Core i7 Memory recognition Problems

[Dwebtron]

My motherboard fails to recognize all of my RAM. Of the 12 gigs I have, the most I can get to be recognized is 8gb. CPU-Z will see all 12 gigs, and all 6 dimms, but my motherboard will not. I can't find a program to tell me which dimms my motherboard can see, but I would assume it sees them all. Does anybody have any idea why this could happen?

I've heard that the SPDs for this ram is wrong, and I've tried setting it to both the SPD values (8-8-8-20) and the values that I had been told from forums, and Corsair themselves (9-9-9-24). Corsair also said to make the DRAM bus 1.6v, and QPI/DRAM 1.5v, and that this should help get it to appear. No such luck. Am I missing anything that could make the last 4 gigs appear? This motherboard has PAGES of memory settings, most of which I am unfamiliar with.

Currently, I have 1 channel of 3 modules in, and the machine only sees 4GB. I'm assuming that this is accounting for the 8GB total, when spread across both channels. Of my 6 dimms, 4 of them are "version 2.4" and 2 are "version 7.1" , but currently I have 3 identical "version 2.4" dimms in and I'm still missing 2gb, so I believe this is not the issue.

Let me know if I left anything out that could help.

My specs are:
Core i7 930 @stock
Asus P6T Mobo
12GB Corsair XMS3 (3 packs of TW3XG41333C9DHX)
4 * 750GB Western Digital Black drives in RAID 0
MSI Nvidia 260 Twin Frozr II @ stock
CoolerMaster 700W PSU

 

[Matan Eldan]

Have you tried to check for BIOS update that relevant to your problem?

 

[nboy22]

There might be a bios update as suggested by Matan Eldan. I have this same motherboard and an XMS3 Kit as well, but only 6 GB (3x2GB sticks). My setup is also running the same stock processor.

I would start with this, have you switched the sticks out? Try individual sticks at a time, and see if the computer will boot. If it can boot with all sticks, then that should mean that those sticks are most likely perfectly fine (I say this because they could still fail a memtest86 test).

If all sticks boot, I would lean towards some of your RAM slots being faulty, or still a bios issue. In this case you might be able to see which RAM slots are not functioning/reading by using a program like CPU-Z. Once CPU-Z is installed, go to the Memory tab and you can get your timing info and see if it is correct, and then you can go to the SPD tab, and on the top left of that tab you can select any of your RAM slots from the drop down menu and see which ones are reading, and which ones are not.

The next thing I would try is upgrading/downloading to all bios revisions on ASUS' website. I know it sounds funny to downgrade a bios when an upgrade should be the true fix, but one of the worst computer problems I've had was due to a bios needing to be downgraded. That problem was actually a RAM problem, so I would also say that there is quite a good chance that this is a bios issue.

 

[Dwebtron]

There might be a bios update as suggested by Matan Eldan. I have this same motherboard and an XMS3 Kit as well, but only 6 GB (3x2GB sticks). My setup is also running the same stock processor.

I would start with this, have you switched the sticks out? Try individual sticks at a time, and see if the computer will boot. If it can boot with all sticks, then that should mean that those sticks are most likely perfectly fine (I say this because they could still fail a memtest86 test).

If all sticks boot, I would lean towards some of your RAM slots being faulty, or still a bios issue. In this case you might be able to see which RAM slots are not functioning/reading by using a program like CPU-Z. Once CPU-Z is installed, go to the Memory tab and you can get your timing info and see if it is correct, and then you can go to the SPD tab, and on the top left of that tab you can select any of your RAM slots from the drop down menu and see which ones are reading, and which ones are not.

The next thing I would try is upgrading/downloading to all bios revisions on ASUS' website. I know it sounds funny to downgrade a bios when an upgrade should be the true fix, but one of the worst computer problems I've had was due to a bios needing to be downgraded. That problem was actually a RAM problem, so I would also say that there is quite a good chance that this is a bios issue.

I did this, I used CPU-Z and that's how I knew that the ram was correctly installed but not appearing in the BIOS or Windows.

Do you want a screencap of what CPUZ says for memory and SPD?

 

[nboy22]

I did this, I used CPU-Z and that's how I knew that the ram was correctly installed but not appearing in the BIOS or Windows.

Do you want a screencap of what CPUZ says for memory and SPD?

I don't need to see screenshots as long as you've checked all RAM sticks, and everything is showing up in CPU-Z. For instance, if you know each stick works individually, we've narrowed it down to those sticks not being faulty, so this problem is not coming from your RAM.

We also know that if you have all sticks installed, and you checked every RAM slot in the SPD tab, then we know your RAM slots are reading properly

I just had a large problem with an ASrock motherboard, which, from my understanding is a cheaper version/division of ASUS. My resolution was to DOWNGRADE the bios, which seems stupid, but it worked.

My next suggestion for you would be to go here -> http://usa.asus.com/product.aspx?P_ID=QtpKQuERkuYw6trc&templete=2

Select the "Download" Tab -> Select your OS -> Select Bios (13) Bios history -> Try the LATEST driver first, if that doesn't work, then try Version 0904 and try Version 0801.

These bios files (0904 and 0801) are selected by me because they have "Improves memory compatibility" in their description.

 

[Dwebtron]

Incase anybody was curious as to what happened here (unlikely) I actually solved this problem myself.

I RMA'ed the board with ASUS, and now all 12 gigs are showing up with the correct speed, although they are different "versions". It's as stable as can be as well, having been running for multiple days when I can stand it. My AC broke on this floor of my house so this PC has been dealing with close to 95F temps and still going strong.


just FYI. Thanks for the help everyone.


*Edit* - The board BIOS that they sent me is updated to the latest version. This is the same version that I was running when I originally made this topic.

**edit edit** - not quite fixed. see next post.

 

[Dwebtron]

Sorry to bump such an old topic, but in the last 2 months or so I've been noticing that I've lost 2GB of my 12GB.

For a while, if I unplugged the power completely, and let it cold-start, it would come back, but now it won't even do that. I'm stuck with 10GB with 12GB installed. Any ideas on what to do from here?

 

[Dwebtron]

should I bump this?

 

[nboy22]

Wow that's a real pain. At this point I would honestly just switch motherboards. I've read at multiple forums that the same motherboard has issues with 1600 mhz RAM and is not guarenteed to run in Triple Channel, but from looking at your RAM model number I see it's probably 1333 mhz.

I've also read that quite a few people on other forums have had issues with it doing weird things with RAM, like putting 12 GB in, and only seeing 8 GB, and then taking one stick out for a total of 10 GB, and their computer detects all 10 GB.

Seems to make no sense other than these 4 possibilities
- The memory slots are faulty,
- The memory controller is faulty (not sure about this one because I'm not huge into the anatomy of a motherboard),
- The bios is faulty or has some other issue that prevents it from reading your specific RAM correctly
- The bios is just not working well with 1600 mhz RAM, which is not a problem from the looks of your model number.

Have any friends with a Triple channel motherboard? Maybe you can slap your RAM in their system and see what it does to confirm that the RAM is not bad and can run well on a second system.

 

[KGB]

Try bumping VDIMM setting in BIOS a little.

 

[nboy22]

Try bumping VDIMM setting in BIOS a little.

Ah yes, I would suggest trying this too, as I've seen people also needing to do this with this particular board with certain models of RAM. Seems a bit funky though that it would read 12 GB for a while and then start reading 10 GB, my bet is that something on this particular board just has a tendency to be bad. I would probably just switch to a different motherboard if possible.

 

[Dwebtron]

Ah yes, I would suggest trying this too, as I've seen people also needing to do this with this particular board with certain models of RAM. Seems a bit funky though that it would read 12 GB for a while and then start reading 10 GB, my bet is that something on this particular board just has a tendency to be bad. I would probably just switch to a different motherboard if possible.

I've googled a little bit and found this issue with multiple brands of motherboards. Also, I've RMA'ed this board, with no success. I currently have 12GB of ram, and found out that I can reliably get it by unplugging my computer entirely and waiting for ALL POWER to be drained out of it. Then, if I turn it back on I'll have all 12 gigs until i restart or power cycle it. Then, I'm on 10GB and stuck there until I unplug it again.

wtf??

I've been reading this thread here: http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/257429-30-asus-delux-issues

and tried a bunch of things there to no lasting success. I messed with some voltages here and there and any change that requires the computer to power-down will work until i restart... in which case it goes back to 10GB.

 

[Dwebtron]

Try bumping VDIMM setting in BIOS a little.

I went to look for this today, but I couldn't find a setting called VDIMM. Is there something else it could be called? Am I not looking hard enough?

 

[Dwebtron]

again... should i be bumping this?

 

[KGB]

I went to look for this today, but I couldn't find a setting called VDIMM. Is there something else it could be called? Am I not looking hard enough?

Look for something like DRAM voltage.

This will be the voltage supplied to your DIMM modules and NOT the voltage for the memory controller.

You are running a shit-load of memory in this system populating all DIMM slots.
What may be happening is the memory voltage sags as you install more and more DIMMs.

 

[Dwebtron]

Welp, I've got 12GB back... but I'm not sure it's going to stay. I have always been able to get 12GB but upon power cycle it goes back to 10GB.

I put all the voltages I could find to 1 step below "WARNING THIS WILL FRY" levels. (My mobo warns me).

Nothing worked until I put the CPU @ 1.2v. Is this too much / too little? It makes sense to me, as I've been hearing that the memory controller is on the CPU... I'll post in a day or so when I've had a chance to power-cycle the machine to see if the ram goes back to 10GB.

 

[Dwebtron]

Welp, I've got 12GB back... but I'm not sure it's going to stay. I have always been able to get 12GB but upon power cycle it goes back to 10GB.

I put all the voltages I could find to 1 step below "WARNING THIS WILL FRY" levels. (My mobo warns me).

Nothing worked until I put the CPU @ 1.2v. Is this too much / too little? It makes sense to me, as I've been hearing that the memory controller is on the CPU... I'll post in a day or so when I've had a chance to power-cycle the machine to see if the ram goes back to 10GB.

Yep, just as I feared I'm back to 10GB of ram... and all I did was turn it on this morning.

 

[Dwebtron]

just bumped the CPU voltage to 1 notch below WARNING

 

[Dwebtron]

I'm going to guess the lack of response means people don't have an answer...?

 

[hennessy1]

I know this is not your board but would these suggestions help a little?

http://www.evga.com/forums/tm.aspx?m=479626

 

[Dwebtron]

I know this is not your board but would these suggestions help a little?

http://www.evga.com/forums/tm.aspx?m=479626

Thanks for the suggestion. Of the suggestions on that site, I've already done:


3. Make sure you are on a 64bit OS
5. Verify each stick of memory and each memory slot
6. Remount the CPU and verify that there are no bent cpu pins (Do NOT overtighten the CPU cooler!!!)
7. Verify that you using the latest bios that is available for the motherboard

I'll try the others as soon as I figure out what they are! I'll report back with how it works out. Thanks again.

 

[Dwebtron]

I took a look for some of the things there, but I couldn't find them. I took some pictures of my BIOS for you guys to look at:

So uh... that's my current settings. What should I be changing?

 

[Dwebtron]

bump..?

 

[KGB]

Okay, ... some basic questions:

1. Are you running the latest BIOS?
2. Have you tried clearing the CMOS?
3. Is that RAM on the Asus QVL for that MB?

 

[OILFIELDTRASH]

I had the same issue on a i7 build. It was a completely different motherboard and ram though. I tried everything just like you. Come to find out I had some bad ram. I'll guarantee if you run memtest you're gonna get some errors. Run memtest and post back.