ASRock 890GX Extreme 3

[JasonB76]

GSkill Tech,

My RAM doesn't seem to work well with my motherboard even though the RAM is on the approved RAM list by ASRock for the 890GX Extreme 3 Motherboard.

I have 8 Gigs (2 Dual Channel Sets) of F3-12800CL9D-4GBNQ

On the first boot I get a RAM dump and then if I power the system off and restart it the computer will work fine. However I have to boot my computer 2 times if I want to use it and it crashes the first time.

I have tried all the tricks to run the RAM at the 1600 Mhz speed and nothing that I have seen posted has worked for me. Including increasing the CPU/NB voltage by .1 volts I have increase the chips voltage up to 1.65 volts, updated my bios, changed the HT voltage to 1.4 volts, changed the trfc0 & trfc1 to 160ns, changed the tRC to 40 clocks and the write recovery to 10T.

Could you please help me to configure the RAM so it will work with my system?

Thank you,
Jason

[Tradesman]

Check CR at 2, may have to increase CPU voltage and may have to take the NB up another .05 to .1, if you could post your DRAM timings and the various voltages, could take a closer look

[JasonB76]

CR & Timings

Tman,

CR is at 2, Timing of the RAM is 9,9,9,24, I took the NB voltage from 1.25 to 1.4, DRAM voltage is currently at 1.65 volts.

Thank you,
Jason

[Tradesman]

How about the CPU, what kind, what speed currently and what voltage....some won't run 1600 and others need to be OCed

[JasonB76]

CPU Type

CPU is a Phenom II x4 2.7 OC'd to 3.2

It is a standard 20% OC and the CPU is running at 1.35 Volts

[Tradesman]

May have to take the CPU up also, 1.375 or so...can try increasing in small increments

[GSKILL TECH]

Try DDR3-1333 8-8-8-24 1.50V

If this has similar problems too, you may have an incompatible two kits of memory.

Thank you
GSKILL TECH

[JasonB76]

timing and voltage

I have the exact same two kits and it does the same exact thing if I only have one installed.

I shouldn't have to lower the speed of my RAM. I bought 1600mhz RAM not 1333mhz. Lower speed RAM = Lower speed processor.

I am currently over 1.4 volts on my Processor now and am still having the same issue. I will continue to about 1.55 volts and if it doesn't fix the issue, I would like to know what can be done about this?

Thank you,
Jason

[GSKILL TECH]

Yea, you shouldn't have to lower the speed if you had a CPU that can support full slots of DDR3-1600. Unfortunately, not all CPUs can support full slots which is why CPU and motherboard companies state "ONE DIMM PER CHANNEL".

Lower speed RAM does not equal lower speed processor. They are independent and can be set to the desired frequency it can support. Processor voltage helps stabilize the CPU Frequency, so right now it would not benefit your memory issue much. You should be raising CPU-NB Voltage (memory controller) to stabilize full slots of memory. Raising DRAM Voltage can help too since that forces CPU-NB to go up with it.

Thank you
GSKILL TECH

[JasonB76]

CPU-NB Voltage

Okay, I will try to keep increasing the NB CPU Voltage to see if I can get it stable.

I don't know everything but in my bios on my particular motherboard the RAM Speed seems to be tethered to the processor speed. If I could overclock my processor separate from the RAM that would be great, but I am not sure this motherboard allows that kind of overclocking.

I recently built 3 systems for my work and I used Patriot RAM because of the problems I have had with G-Skill on my home PC, while maintaining my loyalty to the ASRock Brand motherboards. Patriot isn't a Approved RAM on the Motherboard's specs but it works great and have had no issues. Your RAM is approved to work on my motherboard and I can't get it to work.

As far as the one DIMM per channel, I am not buying that line. If the motherboard is spec'd for dual channel which mine is, what you are saying only exonerates you from any responsibility so should you feel like not taking on the responsibility of helping your customer. Isn't that the way the world works though? LOL! Everyone has some technicality.

Point-And-Case I would like your help!

I will try any suggestions you have and I would rather resolve the issue and get your RAM to work as apposed to tossing the old chips out and buying a different brand.

I can only try once a day to see if the computer works or not because it only has the problem if the computer has been off for 8 hours or more. If I boot the computer up 2 times the RAM works great at 1600mhz, in fact it actually works at 1800mhz, and 1633mhz, but only if you double boot. Sometimes it RAM dumps before I can shut down and sometimes it does not. If I turn the computer off and wait 30 minutes and turn it back on it will still work fine on a single boot.

Also my CPU running at 95W and 3.2 GHZ is on the supported list for this AMD motherboard.

Any other suggestions you have would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you,
Jason

[NemesisChild]

The question was asked, but you still haven't told us...what Phenom II CPU are you running?
The one dimm per channel limitation was for the most part for C2 revision CPU's.
C3 revision and the entire Thuban CPU lineup were engineered with an improved IMC.
This improvement included running more than one dimm per channel on AMD chipsets.

If you have a C2 revision CPU, then you will have difficulties running with all slots occupied.
However, it can be done, but major tweaking will be required to get it to work.
And then there's no guarantee that it will work, so basically it's a crap shot.

[JasonB76]

Cpu

This is the exact chip I am running.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16819103726

AMD Athlon II X3 425 Rana 2.7GHz 3 x 512KB L2 Cache Socket AM3 95W Triple-Core Processor ADX425WFGIBOX

I have unlocked the forth core and the level 3 cache which makes it a phenom II x4

I am currently running it at 3.2 GHz

Thank you for your help!!!
Jason

[NemesisChild]

Thanks, I'm not familiar with that chip, if you can, please post a screenshot of CPU-Z.

CPU, Memory, and SPD would be helpful.

[GSKILL TECH]

If you are only having issues during a cold boot, send the modules in for replacements and the new kit should work better.

Thank you
GSKILL TECH

[JasonB76]

Screen Shots

[IMG]file:///C:/Users/Blandford%27s/Desktop/CPU.jpg[/IMG]

I hope this works to post my screen shots as I don't have a website to post URL's from. IF not the text is below

Processor: AMD Phenom II x4
Code Name: Denab
Brand ID: 28
Technology: 45nm
Core Voltage: 1.224 V
Specification: AMD Phenom(tm) II X4 B25 Processor
Family: F
Model: 5
Stepping: 2
Ext. Family: 5
Ext. Model: 5
Revision: BL-C2
Instructions: MMX(+), 3dNow!(+), SSE (1,2,3,4A), x86-64, AMD-V
Core Speed 960.0 MHz
Multiplier: x 4.0
Bus Speed: 240.0 MHz
HT Link: 2160.2 MHz
L1 Data: 4 x 64 KBytes 2-way
L1 Inst.: 4 x 64 KBytes 2-way
Level 2: 4 x 512 KBytes 16-way
Level 3: 6 MBytes 48-way
Selection" Processor #1
Cores: 4
Threads: 4

Thank you,
Jason