Z97MX Gaming 5 motherboard is unstable with 4 dimms

[SickBeast]

Hi Guys,

I've been having stability issues ever since I upgraded to 32gb of RAM.  My computer gives me random BSODs that often say "memory_management", usually once or twice a week.  My system passes Memtest86+ overnight with no errors.  It also passes the Aida64 test, Prime95, and Intel Burn Test.  The one test that will sometimes crash is the Asus ROG Realbench test.

I'm wondering if the cause of my instability is my motherboard, my CPU, or my RAM.

I was previously running 16gb of RAM and I didn't have any issues whatsoever before.

Any help you guys can give me would be greatly appreciated!

Here are my specs:

Z97MX Gaming 5 motherboard (latest BIOS)
Sapphire R280x GPU
32gb RAM (DDR3 2133 1.6v G.skill)
i5 4690k CPU (stock)

Thanks!

[dmdilks]

Have you tried to run the memory at the default setting at 1333. You CPU really only supports 1333 & 1600 memory. Any thing over 1600 you have to OC by theory. The more memory you put that you have to OC to 2133 the harder the CPU has to work.

Yes maybe at 16gb it wasn't working has hard. The only thing I can say try running it 1866 and see what happens. You have to find a speed that the CPU and the memory will run at together.

[SickBeast]

Have you tried to run the memory at the default setting at 1333. You CPU really only supports 1333 & 1600 memory. Any thing over 1600 you have to OC by theory. The more memory you put that you have to OC to 2133 the harder the CPU has to work.

Yes maybe at 16gb it wasn't working has hard. The only thing I can say try running it 1866 and see what happens. You have to find a speed that the CPU and the memory will run at together.

Thanks, I'm trying the memory now at 1600mhz.  I will report back tomorrow to let you guys know whether or not it's stable now.

[SickBeast]

So my system does seem stable now with the memory set to 1600mhz.  Is that really a solution though?  Do I really have to run my RAM at such a slow speed to just maintain stability?  I feel like I'm not getting what I paid for.  Is this a common issue?  I'm pretty disappointed with Gigabyte if this is how their motherboards handle high speed memory.

[dmdilks]

You have to understand something it has nothing to do with Gigabyte. Memory is really a joke today no matter what board you are using. In theory yes the faster memory should run faster. But in most cases it really will run slower then the slower memory.

The other thing here does you memory support XMP mode. If it doesn't then you really have to play around with the CPU & memory to get to the 2133 speed. Your board Supports DDR3 3100(O.C.) / 3000(O.C.) / 2933(O.C.) / 2800(O.C.) / 2666(O.C.) / 2600(O.C.) / 2500(O.C.) / 2400(O.C.) / 2200(O.C.) / 2133(O.C.) / 2000(O.C.) / 1866(O.C.) / 1800(O.C.) / 1600 / 1333

So with that said yes your board will support up to 3100 memory. But 3100 will not really run any faster the 1333 memory. The motherboard & memory companies are really pulling the wool over you eyes on this just to get you to buy faster memory.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dWgzA2C61z4

[SickBeast]

Yes, the memory has an XMP profile.  It is not stable if I just use the profile.  The stock voltage for the memory is 1.6v at 2133mhz.  What I have discovered is that it seems stable if I give it 1.65v instead.  Is it normal for me to have to add 0.05v extra voltage because I'm using 4 dimms?  Otherwise I'm wondering if I should think about RMAing the RAM.

My RAM is also on the memory support list for the motherboard.  It says it should run at 2133mhz in a 4 dimm configuration no problem.  Which really makes me wonder if my RAM is faulty.

[dmdilks]

What I have discovered is that it seems stable if I give it 1.65v instead.  Is it normal for me to have to add 0.05v extra voltage because I'm using 4 dimms? 

Yes that would be normal to add volts and is that at 2133 when you do that too or 1600.

[SickBeast]

What I have discovered is that it seems stable if I give it 1.65v instead.  Is it normal for me to have to add 0.05v extra voltage because I'm using 4 dimms? 

Yes that would be normal to add volts and is that at 2133 when you do that too or 1600.

Thanks!

I do not need to add volts at 1600mhz.  It's stable at that speed with everything set to "auto".  For 2133mhz I have to add 0.05v for it to be stable.  My kit is rated at 1.6v but it requires 1.65v for stability at 2133mhz with all 4 dimms installed.

When I have more time I will test my sticks individually.  Thanks again for your help, I appreciate it!  I'm not going to worry about the extra voltage for now.

What is really strange is that the RAM passes Memtest86+ no problem when just using the XMP profile for 2133mhz at 1.6v.  It fails Asus ROG Realbench.  Realbench seems like the best stability test for Haswell.

[dmdilks]

What is really strange is that the RAM passes Memtest86+ no problem when just using the XMP profile for 2133mhz at 1.6v.  It fails Asus ROG Realbench.  Realbench seems like the best stability test for Haswell.

Yes there is nothing wrong with the memory. It is getting the right setting for it to run at 2133. I was in the same ball park as everybody else 10 yrs ago. Doing the same thing trying to run faster memory.

Till a old time told me stop wasting you time on faster memory. It will not run any faster then the base memory the CPU will support. Yes if you look at my signature I do run 2400. The only reason is I got 100's of review items for somebody that did them. Most of the stuff I got was 40% cheaper then any on line store. But you should fine on what you are doing at 1600.

[Quitis]

So... I'm going to ask the obvious question. What PSU do you have?

[SickBeast]

So... I'm going to ask the obvious question. What PSU do you have?

Thermaltake Smart Power 750w.