Vengeance 16 GB compatibility with GA-Z77X-UP5 TH (or just having bad luck)?

[Haylee]

I am building a system around a Gigabyte GA-Z77X-UP5 TH motherboard; I chose a 2x8G Dual Channel Vengeance DDR3 kit to go with it (1.5V, 9-9-9-24, rated 1600, CMZ16GX3M2A1600C9G), with a view to purchasing another pair later if needed.

 

I checked the memory kit after arrival with memtest86+ and it found errors on one of the modules but not the other. So I RMA'd the pair and got a replacement from Corsair, but the new kit doesn't make it through memtest86+ either without errors. The BIOS is the current stable (F11). I tested each module individually and as a pair (of the original pair, only one threw errors, the other one didn't), in different sockets (made no difference), and both with and without X.M.P. enabled, always letting the board choose speed, latency and voltage (made no difference).

 

Am I just having bad luck or is there some compatibility issue with these sticks and my Z77 motherboard? The Memory Configurator app does not specifically recommend the kit that I purchased but it recommends various similar Vengeance and Dominator kits. Am I wrong in thinking that just about any 1.5V/1600 module should work fine with a standard Z77 board?

 

Configurator Result for GA-Z77X-UP5 TH

 

Edit: 1) I've had time to run tests on the new pair. Same result as with the first kit: one module works, the other throws errors (the error signature is different from the first kit though). As described above, I am not changing speeds, voltages or latency manually; it doesn't matter which DIMM socket the modules are sitting in; and the errors occur both at stock speed (1333) as well as with the XMP profile enabled (1600), but only for one of the two modules and not the other. I suppose I have another faulty pair?

 

2) I've also checked the memory compatibility list for this specific motherboard on Gigabyte's web site - they actually list an almost identical 4x8G Vengeance kit but with higher latency (10-10-10-27) as certified compatible. I happen to have the 9-9-9-24 kit, could that have anything to do with this? (in that case I would assume that both modules would fail though, not just one)

[peanutz94]

Thats really weird! But it does appear to be just bad luck.

 

I would go ahead and contact CS by phone and let them know the new set has a bad stick in it too. I know they will pick up shipping both ways as well as get you a new kit as soon as possible.

If you are out of the US or overseas , you can install and use SKYPE to make the call for nothing. But i really urge you to call them if it's possible. That really would be the fastest way to get you straitened out.

 

Just to be sure you have covered all bases try one last thing....With both sticks installed try setting XMP and then manually setting theDIMM voltage to 1.55v or even 1.6 if you need to.

 

If that fails then have them replaced again.

 

I am building a system around a Gigabyte GA-Z77X-UP5 TH motherboard; I chose a 2x8G Dual Channel Vengeance DDR3 kit to go with it (1.5V, 9-9-9-24, rated 1600, CMZ16GX3M2A1600C9G), with a view to purchasing another pair later if needed

.

Just an FYI. Corsair does not suggest or support mixing/combing/adding memory to an existing set. There is just no way to tell if any two random kits would play nice together , even if they are the same exact part numbers. Your best bet is to just buy a matched 32 gig kit if you really think your going to need the extra capacity.

It really can cause you a lot of potential headaches as well as the always present danger of data loss.

 

Oh, hey , one last thing i wanted to ask. Are the modules that have failed, are or were they in the same slot?

[Haylee]

Thanks for your suggestions peanutz. Yes, I moved both the good and the bad module into different slots (and into the same slots, one after the other) while testing to eliminate the possibility of having a bad DIMM slot on the board. I am thinking of either having them replaced once again or upgrade to a similar Dominator kit, one that is specifically recommended for use with this board.

[Octopuss]

I am having problems with my, slightly (but not much) different Vengeance kit on Gigabyte board as well. What SEEMS to have done the trick (more testing needed) was increasing the IMC voltage from its 0.925V all the way to 1.025V. Give it a shot.

[Haylee]

Thanks for that Octopuss. I've seen your thread but I think my issue is more straightforward than yours. I don't overclock my CPU for the time being, and my problems aren't really system stability issues such as what you would find with Prime95 or Intel Burn Test - it's memtest that is showing me errors on one of the two memory modules that I have.

 

If I use the one good module alone, Prime95 and Intel Burn Test give me no errors, but when I add the bad module or run only the bad module, I get errors both in memtest and in benchmarks that make use of large blocks of memory such as Intel Burn Test with maxed-out settings.

 

I've tried increasing the DDR voltage to 1.55V and 1.6V also, but that simply produced more errors, more quickly. I suppose I could change the IMC voltage too but I already see errors consistent with a failing memory module, so I'm going to go with an RMA here.

[peanutz94]

Haylee, have you contacted CS to get that set replaced yet?

[Haylee]

Yep, I've triggered that RMA now peanutz. It took me a few extra days because I wanted to run a larger number of memtest passes on those modules. I was curious to see if the 'good' module was going to throw errors eventually (it didn't) or if I would see different results from the 'bad' module under varying conditions (see above). I'll provide an update once I have the new kit in.