OC/XMP Issues with Trident X F3-2400C9D-8GTXD and ASRock Extreme6

[BigMacUSMC]

Hey guys/gals,

First time on this forum. I'm trying to figure out what's going on with this system. Build specs below:

CPU = Intel Core i7-3770K stock clock (for now)
MB = ASRock Z77 Extreme6 Current BIOS
GPU= NVIDIA GTX660Ti
RAM = 1 x G.Skill F32400C9D-8GTXD PC3-19200 4GBx2
PSU = Ultra X4 750W

Here's the issue. Stock clock speeds all seems good. Prime95 runs well with no issues. Workers continue indefinitely (an hour plus, as long as I was willing to wait).

Leaving CPU clock at stock and applying either XMP3 Profile, 1 or 2, in the BIOS, Prime95 workers (of 8) stop working within 30-45 seconds. Other workers continue to drop over time.

XMP settings are 1200MHz(x2 - 2400MHz) 9-11-11-31-2T at 1.65V

Tried manual settings equal to the above but get the same result. Again, this is with no BCLK or CPU overclock.

Any thoughts? Instability has crept into other applications as well.

Thanks!
Mike

[Tradesman]

To run about 1866 or so on up requires a CPU OC...the spec sheet for the mobo will normally show the DRAM freqs the board can handle, those with an (OC) beside it indicate a CPU OC required. Might try a mild OC of 4.2 for starters (also may want to check you have the latest BIOS)

[BigMacUSMC]

Thanks Tman.

You're right. The MB Spec Sheet shows (OC) for the 2400MHz setting. I set the "Auto" 4.2GHz setting along with ensuring the XMP 1.3 profile was still set.

Verified 1200 MHz (per channel) RAM with 9-11-11-31-2T and the 4200MHz (100MHz BCLK x 42) CPU timing.

Ran Prime95 for 10 mins and dropped worker #5 at about 5 Mins. Other workers continued for the rest of the time.

Shut down, removed the RAM OC, 800MHz/Ch and ran another 10 min Prime95 run. No workers dropped.

Any thoughts?

Thanks again,
Mike

[Tradesman]

Try the CPUVTT at 1.1 (or thereabouts, ASRock often has preset amounts of voltage) and take the VCCSA to 1.01 - 1.03 or so and give it a try

[BigMacUSMC]

Ok, so no joy.

I set the CPUVTT to 1.104 and VCCSA to 1.016, the closest values offered.

Loaded XMP Profile 2 (1200MHz/Channel 9-11-11-31-2T FSB Ratio of 1:9) and ran another Prime95 stress test.

Almost immediately (< 30 secs) workers 2, 3 and 4 stopped.

CPU still set at 100MHz x 42.

Another Try?

FYI. This is my second Extreme6 with the same issues. Shouldn't be the MB.

Thanks for your help,
Mike

[Tradesman]

Can you post up your system voltages and the DRAM timings (including the Advanced/secondary timings)

[BigMacUSMC]

Here ya go!

Voltages:

Vcore - 1.185
+5.0 - 5.112
DRAM - 1.650
VTT - 1.104
VCCSA - 1.016
+3.3 - 3.360
+12 - 12.144
PCH - 1.059
CPU PLL - 1.832

RAM Timings

tCL - 9
tRCD - 11
tRP - 11
tRAS - 31
CR - 2N

tWR - 16
tRFC - 193
tRRD - 6
tWTR - 9
tRTP - 9
tFAW - 28
tCWL - 7
tREFI - 9360
tCKE - 6
tWRDR(DD) - 1

Does this help? I think I may have missed some timings. Please let me know if there's anything else you need.

Thanks again for your help.

Mike

[Tradesman]

Try tWTR 7, tRTP 7, tFAW 26, tRFC 148

[BigMacUSMC]

That was it!

Set those timings, left the rest on auto-set XMP timings and 15 mins of prime95 ran without any issues.

Is there a tutorial or something someplace that I can read to help better understand how RAM timings work? I'd be interested in how you came up with those solutions.

Thanks for the help!
Mike

[Tradesman]

I'll see what I've got put away and bookmarked - mainly for me, it's been being in the hardware end for 30+ years....especially since DDR3 has hit the scene...the mobo makers rush the mobos out with very poor BIOSs and as DRAM gets faster and higher density, you HAVE to WORK with the advanced timings - can be a real pain - I'll try and post up some links this PM, have to get to a job site right now.