Gigabyte GA-X58A-UD3R & Core i7 980X - RAM Problem

[Dark Mantis]

Hi

I am not sure what happened exactly but my post disappeared as well. Some glitch in the system I guess. Sorry there is nothing I can do as it totally disappeared.

[SV5FRZ]

The board automatically stops the other person from posting if there's been a reply meanwhile.
But I think we hit Submit at the same time so it messed up.
Anyway, I'll repost it.

[SV5FRZ]

Here's the lost post:
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Hi again guys,
I am dumbfounded at the outcome of this problem.

This PC suddenly works just fine!
I really don't know why, the only thing that changed is one version of BIOS.

I went to the customer's office to fix something else and I figured I'd take some photos like we discussed. I didn't have my camera with me so I used the customer's camera which unfortunately didn't have a macro lens. But that's really irrelevant at this point because I tried the triple channel once more, just for the hell of it and IT WORKED!

Just for reference:  DO NOT trust the manual. Good God, half the RAM settings in that manual didn't work at all. I had to go through trial and error to see what actually works.

Here's a photo of what we had up until now:  (relax, they were NOT unclipped when they were in use)


And these are the trials that worked:




Look at the 8Gb configuration. In the manual it says we MUST use 1 2 3 5 in order to work triple channel with 4 sticks. But that's just crap, the only configuration that works is the one you see. 1 3 5 6

And the 1 2 3 4 config they have for dual channel - 4 sticks, that doesn't work either.

Either way, I am NOT going to touch that PC again (I wanted to take those photos of the CPU pins) as long as it works. I won't try to fix what's not broken anymore.

Thanks again for all your help, I hope we can make sense of this somehow.
Tim

[Dark Mantis]

As I said before anyway I am glad that it is all sorted out now and working as it should be.  Just have to make a note of the modules configurations that work for future use.

[SV5FRZ]

I updated the customer's manual on the spot, and I've made a note of it in my book for the future.

[Dark Mantis]

Actually i have just come across another motherboard that has had the numbering system of the slots changed. Just problems waiting to happen in my eyes. 

[SV5FRZ]

I definitely agree with the  2 1 4 3 6 5  arrangement of the memory slots because it keeps the first three sticks of RAM furthest away from the processor, thus allowing for better cooling. That's when you take into account the fact that most people will only use 1 set of sticks.

But none of that is an excuse for bad manuals.

[Dark Mantis]

Yes agreed. The furthest slots to be filled first would make most sense from several different viewpoints but it must be explained in the manual and also at the moment there seems to be a trend of changine the slots being used or the numbering convention of them which is confusing to many people.