GA-Z170N-WIFI: BIOS update can bring RAM compatibility?

[arleyristar]

So, I have the famous problem: Fans spinning, leds on, but no display and no post (no beep), rebooting every few seconds. Without RAM I have the continuous long beep meaning memory not correctly installed.

Motherboard: GA-Z170N-WIFI (rev. 1.0), probably BIOS F4.
CPU: I7 6700k Stepping R0
RAM: HyperX Fury 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR4 2666 MHz - HX426C15FBK2/16

I've already tested all from this post:
http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/261145-31-perform-steps-posting-post-boot-video-problems
Including: breadboarding, test just one RAM stick in each slot, 2 more PSUs, reset CMOS, check CPU compatibility, CPU reseating, etc...

My conclusion is that this motherboard and RAM aren't compatible. Some posts from others forums show that this combination leads to the same behavior that my motherboard have (and worked with others RAMs). Which is very strange since there are reports that it works with HyperX Fury 16gb 2133Mhz and the memory compatibility list shows that it was tested with HX426C15FBK4/32 (I'm assuming it used just 2 sticks from the 4) that basically is the HX426C15FBK2/16.

I don't want to buy a whole new set, so is it right to assume that at some point Gigabyte can/will make a BIOS update that could make this RAM compatible?

[dmdilks]

Without RAM I have the continuous long beep meaning memory not correctly installed.

By what I'm reading is that when there is no ram. Then it will stay running with the long beeps right? Yes the ram should boot and run by the default setting 2133. Did you look at the CPU socket to seen if you have a bent pin.

I've already tested all from this post:

Did you test the CPU, Memory, & Video card? Everything runs through your CPU today. Till you know if all those ietms work you really can't tell what is the problem. One of them or the board.

[arleyristar]

My problem is almost solved.
I bought a CORSAIR Vengeance LPX 4GB 2400 Mhz (CMK4GX4M1A2400C14R) to test and the motherboard worked.
The incompatibility exists in the F4 and F6 BIOS, but it's possible to set in the motherboard the memory clock to 21.33 or 24.00 and the HX426C15FBK2/16 will work. DO NOT set to 26.66 (or anything outside JEDEC) in these BIOS versions, it won't post. DO NOT change CAS values, it won't post, but at least won't reboot each 15 seconds. If you put two different rams (i've tested with this corsair and one hyperx stick) the BIOS auto set the clock to 2133, but in this case it's possible to set to 2400.
With the F7b BIOS (careful, it's a beta BIOS, you can found it in the tweaktown forum) the memory is recognized with defaults parameters and it's set to 2667 Mhz in auto mode, BUT it makes the motherboard crashes AF. So if you want to leave in the F7b I recommend decreasing the clock to 24.00, that way it works flawless.

Then it will stay running with the long beeps right?

No, it reboots after 15 seconds more or less.

Yes the ram should boot and run by the default setting 2133.

It should, but it didn't happened.

Did you look at the CPU socket to seen if you have a bent pin.

Yes, i don't have any bend pin.

Did you test the CPU, Memory, & Video card? Everything runs through your CPU today. Till you know if all those ietms work you really can't tell what is the problem. One of them or the board.

I excluded most of the possible causes, the problem that was left was ram compatibility, and I was right.

[ducksonetime]

My problem is almost solved.
I bought a CORSAIR Vengeance LPX 4GB 2400 Mhz (CMK4GX4M1A2400C14R) to test and the motherboard worked.
The incompatibility exists in the F4 and F6 BIOS, but it's possible to set in the motherboard the memory clock to 21.33 or 24.00 and the HX426C15FBK2/16 will work. DO NOT set to 26.66 (or anything outside JEDEC) in these BIOS versions, it won't post. DO NOT change CAS values, it won't post, but at least won't reboot each 15 seconds. If you put two different rams (i've tested with this corsair and one hyperx stick) the BIOS auto set the clock to 2133, but in this case it's possible to set to 2400.
With the F7b BIOS (careful, it's a beta BIOS, you can found it in the tweaktown forum) the memory is recognized with defaults parameters and it's set to 2667 Mhz in auto mode, BUT it makes the motherboard crashes AF. So if you want to leave in the F7b I recommend decreasing the clock to 24.00, that way it works flawless.

Hey mate,

Sorry to dig up an old thread but I'm having the exact same issues as you - same motherboard and same memory. I was also able to force a lower clock speed by installing some 2133 ram along side one stick of 2666 and manually setting the multiplier to 24.00 before installing the second stick.

I have a couple of questions for you though. Firstly; have you been able to get your system to boot with the multipliers set to auto/26.66 and if so how'd you go about that?

Secondly; did you change the CAS timings when you were running at 2400? According to the URL below, these sticks are meant to run at CL14-16-16 @ 24000 - thoughts on this? I'm running at CL15-17-17 @ 2400 at the minute as I only changed the multiplier and nothing else to get it to work, haven't had a chance to much around since.

URL: http://www.kingston.com/dataSheets/HX426C15FBK2_16.pdf

Cheers, mate - keen to hear your thoughts or any updates.

- ducksonetime

[wolfy007]

My problem is almost solved.
I bought a CORSAIR Vengeance LPX 4GB 2400 Mhz (CMK4GX4M1A2400C14R) to test and the motherboard worked.
The incompatibility exists in the F4 and F6 BIOS, but it's possible to set in the motherboard the memory clock to 21.33 or 24.00 and the HX426C15FBK2/16 will work. DO NOT set to 26.66 (or anything outside JEDEC) in these BIOS versions, it won't post. DO NOT change CAS values, it won't post, but at least won't reboot each 15 seconds. If you put two different rams (i've tested with this corsair and one hyperx stick) the BIOS auto set the clock to 2133, but in this case it's possible to set to 2400.
With the F7b BIOS (careful, it's a beta BIOS, you can found it in the tweaktown forum) the memory is recognized with defaults parameters and it's set to 2667 Mhz in auto mode, BUT it makes the motherboard crashes AF. So if you want to leave in the F7b I recommend decreasing the clock to 24.00, that way it works flawless.

Hey mate,

Sorry to dig up an old thread but I'm having the exact same issues as you - same motherboard and same memory. I was also able to force a lower clock speed by installing some 2133 ram along side one stick of 2666 and manually setting the multiplier to 24.00 before installing the second stick.

I have a couple of questions for you though. Firstly; have you been able to get your system to boot with the multipliers set to auto/26.66 and if so how'd you go about that?

Secondly; did you change the CAS timings when you were running at 2400? According to the URL below, these sticks are meant to run at CL14-16-16 @ 24000 - thoughts on this? I'm running at CL15-17-17 @ 2400 at the minute as I only changed the multiplier and nothing else to get it to work, haven't had a chance to much around since.

URL: http://www.kingston.com/dataSheets/HX426C15FBK2_16.pdf

Cheers, mate - keen to hear your thoughts or any updates.

- ducksonetime

The F7f beta BIOS is available for download from the Z170N support page and it works with that Kingston RAM at 2666, I just built mine and it passed burnin testing.

Gigabyte sure dropped the ball on all the new BIOS for DDR4 motherboards, not had one problem at work with MSI or ASUS boards, but the X99 and 100series all had problems, come on Gigabyte this is bad.

[ducksonetime]

My problem is almost solved.
I bought a CORSAIR Vengeance LPX 4GB 2400 Mhz (CMK4GX4M1A2400C14R) to test and the motherboard worked.
The incompatibility exists in the F4 and F6 BIOS, but it's possible to set in the motherboard the memory clock to 21.33 or 24.00 and the HX426C15FBK2/16 will work. DO NOT set to 26.66 (or anything outside JEDEC) in these BIOS versions, it won't post. DO NOT change CAS values, it won't post, but at least won't reboot each 15 seconds. If you put two different rams (i've tested with this corsair and one hyperx stick) the BIOS auto set the clock to 2133, but in this case it's possible to set to 2400.
With the F7b BIOS (careful, it's a beta BIOS, you can found it in the tweaktown forum) the memory is recognized with defaults parameters and it's set to 2667 Mhz in auto mode, BUT it makes the motherboard crashes AF. So if you want to leave in the F7b I recommend decreasing the clock to 24.00, that way it works flawless.

Hey mate,

Sorry to dig up an old thread but I'm having the exact same issues as you - same motherboard and same memory. I was also able to force a lower clock speed by installing some 2133 ram along side one stick of 2666 and manually setting the multiplier to 24.00 before installing the second stick.

I have a couple of questions for you though. Firstly; have you been able to get your system to boot with the multipliers set to auto/26.66 and if so how'd you go about that?

Secondly; did you change the CAS timings when you were running at 2400? According to the URL below, these sticks are meant to run at CL14-16-16 @ 24000 - thoughts on this? I'm running at CL15-17-17 @ 2400 at the minute as I only changed the multiplier and nothing else to get it to work, haven't had a chance to much around since.

URL: http://www.kingston.com/dataSheets/HX426C15FBK2_16.pdf

Cheers, mate - keen to hear your thoughts or any updates.

- ducksonetime

The F7f beta BIOS is available for download from the Z170N support page and it works with that Kingston RAM at 2666, I just built mine and it passed burnin testing.

Gigabyte sure dropped the ball on all the new BIOS for DDR4 motherboards, not had one problem at work with MSI or ASUS boards, but the X99 and 100series all had problems, come on Gigabyte this is bad.

Thanks for the update - some good news finally!

I'm downloading the F7f BIOS now, but just in case it all goes pear-shaped, did you use XMP to set the timings and multiplier or did you set it all manually?

Thanks again for taking the time to reply.

Cheers,

ducksonetime

[ducksonetime]

OK I can confirm the F7f BIOS works at 2666 using XMP with the Kingston sticks in questions.

Word of warning though: I had a hardware RAID array that was lost in the upgrade and now I'm unable to have my SATA drives in RAID and my M.2 drive in AHCI - it's one or the other for all drives.

[ducksonetime]

Scratch that, you can still have separate RAID+AHCI simultaneously if you enable legacy mode but it still broke my array and Windows wouldn't boot with that on! But it would work if you're building for the first time.

[MF]

So, I have the famous problem: Fans spinning, leds on, but no display and no post (no beep), rebooting every few seconds. Without RAM I have the continuous long beep meaning memory not correctly installed.

Motherboard: GA-Z170N-WIFI (rev. 1.0), probably BIOS F4.
CPU: I7 6700k Stepping R0
RAM: HyperX Fury 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR4 2666 MHz - HX426C15FBK2/16

I've already tested all from this post:
http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/261145-31-perform-steps-posting-post-boot-video-problems
Including: breadboarding, test just one RAM stick in each slot, 2 more PSUs, reset CMOS, check CPU compatibility, CPU reseating, etc...

I have the same motherboard and ram, only the CPU is a 6700 (non k). PSU tested good, tried one RAM stick per slot, no way to test RAM or CPU. Reseated CPU and RAM several times, cleared CMOS by shorting the pins, can't find bent CPU socket pins.

I have a similar problem to the original poster: with RAM on system reboots without beep. Only difference is with RAM off instead of one continuous beep I get 5 beeps. Can this be also a memory incompatibility or is my CPU DOA 

Thx

[MF]

I case this helps someone, solved the problem by getting a 4GB RAM stick that's present in the memory compatibility list (Crucial CT4G4DFS8213). The first time I turned the computer on it rebooted again but then it booted.

Updated the BIOS from the original F5 to F7, placed the two HX426C15FBK2 sticks back in and it recognized them fine.