Asus motherboards + G.Skill memory: Cold boot issues and possible workaround

[cbulman]

Amigu, the issue you refer to is over a year old so unless your motherboard is older then it has probably been addressed in the BIOS since then (but if you're not sure then check with the manufacturer). AMD has said this is an issue only with "certain lower quality memory modules" which I doubt would apply to G.skill. Or at least I would hope not.

[longshot]

I've experienced the cold boot BSODs with Gigabyte MA785GMT-UD2H motherboard (latest F3 BIOS) and Ripjaws 12800 memory ...

I returned the memory back to the shop and got the 12800 NQ one. I've just installed it and apart from BIOS not picking up the correct SPD settings it runs OK. Not sure whether it will stay that way - will keep you posted.

[Invisible Hand]

I spoke with the Tech dept yesterday by email and they advised to RMA all four sticks...so off it's going. Really hope the replacements work as I've been without a properly working computer for 3 months trouble shooting this.

[GSKILL TECH]

If anyone is having a cold boot issue, simply send them in for new replacements and the new set should work much better. Always make sure that the memory settings are manually configured properly in BIOS. Many of these issues can be attributed to more than one problem, which is why we troubleshoot on a case to case basis. Simply because a system may have similar results, does not mean the cause is always the same.

The memory packages in question are indeed compatible with the motherboards being used. We have the motherboards here for testing, so we are sure they are perfectly compatible. The cold boot issue only occurs with certain modules not syncing properly upon first start up, so we are working on a solution to eliminate this pesty problem. As stated before, if you are encountering the cold boot problem, a new set should take care of that.

Sorry to hear that some have been dealing with it for months. Post a thread and we'll try to have it resolved immediately.

Thank you all for your support
GSKILL SUPPORT

[Invisible Hand]

If anyone is having a cold boot issue, simply send them in for new replacements and the new set should work much better. Always make sure that the memory settings are manually configured properly in BIOS. Many of these issues can be attributed to more than one problem, which is why we troubleshoot on a case to case basis. Simply because a system may have similar results, does not mean the cause is always the same.

The memory packages in question are indeed compatible with the motherboards being used. We have the motherboards here for testing, so we are sure they are perfectly compatible. The cold boot issue only occurs with certain modules not syncing properly upon first start up, so we are working on a solution to eliminate this pesty problem. As stated before, if you are encountering the cold boot problem, a new set should take care of that.

Sorry to hear that some have been dealing with it for months. Post a thread and we'll try to have it resolved immediately.

Thank you all for your support
GSKILL SUPPORT

Thanks for the reply!

What really messed me up was that after the first set didn't work I went out a bought another from the same store and those had the same issue...less severe but the same.

[cbulman]

G.skill, we appreciate you acknowledging the issue and I am definitely looking forward to any sort of update on the cause, and especially some sort of resolution that can help clear this up for us. I am willing to show plenty of patience so long as I know there's recognition of an issue and steps are being taken to overcome it.

I am also doing some testing on my own which I hope will be of use to people on this forum (and possibly g.skill). I will either post what I find here or start a new thread on it.

[cbulman]

Interesting result here that I thought was worth posting. I have been experiencing cold boot instability on a consistent basis but have avoided it recently by not powering down my system. Yesterday I ran MemTest86+ for over ten hours without a single error. Then, last night I intentionally 'triggered' the cold boot problem by leaving my system off overnight. Sure enough, when I booted up today I had the usual boot crashes. I attempted to run MemTest86+ once again, and this time I was getting hundreds of errors within the first ten minutes.

So my question is this: How is it possible for my system to be completely stable at one moment, then after a cold boot suddenly be completely unstable, when the BIOS settings were identical in both cases? Most of the tech support G.skill has offered on this issue has focused on adjusting the BIOS, but my case here seems to suggest my BIOS is not relevant to the problem. Can someone help me understand?

Anyway, I was able to restore stability in the same way I mentioned in my original post...at least until the next boot. So there's more evidence in favor of my workaround (though your mileage may vary).

[Swbogie]

Single stick cold boot test.

I'll try and help with some testing here on my side.
successful cold boot with single stick of ram.
I'll cold boot with using just the other stick of ram tomorrow.
Tests being done with
ASUS P5G43T-M Pro LGA 775 Intel G43 HDMI Micro ATX Intel Motherboard
Bios versian P5G43T-M PRO 0211 First release.

G Skill F3-10666CL8d-4GBHK Timings are 8-8-8-21 1.6V

I can do test for another week, but then I'll need to get these sticks of Ram RMAd since the guy i'm building the comp for will be coming back from over seas.

[cbulman]

In the large majority of cases I've seen, booting on a single stick provides trouble-free system performance, but the problems return as soon as both sticks are used. If this is an issue with the RAM not syncing properly, as described by the G.skill tech above, then this would make sense. Unfortunately this doesn't do anything to correct the problem, unless you're satisfied running your system on half memory.

[GSKILL TECH]

But sending the memory in for new replacements would correct the problem.

Thank you
GSKILL SUPPORT

[Invisible Hand]

But sending the memory in for new replacements would correct the problem.

Thank you
GSKILL SUPPORT

Guys, stop wasting your time, let the G.Skill people do the trouble shooting and just RMA your ram.

On a side note, I sent in my RMA request yesterday for all four sticks....I know your RMA page says 2 days but is there anyway you can speed up my request???

[cbulman]

Heheh, I suppose you're right. It's just in my nature to try to solve problems myself, even when they create headaches. I just pray to god that you don't have the same problem after you've received your replacement memory. Could you let us know how it goes?

[mudmarine]

G Skill Tech

Are we going to run into this cold boot issue if we buy ECO memory from NEWEGG in the next week, or is this isolated to older memory?

MB: ASUS P7P55D-E PRO BIOS 0610
Memory: F3-12800CL7Q-8GBECO

If I take a chance of buying memory that won't sync from the retailer, I'd prefer to buy it straight from the factory right off the test bench.

Mud

[WIGILOCO]

I send my RMA request too to my shop where I bought em. I'll try to raise the CPU/NB voltage a little bumps and see If it corrects my cold boot issues. And If not until CPU/NB at 1.25, I'll try to put them to other DIMM places. Let's see and hope the best.

[pete_dubz]

Do the replacements that GSkill provide for RMA'ed sticks differ in any way from what we would receive if we RMA'ed them to the seller? The reason that I ask is that the GSkill warrantly isn't particularly favourable compared to the statutory consumer protection in my country, but I don't want to RMA the sticks to the seller only to receive another pair of cold boot failures.