CMZ16GX3M2A1600C10 not working in dual mode on Asus P8Z77V-PRO

Hi there,

I have a new machine and having some problem getting the RAM to work with the M/B. Either stick works fine in memory slot A1, but the M/B won't POST if I have both sticks in A1+B1 or A2+B2 (DRAM error light is on).

I tried A1+A2, and that works+passes memtest (although it's not in dual mode). B1+B2 didn't work.

I've updated my BIOS to the latest (0906) and tried running it as low as 800Mhz, but with no success for dual mode. The MEMOK function of the M/B hasn't helped either.

 

I wonder if anyone has had any luck using this RAM in dual mode with this M/B?

It's not on the preferred list (wish I'd checked first, but too late now). I'd be surprised if it's really that intolerant? I was thinking it might be more likely that I have a faulty B1/B2 memory slots on my motherboard.

 

Has anyone had any luck with this combination?

Thanks v much in advance for any suggestions

Dual channel is a function of the motherboard and not the memory. If it wont run in dual channel you'll need to contact the MB manufacturer.

 

Sounds like a bad MB or RAM slot.

Thanks peanutz, I appreciate your insight.

I'll try and RMA the motherboard and see what happens.

I have the exact same problem with an Intel DZ77BH-55K motherboard. There's nothing wrong with the slots or the motherboard. Every other dual-channel memory kit I've plugged in has worked fine. The CMZ16GX3M2A1600C10 kit also presents with the same problem on one other Z77 board (that I no longer have access to) I've tried it on.

 

Either there are fairly significant compatibility problems with this RAM and at least some subset of Z77-based motherboards or there was a bad batch of this memory sent out.

I had agreed to RMA the MB with the retail outfit, although as a test I tried to install my RAM in a friends computer who is using exactly the same MB/RAM combo.

It didn't POST - even with 1 stick (using XMP profile - memok button did nothing).

The RAM works fine with my MB in (2x8GB) single channel mode, so I wonder if it's a tolerance thing. Pretty unimpressed with the whole experience though (having Asus and Corsais blame each other).

The CPU's memory controller handles the channels, not the motherboard or memory. If it couldn't post with just one stick (and they work fine in another rig), then it's the slot or CPU.

Yes, the actual memory controller is located on the CPU, but the motherboard BIOS still controls timings, voltages, speeds, etc. and some mobo manufacturers actually have totally different physical trace configurations between the processor and the memory slots. This is why mobo BIOS updates list memory compatibility fixes all of the time and why motherboard manufacturers still list (woefully inadequate) memory compatibility tables on their support sites.

 

I agree that this guy, myself, and two others I've tried these modules on could all have possibly gotten different Intel processor all manifesting the exact same point of failure with no other apparent problems present with the CPU, but the likelihood of some undocumented incompatibility with this model of RAM seems far, far more likely to me.

 

Does anyone out there have these exact modules working in dual-channel mode with a Z77 chipset and a 3rd-gen (Ivy Bridge) Core i5/i7 processor? If so, could you post your system config if it's not in your profile? Thanks!

Actually a friend (who bought their system at the same time as me) has exactly these components working in dual channel (@1600). He had to use the MEMOK function to get it to work initially, but now runs on XMP profile.

 

Strangely enough when I put my memory (which works in A1+A2 in single channel mode on my machine), it didn't work in his system at all - even a single stick.

 

From what people have posted here the only explanation seems to be that

1. my motherboard has a faulty B1/B2 socket (which is why I can't run a single stick in B1/B2)

2. my RAM is very sensitive (which is why his machine can't run it)

Hi, I also have a 2x8GB Vengance kit (well 2 actually) with an Asus Z77 motherboard (P8Z77-V) but neither will boot without using the 'Mem OK' button to down-clock the RAM to 1333MHz. If I try and set it back manually to 1600MHz it fails to boot due to the memory. As I said I have two kits and both exhibit exactly the same behavior, whether 2 or 4 sticks are installed.

 

Is this likely to be something out of spec with the memory or is it just a matter of time for Asus to update the BIOS? Will these dimms ever work at the correct speed or should I just return them?

 

Cheers :)

 

EDIT: I am also running the latest BIOS (0906).

Would upping the voltage of the VCCIO and VCCSA or the DIMM's themselves allow them to be run at 1600MHz?

All you should have to do is load set up defaults and enable XMP. XMP will take care of the necessary voltage tweaks if any that are need for the rated speed.

 

Since you have two kits that exhibit the same behavior i would say your MB or CPU is not functioning correctly.

I'm in a similar situation. I just put together my system and it would not boot. Mem ok led was on so held the button down and managed to get into the bios. I. Only problem is the memory is running at slower timings and at 1333. I haven't had a chance to run memtest or install windows as yet so can't comment on stability.

 

The sticks are in A2 & B2. Processor is a new i5 3750k.

 

I'm glad I'm not the only one having trouble getting this ram to work but it shouldn't be this hard surely?

 

I did notice there is a new bios update for the motherboard that has been released which has 'improved memory compatibility'.

 

Edit: mobo is an Asus p8z77-v-pro

The latest BIOS I flashed the other day listed 'improved memory compatability' yet didn't solve the problem. I had a quick play last night and with the voltages increased a little it did get past the Memory LED but got a checksum error, maybe it needs a little more voltage as I was still in the 'safe' zone. I think I used 1.1v for VCCIO and VCCSA.

 

I've seem some mention of problems with the ASUS Z77 Sabertooth and these RAM modules which appear to be fixed by a BIOS update...

Baaboo and Sakkath; what BIOS version are you running? The P8Z77-v Pro is on a newer BIOS than the P8Z77-v, which lists 'improved memory compatability' as one of the improvments over version 0906 (Current P8Z77-v version).

 

Sakkath did you RMA the board in the end?

Hi all,

 

I am currently running the same memory modules in my P8Z77-V pro. The system posts ok, detects the memory, and shows correct timing and frequency info (bios 0906). So far I had no issues running apps/games in Windows 7.

 

However, I do notice that before the system POSTs, the motherboard cycles through all of the on-board LED indicators, including the memory status showing up red for a split second and then everything is cleared and the system boots to my desktop screen within 10-12 seconds.

 

I found the following in the manual (manual, page 2-6, Memory configurations):

"This motherboard does not support DIMMs made up of 512MB (64MB) chips or less"

 

Could this be the case with the CMZ16GX3M2A1600C10 modules? However, if this was a severe system architecture issue, none of us would be able to run these modules due to clocking incompatibility.

 

So I am starting to lean towards hardware design margins theory. I suspect that the reason why my system seems to work OK with it is because my particular controller or memory might be from a batch of silicon that was let's say 5% faster than other batches (i.e. some process corner that had faster transistors than others). This could give my controller/memory the extra headroom to adjust the frequencies and timings that just barely allow my system to synchronize and lock successfully with this particular set of memory sticks. This would explain why some controllers work with it and why others dont.

 

To prove this theory I should be able to adjust frequencies a little bit and see massive faiures.

 

Alternatively if you crank up the memory bus frequency you might overcome this problem. To do so you'd need to borrow somewhere a set of memory sticks that work, load bios, crank up frequency, save changes, turn off pc, put back your memory and then restart the machine.

 

However, this leads to only 1 conclusion - this memory was never meant for this motherboard.

 

Thoughts?

No, as the Vengeance series was designed and tested specifically for the sandybridge platform. So the architecture is not the problem.

To prove this theory I should be able to adjust frequencies a little bit and see massive faiures.

Again, not necessarily true. Especially with the Vengeance series that were designed to run at higher frequencies with the same 1.5v

 

Most issues with the new z77 platform and memory comes from immature BIOS's. Just because a BIOS update lists "improved memory compatibility, that does not mean it covers all modules.

So the architecture is not the problem.

 

I agree with you on that (I tried to say the same thing in my previous post). But I was thinking that although fundamental architecture wasn't a problem, the hardware margins were. However, I ran today a bunch of simple overclocking tests on Cpu and memory and everything worked astonishingly well and stable (stressed with prime95).

 

So now I am puzzled as to why there would be such severe symptoms in other systems (esp. Sakkath, who seems to have almost identical specs as I do).

Just a quick update; I tried one of the kits in my brothers Socket 1156 i7 system with a gigabyte board and it worked fine at the specified timings (1600, 10, 10, 10, 27) so I guess that leaves either the CPU or the Asus P8Z77-v as the probelm part.

Just a quick update; I tried one of the kits in my brothers Socket 1156 i7 system with a gigabyte board and it worked fine at the specified timings (1600, 10, 10, 10, 27) so I guess that leaves either the CPU or the Asus P8Z77-v as the probelm part.

Thats what it sure looks like. Sorry to hear that. Now it's just a matter of narrowing down the problem part. I would suggest the MB first. Very seldom do i see a bad CPU even though it is a possibility.

Well I've also got a Sandy Bridge Pentium system so when I get a spare moment I'll install that and see what happens. Hopefully there will be another BIOS update which muight fix it in the near future, but with people reporting that the modules work on the Pro version with the same BIOS revision as the non Pro I doubt that will be the solution :(

Just to update this thread in the hope it might be useful to someone in the future. I haven't got round to trying my other CPU in the P8Z77-v but I did notice that there is a new BIOS version (1205) available as of 1st Jun 12. It DOES NOT list improved memory compatibility as one of it's features (where as the Pro versions 1206 BIOS does), but I thought I'd give it a try anyway.

 

So I flashed the BIOS, I had to remove all-but-one DIMM to get the motherboard to boot from the new BIOS even with the MemOK button, as with previous BIOS upgrades. As a note, the manual suggests for best compatibility to use slot B1 for a single DIMM. My board wouldn't boot with this config, but using A1 worked. I then enabled XMP through the BIOS and rebooted. This time it worked so I powered down and reinstalled the rest of the DIMMs.

 

I now have the XMP profile set in the BIOS and 2 kits of CMZ16GX3M2A1600C10 (32GB in total) running at the correct timings of 10-10-10-27 at 800MHz base clock, as confirmed by the BIOS and CPU-Z. I'm so happy I haven't got to go through the hassle of RMAing the board, and the system is running sweet.

Hi, I RMA'd the board about 7 weeks ago and am STILL waiting for it back.

Unfortunately the customer service is a disgrace in Switzerland.

I believe the board is currently with ASUS to get repaired. I pushed and pushed for a replacement to the faulty motherboard, but was getting nowhere. I don't speak the language and didn't fancy employing a very expensive lawyer so I'm waiting for the repaired unit.

 

I've had a thoroughly awful time with this. It was my fault for not checking the compatibility charts, but frankly I'm amazed that significant manufacturers (ie ASUS and Corsair) are releasing their leading products without testing them together.

 

My nightmare scenario is that I'll get the motherboard back in a week or so, and it still won't work with the Corsair RAM (which is now 2 months old and probably far too old to RMA).

I'm amazed that significant manufacturers (ie ASUS and Corsair) are releasing their leading products without testing them together.

QVL and compatibility charts are just a list of what they HAVE tested with. It's nearly impossible from a time/money aspect for them to be able test every combination of modules to all the different combinations of motherboards. With that said that does not mean that modules that do not appear on a QVL will not work. If they meet the basic specs for CPU/MB then they should be fine.

Totally understand that Peanutz, but I find it seriously odd that one of the most popular (or certainly in the top few) IvyBridge motherboards doesn't work with newly released RAM from one of the most popular brands. And 2x4GB from the same product line works, but not 2x8GB, so it's not obvious (to me anyway) that there should be a problem.

 

Maybe I've been very lucky, but I've built myself several PCs over the past ~15 years and never had this kind of problem before.

 

BTW I updated to the 1015 bios before I RMA'd but it didn't help. Hopefully the more recent 1206 might help when I eventually get the thing back.