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RAM Woes

shadragon
Level 7
Hi all,

Thought I'd post my experiences with my new ROG Zenith Extreme setup.

I built a complete system with new components. Threadripper 1950X with Enermax TR4 360 rad and ROG Zenith Extreme, of course. For memory, I got the only 3600 MHz RAM On the QVL. Matched set of 3600 MHz Corsair Vengeance 4 x 8GB Sticks.

I tried to apply a D.O.C.P. profile, but the PC refused to boot with that set. Eventually, I got the RAM running on the manual 3466 settings. No stability issues at all at that speed. Setting 3600 made the PC unbootable. Opened a ticket with ASUS. They suggested I run MemTest86. It failed on Test #8 consistently. RAM is in A1/B1/C1/D1 as the manual asks for. The CPU is set at stock speeds, no OC. BIOS is latest release version. If I try to adjust RAM speed up in to 3600 in Ryzen Master the PC resets back to stock before booting.

They then suggested removing all RAM and testing each one individually. With one 8GB stick in, I was able to set the D.O.C.P. profile at 3600 and tested all four RAM sticks successfully at 3600 MHz level, passing all tests. I put all four DIMMS back in (I rotated all DIMMS to different slots) and was able to keep the D.O.C.P. 3600 MHz profile on boot. However, when I run:

"wmic memorychip get speed" in a CMD window I see:

speed
3466
3466
3466
3466

Tech support suggested I clear CMOS which is what I will do tonight, but has anyone run into this before? With each DIMM passing individually at D.O.C.P. 3600 I'm suspecting a BIOS issue.

Cheers.
Your Friendly Neighborhood Shadragon

Accept no imitation.
2,634 Views
3 REPLIES 3

Arne_Saknussemm
Level 40
Hey shadragon...

As we were saying in the 3600 thread, it's most likely not a case of anything "wrong". Just this platform is not so easy to get 3600 working. The memory controller gest more stressed the higher you go up the frequencies and the more RAM you use.

If you run 16GB you might get it to work but maybe your memory controller simply can't do 32GB at 3600 at the voltage the board is setting.

Have you tried 1.4v/1.45 VDIMM and/or 1.12...1.13v...1.14v SOC? However I would advise tuning a lower frequency.

I am luckier...my CPU will support higher frequencies but I don't bother with that as my daily driver since 3200 tuned for tight timings is about as fast or even faster....

So, the answer to your question is yes, that is often the case that single sticks can reach their overclock speed but the kit as a whole can't.

There are some beta BIOS you could try with AGESA 1.0.0.4 and 1.0.0.5...BIOS 0019 and BIOS 0002 respectively

Get them here http://www.overclock.net/forum/11-amd-motherboards/1636566-asus-rog-zenith-extreme-x399-threadripper...


But...they are BETA...only test them if you understand they might not be perfect...

And sure,,,after a lot of RAM testing sometimes the board can get a bit scrambled...just clear CMOS and start again

Arne Saknussemm wrote:
If you run 16GB you might get it to work but maybe your memory controller simply van't do 32GB at 3600 at the voltage the board is setting.

Have you tried 1.4v/1.45 VDIMM and/or 1.12...1.13v...1.14v SOC? However I would advise tuning a lower frequency.

Hey Arne,

I appreciate the lengthy response.

I have not increased RAM voltage as I wanted to let tech support guide me. Seems a prudent step though. Your advice makes a lot of sense and it may not be possible to run this kit at 3600, but if so I have to ask, if there are still issues, why is that RAM set (4 x 8GB kit that I bought) on the QVL list? Disappointing.

I waited 6+ months to buy the Threadripper system so all of the initial teething pains were worked out. Looks like I should have waited longer.

Didn't get a chance to clear CMOS last night. Will do so when I get home. Cheers.
Your Friendly Neighborhood Shadragon

Accept no imitation.

Arne_Saknussemm
Level 40
Not sure ASUS tech support will be much use in this case. They just have a list of approved answers on the computer in front of them...not real knowledge of the subject I suspect. But maybe you get lucky if they have different tiers of support.

The thing is, that ASUS make the MB to complement the CPU. So they will test various CPUs and see what they can do. Maybe some of them can support 3600MHz so they design the board to be able to support that in terms of trace quality and layout. So they market the board as supporting 3600 of course. And they will put the 3600 kits that worked on the QVL. But as stated it is in fact the CPU that has to be able to do this too and the official AMD supported speeds are not the same as the marketed overclock speeds. So the board is probably fine...just the CPU isn't happy at 32GB 3600.

3200 MHz is a sweet spot...does the kit have more than one XMP profile?

Try setting DRAM voltage to 1.4v and see what the board is setting for SOC voltage. 1.4v VDIMM is only slightly above spec and safe enough for extended use IMO

You can see here what it took me to run 3600 stable at CAS 16 2T https://rog.asus.com/forum/showthread.php?99129-Goodbye-Intel-hello-AMD/page10#post705900

And here fro 3600 CAS15 1T https://rog.asus.com/forum/showthread.php?99129-Goodbye-Intel-hello-AMD/page10#post707629

This second is only for a short experiment...I would never run that voltage daily.
In fact I don't run the first either since 3200 at tighter timings is just as good or better daily driver...though there are those that would...