already only two modules look amazing, so I guess 4 is stunning.

Ill let you guys know the result when they arrive..

[lassek]

Okey guys!

So I recieved the new kit: G. Skill Trident Z NEO F4-3600-C16Q-32GTZN

The result: Exactly the same as before.. Both XMP profiles are not working and will not POST. Also they can manually be pushed to 3400 Mhz. This is a nightmare for me!

I dont know who to blame but I cannot recommend G. Skill at ALL! This is such a drag! NEVER had an issue like this before, and TBH this is my first G. Skill kit and also my last EVER! So now I have for thousands of danish kroner in RAM lying around here I need to RMA.

This is a HUGE disappointment.. I´d say both from ASUS and G. Skill.. How can these RAM be on the QVL list when they dont operate as intended?!

[Sam91]

Hi ,

i got an 10850k with the strix z490-A board and bought G.skill 3200 cl14 ram that runs at 4000 cl17 without issues now after going through the whole struggle of trying to get him to boot.
For me the whole "training" term was new and at first i thought that it doesn't work after some unsuccesful attempts (6+), since he kept doing the loop. After a good while though he managed to finally boot at 4000mhz.
Then with the next reboot it took him again some attemps but after that it seemed like the setting settled and now it boots normaly.
If you happen to change 1 setting/value of the RAM again though, it will lose the setting again and you will have to let him do the whole cycle again (has also cost me some nerves when i tried to optimize the timings further).

I was adviced to turn MCH full check on and disable fast boot before trying to boot.

sry english isnt my native language, probably it might help if you didn't give up already.

[bwana]

lassek wrote:
Okey guys!

So I recieved the new kit: G. Skill Trident Z NEO F4-3600-C16Q-32GTZN

The result: Exactly the same as before.. Both XMP profiles are not working and will not POST. Also they can manually be pushed to 3400 Mhz. This is a nightmare for me!

I dont know who to blame but I cannot recommend G. Skill at ALL! This is such a drag! NEVER had an issue like this before, and TBH this is my first G. Skill kit and also my last EVER! So now I have for thousands of danish kroner in RAM lying around here I need to RMA.

This is a HUGE disappointment.. I´d say both from ASUS and G. Skill.. How can these RAM be on the QVL list when they dont operate as intended?!

I have the purchased similar ram as you F4-3600C16D-32GTZN. I installed into ASUS Maximus XII Hero wifi. I also could not get the 'first boot' either with default or XMP 1. However, I went into bios, set XMP 2, scrolled down to look at the changes and then went back and changed XMP 2 to auto. F10 and then the board booted!

Thaiphoon says this about my sticks:

Module Manufacturer: G.Skill
Module Part Number: F4-3600C16-16GTZN
Module Series: Trident Z Neo
DRAM Manufacturer: Samsung
DRAM Components: K4A8G085WB-BCPB
DRAM Die Revision / Process Node: B / 20 nm

This is clearly wrong so something is not right in the SPD or whereever the ram 'metadata' is stored.

                                            XMP1                                XMP2
Speed Grade:                                    DDR4-3604                           N/A 
DRAM Clock Frequency:                           1802 MHz                            N/A 
Module VDD Voltage Level:                       1.35 V                              N/A 
Minimum DRAM Cycle Time (tCK):                  0.555 ns                            N/A 
CAS Latencies Supported:                        16T                                 N/A 
CAS Latency Time (tAA):                         16T                                 N/A 
RAS# to CAS# Delay Time (tRCD):                 16T                                 N/A 
Row Precharge Delay Time (tRP):                 16T                                 N/A 
Active to Precharge Delay Time (tRAS):          36T                                 N/A 
Active to Active/Refresh Delay Time (tRC):      52T                                 N/A 
Four Activate Window Delay Time (tFAW):         44T                                 N/A 
Short Activate to Activate Delay Time (tRRD_S): 4T                                  N/A 
Long Activate to Activate Delay Time (tRRD_L):  9T                                  N/A 
Normal Refresh Recovery Delay Time (tRFC1):     631T                                N/A 
2x mode Refresh Recovery Delay Time (tRFC2):    469T                                N/A 
4x mode Refresh Recovery Delay Time (tRFC4):    289T                                N/A 

1.35v @ 1801 MHz  16-16-16-36  (CL-RCD-RP-RAS) / 52-631-469-289-9-4-44  (RC-RFC1-RFC2-RFC4-RRDL-RRDS-FAW)

DRAM Timing Parameters Fine Timebase:                      .001 ns 
Medium Timebase:                                           0.125 ns 
CAS Latencies Supported:                                   10T, 11T, 12T, 13T,14T, 15T, 16T 
Minimum Clock Cycle Time (tCK min):                        0.938 ns (1066.10 MHz) 
Maximum Clock Cycle Time (tCK max):                        1.500 ns (666.67 MHz) 
CAS# Latency Time (tAA min):                               13.750 ns 
RAS# to CAS# Delay Time (tRCD min):                        13.750 ns 
Row Precharge Delay Time (tRP min):                        13.750 ns 
Active to Precharge Delay Time (tRAS min):                 33.000 ns 
Act to Act/Refresh Delay Time (tRC min):                   46.750 ns 
Normal Refresh Recovery Delay Time (tRFC1 min):            350.000 ns 
2x mode Refresh Recovery Delay Time (tRFC2 min):           260.000 ns 
4x mode Refresh Recovery Delay Time (tRFC4 min):           160.000 ns 
Short Row Active to Row Active Delay (tRRD_S min):         3.700 ns 
Long Row Active to Row Active Delay (tRRD_L min):          5.300 ns 
Long CAS to CAS Delay Time (tCCD_L min):                   5.625 ns 
Four Active Windows Delay (tFAW min):                      21.000 ns 
Maximum Active Window (tMAW):                              8192*tREFI 
Maximum Activate Count (MAC):                              Unlimited MAC 
DRAM VDD 1.20 V operable/endurant:                         Yes/Yes 
Supply Voltage (VDD), Min / Typical / Max:                 1.16V / 1.20V / 1.26V 
Activation Supply Voltage (VPP), Min / Typical / Max:      2.41V / 2.50V / 2.75V 
Termination Voltage (VTT), Min / Typical / Max:            0.565V / 0.605V / 0.640V 

I think Thaiphoon just reads what's in the specs, not actually what the memory is DOING so I checked with CPU-z
CPU-z says I am running 15-15-15-36 tRFC 374 clocks CR 2

I

This 'neo' memory is marketed for AMD. And I know that AMDers like tight timings because high clocks are not possible with infinity fabric. (It desynchronizes above 3800. So the hocus - pocus of this memory is that it likes tighter timings and indeed, the Maximus Hero has 'automatically' set it for CAS 15 and 3600. I dont know why it did not do this from the start and required me to visit XMP 2 first. If I try to boot with XMP 2 , it fails.

[lassek]

bwana wrote:
I have the purchased similar ram as you F4-3600C16D-32GTZN. I installed into ASUS Maximus XII Hero wifi. I also could not get the 'first boot' either with default or XMP 1. However, I went into bios, set XMP 2, scrolled down to look at the changes and then went back and changed XMP 2 to auto. F10 and then the board booted!

Thaiphoon says this about my sticks:

Module Manufacturer: G.Skill
Module Part Number: F4-3600C16-16GTZN
Module Series: Trident Z Neo
DRAM Manufacturer: Samsung
DRAM Components: K4A8G085WB-BCPB
DRAM Die Revision / Process Node: B / 20 nm

This is clearly wrong so something is not right in the SPD or whereever the ram 'metadata' is stored.

                                            XMP1                                XMP2
Speed Grade:                                    DDR4-3604                           N/A 
DRAM Clock Frequency:                           1802 MHz                            N/A 
Module VDD Voltage Level:                       1.35 V                              N/A 
Minimum DRAM Cycle Time (tCK):                  0.555 ns                            N/A 
CAS Latencies Supported:                        16T                                 N/A 
CAS Latency Time (tAA):                         16T                                 N/A 
RAS# to CAS# Delay Time (tRCD):                 16T                                 N/A 
Row Precharge Delay Time (tRP):                 16T                                 N/A 
Active to Precharge Delay Time (tRAS):          36T                                 N/A 
Active to Active/Refresh Delay Time (tRC):      52T                                 N/A 
Four Activate Window Delay Time (tFAW):         44T                                 N/A 
Short Activate to Activate Delay Time (tRRD_S): 4T                                  N/A 
Long Activate to Activate Delay Time (tRRD_L):  9T                                  N/A 
Normal Refresh Recovery Delay Time (tRFC1):     631T                                N/A 
2x mode Refresh Recovery Delay Time (tRFC2):    469T                                N/A 
4x mode Refresh Recovery Delay Time (tRFC4):    289T                                N/A 

1.35v @ 1801 MHz  16-16-16-36  (CL-RCD-RP-RAS) / 52-631-469-289-9-4-44  (RC-RFC1-RFC2-RFC4-RRDL-RRDS-FAW)

DRAM Timing Parameters Fine Timebase:                      .001 ns 
Medium Timebase:                                           0.125 ns 
CAS Latencies Supported:                                   10T, 11T, 12T, 13T,14T, 15T, 16T 
Minimum Clock Cycle Time (tCK min):                        0.938 ns (1066.10 MHz) 
Maximum Clock Cycle Time (tCK max):                        1.500 ns (666.67 MHz) 
CAS# Latency Time (tAA min):                               13.750 ns 
RAS# to CAS# Delay Time (tRCD min):                        13.750 ns 
Row Precharge Delay Time (tRP min):                        13.750 ns 
Active to Precharge Delay Time (tRAS min):                 33.000 ns 
Act to Act/Refresh Delay Time (tRC min):                   46.750 ns 
Normal Refresh Recovery Delay Time (tRFC1 min):            350.000 ns 
2x mode Refresh Recovery Delay Time (tRFC2 min):           260.000 ns 
4x mode Refresh Recovery Delay Time (tRFC4 min):           160.000 ns 
Short Row Active to Row Active Delay (tRRD_S min):         3.700 ns 
Long Row Active to Row Active Delay (tRRD_L min):          5.300 ns 
Long CAS to CAS Delay Time (tCCD_L min):                   5.625 ns 
Four Active Windows Delay (tFAW min):                      21.000 ns 
Maximum Active Window (tMAW):                              8192*tREFI 
Maximum Activate Count (MAC):                              Unlimited MAC 
DRAM VDD 1.20 V operable/endurant:                         Yes/Yes 
Supply Voltage (VDD), Min / Typical / Max:                 1.16V / 1.20V / 1.26V 
Activation Supply Voltage (VPP), Min / Typical / Max:      2.41V / 2.50V / 2.75V 
Termination Voltage (VTT), Min / Typical / Max:            0.565V / 0.605V / 0.640V 

I think Thaiphoon just reads what's in the specs, not actually what the memory is DOING so I checked with CPU-z
CPU-z says I am running 15-15-15-36 tRFC 374 clocks CR 2

I

This 'neo' memory is marketed for AMD. And I know that AMDers like tight timings because high clocks are not possible with infinity fabric. (It desynchronizes above 3800. So the hocus - pocus of this memory is that it likes tighter timings and indeed, the Maximus Hero has 'automatically' set it for CAS 15 and 3600. I dont know why it did not do this from the start and required me to visit XMP 2 first. If I try to boot with XMP 2 , it fails.

I dont quite understand? Yut get into BIOS .. chose XMP 2 .. then goes back to AUTO? and set manual 3600 mhz? or what? won the AUTO just default to 2133 mhz?

And did you actually get them down on CAS15? sounds crazy at 3600 ?

Please explain in detail, sorry for not understanding.. thanks.