[SPD Write Protection = FALSE] and my Z690 Extreme hangs on boot.

[sblantipodi]

Hi all.

I'm using a Z690 Extreme mobo with 4 sticks of 6200MHz SK Hinyx downclocked at 5.2GHz for stability reasons.
Using corsair iCue to drive the RGB on my RAM sticks.

I can stress test my PC with every possible software for days and there is no errors and no crash but if disable the SPD Write Protection in BIOS to let iCue control my RGB LEDs on the RAM sticks I have a problem.

With SPD Write Protection disabled, from time to time, RGB on my RAM sticks stops working, when they stops working the PC continue to work ok,
but if I reboot when the RGB are freezed, the PC hangs on boot in the initial stage of the POST process.

The OLED shows the "Detecting memory" msg and the two digit displays shows 00.

Is there someone working on this issue in Asus?

[JcRabbit]

I had something similar happen here ONCE (Corsair Platinum 64 GB DDR5 2x32, Z690 Extreme).

You're running Armoury Crate too, right? My guess is that there might be a conflict between Armoury Crate and iCue, although I can't be sure since I only experienced this issue once and I normally avoid opening Armoury Crate like the plague.

In my case *I think* I experienced the issue after running Armoury Crate - suddenly I look at my RAM and the RGB animation is frozen in place. iCue no longer recognizes the RAM. I rebooted the PC (no hang though) and iCue still couldn't see the RAM.

Went to the BIOS, toggled SPD Write on and off again, forced a save. Not sure if that did the trick or if powering off the PC is what did it (as in turning the switch off at the back of the PSU so the mobo no longer gets standby current).

[sblantipodi]

JcRabbit wrote:
I had something similar happen here ONCE (Corsair Platinum 64 GB DDR5 2x32, Z690 Extreme).

You're running Armoury Crate too, right? My guess is that there might be a conflict between Armoury Crate and iCue, although I can't be sure since I only experienced this issue once and I normally avoid opening Armoury Crate like the plague.

In my case *I think* I experienced the issue after running Armoury Crate - suddenly I look at my RAM and the RGB animation is frozen in place. iCue no longer recognizes the RAM. I rebooted the PC (no hang though) and iCue still couldn't see the RAM.

Went to the BIOS, toggled SPD Write on and off again, forced a save. Not sure if that did the trick or if powering off the PC is what did it (as in turning the switch off at the back of the PSU so the mobo no longer gets standby current).

the problem remains even if I uninstall Armoury Crate

[STARRAIN_ROG]

Hi sblantipodi,
Do you have the issue with [SPD Write Disable=FALSE]?
Have you tried bios 1403 with bios all default settings except [SPD Write Disable=FALSE] and the issue still occurs?
What did you do between you set [SPD Write Disable=FALSE] and RGB on the RAM sticks stops working? for example, idling for 1hr or adjust settings in corsair iCue?
Was the ram detected in corsair iCue when the RAM RGB stops working?
Did you use Armoury Crate uninstall tool to uninstall Armoury Crate?
Thank you.

[sblantipodi]

STARRAIN@ROG wrote:
Hi sblantipodi,
Do you have the issue with [SPD Write Disable=FALSE]?

If SPD Write is enabled, I can manage the RGB on the RAM and I have the problem.
If SPD Write is disabled, I can't manage the RGB on the RAM (as expected) but I have no problem.

Have you tried bios 1403 with bios all default settings except [SPD Write Disable=FALSE] and the issue still occurs?

No, I haven't tried the 1403, I'm using 1304. Most people says that 1403 is trash, I don't want additional problems.
There is nothing in the 1403 changelog that let me think that it could fix the problem.

What did you do between you set [SPD Write Disable=FALSE] and RGB on the RAM sticks stops working? for example, idling for 1hr or adjust settings in corsair iCue?

I simply need to wait. Sometimes idling for two hours in enough, sometimes stress testing trigger the problem faster.

Was the ram detected in corsair iCue when the RAM RGB stops working?

No, iCue stops detecting the RAM when the problem happen.

Did you use Armoury Crate uninstall tool to uninstall Armoury Crate?
Thank you.

Yes sure, thank you!

[sblantipodi]

is there a way to submit this issue to Asus? are there someone working on it?
is this a known issue in Asus?

[STARRAIN_ROG]

Hi sblantipodi,
Thank you for your reply.
What is the probability when you enable SPD Write > boot into windows > idle on the desktop for two hours?
May I have more detail about stress testing and the probability?
Have you tried bios 1304 with bios all default settings except SPD Write enabled and the issue still occurs? If you also adjust other bios settings, please restore bios to all default and then enable SPD Write to see if the issue still occurs.
Thank you.

[sblantipodi]

STARRAIN@ROG wrote:
Hi sblantipodi,
Thank you for your reply.
What is the probability when you enable SPD Write > boot into windows > idle on the desktop for two hours?

Thank you for your reply Starrain 🙂
In two hours the probability is low, let's say 20%.
In 10 hours of work/idle in a day, it happen two times at most.

May I have more detail about stress testing and the probability?

I'm using Cinebench for 30 minutes, OCCT RAM and CPU tests for hours, Asus Real Bench, Aida64 CPU/RAM test, Ram Test by Karhu Software, Test Mem 5, Memtest 86.
If I need to be sincere, the best test I have found is Java programming with IntelliJ IDE. it creates so many spikes on the CPU, sometimes using all threads, sometimes using one thread, sometimes two, ecc... I'm stable with every kind of tests.

Have you tried bios 1304 with bios all default settings except SPD Write enabled and the issue still occurs? If you also adjust other bios settings, please restore bios to all default and then enable SPD Write to see if the issue still occurs.
Thank you.

Sure, I have tried with 1304 BIOS with all default settings exept the SPD Write...
The issue occurs even in that case.

The only settings I always adjust are the following:
OS Type [Windows UEFI mode]
Secure Boot Mode [Standard]

[STARRAIN_ROG]

Hi sblantipodi,
If you idle in 10 hours, does the issue occur at least once?
Is your ram in our qvl list?
https://rog.asus.com/motherboards/rog-maximus/rog-maximus-z690-extreme-model/helpdesk_qvl_memory
To make sure compatibility, please use the ram in our qvl list.
Also, please try reseat ram sticks and reinstall corsair iCue app.
Thank you.

[sblantipodi]

STARRAIN@ROG wrote:
Hi sblantipodi,
If you idle in 10 hours, does the issue occur at least once?
Is your ram in our qvl list?
https://rog.asus.com/motherboards/rog-maximus/rog-maximus-z690-extreme-model/helpdesk_qvl_memory
To make sure compatibility, please use the ram in our qvl list.
Also, please try reseat ram sticks and reinstall corsair iCue app.
Thank you.

Yes I'm using this kit: CMT32GX5M2X6200C36
it's on QVL.

I tried reseating the ram sticks many times as well as iCue and it doesn't solved.

if I idle for 10 hours, yes it happen at least once.