TR3X6G1600C9 and Asus Sabertooth X58

[jsammy]

I've been running this setup for over a month, and since Day 1, I have not had the system correctly recognize all 6GB (1 kit, 3x2GB dimms) for more than one day at a time.

 

I have experienced:

• system boots, all 6GB recognized, Windows gives me 0xc0000428 cannot verify digital signature error, I press ENTER to continue, system reboots, now only 4GB (sometimes only 2GB) recognized, Windows starts, Windows recognizes 4/2GB
  
• system boots, all 6GB recognized, Windows loads, everything seems ok, Windows blue screens (mostly PAGE_FAULT_IN_NONPAGED_AREA, sometimes NTFS_FILE_SYSTEM), I reboot, now only 4GB (or 2GB) recognized
  
• system boots, all 6GB recognized, no problems, next day, turn on pc, only 4GB recognized
  
• system boots, all 6GB recognized, windows memory diagnostic tool starts, no errors found, Windows loads, Windows recognizes 4/2GB
  

 

Sometimes I notice that the system will not recognize all of my RAM, but I'll shutdown and power up 5-10 minutes later, and all 6GB will be recognized (then repeat above).

 

Even though recognized RAM is less than 6GB, CPU-Z still sees all 3 dimms.

 

I have tried all a) AUTO settings, b) XMP Profile, c) the following base settings:

• Ai Overclock Tuner: Manual
  
• CPU Ratio Setting: Auto
  
• Intel® SpeedStep Tech: Disabled
  
• BCLK Freq: 133
  
• PCIE Freq: 100
  
• DRAM Freq: DDR3-1066MHz
  
• UCLK Freq: 2133 MHz
  
• QPI Link Data Rate: Auto
  
• DRAM Timings: 8-8-8-20-4-59-8-6-20-0 (Auto), 1N-56-56-56 (Auto), 4-4-14-11-11-11-7-6-4-7-7-4 (Auto)
  
• CPU Voltage Control: Manual
  
• CPU Voltage: Auto
  
• CPU PLL Voltage: 1.80
  
• QPI/DRAM Core Voltage: 1.25000
  
• IOH Voltage: 1.10
  
• IOH PCIE Voltage: 1.50
  
• ICH Voltage: 1.10
  
• ICH PCIE Voltage: 1.50
  
• DRAM Bus Voltage: 1.64
  
• DRAM DATA REF Voltage on CHA: Auto
  
• DRAM CTRL REF Voltage on CHA: Auto
  
• DRAM DATA REF Voltage on CHB: Auto
  
• DRAM CTRL REF Voltage on CHB: Auto
  
• DRAM DATA REF Voltage on CHC: Auto
  
• DRAM CTRL REF Voltage on CHC: Auto
  
• Load-Line Calibration: Auto
  
• CPU Differential Amplitude: Auto
  
• CPU Clock Skew: Auto
  
• IOH Clock Skew: Auto
  
• PCIE Spread Spectrum: Auto
  

 

I have used both Intel's stock HSF and the Corsair A70. Temperatures seem OK. CPU idles in low 30s. I have checked for bent CPU pins and making sure the HSF backplate is not shorting the mobo. I can't say for sure (how does one measure "too tight"?), but A70 seems about as tight against CPU as stock HSF did), and its orientation seems balanced enough (I reseated 3 times with comparable results).

 

For testing purposes, I labeled the dimms 1, 2 and 3.

 

My memtest86+ results:

• each module individually in slot A1, no errors
  
• each module individually in slot C1, 1 and 2 no errors, 3 has errors
  
• all 3 modules in A1, B1, C1 -> with previous configurations, error; with above configuration, no errors after 2 passes, Windows runs fine, turn on next day, only 4GB recognized
  

 

Since my last tests, I have changed my timings to 9-9-9-24-4-88-8-6-30-0. I will report back.

 

I would like to get the system stable at 1066MHz. Once satisfied, I would like to try 1333, and eventually 1600. I have not over-clocked the CPU (running at stock 3059MHz).

[trackrat]

Welcome.

 

The link below may be of help?

 

http://forum.corsair.com/forums/showthread.php?t=82274

[jsammy]

Thanks for the reply, trackrat. I have practically memorized (fully understood? I'm still working on that) that thread, but knock on wood, after changing the timings as indicated in my original post, all RAM is currently recognized, even after a couple of reboots and a full shutdown.

 

I just thought my issue was a little different in that the issues I've read in the forums always had to do with a "fixed" incorrect amount of RAM, as opposed to mine where after the BIOS posts, the amount of RAM changed (without me having changed any settings in the BIOS).

[trackrat]

I hope you were able to fix the issue!

[jsammy]

Unfortunately, when I cold booted this afternoon, the bios posted 6GB, I went into bios and made non-memory related changes, and when pc rebooted, bios posted 4GB.

 

I flashed the bios from 0505 to 0603. No luck.

 

I bumped the QPI/DRAM Core Voltage to 1.35. No luck.

 

Any settings recommendations?

[jsammy]

To follow-up, the problem seems to have been faulty RAM.

 

I RMA'd the RAM to Corsair requesting advanced product replacement. Using various settings (default XMP profile, the settings used above, etc.), all 6 GBs of the replacement RAM was always recognized. I'm one happy camper!

 

Huge thanks to Corsair Support for getting the replacement RAM to me so quickly (in Canada during the Holiday season, no less!)