RAM Problems? Cooling too Tight?

Yeah sounds board level. Obviously P55 can handle this fine but not this model. BIOS seems unlikely since other ASUS P55 boards haven't had this issue either and I'm sure they reuse code when possible.

From the symptoms described it sounds like a physical issue. Could be a design or manufacturing issue affecting the electrical reliability of the DIMM slots.

Since multiple samples have the same issue you could perhaps try testing VDIMM and ground pins on the intermittent slot(s). If its an issue on the signaling pins, though, you'll need a really expensive scope. Ultimately I think ASUS needs to man up in this case.
 
weuntouchable said:
A chipset not communicating properly with the DIMM slot was the issue I was having. If the DIMM was faulty, I don't believe it would show anything in CPU-Z for that slot. .
Click to expand...

Wrong.CPU-Z is simply querying the memory controller which will think there are four slots due to the BIOS. It has no real way of knowing if the socket is 100% or not.
 
Stupid question, as I'm sure you've already tried this, BUT . . . (sometimes it's the really simple and stupid stuff that gets overlooked):

I had a similar issue a while back. I knew damn well the RAM was good, but at POST and in Windows it was only showing 1/2 the RAM.

I went through, removed all the sticks, re-seated them, and got the same issue.

I went through one by one, ran memtest on each stick individually, all tested fine.

Finally, just as I was about to pull my hair out, I unplugged the machine, pulled the CMOS battery, put it back in, cleared the BIOS, and everything has been fine since.

I know, you've probably already tried it, but like I said, sometimes it the really stupid simple stuff that gets overlooked.
 
I've had issues like this on the X58 platform. One machine would only see 4 of 6 gigs in the BIOS. Turned out to be a dud processor. (I see you've tried a few of them, so chances are pretty low.) In another it would only see 4 of 12 gigs. I just had to clean the pads on the bottom of the proc. It looked like there was thermal goop on them. Might want to check contact on the pads and make sure the socket looks OK.

You could also try throwing more voltage at the problem. :D
 
wow. some of the comments and suggestions here are kinda.... ahem..

the POST memory test only detects 4 gigs, when 8 are installed.

how is this OS-related, again? what will running a Linux live cd, or different flavors of Windows tell us? Well, nothing more than what's already been determined; that is not an OS-related issue.


Kyle, have you tried only filling 3 slots, keeping out slot 1, which you stated it would not POST with only 1 stick in slot 1? See if it will then detect all 6 gigs and Win7 will see all 6 gigs as usable?
 
Might seem a silly question (a very long shot actually!), but have you checked for a bank limitation on the chipset? I can recall some older Intel chipsets only recognising a set number of banks on memory installed where maximum memory capacity could only be recognised if a mixed number of single or double sided modules were installed.
 
I'm not done reading yet but I was browsing the Corsair forums and it appears that you are definitely not alone. It doesn't appear that anyone has really determined a reason, they just end up replacing their memory. One did state he got it working, however, a significant downclock was needed. There are several threads posted here.

http://forum.corsair.com/v3/forumdisplay.php?f=201
 
This sounds oddly familiar to a problem I saw long ago on an ASUS board.

Turned out the problem was whether or not the memory sticks were single or double sided. The double sided sticks showed half the memory whereas the single sided ones showed it all. In other motherboards we had at the time, the double sided worked fine, it was just that one model ASUS board. (Don't ask me which as this was about 5 years ago).

Probably not going to help unfortunately, but figured I'd toss it out there.
 
Oh and also, I know you've set the memory to it's supposed default voltage, but I had also read of several that lowered it to 1.55 and became stable/working.
 
RCGodward said:
I've had issues like this on the X58 platform. One machine would only see 4 of 6 gigs in the BIOS. Turned out to be a dud processor. (I see you've tried a few of them, so chances are pretty low.) In another it would only see 4 of 12 gigs. I just had to clean the pads on the bottom of the proc. It looked like there was thermal goop on them. Might want to check contact on the pads and make sure the socket looks OK.

You could also try throwing more voltage at the problem. :D
Click to expand...

I had the same issue, but it was with a good processor. I sold the chip to a friend and the new mobo didn't like it. (This is on a X58 Asrock mobo)
I reset the processor in the socket three times and that finally fixed it.
It wouldn't register anything in the first channel so the 12GB I installed only showed as 8GB. No changes to the voltage anywhere would help. It was strictly a socket connection issue.
Try "pushing" the processor up in the socket, then latch it down. (I mean, this is a fraction of a mm that it can move, but it made all the difference.)

These new sockets, 1366 and 1155 are simply not designed well, esp the 1155.
 
I ran into an issue on my latest ASUS board, it's not an icore but the board would only work with single sided DIMM's. It has 4 slots in it but will only allow double sided DIMM's in 2 slots only. Try finding single sided 2GB DIMM's, pretty near impossible. Don't know if it will solve your problem though.
 
Check out this thread too over on Tweaktown. Was the same problem and it seems that it was just bad memory.

Even though the memory tested out fine with memtest, there was still something wrong with it and the BIOS just wasn't recognizing it correctly. Replacing the chip fixed it.
 
MeatballCB said:
Check out this thread too over on Tweaktown. Was the same problem and it seems that it was just bad memory.

Even though the memory tested out fine with memtest, there was still something wrong with it and the BIOS just wasn't recognizing it correctly. Replacing the chip fixed it.
Click to expand...

I have used 12 different DIMMs that have all worked fine in previous P55 boards.

And I just used a RST Pro RAM testing card. The board is not showing half the RAM to even test....
 
TypeO said:
I'm not done reading yet but I was browsing the Corsair forums and it appears that you are definitely not alone. It doesn't appear that anyone has really determined a reason, they just end up replacing their memory. One did state he got it working, however, a significant downclock was needed. There are several threads posted here.

http://forum.corsair.com/v3/forumdisplay.php?f=201
Click to expand...

Yeah, same issue though with 12 sticks from 3 makers all running at only 1066MHz.
 
SCETR said:
I ran into an issue on my latest ASUS board, it's not an icore but the board would only work with single sided DIMM's. It has 4 slots in it but will only allow double sided DIMM's in 2 slots only. Try finding single sided 2GB DIMM's, pretty near impossible. Don't know if it will solve your problem though.
Click to expand...


Hehe, not my problem, ASUS' problem. ;) I will try some single sided DIMMs though, have not thought of that, thanks!
 
This might be a stretch, but, does it look like there are any cold solder joints or bridges on the back side of the cpu socket and / or chipset IC??
 
honestly it really sounds like its time for a bios update / new board.
I've seen something similar to this in the past with vista and it usually endup being windows trying to shield you from part of the ram it thought was corrupt or otherwise unworkable.
9/10 times we tried ram swaps we saw the same issue. leading me to believe the board was at fault. Is this that new USB3 Sata6gb board your testing on?
 
Ive skimmed through most of the posts here, so just bitch slap me if im giving advice thats already been given....

1. Since you have tried to reseat the RAM i would plug in 2GB at a time and run a memtest(http://www.memtest.org/#downiso) on bootup to ensure that the RAM is fine.

2. Check bios for RAM options as RAM could be reloccated or mabye even a dual channel issue with the board.

3. Flash Update(think youve done this however did you try an old version of the board rather than a new one?)

4. Fresh windows install, now i see you have reinstalled Win7 a few times however i would try Win XP and/or Vista and see if the same issue occurs, you could even try linux.

If a fresh install on a different operating system cures the issue it could well be a Driver issue with Windows 7(something corrupt or interfering with something it shouldnt), if it fails the memtest its the RAM. If none of this works i would put it down to a Manufacturing fault with the board, i only say Manufacturing fault due to the other people with the same issue. Try a New/Different Board.
 
Hey Kyle,
Did you try the different slots....add another stick?
Got a Gigabyte UD2 running at 4GB &1600 with all 8GB or 6GB here!
Default settings and F4g Bios
The EX58 would not run 12GB at 1600 though, so dumped it,,,,still will not.
Lots of luck.
 
Hmmm. Try reflashing the BIOS with the same one you've got on there now. Reason I recommend this is it is somewhat reminiscent of a problem I had:

I upgraded from a 65nm C2D to a 45nm C2Q. System was showing the wrong GHz, wrong feature set (no SSE4), and running the fan to full. Getting a replacement CPU didn't fix it, clearing CMOS didn't fix it, and I already had the latest BIOS. However a BIOS reflash did. Apparently there is something else that could, and did, clear. System picked it up properly after that.

So, worth a shot in your case. Probably not the same thing, but I'd try it.
 
You might try cleaning the DIMMs and DIMM slots with a residue free cleaner. Rocking them back a forth slightly once seated may help some as well. I don't think the weights are gonna help you unless the retention clips are broken. Processor seating might be the problem as well, especially with a Foxconn socket. From the pics I've seen of the burned processors they just have terrible planarity and this will cause missed or high ohm contacts. Your weight may be better used sitting on the processor :) If you're sure it worked at one time I'd be pretty sure it's a bad connect (either high ohm or no-connect) somewhere. If it never worked it's likely a bug in the BIOS DRAM config.
 
There's a memtest under the admin tools I believe. It will reboot the system and perform the test on the memory.

It would be interesting to see if it recognizes the extra memory that CPU-Z sees.
 
I think this is related to there being too much pressure exerted on the CPU by the waterblock. Still testing.
 
Yep. The waterblocks being on too tight is causing the issue.

I just replicated the issue on a DFI P55 board.
 
If ram posts as 4GB on another motherboard, then it must be asus board. I'm sure you've tried cleaning the pins and the socket free of dust, moving them to different slots, etc. How about a clean re-install of Win7 64-bit?
 
LOL How the hell did you find that out? I don't think I would have EVER checked the amount of pressure a waterblock was putting on the CPU as the culprit for "bad ram". 'Course I don't use water cooling but this might even apply to air cooling too, as some of those can put a ton of force on the CPU.
 
Not sure if it was already said but your motherboards memory controller is shot.

Happened to me earlier this year with a gigabyte board. Get another board of the exact same type and see what happens. Almost sure the problem will be gone.
 
SkullE said:
Not sure if it was already said but your motherboards memory controller is shot.

Happened to me earlier this year with a gigabyte board. Get another board of the exact same type and see what happens. Almost sure the problem will be gone.
Click to expand...


Problem is already gone.
 
motherboards memory controller is shot.

Hugh?

Is not that part of the CPU?
Did not he fix this already?

DM
 
Oh man, I wonder if a lot of the memory issues folks are having is due to either waterblocks or heatsinks being tightened too tight to the motherboard.
 
SkullE said:
Not sure if it was already said but your motherboards memory controller is shot.

Happened to me earlier this year with a gigabyte board. Get another board of the exact same type and see what happens. Almost sure the problem will be gone.
Click to expand...

P55 = Core I5 = On die memory controller?
 
What's the mounting look like for the water block? Uneven contact force seems more likely than just plain too much. So uneven mounting hardware or significant side forces from the water tubes can cause problems. You might need a torque controlled wrench with the water block, I've worked with LGA sockets where they were part of the mounting procedure.
 
SkullE, how in the hell can you hang out here for 8 years and not know that the memory controller is on die?

Kyle, exactly how much pressure where you torquing the block down with? Enough to compress the PCB? Now to find out if it is the PCB or the socket that is having this issue. My money is on the socket.

Do you think you could get a torque reading where this becomes a problem? Maybe see if it is the same on the ASUS and the DFI.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top