Cold boot failures x58A-ud3r Rev2 bios FB

[Dark Mantis]

I just finished a 6hr47minute Ram testing session (which went through 7 full passes) with memtest....I tested all 3 sticks together using FC2 BIOS at 'optimised defaults' settings. I got ZERO errors.

You MUST test the modules seperately! That is why I said it to start with. Singularly, on their own, one at a time...

Now before when I was testing the ram my BIOS settings were custom done by me...on the back of multiple suggestions by a lot of people from various forums. By the time I first started to test the Ram I had no idea of what mad settings I must have input....so these mad settings could skew the memtest (according to some).

Well that make sense to put all the settings back to their defaults if you have been messing about with them. At least they should work at the deault values.

[hello people]

I thought you said to test them all together first and then if there was a problem to weed them out one by one and test them....

[Dark Mantis]

I would say so. Try downloading Memtest86+ and running it on the sticks one at a time for at least 10 loops each. If you get any errors then the memory is faulty.

Memtest86+                                          http://www.memtest.org/
or this version, updated for X58A            http://www.memtest.org/download/beta/415b2/mt415.rar 

This was my original advice but it doesn't matter now obviously just some confusion somewhere. Anyway just carry on and test them seperately.

[hello people]

Test them one at a time in each slot?

So stick 1 in slot a) b) c)  stick 2 in slot a) b) c) stick 3 in slot a) b) c)?


btw...I just changed these settings in bios:

set ram to run at 1600 (because this is the ram's speed)
set ram/memory multi to 12
set the timings to the specified ram timings: 9 9 9 24

I think it's best to run the memtest when the bios is configured for the ram right?

[Dark Mantis]

No just test them one at a time in the first slot and yes I would agree with you on the configuration of the RAM.

[hello people]

Ok Dark Mantis I will do that...sometime this weekend.

Just to report...it is morning now....BSOD on cold boot

Plus all my temps in realtemp seem hotter.

I am sure last night with the same settings they all read in the mid to high 30's....now they are ranging 40-44

Anyway...I'll test the ram at these settings.....but I don;t like those temps....could bad ram contribute to higher temps?

[Dark Mantis]

The temperatures are not anything to worry about at that sort of level. I can't think hopw bad memory could make the temps increase but some funny things do happen.

[hello people]

So what happens if it is bad ram?

I go and buy new ram?

[hello people]

Some more info from my local forums:

I have the same board, rev 2.0, and noticed a bit of weirdness with my setup. However I am running the Geil 1600 @ 1333 and everything works fine.

After reading through the manual, the board doesn't actually support 1600 ram:
from page 10:

"Support for DDR3 2200/1333/1060/800 MHz memory modules." Try running the ram at a slower speed and see if:
a) the ram is recognised
b) the OS stops BSD'ing

Also this board is very picky about the RAM it likes. I have a mate who has built 2 of these machine and has had a lot of trouble with the RAM modules.

I thought maybe that's what the new bios's were doing....making the board support 1600....?

[Dark Mantis]

So what happens if it is bad ram?

I go and buy new ram?

If the memory fails you RMA it and get some replacements.

I thought maybe that's what the new bios's were doing....making the board support 1600....?

Well that is true I am sure but how well it works and if your memory is ok is another point.

[hello people]

I know you don't want to read oodles of stuff but there's some insights here maybe:

http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/270183-30-x58a-ud3r-1600-support

When I tested my ram at optimised in fc2....I think the ram speed was 1333....I had no errors.

Maybe my ram just is incapable of running stably at 1600

Furthermore....my cpu only supports up to 1066

http://ark.intel.com/Product.aspx?id=41447

[Dark Mantis]

Maybe my ram just is incapable of running stably at 1600

Furthermore....my cpu only supports up to 1066

Your CPU is capable of running much faster memory than 1066 but that is the JEDEC standard for the memory so that is what is quoted. If your memory was specified as 1600 speed then it should run at that speed if not RMA it.

[hello people]

I'm going to go back to FB bios...the last official bios...set to default and try the adjustements to get the ram to run at 1600.

In no way do I want to OC the machine....I just want the ram to run at spec.

I aim to use the PC as a recording studio...using Cakewalk Sonar...recording audio, mixing audio...that kind of thing

thanks again....I'm off to go back to defaults

When you flash bios that makes all values default doesn't it?

Here are some cpuz screens of my PC using FB bios (last known official) freshly flash, no tweaks:



What do you think of these values? Seems ram isn't running at 1600....so what values should I try to change in bios?

[Dark Mantis]

When you flash bios that makes all values default doesn't it?

When you flash your BIOS back to FB as planned on the QFlash main page there is the option to clear the DMI settings so use it (top option I think) By default it is enabled as it says Keep DMI Settings so you need to select disable and then carry on and flash the BIOS as normal.

[hello people]

I didn't see that option...I will look again.

By the way....if we start from defaults here and try to tweak bios to run my ram at spec.....and it DOESN'T work...then it is almost a certainty that there is a problem with the ram modules (most likely) or the board (maybe) right?