Asus Maximus Formula+4x1GB C4

We bought a number of systems with Asus Maximus Formula and Corsair RAM. Each system has 4 sticks designated as CM2X1024-6400C4 2.10v ver2.1. So far I tested 2 systems with default BIOS settings. Both turned out to be unstable. I ran a memory test and there were lots of errors on both.

I installed the Corsair RAM in another system and it too became unstable.

On both systems I tried removing 2 sticks, so the system was left with just 2GB and ran a memory test. On both systems there were still errors, though less.

What is going on? What is the solution?

Maximus Formula seems to be producing errors when there are no issues. I have tested this board with Corsair 6400C4/8500C5. Four sets of sticks are all producing errors, yet with hardware DRAM testing, there are no errors.

http://www.houseofhelp.com/v3/showthread.php?t=66826

I now placed 2 Corsair sticks in an older system with a different board and placed 2 generic 1GB sticks on a system which didn't work with 2 Corsair sticks. After 2 hours of memory testing there are no errors on either system. I will leave it for the night. If however there will be no errors, it means there are 2 different problems:

1) Corsair RAM doesn't work with Maximus Formula on default settings(even 2 sticks).

2) 4 Corsair sticks don't work together on other systems, as well, on default settings.

Is there a solution?

If this can't be solved we will have to ask the retailer to replace the Corsair memory on all our systems with something else.

Well, it turns out that with 2 sticks it's not memory's fault.

Another system with 2 Corsair sticks didn't produce any errors, but the original system with a different RAM still failed in a memory test.

Disabling Legacy USB supprt didn't help. Updating the BIOS to the latest version didn't help. It happens on 3 different systems with identical configuration. Any ideas what can it be and what can be done?

It seems like there is either a bug in Asus Maximus Formula, which is hard to even imagine or there is a bug in Memtest86. So which is it?

Any other ideas?

I am testing a new board right now. I have also some other sets to test. Micron D9GMH of another company and some 6400C5 Promos from another company as well as these:

http://www.houseofhelp.com/v3/showthread.php?t=67351

It seems like there is either a bug in Asus Maximus Formula, which is hard to even imagine or there is a bug in Memtest86. So which is it?

Any other ideas?

With 4 modules DDR667 would be suggested and I would set the memory Voltage to 2.1 Volts and set the NB/MCH Voltage to +.05 Volts and make sure that Command Rate AKA Command Per Clock is set to 2T.

Did you set to the above? Your DRAM is C4 and needs more voltage than the JEDEC standard of Auto = 1.8v

Well, as I mentioned, it happens with RAM from a different company as well, so it's not Corsair related. I posted in this forum initially because I thought it had something to do with the memory.

The thing is, I tested so far 3 identical systems and it happens on all of them. There are memory errors with both Memtest86 2.01 and Windows Memory Diagnostic. On some of the systems an error is found in seconds. On other it takes hours. No amount of tweaking with memory frequency/latencies/voltages seems to have any effect. Updating the BIOS didn't help.

What is going on? Could it be that Asus Maximus Formula just doesn't work properly?

Well, as I mentioned, it happens with RAM from a different company as well, so it's not Corsair related. I posted in this forum initially because I thought it had something to do with the memory.

The thing is, I tested so far 3 identical systems and it happens on all of them. There are memory errors with both Memtest86 2.01 and Windows Memory Diagnostic. On some of the systems an error is found in seconds. On other it takes hours. No amount of tweaking with memory frequency/latencies/voltages seems to have any effect. Updating the BIOS didn't help.

What is going on? Could it be that Asus Maximus Formula just doesn't work properly?

As previously mentioned, I had a Maximus Formula board and found errors on all the DRAM I installed. The DRAM was known to be working correctly on other boards.

So I picked up another yesterday. Tested it out on many sticks again. All passed with flying colors and as a matter of a fact, I took the Twin2X 100000 (1250Mhz) to 1340Mhz.

Please research this:

http://www.houseofhelp.com/v3/showthread.php?t=67351

The only custom BIOS settings made, other than overclocks to reach the 1200+ DRAM speeds was the voltage to the DRAM and on the 4 X 1024 of 8500C5's I also raised the Vmch. Timings of course were also changed to meet DRAM spec.

Do the modules run one set with out problems?

What do you mean?

You have 2 sets of modules IE 4 modules total in the system and that is the problem? Correct?

Originally I tried with 4 modules. Then I tried with 2. Then I tried with 2 modules from another manufacturer. I doesn't work either way.

Have you made any changes in the BIOS?

I tried it with the original BIOS and with the BIOS updated to the latest version. I tried with the default BIOS settings and with different variations I could think of.

The memory tests always fail.

I can't see all the modules failing on different boards of the same model. I think you are setting the modules in error. I have now tested and found the first board to be producing errors, yet the second has not.

What modules do you have? I will customize a BIOS setting for your system board and modules.

Enter Here and set down your system hardware, being as specific as possible. For multi-systems, please set down the one we will be testing.

Well, from reading other threads on this and other forums, I am getting to conclusion that there is something wrong with Asus Maximus Formula.

I tested 3 boards with different sets of RAM from different vendors and couldn't make it pass a memory test. Many other people are reporting the same problem. Yet some have no problem with this board. If as DerekT points, some of the boards will work with the same RAM sticks, with which others fail, it could be that just some production series of the board is faulty.

Some people have this board working with other types of RAM. It can either be that they were lucky with their board or that some types of RAM work with it fine.

By the way, does the order of Corsair RAM sticks matters? If I take one stick from one set and another from a different set of the same type, should there be a problem?

I also tested 4 Corsair sticks on another system with Asus P5B Deluxe. I set the latencies to 4-4-12-4 and mem voltage to 2.1. The system recognizes just 3GB, but works with absolutely no problems and no errors in memory tests.

On Maximus Formula I can't even get 2 sticks to work.

This thread is interesting. I have this same motherboard and was thinking of getting this corsair ram.

My problem is very similar, only I currently have 4 sticks of transcend ram. Two separate matched sets. One stick out of each matched set gives no errors and one stick out of each set gives errors (all tested separately). All four work with no errors in another motherboard. Its very odd.

I'm beginning to wonder if I made a huge mistake buying this overpriced motherboard which I can't return.

This thread is interesting. I have this same motherboard and was thinking of getting this corsair ram.

 

My problem is very similar, only I currently have 4 sticks of transcend ram. Two separate matched sets. One stick out of each matched set gives no errors and one stick out of each set gives errors (all tested separately). All four work with no errors in another motherboard. Its very odd.

 

I'm beginning to wonder if I made a huge mistake buying this overpriced motherboard which I can't return.

I've got one of them on my bench and it is working fine. The first one I had would not work fine. It erred out on DRAM testing. So, if you are having the same issue and it seems you have, then you can return the board via RMA to ASUS.

I am definitely keeping this second board. It's rock solid stable and has no DRAM issue at all. As a matter of a fact, it will take 4 X 1024 over 1100Mhz with no issues.

I've got one of them on my bench and it is working fine. The first one I had would not work fine. It erred out on DRAM testing. So, if you are having the same issue and it seems you have, then you can return the board via RMA to ASUS.

 

I am definitely keeping this second board. It's rock solid stable and has no DRAM issue at all. As a matter of a fact, it will take 4 X 1024 over 1100Mhz with no issues.

Did some ram work (not give errors) and some of the same model ram not work on your board? Just curious.

Did some ram work (not give errors) and some of the same model ram not work on your board? Just curious.

The same stick would pass a full test and fail on a second test. It would fail on the first and pass on the second. It would fail on one section of DRAM on the first pass and pass that section and fail on another section in another pass. This characteristic followed on all the testing. I never knew where the failing would occur.

The second board has produced no errors whatsoever.