G.Skill Trident DIMM Kit 6GB (F3-16000CL9T-6GBTD) on Gigabyte GA-EX58-EXTREME

[DJManiac]

Hi There!

Read many threads here to find out if my settings are correct but could not find something that is really for sure....

Main part ist that I have to set QPI/Vtt to 1,595 (!!!) to run the RAM stable. That seams to be very High. I dont want to burn my CPU...

Al other values are quite normal and are not the reason for my BlueScreens.... Testes this for many many hours and I found out that QPI/Vtt was the key...

Timings 9-9-9-24-1 (Tested also CR2, same behavior) - Al other Voltages as the Guide shows for this RAM on a GA-EX58....

So is this QPI/Vtt 1,595 safe?
Do I have a bad RAM?
Or do it depend on my CPU?

Looking forward to an answer...

DJM.

[EDIT]

Forget someting: I run the RAM as rated at 2000Mhz @ 1,64 V (BLK 200, Uncore Feq. 4000)

QPI/Vtt 1,555: System Boot - but unstable right after entering the system
QPI/Vtt 1,575: System "looks like" stable but reboot after ca. 1 hour Prime95 Blend Test
QPI/Vtt 1,595: System stable - 14 hours Prime95 Blend Test (stopped it manually then)

[Lepew]

12GB on X58A-UD7

I finally get this 2 sets of tripple ram (total 12GB) staple but not at 1600 (Gigabyte X58A-UD7).

I have to set it run at DDr3-1333, then increase QPT/VTT to 1.235 and DRAM to 1.54V, then increase the BCLK slowly up to 150MHz. So my rig is little overclock and Ram speed at 1500. I cannot get it running staple at 1600 using manual setting or XMP profile. If I set to DDR3-1600 without overclock, system shutdown, wait 20 minute, power on system, the system may only detect 10GB or 8Gb (at BIOS). In that case the only solution is to switch off the power through the power switch, switch on again, then power on the system. Quite annonying.

Since EX58-Extreme is basically same as X58A-UD7, you may try using this approach and may be able to run at 1600.

FYI, no watercooling, just thermalright Extreme 120 CPU heatsink. The system run at 30degree celsius idle, 38 degree at full load during everyest stability test (3GHz, 1500 Ram speed, QPT/VTT=1.235, DRAM=1.54V).

[Big Elf]

DJManiac - I have the same RAM and am experiencing similar 'problems'. I have an Asus P6TD Deluxe and 920 D0. If I try to run the RAM at the full speed of 2000MHz then the QPI is 1.475v on the Auto settings, way over the Intel specification for QPI/VTT. I get system instability if the voltage is any less than this. Setting the RAM speed to 1066MHz drops the QPI voltage requirement to 1.2v. I requested technical support from Asus who just said as long as the RAM voltage is under 1.65v then it's OK but not very reassuring. I've also raised a technical support question with Intel to find out whether a high QPI voltage is safe in these circumstances and I'll post an answer should I get one (unlikely).

Lepew - I doubt you'll get 2 sets (6 sticks of RAM) to run at the rated speed. Try removing 6GB and you should be able to get the full rated speed. Are you using Trident 16000CL9T? If not then your circumstances are different anyway.

[DJManiac]

That is a bit strange: If I set the RAM for example on XMP profile (adjust only timings to rated 9-9-9-24-2) and voltages on auto Gigabytes EasyTune-Programm shows me (very high) 1,555 QPI/Vtt for 2000Mhz..... But nervertheless its not stable with 1,555 QPI/Vtt or Auto QPI/Vtt....

I'am really affraid to burn my new expensive system... Things will be very strange... know that Auto setting are normally a bit higher than really needed to be sure that all hardware will work.... But I need much more than Auto!!!

Could please someone of G.Skill-Support say a word to this ?

Many Thanks!

[Lepew]

Hi Big Elf, I am using 2 sets of "G.SKILL F3-12800CL9T-6GBNQ 6GB DDR3 3X2GB DDR3-1600 CL 9-9-9-24 Triple Channel Memory Kit" (total 12GB on 6 sticks) on Gigabyte X58A-UD7.

BIOS setting.

Setting 1:
I cannot get it running "smoothly" at 1600 using manual setting or XMP profile. The problem is power up after power down for sometime.
If I set to DDR3-1600 (with BCLK=133), system shutdown, wait 20 minute, power on system, the system may only detect 10GB or 8Gb (at BIOS). In that case the only solution is to switch off the power through the power supply switch, switch back on again, then power on the system. Press Reset button will not resolve the problem. Quite annonying.

Setting 2:
I have to set BIOS at DDR3-1333, then increase QPT/VTT to 1.235 and DRAM to 1.54V, then increase the BCLK slowly up to 150MHz. So my rig is little overclock and Ram speed at 1500.

With BIOS setting QPT/VTT to 1.235 and DRAM to 1.54V, BCLK = 150, if I shut down the system overnight, then power on the system next morning, >50% chance that BIOS only detect 8GB or 10GB. Again switch off power supply and back on again will resolve the problem.

FYI, no watercooling, just Thermalright Extreme 120 CPU heatsink. The system run at 30degree celsius idle, 48 degree at full load during everyest stability test (3GHz, 1500 Ram speed, QPT/VTT=1.235, DRAM=1.54V). Power supply is Corsair 750W.
ATI HD4550 (PCIe bus power- to keep testing simple).
Under both setting, system pass the memtest86+, Prime95 test and Everest stability test in Windows 7 (with 12GB ram).

Once it detect 12GB at BIOS, system re-start will always detect 12GB under BIOS setting 1 and 2.

With BIOS setting DRAM = 1.54V, QPI/VTT=1.235V, DRAM at 9-9-9-25-2 and tRFC=88
Boot to Windows 7, the Gigabyte Easy Tune hardware Monitor report
DRAM = 1.504V to 1.52V only, and CPU=1.168V at idle
DRAM = 1.504V and CPU = 1.152V during Prime95 test.

Since the DRAM is rated at 1.5V, I prefer to stay at low voltage.
I have not tested DRAM=1.6V as suggested by G.Skill Tech support.

Suggestions are welcome.

[DaKo]

Lepew, I have the same mainboard and use the same RAM on it (but I only use 1 triple channel kit with 6 GB). I have exactly the same problem as you, but it shows 4 GB instead of 6 GB after a cold boot. Entering the BIOS and using the power button to turn off and afterwards turn the computer on again helps, but this is very uncomfortable. It's also pretty interesting that Memtest86+ shows errors after a cold boot (even if the full RAM is detected at the start); when the computer has been running for some time (maybe 1 hour, but it could also be less) no error can't be found, even after 11 hours of Memtest.

A person from the German/European G.Skill team (who is giving official support on a German hardware site) gave me the advice to enter the settings manually and not to use the XMP profile, but I haven't tested it yet. Could you solve the problem?

[Lepew]

X58A-UD7 with 12GB G.Skill DDR3-1600

No luck yet.
G.Skill Tech suggest to RMA the memory and/or motherbaord which I have not done yet.
I ask them should I RMA the 12GB but they did not answer the question.

Gigabyte tech - no suggestion yet. Still i the process asking more questons.

Will further test tonight by raising the DRAM voltage and QPI/VTT, and lower the speed to DDR-1333 see if that make any difference.

Please POST your findings.

Thanks
Lepew

[DaKo]

I entered the settings manually, but it didn't help. The guy from the European G.Skill team now told me to try 1.65 V because "1.5 V is not the normal operating voltage" (even though 1.5 V is saved in the XMP profile). I will also test every DIMM with Memtest86+ individually to see if there are any errors (there weren't any errors with 3 DIMMs installed, at least when the computer booted properly after turning it off again). If all these things things don't work I will send back the RAM to the shop I bought it from tomorrow. After reading some topics in the forum this seems to be only solution which works for sure.

[Big Elf]

DaKo, Lepew - How exactly are your contributions helping DJManiac with his problem of high QPI/VTT?

[Big Elf]

I've had a reply from Intel Tech Support as follows

'The QPI/uncore voltage is a setting that allows you to increase the power of the QPI bus if you are increasing the QPI data rate or the Host Clock Frequency.

This setting is only for overclocking purposes only and you will need to increase this value depending on the memory settings and the Host Clock Frequency, to provide more power to the QPI bus and give to the system stability with your customize settings.

Since Intel does not support overclocking, there is no information regarding this matter. The default value is 1.150V, any value above the default will override the factory settings, running your processor out of specifications (overclocking).

Bear in mind that the QPI/uncore voltage is not the same as the Vccp or VID voltage of your processor. The VID voltage range for Intel(R) Core(TM) i7 Processor I7-920 is from 0.80V up to 1.375V. The QPI/uncore voltage is by default 1.150V.

Apparently your motherboard auto adjusts all the settings every time that you modify the memory speed. Adjusting the appropriate QPI voltage and memory voltage. If your motherboard manufacture told you that the settings are fine and the performance of your system is stable, you can keep running those settings.'

It doesn't answer the question but reading between the lines I guess high QPI voltages are 'probably' OK.

Also see the Corsair White Paper http://www.corsair.com/_appnotes/AN9...g_analysis.pdf

Warning: it's a direct pdf download. It quite clearly lists a QPI of 1.6v in some of their tests.

Also see this thread at http://i4memory.com/f83/6gb-gskill-t...results-19504/ where again high QPI voltages are used. Bear in mind though that some reviewers are no respecters of safe voltages.

[Supershanks]

been running with same ram with same issues with a ud7 need to have vtt up at 1.50~1.54v the last being the auoto setting.

It shows what a radical difference between the i7-920 & i7-1156 chips in the amount of voltage the memory controller needs. Have been running with 2 sets of 4gb same ram on a Asus P7P55D with a i7-860 on that i only needed around 1.3~1.35v IMC voltage the equivalent on p55 of vtt.

[DJManiac]

DaKo, Lepew - How exactly are your contributions helping DJManiac with his problem of high QPI/VTT?

You are right Big Lef - this helped nothing... Was wondering why they started a new discussion in "my" thread...

Many thanks for your information, Big Elf... In the meantime I ordered another Trident Set to see if my first is (really) bad.... Or my CPU (memory controller) want's this high QPI/VTT...

But found out also that on of my three moduls is more bad than the others. While i was playing with timings, the most bad was not shown in BIOS anymore... Tried also different slots, but it shows only that one of my modules is probably a bad one....

Will report in a few days....

[GSKILL TECH]

The high QPI/DRAM Voltage is normal of the Gigabyte GA-EX58-EXTREME motherboard.

Lepew, try cleaning the gold contacts on the memory modules with alcohol. Sounds like it may not be getting a proper connection. If you continue to hae issues, simply send them in for new replacements.

Thank you
GSKILL SUPPORT

[DJManiac]

Many Thanks to G.Skill Support for an Answer!

Received my second Trident-Kit....

And or But :-): This one also needed 1,595 QPI/Vtt for running Prime95 and/or LinX 0.6.4 stable.... But this kit seams to be a bit more better because with this I am ablre to run 8-9-9-22-T1 with 1,66 VDIMM...

My "old" Kit (which I already send back to vendor) I was only able to reach 9-9-9-24-2 stable... OK this is also in specification, but I wanted a bit better one...

I know that this is not very logic that I changed my kit because the difference might be not measurable :-)

So my very last question is now:

Which component is now (MOST) related to the QPI/Vtt????
This looks for me that my CPU or the MB want's this (high) QPI/Vtt... And NOT the RAM???!!!!

[Trevorc]

I have not been brave enough to run the QPI up to 1.5v yet.

Im having simular problems with this memory being seen in my UD5 Board.

Running the memory at 1600 Mhz

Setting the Memory to 9-9-9-24 -1t / 1.6V
QPI to 1.35
Multiplier 12 or 14 (base clock set to normal values!)

Running the memory at 1897mhz
Same settings as above but mutliplyer set higher
Bios only sees 8gb out of the 12 and i can not get anymore to be seen!

Running the memory at 2000mhz
Same as above just a higher multiplyer
Bios only sees 2gb of memory!

I have spoken to Gigabyte technical support and there response is.....

--------------------------------------------
Hi,

For X58 model they are sensitive to different memory types and compatibility, even the same memory specs will be detected from high to low compatibility.

So please check if you can do more test to observe the results.

Try to change every dimms in different slots to see any change in memory size detection.

The latest bios version is F12, please update it for advanced test
----------------------------------------------------------------

I will try this, and also yet have to try Gskills response which was to Re Seat the CPU. If this does not work then i can RMA the memory.

However i have a question to all you knowledgeable folk!.. What is the differnce in performance running 12gb at 1600mhz between 12gb at 2000mhz?

To be honest if i was running a memory intensive process which was taking 60mins with the 1600mhz memory, if running the memory at 2000mhz would run the same process taking 55minutes this 5 minute saving wouldnt bother me! I will happily accept the 1600mhz and just have a stable system!

Thanks in advance!

Trev