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CMD8GX3M4A1600C8 + Asus P7P55D-E Pro + Win 7 64bit = Unstable


cfish

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I just completed a self-build using the Asus P7P55D-E Pro motherboard, Core i7 860 and the CMD8GX3M4A1600C8 8GB kit. The memory kit is recommended for this board in the Memory Configurator so I wasn't expecting any problems.

 

However, I seem to have the exact same problem as the OP in this thread but there was no solution at the end of that thread (although my German is not perfect).

 

Essentially, with all 4 modules loaded, the system passes POST and boots into Windows 7 (64bit) but freezes within minutes but at random times. Sometimes freezing at the start screen and at others a short time after displaying the desktop.

 

With any 2 modules loaded, the system seems stable. The modules seem fine with no errors in Memtest86+.

 

Now I'm not an overclocker, all I want is a stable system with 8GB RAM. I have read various posts in this forum and elsewhere and I have tried various BIOS tweaks but with no joy.

 

Is there a set of known BIOS settings for this board/memory combination to get them working together?

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I have tried using XMP. That at least runs the RAM at it's true speed (1600 rather than the default 1333) and stated voltage (1.65v) but it's still unstable. There must be more tweaking required to get this to work - but I'm no expert. Normally with these builds I just stick in some "compatible" RAM and it works.
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Well, I've spent days adjusting BIOS settings and although I've had different outcomes, none have been stable. I am coming to the conclusion that this memory and board combination are just not compatible, despite what the Corsair memory configurator says.

 

Does anyone out there have an Asus P7P55D-E PRO running Win 7 64 stable with 8GB RAM? If so, what RAM are you using?

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If you haven't already I would highly recommend trying to reseat the CPU and check for any bent pins within the CPU Socket as this can sometimes cause issues.

 

Well I would consider that as an option if it wasn't for the fact that the system is absolutely stable with only 2 modules (4GB) in place. The problem only occurs when all 4 modules are used.

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Hello

 

I bought a can near the same setup "see my profile. For a week I have tried several settings in bios and nothing nor does the PC is unstable. I did a test with memtest86 + by setting the bios on the 1600Mhz XMP test is passed without any errors but EVERST on the stability test after 5 seconds the computer crashes. Does the problem come about Windows?!

Y t he has a solution

Sorry for English, I pass by a translator

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Thanks for your message, I was beginning to think I was the only one with this problem. Like you, I have throughly tested the memory with Memtest 86+ and found zero errors, so the memory is not at fault. But there is something in the combination of this memory kit and board when running Win 7 that is causing a problem.

 

With my latest BIOS settings, I've managed to get a consistent failure. The PC boots and passes POST. Windows starts but the system freezes at exactly the same point when the desktop appears.

 

For this reason, I think that Win 7 64 must be a part of the mix. Something that Windows does at that point causes the system to crash.

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A number of cylces All passed Memtest86+ v4.0 does NOT give you stability in win7 64bit OS.

 

You need to repeat changing some parameters (tweak) in the BIOS until it gets stable.

i) run cycles using Memtest86+ v4.0 (boot from floopy drive or CD or DVD)

ii) After booting to win7 64 OS, run CPUZ, real temp, Prime95+, IntelBurnTestV2.4, etc to check stability of system.

 

 

 

BCLK Frequency

System Memory Multiplier (SPD)

Memory speed

CPU speed

etc

 

CPU Vcore Voltage

QPI/Vtt Voltage

DRAM Voltage

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I'm sure your advice is good but you have someone before you who just wanted a good solid PC and never intended to OC or go anywhere near AI Tweak. Without a logical strategy I have no chance of getting this system to work and so far I've been reading forum posts and trying things but have got nowhere. You may see this as a challenge but fur me it's just a pain in the...

 

You have given me a list of parameters, BCLK Frequency etc. but I have no idea how to proceed. Should that parameter be set higher or lower than the default, and by how much? What range should I test? What increments? Should it be tested alone or in combination with other parameters? The permutations seem endless and without a strategy I don't stand a chance.

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I am very disgusted because I ordered RAM from another premium brand that was in 1600. Everett identified in 1066 so I returned to the Corsair especially since I had seen the installation and testing on a post here who demonstrated the proper operation with this motherboard

So if any one of the support we can give form to capture any bios settings as realized in the post dedicated to this memory

 

Thank you

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what the version is your ram? see the label 3.1? 3.2?

 

Version 3.2

 

After 3 weeks of messing about with this build I seem to be getting somewhere. I have narrowed the culprit down to the IMC voltage and am currently testing this using LinX.

 

I began by following this article because the mianboard is similar and the memory is the same. After replicating the settings given in that article, the system was almost stable, freezing just once or twice per day. The IMC voltage of 1.15 used for the Corsair build is too low. I have now tested 1.20 which seems to be fine most of the time but fails in the LinX stress test after a couple of hours. I'm now testing 1.25.

 

The Intel specification recommends an IMC voltage of no more than 1.21 but that seems to be conservative and I have come to the conclusion that the Asus board, although having 4 RAM slots, is not capable of running 4 modules of 1600 memory within that Intel specification.

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bingo!!!:D:

I also had the v3.2 version and had the same problem, I sent to RMA.

now i recieved v3.1, so far works without any problem :D

 

Well after 4 weeks of trying it now looks as though I have the v3.2 memory stable. There is no obvious or logical method for getting there but if anyone is interested I can let you know the BIOS settings.

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cfish, if you could share your BIOS settings I would be very grateful. What did you end up setting IMC to? I'm having similar issues with the same motherboard/CPU and two 4GB sets of CMX4GX3M2A1600C7 v7.1 RAM.

 

After a cold boot, I'm getting Windows 7 instability and memtest failures in the upper 4GB range. Seems to happen most often after the PC's been sitting powered down overnight; if I get a clean run of memtest on boot, I can run for days without issue, and quick power downs or restarts won't re-introduce the problem. I've swapped the motherboard, reseated the CPU, and swapped the RAM pairs around, the issue still persists.

 

memtest failure

 

It doesn't make much sense to me, but reseating the RAM then rebooting into memtest or Windows will clear the issue for me until the next time I power down my PC.

 

I'm hoping one of my BIOS voltage settings is just a bit too low, and it's just enough to trigger data errors when the system is cold.

 

Thanks cfish!

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nofferman: You have a different issue as there's no guarantee that 2 packs of memory will work together at rated specs since they were not tested that way. I'd start your own thread and mention the version # and lot codes of each pack.
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Version 3.2

 

After 3 weeks of messing about with this build I seem to be getting somewhere. I have narrowed the culprit down to the IMC voltage and am currently testing this using LinX.

 

I began by following this article because the mianboard is similar and the memory is the same. After replicating the settings given in that article, the system was almost stable, freezing just once or twice per day. The IMC voltage of 1.15 used for the Corsair build is too low. I have now tested 1.20 which seems to be fine most of the time but fails in the LinX stress test after a couple of hours. I'm now testing 1.25.

 

The Intel specification recommends an IMC voltage of no more than 1.21 but that seems to be conservative and I have come to the conclusion that the Asus board, although having 4 RAM slots, is not capable of running 4 modules of 1600 memory within that Intel specification.

 

Actually, the recommended limit of running only two ranks of 1600 memory per channel is per the official JEDEC specification. Intel and AMD merely had to follow those recommendations. As such, if you want 8GB of memory at 1600 speed, you will have to find an 8GB dual-channel kit with only two modules. Unfortunately, such kits are significantly more expensive right now than four-module 8GB kits. If you fill up all four slots with double-ranked 2GB modules (for a total of 8GB), running the memory at 1333 or lower speed is advised for better stability.

 

In short, no Intel or AMD platform can run 1600 memory at full speed with the tightest-rated timings with more than one double-ranked module per channel. I posted this in another thread where someone with an AMD Phenom II x4 965 processor had the very same problem, which apparently ended up being solved simply by (manually) relaxing the latency timings of the memory (in this case, changing it from the rated 6-6-6-18 to 7-7-7-21). Of course, although simply relaxing the latency timings might have worked with ultra-low-latency 1600 memory, normal (9-9-9 to 11-11-11) 1600 memory might have to be reduced to running at 1333 speed in order to become stable with all four slots filled with double-ranked modules.

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cfish, if you could share your BIOS settings I would be very grateful. What did you end up setting IMC to? I'm having similar issues with the same motherboard/CPU and two 4GB sets of CMX4GX3M2A1600C7 v7.1 RAM.

 

Sorry, I spoke too soon. Still having problems with Prime95 large FFT test - all other tests pass OK.

 

In short, no Intel or AMD platform can run 1600 memory at full speed with the tightest-rated timings with more than one double-ranked module per channel.

 

I hear what you say and I'm amazed that this 4-piece 8GB kit is specified as compatible with this board in the Corsair memory configurator. The least they can do is publish a warning. Something like "...this memory/motherboard combination may cost you weeks of your life and then still not work properly."

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OK, I think I've had a breakthrough! After initial advice from this forum I started experimenting with the memory controller voltage and although I was able to improve stability by increasing this, it never solved the problem.

 

I then moved on to experimenting with the memory frequency. The system was very unstable at 1333 and at 1600 with XMP so I tried some intermediate settings by modifying the base clock. I discovered that a base clock of 145, giving a memory speed of 1450 was the most stable speed but the system was not 100%, it passed all the LinX and Prime95 stress tests except for the Large FFT test, which froze the system within minutes of starting.

 

After a little more research, I realised that this failure was probably a result of a memory latency that was too tight. So, I changed the 8-8-8-24 DRAM timing to 9-9-9-24 and the system passed the Large FFT test for the first time!

 

At the moment I'm repeating all the tests with the new latency settings and also running a Sandra Burn-in but it is looking good.

 

So, although I bought a memory kit at 1600 and C8, I actually have 1450 and C9 (with a modestly overclocked CPU as a bonus) but I'm just happy to have a stable system (fingers crossed) after 4 weeks of trying.

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Sorry to be the bringer of bad news but my system is still not stable :(

 

Thought I was there but after a full battery of tests, it's not. I have come to the conclusion that there is something fundamenatally wrong with this combination of memory and board - nothing I do results in stability - some settings are better than others but ultimately, it's unstable.

 

I'm going to have to buy some different memory.

 

Anyone interested in 8GB of Dominator memory going at a knock-down price?

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