Rampage v extreme and RAM issues

[amitgedia]

Hi,
this problem started about 8 months ago,
i have 16 GB corsair vengance (4x 4GB) RAM installed on my Rampage V extreme MB all individual RAM units working fine
initially it gave me 6b error code so i removed the RAM, cleaned it and put it back and it worked for a day.
then it started giving 6b error code continuously so after a lot of permutation and combination the computer started but it showed only 12GB RAM in bios as well as in the OS although i had all the 4 modules installed in the RAM slot
then after few days the same problem arised and again after some tedious work got it working but this time the BIOS and OS showing only 8GB, so i gavethe board to the service center and after 10 days they gave me the board repaired which worked for 1 month showing 16 GB RAM
again after a month the same problem arised and this time i asked for replacement of the board and the the new board arrived at the service center after 12 days.
so i took my RAM and visited the service center to check the new board and that new board too had the same issue. after putting all the 4 modules of ram it just showed 8GB RAM, so the service rep had a spare 32 GB kingston RAM (single module) to test it on the board and after putting the module on the board the bios showed only 8GB instead of 32 GB... strange...
there was another customer at the service center who knew a bit of overclocking and about the RAM and board so he suggested the service reps to check the BIOS for RAM latency and their values. My RAM has latency of 15-17-17-35 and in the bios it showed the values of 15-17-17-37, so he suggested that the bios is not taking or configuring the RAM values as it should be and the proper asus technical person can set or help in installing an external RAM profile which will change the RAM latency values to the ones that my RAM is compatible with, also the guy told me that the present MB is using only dual channel of the RAM instead of quad channel and setting an external XMP profile for the RAM matchingmy RAM latency values will sort that issue too...

so my question is what exactly is the problem and even with a new board how is this possible and what can be done to sort this out. is the guy whom i met at the service center saying correct about installing an external XMP profile for the RAM which will sort this issue or is there any other step that should be followed


please help guys coz its almost 9-10 months that i am facing this issue

Thanks in advance...

[Arne_Saknussemm]

In all that testing...is it the same CPU that was used or at the service center were they using their own CPU?

Have you been trying to use the XMP profile for your RAM? or have you left RAM at defaults?

Have you updated the BIOS to latest version at some point?

What is the exact model number of your RAM?

[amitgedia]

Hi,
1) they were testing on their own cpu at the service center
2) the RAM was at defaults and no XMP profiles used
3) they updated the BIOS to 3801 the latest
4) thats the model of my RAM "Corsair CMK16GX4M4A2666C15 Vengeance LPX 16GB Dual/Quad Channel C15 Memory"

thanks

Arne Saknussemm wrote:
In all that testing...is it the same CPU that was used or at the service center were they using their own CPU?

Have you been trying to use the XMP profile for your RAM? or have you left RAM at defaults?

Have you updated the BIOS to latest version at some point?

What is the exact model number of your RAM?

[Arne_Saknussemm]

OK so if the board has changed and two CPUs have been used that pretty much leaves the RAM as not really working at advertised specs I guess.

Have you tried one stick at a time in recommended single slot configuration to test each stick is OK?

Have you tried raising VDIMM a bit to see if 1.25 volts works for example?

Have you tried setting 2400 or 2666 manually and entering primary timings in yourself...have you made any changes in DIGI+ in BIOS?

[amitgedia]

Hi,
yes i have tried one stick at a time and they all work

i have not tried raising VDIMM as they service center technical guys themselves didnt know how to do it andthey told me not to touch any other bios components as it might a warranty issue then

no other changes were made to the bios as the service center technical guys were unaware of the settings and what affect it might have on the MB...

they said that on monday they will skype the senior tech guys of asus and try to fix it but in case if they were not able to help then i just wanted to be sure what i can suggest them to check so as to get the MB working

since its a new MB i thought it would take up all the settings automatically as it did when i first brought it but i was depressed seeing it not take it.... hope they have not refurbished and given me back the old MB in the name of new one if thats the case then it would be sad and i will feel cheated...

Arne Saknussemm wrote:
OK so if the board has changed and two CPUs have been used that pretty much leaves the RAM as not really working at advertised specs I guess.

Have you tried one stick at a time in recommended single slot configuration to test each stick is OK?

Have you tried raising VDIMM a bit to see if 1.25 volts works for example?

Have you tried setting 2400 or 2666 manually and entering primary timings in yourself...have you made any changes in DIGI+ in BIOS?

[Arne_Saknussemm]

Well, you should be able to check the serial number of the board against the original box?....to see if it is the same board just refurbished.

Making changes in the BIOS will certainly not void the warranty. Certainly not the kind of everyday changes we are talking about here.

Setting up RAM is expected of the end user. it is not, in fact, automatic.

In the Extreme tweaker tab of the BIOS the very first field "AI Overclock Tuner" you should set to XMP and see if the profile embedded in the RAM works.

See Chino's guide here https://rog.asus.com/forum/showthread.php?39185-Memory-Setup-Guide-For-Maximus-VI-Motherboards

Sometimes I have seen these Vengeance kits are not capable of holding 2400 or 2666 at 1.2v. and simply increasing voltage a bit to 1.25 or even 1.3v (which is trivial and completely safe) sorts out the problem. You can also try adjusting the VCCSA voltage a bit...try values like 1.0 v 1.05v 1.1v (or set an offset like 0.1 or 0.2 or 0.25v)

You can also set some options in the DIGI+ section..you can see some setting here:
https://rog.asus.com/forum/showthread.php?48635-Novice-overclocker-needing-some-help&viewfull=1#post...
https://rog.asus.com/forum/showthread.php?51063-The-Haswell-E-Overclocking-Thread-and-Overclocking-G...

[amitgedia]

Hi,
sure then will go tomorrow to the service center as its a sunday today and try configuring with these settings and get back to you

Thanks again...

Arne Saknussemm wrote:
Well, you should be able to check the serial number of the board against the original box?....to see if it is the same board just refurbished.

Making changes in the BIOS will certainly not void the warranty. Certainly not the kind of everyday changes we are talking about here.

Setting up RAM is expected of the end user. it is not, in fact, automatic.

In the Extreme tweaker tab of the BIOS the very first field "AI Overclock Tuner" you should set to XMP and see if the profile embedded in the RAM works.

See Chino's guide here https://rog.asus.com/forum/showthread.php?39185-Memory-Setup-Guide-For-Maximus-VI-Motherboards

Sometimes I have seen these Vengeance kits are not capable of holding 2400 or 2666 at 1.2v. and simply increasing voltage a bit to 1.25 or even 1.3v (which is trivial and completely safe) sorts out the problem. You can also try adjusting the VCCSA voltage a bit...try values like 1.0 v 1.05v 1.1v (or set an offset like 0.1 or 0.2 or 0.25v)

You can also set some options in the DIGI+ section..you can see some setting here:
https://rog.asus.com/forum/showthread.php?48635-Novice-overclocker-needing-some-help&viewfull=1#post...
https://rog.asus.com/forum/showthread.php?51063-The-Haswell-E-Overclocking-Thread-and-Overclocking-G...

[Arne_Saknussemm]

Nah...you're welcome...good luck tomorrow...we'll be about so let us know how you go 🙂

[amitgedia]

Hi,
just got an update from the asus service center tech guys and they said that they were able to successfully use 12GB of my RAM instead of 16 GB as one module was faulty and i have to replace that one module... fair enough i am happy to hear that.
now my new question is, is this RAM that i am having compatible with rampage v extreme and i7-5820K processor, coz my present RAM is 2666MHZ and i just went to the intel website to check compatibility and they have mentioned in the specifications " Memory Types DDR4 : 1333/1600/2133 " so is this an issue that i will face in future because my RAM is 2666MHz or its fine and i dont need to replace the RAM...
any suggestions on this...

[Arne_Saknussemm]

Hmm...OK...well at least you have a root cause now and you can get on and get some new RAM

The official maximum speed for the platform is 2133MHz...Intel guarantee this will work. In fact, when you boot up a new board 2133 is the default speed for this reason...

Higher frequencies are therefore considered "overclocking" and that is where XMP profiles etc. come in. Having said that 2666 is not too high a frequency normally (though in the end this depends on your CPU memory controler)

So I would think that a replacement 2666 kit that is "healthy" should work just fine...